Connect with us

Published

on

Share on Pinterest Ton Photograph/AFP via Getty ImagesA new exercise trend known as Cozy Cardio is encouraging people to take a gentler approach to working out by creating cozy exercise environments. There are many ways to get involved such as lighting a candle, playing soothing music, and enjoying your favorite protein drink while you complete a gentle cardio workout. Experts say this trend could help you build sustainable health and fitness habits. Cardio can improve your heart health and contribute to weight loss.

Cozy Cardio a new trend that takes a kinder, gentler approach to exercise has emerged on social media. And, if you find intense exercise routines intimidating, it may be an excellent way to get fit.

Rather than putting yourself through a grueling workout, Cozy Cardio is all about making exercise an enjoyable and accessible everyday activity.

It involves creating a calm and cozy exercise environment and completing a cardio workout, usually from the comfort of your own home.

TikTok creator Hope Zuckerbrow popularized the trend when she first posted her morning cardio routine on the platform.

Her early morning cardio session involved lighting a candle, making an iced coffee, and donning fluffy socks, before walking at a gentle pace on her walking pad for 40 minutes, with a romcom on in the background.

Since then, many social media users have shared their own Cozy Cardio routines. There are many ways to get involved in the trend, like wearing your favorite loose-fitting clothing, lighting a candle, or playing soothing music while you workout.

Cozy Cardio certainly sounds like a more gentle and accessible way to get fit. But is it effective? How cozy cardio can up your fitness game

Ellie Crawley, an online strength and conditioning coach and founder of Feel Fit, says Cozy Cardio is about stripping away the idea of no pain, no gain and moving towards exercise that places an emphasis on overall wellbeing.

In doing so, it makes fitness more accessible and allows you to build sustainable health habits.

Not everyone feels confident working out, and so creating a comfortable space as Cozy Cardio encourages you to do can mean the difference in starting a fitness habit and putting it off, she notes.

Cozy Cardio can be a great starting point, because the more you do it, the more confidence youll build, and who knows where that might lead.

Likewise, Eliza Flynn, a personal trainer at The Warrior Method, loves this more casual approach to fitness.

Ive found there are two types of people those who love the busy, noisy atmosphere of the gym or a fitness class as they find it motivating and exciting, and those who would much rather exercise at their own pace, in a more calm manner, she notes.

If youre in the latter camp, Cozy Cardio may be an ideal solution as you can set up an environment to suit you. Whats more, Flynn believes Cozy Cardio offers a more flexible approach to fitness too.

It feels like its getting harder and harder to fit regular, sustainable fitness into the modern lifestyle so anything which nudges you into regular, consistent exercise is a winner in my opinion, she shares.

When you remove the barriers to exercise, it paves the way for you to work out consistently and when you train consistently youre more likely to see improvements, like increased energy and stamina.

Flynn describes Cozy Cardio as creating your personal best environment as it can help you tap into increased energy, motivation, and focus.

She says it allows you to take a holistic approach to fitness which can be a welcome change to the train insane, go hard or go home messaging prevalent on social media.

When you do this, exercise becomes less of a chore, and more of an enjoyable experience; one that becomes part of your everyday lifestyle.The health benefits of cardio exercise

As far as exercise trends go, strength training has overtaken cardio in the popularity stakes in recent years. However, both experts agree that cardio offers many health benefits and should form at least some of your weekly movement.

Regular cardio should be part of every persons week as it can help offset many health risks which are exacerbated by a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, high cholesterol levels, and diabetes, says Flynn.

It can also contribute to weight loss, build up your heart muscles so you can better take in and process oxygen, and can even improve your immune system, she adds.

Cardio offers many mental health and wellbeing benefits as well. In particular, Flynn says it can reduce stress, boost energy levels, and improve your mood.

Whats more, cardio can be less intimidating and more beginner-friendly than strength training.

For those who are starting to exercise, gentle cardio is a great place to start as you generally have less muscle ache after than a traditional weights workout, and you can build it up gradually, says Flynn.

However, cardio should make up just one part of your exercise routine. If youre a fan of Cozy Cardio you should aim to add in some weight training eventually.

This is especially important as you age. Age-related muscle loss starts around age 30 and can impact your mobility and contribute to your risk of fractures and falls.

Strength training as you age will help increase both muscle mass and bone density. How to begin a Cozy Cardio routine

If you want to make Cozy Cardio a habit, keeping it simple is key.

The main appeal of Cozy Cardio is that it takes very little effort to get started. As soon as something requires a lot of effort to do, it becomes much easier to put it off, Flynn points out.

First things first, set up an area in your house for exercise and determine what exercise youre going to do, Flynn advises.

Depending on the exercise you want to do, you may want to invest in some equipment, like a yoga mat, a walking pad, or some resistance bands.

But there are other options if you dont want to splash any cash. Flynn suggests putting on some music and having a dance, or completing a gentle full-body workout. You can create your own or find one you like on YouTube.

There are no rules as long as it raises your heart rate, Flynn encourages.

Crawley shares similar advice. If you arent sure what to do, she suggests sticking on your favorite music and moving in the way your body wants to.

Finally, carve out time for it. Cozy Cardio should make finding the time to exercise a little easier. Scheduling your workouts can help as well.

Crawley recommends setting time aside for yourself. You might like to schedule movement for the time of day youre feeling most energetic or in tune with yourself.

You could set a time before or after work hours, Crawley suggests.

Getting started is probably the hardest part.

Remember Rome wasnt built in a day, so take it step by step, Flynn advises. If youre not exercising at all, aim to get 30 minutes in a week and build up from there. And dont forget that it doesnt need to be all in one go you could break it into 10 minutes over 3 days. Takeaway

Grueling strength workouts and slogans like no pain, no gain may have become popular on social media but Cozy Cardio is a trend that takes a much kinder and gentler approach.

This can help you build positive long-term fitness habits.

Embarking on any new health and fitness endeavor can be intimidating. By starting gently, you can build up self-compassion and realize that you dont need to push yourself too hard to tap into your personal best.

Continue Reading

World

US joins Russia, North Korea and Belarus to vote against UN resolution on Ukraine war

Published

on

By

US joins Russia, North Korea and Belarus to vote against UN resolution on Ukraine war

The US joined Russia to vote against a UN resolution on the Ukraine war – and abstained from voting on one it drafted after amendments proposed by European countries were added.

The 193-member assembly approved a US-drafted resolution, marking the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which had originally called for an end to the conflict but did not mention Moscow’s aggression.

It also made no mention of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

However, it was amended after European nations said that it should include references to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the need for a lasting peace in line with the UN Charter.

It was also amended to include references to Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Follow latest: Ukraine war live updates

The amended US-drafted resolution won 93 votes in favour, while 73 states abstained – including the US – and eight – including Russia – voted no.

More from US

On the same day, the UN General Assembly approved a European-backed resolution from Ukraine which demanded Russia immediately withdraw from the country.

There were also 93 votes in favour of this resolution, while 65 abstained and 18 voted against it.

The UK, France and Germany were among the countries that voted in favour of the Ukraine-backed resolution, which called for a “comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine”.

The US, Russia, Belarus and North Korea were among those that opposed it.

The US voted against Ukraine's resolution. Pic: AP
Image:
The US voted against Ukraine’s resolution. Pic: AP

The duelling proposals reflect the tensions that have emerged between the US and Ukraine after Donald Trump suddenly opened negotiations with Russia in a bid to quickly resolve the conflict.

It also underscores the strain in the US’ relationship with Europe over the Trump administration’s decision to engage with Moscow.

The outcome marks a setback for the Trump administration in the UN General Assembly, whose resolutions are not legally binding but are seen as a barometer of world opinion.

However, later in the day, the UN Security Council approved the US resolution calling for an end to war in Ukraine – but without mentioning Russia’s aggression. The resolution received 10 votes in favour, while the remaining five members – including France and the UK – abstained.

Dame Barbara Woodward, the UK’s ambassador to the United Nations, said after the UN Security Council approved the motion: “What, how and on what terms this war ends can only be decided by negotiations with Ukraine.

“No peace will be sustainable without Ukraine’s consent.

“We regret that our proposals making these points clear were not taken on board, and as such we could not support this resolution.

“But we share the ambition to find a lasting end to this war, supported by robust security arrangements that ensure Ukraine never again has to face Russia’s attack.”

It came after the results in the General Assembly had showed some diminished support for Ukraine – as more than 140 nations had voted to condemn Russia’s aggression in previous votes.

The United States had tried to pressure the Ukrainians to withdraw their resolution in favour of its proposal, according to a US official and a European diplomat.

US deputy ambassador Dorothy Shea, meanwhile, said multiple previous UN resolutions condemning Russia and demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops “have failed to stop the war,” which “has now dragged on for far too long and at far too terrible a cost to the people in Ukraine and Russia and beyond”.

“What we need is a resolution marking the commitment from all UN member states to bring a durable end to the war,” Ms Shea said.

Read more:
Analysis: Gift any Russian leader could only dream of is in Putin’s grasp
German chancellor-in-waiting vows to ‘create unity’ in Europe
Grieving Russian mother writes to Putin after teenage son is killed

Dorothy Shea said the war has 'dragged on too long'. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Dorothy Shea said the war has ‘dragged on too long’. Pic: Reuters

The world is marking the third anniversary of Russia’s war in Ukraine as America’s allies try to navigate a new reality as Washington’s stance appears to favour Moscow.

European leaders were dismayed last week when they and Ukraine were left out of preliminary talks on ending the conflict.

Mr Trump has called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator,” falsely accused Kyiv of starting the war and warned that he “better move fast or he is not going to have a country left”.

Mr Zelenskyy responded by saying the US president was living in a Russian-made “disinformation space”.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron is at the White House holding talks with Mr Trump to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine.

At the start of the meeting, Mr Trump told reporters Russian President Vladimir Putin will accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a potential deal to end the war in the country.

Mr Trump and Mr Macron have been meeting after the pair had earlier joined a call between G7 leaders.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Trump on Ukraine’s territory: ‘We’ll see’

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who will meet with Mr Trump at the White House on Thursday, appeared virtually and said G7 nations should be ready to “take on more risk”.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was in Kyiv, called Russia’s aggression a war on “our way of life”.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Europe’s “first priority” is to strengthen Ukraine’s resistance.

She said this includes speeding up the delivery of weapons and increasing investment, announcing a further €3.5bn (about £3bn) in aid for Ukraine.

Continue Reading

Environment

Zevtron, ParkMobile to support discontinued Shell Recharge EV chargers

Published

on

By

Zevtron, ParkMobile to support discontinued Shell Recharge EV chargers

Zevtron, ParkMobile, and Athena Partners Strategy Group are together supporting charging site owners and EV drivers affected by Shell Recharge’s shutdown of its EV charger software.

Shell Recharge is discontinuing its Shell Sky software in third-party commercial EV chargers in the US and Canada. It will service third-party commercial fleet EV chargers until April 30; after that, it’s lights out, leaving hundreds of EV charging stations across the US inoperable.

Zevtron, ParkMobile, and Athena Partners Strategy Group is deploying Zevtron’s white-label EV charging software across the former Shell Recharge network to restore full operational capacity to these chargers.

“Shell’s exit has left hundreds of chargers effectively stranded,” said Chris Mckenty, SVP of sales & marketing at Zevtron. “Our goal is to rapidly restore these stations to full functionality while enhancing their capabilities with flexible branding, seamless payment options, and improved management tools.”

Advertisement – scroll for more content

ParkMobile will extend its capabilities to process EV charging sessions so users can both park and charge. “Integrating EV charging parking sessions into ParkMobile simplifies access for millions of drivers who already rely on our platform,” said Andy Harman, vice president of sales at ParkMobile.

Athena Partners Strategy Group will work closely with cities, businesses, and property owners to deploy the new solution efficiently. “We see this as a major opportunity to not only restore EV charging infrastructure but also improve it for the long term,” said Nick Stanton, managing partner of Athena Partners Strategy Group.

The partnership says it’s a “turnkey solution to ensure uninterrupted service, enhanced user experience, and improved revenue potential.”

For more information on transitioning Shell Recharge EV chargers to the Zevtron-powered network,
contact Chris Mckenty at cmckenty@zevtron.com

Read more: Shell Recharge exits the US EV charger software market


If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Volkswagen ID.4 breaks into the top 5 best-selling EVs in the US after sales surged in January

Published

on

By

Volkswagen ID.4 breaks into the top 5 best-selling EVs in the US after sales surged in January

The Volkswagen ID.4 was the third best-selling EV in the US last month, trailing only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3. Volkswagen’s electric SUV made a comeback after sales surged over 650% in January.

Volkswagen ID.4 was the third best-selling EV in January

Although ID.4 sales fell by 55% last year after Volkswagen halted production and deliveries in September due to a recall over faulty door handles, the EV made a triumphant return in 2025.

Volkswagen sold 4,979 ID.4’s in the US last month, up 653% from January 2024. To put it in perspective, VW only sold 646 ID.4 models in the fourth quarter and just over 17,000 in 2024. At this rate, ID.4 sales are on pace to reach nearly 60,000 by the end of 2025.

According to Cox Automotive’s latest EV Market Monitor report, the ID.4 was the third best-selling EV in the US last month, behind the Tesla Model Y and Model 3.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

The Honda Prologue and Tesla Cybertruck rounded out the top five. Combined, the top five selling EV models accounted for 54% of total sales in the US last month.

Rank Model
1. Tesla Model Y
2. Tesla Model 3
3. Volkswagen ID.4
4. Tesla Cybertruck
5. Honda Prologue
Top-selling EVs in the US in January 2025 (Cox Automotive)

Over 102,200 electric vehicles were sold in the US in January, up nearly 30% from January 2024. Although sales were down from the record 132,392 sold in December 2024, a drop was expected over typical seasonal trends.

Tesla doesn’t provide a breakdown of US sales, so we will not know exact sales numbers until registration data is released.

Honda-Prologue-best-selling-EV
2024 Honda Prologue Elite (Source: Honda)

Honda’s electric SUV continues to take the market by storm, with 3,744 Prologues sold in January. After delivering the first models last March, the Honda Prologue became the seventh best-selling EV in the US last year, with over 33,000 models sold.

Volkswagen announced the ID.4 was back on sale last month, with the “aim of re-instating the ID.4 to its prior position as one of the best-selling electric vehicles in the US and Canada.” It looks like it’s happening quicker than expected.

Volkswagen-ID.4-best-selling
Volkswagen ID.4 (Source: Volkswagen)

The new entry-level 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 RWD Pro model starts at $45,095, while the AWD Pro costs $48,995. Both are powered by an 82 kWh battery. Volkswagen said the 62 kWh battery will be available later this year. The larger battery provides an EPA-estimated range of up to 291 miles.

VW’s base models feature a gloss black grille, black roof rails, and a 12.9″ infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. The AWD version has 20″ wheels, a heated windshield, and a tow hitch.

Volkswagen-ID.4-best-selling
Volkswagen ID.4 interior (Source: Volkswagen)

The ID.4 Pro S RWD starts at $50,195, and the AWD model has a sticker price of $54,095. It gets an added illuminated VW logo at the front and rear, premium LED projector headlights, a panoramic fixed glass roof, power tailgate, and more.

Volkswagen’s range-topping 2025 ID.4 Pro S Plus is only available in AWD and starts at $57,295. The Plus trim features 21-inch wheels, added exterior design elements, heated rear seats, a premium Harman Kardon audio system, and an Area View (an overhead view camera).

Both electric SUVs feature some of the biggest discounts on the market right now. To make room for 2025 models, VW is offering close-out prices on the 2024 ID.4, with leases starting as low as $189 per month. However, the Honda Prologue is hard to pass up, starting at just $209 per month. Ready to check them out for yourself? You can use our links below to find deals on the Volkswagen ID.4 and Honda Prologue in your area today.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending