52 Weeks of Wellness
52 Weeks of Wellness: My Fitness Level by Assessment
Tuesday, Apr 26, 2011
I sit on the floor and stretch as far as my hamstrings will allow. I stand still as a tape measure winds gently around my waist, my thigh, my hips. I hold tight to a body fat analyzer to measure by bioelectrical impedance method and my body mass index (BMI). I walk briskly for 8 minutes at a 5% incline on the treadmill and get my heart rate measured as my heart pumps and tries to unwind back…
Read More
52 Weeks of Wellness: Orient Thyself
Thursday, Apr 7, 2011
Orient Thyself
If I were to ask you to define a term we use a lot at the Y – healthseekers – what would that mean to you? Someone looking to get healthy, sure, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. If you stop to think…
Read More
52 Weeks of Wellness: Absolutely, Let’s Work on My Physique!
Monday, Mar 14, 2011
Absolutely, Let’s Work on My Physique!
52 Weeks of Wellness: Week Ten
Oh my. I just tried to walk down a flight of stairs – ouch, ouch, ouch. I can blame this class: Absolute Physique. It was super challenging and all about raw strength, yet it was hugely motivating to work that hard. Today my legs are speaking volumes on how…
Read More
52 Weeks of Wellness: Realigning My Body
Monday, Mar 7, 2011
The doctor told me to take a few weeks’ off from exercise to treat tendinitis in my hip. Didn’t she know that I have a BLOG to maintain!? An image to uphold!?
I took the break and now am back, albeit slowly. I figured Qigong would be the perfect reentrance, a slow series of postures designed to realign.
Defined, Qigong (pronounced chee-gong) is…
Read More
52 Weeks of Wellness :: Boogie Down!
Monday, Feb 14, 2011
No time in week four to fit in a class – I am sure your own schedules can relate – so I was ready for a make-up! I headed to Freeport on Saturday morning to join what I was confident would be an enthusiastic Zumba class. Boy, was I right.
Happiness comes across best in a smile and nothing could describe…
Read More
52 Weeks of Wellness: Pedaling & Kettling Along
Thursday, Feb 10, 2011
Pedaling and Kettling Along
52 Weeks of Wellness: Week Five
Much like my fear of Boot Camp, I have approached any wellness class taught by Paige Pellerin with anxiety. Her reputation as one tough cookie precedes her. So imagine my internal sigh of…
Read More
52 Weeks of Wellness: I Totally Worked Out
Friday, Jan 21, 2011
Week Three: I Totally Worked Out
I made my way up to the Pineland YMCA, on the picturesque campus of Pineland Farms in New Gloucester. If you have never made this trip yourself, find your car keys, hop in and take the drive. While you are visiting, take a moment to duck into the Wellness Center and sneak a peek at the awesome view of Mount Washington…
Read More
52 Weeks of Wellness: Sweatin’ To The Oldies
Tuesday, Jan 11, 2011
Week Two: Boot Camp with Scott Holt
I have spent three years being scared of Boot Camp class. That’s true.
I love exercising, but I do not love being tortured. So three years’ later, after being gently prodded and persuaded to join (you know who you are, Al), I gave in. My excuses had run out. There are no more “Oops, I think I hear my office…
Read More
52 Weeks of Wellness: Saying Goodbye to Two Thousand Zen
Monday, Jan 3, 2011
Week One: Kripalu Yoga
My five-year-old daughter has learned how to meditate. Me? Not so much. I have always had an immense appreciation for the calming, insightful effects of yoga on my body and along with that, the intense focus on the minute details, like how my breath…
Read More
New Feature: 52 Weeks of Wellness Blog
Wednesday, Dec 29, 2010
I work for the Y. I have for years. If you asked me about a particular group exercise class, I would consult a Wellness Coach and get back to you with a detailed explanation. Yet would I really get what the class was all about? Not entirely. So why not try it first-hand for myself?
I plan to do just that in this new…
Read More