There are times - especially during the cold weather in the Northeast - when I just don't want to venture outside to the gym. - that's the last thing I want to do. But those are the times I usually skip my workouts - and I feel it. Lately, I've found that skipping too many exercise sessions makes me feel, well, lousy..my body gets stiff and sluggish, my joints get a bit achy and my mood plummets. I need to get those endorphins pumping. So, I've begun to think about and research various ways to stay fit when you're stuck inside the house. Maybe that's you, too...or maybe you just don't like gyms and { Read More }
Do You Use a Fitness/Activity Tracker?
And if so, how's it going for you? I bought a Fitbit for my husband a few years ago, when they were new to the market. It was a birthday gift, and the purchase also happened to coincide with a long-awaited trip to Italy, where we were going to be doing a lot of walking. Once he put it on, he never took it off. Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration - he chose to remove it before turning in for the night. But during his waking hours, his Fitbit was, and continues to be, a huge motivation for him. Watching those numbers add up is like having his own private coach. Not only did he step up his fitness { Read More }
It’s Okay Not to Work Out
Did you read that right? If you know me, or read my stuff, you know that I am - and have been for quite a long while - a big fan of exercise. From a very young age, I've always been a person who liked movement- whether it be pacing, walking, running, dancing, biking, fitness classes of any sort. Sitting still? Not my thing. (Unless I'm on a beach, or engrossed in a good book or movie. That's a whole other story.) And then, when I entered this so-called midlife, that "like" of exercise took on a new dimension and also became a pressing "need." Movement and exercise was more than just a fun { Read More }
How Fitness Trackers Stack Up
You see them just about everywhere: adorning the wrists of people who look dogged in their determination to log that extra step or mile. They inspire some, bringing out their fiercest competitive streak. For others, they're bothersome and nagging and are soon abandoned. For an article I wrote an article appearing in the February 2016 issue of Family Circle magazine, I tracked the progress of seven of the magazine's staffers, who tried out different versions of these high-tech pedometers. It was interesting to hear their experiences. Thumbs up or down? A bother or an { Read More }