Nicol Natale is a Hawaii-based freelance writer who covers health and wellness. Her work has appeared in Southern Living, Real Simple, Travel+Leisure, Prevention, Woman's Day, and Good Housekeeping.

She began her writing career in New York where she wrote feature articles, conducted interviews and edited fashion and beauty content as assistant lifestyle editor of Mood of Living. From there, she spent time in London working for IDG UK, a technology media company. She wrote news stories, tutorials and feature articles.

Returning to New York, Nicol began writing for Everyday Health. There, she focused on mental and physical health topics, researching, writing, and interviewing health experts, patients and professional athletes. This led to her becoming an advocate for health care, a passion that would eventually prompt her move to Hawaii.

During a stint at Business Insider Nicol fact checked and copy edited freelance submissions covering technology, strategy, health, finance and politics.

Nicol worked at Hearst Magazine as associate editor full time for several years before shifting her focus to freelance writing and a move to the island state. She continues to write, but also works as a yoga instructor and reiki instructor.

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Gyms may be the ultimate workout zone, but they come with a few downsides. During peak hours, it's impossible to snag a squat rack or set of dumbbells without waiting, which destroys your momentum. They also lack the convenience and safety of working out at home, especially as the pandemic carries on. Luckily, you can still crush your fitness goals at home — and it all comes down to having quality workout equipment that's easy to use and store.

Take for example, the brand new NordicTrack iSelect Voice-Controlled Dumbbells (Buy It, $429, amazon.com). Designed to make your at-home workouts effortless, the adjustable dumbbells convert from 5 to 50 pounds in 5-pound increments with a turn of a dial. That means instead of ordering 10 separate pairs of dumbbells, you can opt for just one piece of equipment. The compact design also easily fits in small spaces around your home, whether you want to store it in the basement for workouts or in a home office to use between work calls. (

And if you're someone who loves to use various weights throughout sets (*raises hand*), these smart weights make it so easy. They're Alexa-enabled with Amazon's virtual assistance technology, so you can switch between different weights loads just by saying a voice command. This allows you to keep your momentum between sets, as it reduces the time you'd spend searching for your next set of dumbbells. If you'd rather pause for a break in between moves, you can also manually adjust your weights — but what's the fun in that?

Buy It: NordicTrack iSelect Voice-Controlled Dumbbells, $429, amazon.com and nordictrack.com

Plus, there's an option to pre-set the adjustable dumbbells with weights for specific exercises, like bicep curls, lateral lunges, tricep extensions, or 11 other moves. For instance, asking Alexa to "set weight for biceps curls to 10 pounds" means that the next time you prompt Alexa for the exercise, the weight automatically adjusts to 10 pounds. Depending on how you're feeling that day, you can always increase or decrease the weight from this base amount. (FYI, these massage guns can help with recovery.)

The smart gear also takes workouts one step further with an iFIT Membership, which features live and on-demand workouts that you can stream on your phone, tablet, or TV. The membership typically costs $39 per month, but a free 30-day trial is included with your dumbbell purchase. This allows you to try out various HIIT and strength training programs from popular trainers, like Kayla Itsines and Kelsey Wells, before deciding whether to commit. Of course, you'll still have Alexa and Bluetooth capabilities even if you opt out.

And while $429 may seem pricey for the adjustable dumbbells, they actually save you money in the long run. The average set of dumbbells costs anywhere between $15 to $35, so you'd be paying well into the thousands for 20 sets of weights — and that's without the smart connection to Alexa or easy-swap tech available in NordicTrack's design.

The ultimate at-home gym equipment upgrade, these NordicTrack iSelect Voice-Controlled Dumbbells could be the best splurge you make all year. Alexa, add to cart!