Tennis shoes and dumbbell weights

New Strength Training Guidelines Released

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has released their first new strength training guidelines in 17 years. The gold standard in all things strength, the ACSM reviewed over 130 systematic reviews with more than 30,000 participants to answer the questions we all have about how to get the most out of strength training. For […]

Are Longer Walks Better than Shorter Walks?

A recent research study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine answered the question: are long walks better than short walks? They followed participants for almost 10 years to examine the number of cardiovascular events and all cause mortality. The most benefit in reducing risk of heart events was a walk of 15 minutes or […]

7 Ways to Stay on Track this Holiday Season

The joy of the holiday season is upon us! This time of year is a wonderful time to connect with family and friends and celebrate our many blessings. For many of us, the holidays can mean a break from regular routines, reduced physical activity, eating more calorie-dense foods, increased stress and subsequent weight gain. This […]

Finding MY Fitness Connection

Last winter, when contemplating activities I could do with my husband, I came across bicycle tours. An internet search revealed a wide variety of tour companies offering bicycle tours all over the world. I have always wanted to see the New England fall foliage, so I signed us up for an October tour in rural […]

Weight Training After 50: Non-negotiable!

It is common knowledge that we lose lean body mass (muscle) as we age. In your 20’s, 30’s, and maybe even 40’s, you can hold on to some muscle mass. After that, if you are not pushing back on the loss of lean tissue, it will leave you. This loss of muscle impacts our metabolism, […]

What I’ve Learned from (Finally) Committing to My Yoga Practice

I’ve been doing yoga sporadically for about 12 years. While occasional drop-in classes and Yoga with Adriene YouTube videos provided momentary benefits, it wasn’t until I committed to the practice that I started reaping longer-term benefits.  While I was in middle and high school, my mom was a registered yoga teacher and taught “yochilates” classes, […]

A family in the grass reading a book

Visit Your Library

A little late in the month but…September is library card sign-up month! I know, this is a wellness blog, not a reading club. In my family, however, the library and the books and activities that it beholds are an integral part of our whole-person wellness. We are very grateful to live close to many great […]

Hot Weather Alert

Over the July 4th holiday weekend, residents across North Carolina and the country experienced record-breaking heat. I spent the weekend slathered in sunscreen, playing pickleball, and then cooling down in my community pool. When the summer temperatures reach the 90s, I like to keep some frozen bandanas in my freezer to put on when I […]

Potatoes on a toy couch

Are You An Active Couch Potato?

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity per week. For some of us, that means hitting the gym for 30 minutes a day to “knock it out” before work or maybe going on a moderate-intensity walk. Although doing this might check […]