Ever heard of the “Habit Loop?” It may sound like something out of a Tolkien novel, but it’s actually a fairly well-studied system in human psychology that helps us to understand how habits  (both bad and good!) are created, reinforced, and replicated.  What does that mean for you? Harness the power of the Habit Loop - and you have the power to change your life, one habit at a time!  Want to work out more? Eat more nutritious food? Get stronger? Sleep better? Read on! Now, on

A couple of fitness buzzwords are the subject of the day: flexibility and mobility! Let’s dive into what they are, and of course… which is more important?  If you’ve read even a handful of our emails, you’ll know that the answer to most questions is… ding, ding, ding, it depends! 

Vitalitas is Latin for “the vital principle of life”. Many, many years ago it was thought that there was a sort of life spirit held in the knees. It has been said that the knee is the seat of life. And, figuratively, getting weak in the knees in the presence of another is actually a thing. My daughter appreciates her knees because “they have a tickle spot”. My son likes his because “they keep my legs attached.” I personally think they are sort of funny looking. But without th

While there are hundreds of ways to positively move our bodies (everything from yoga to dance to walking to hiking to gardening!), it might be easier to evaluate our fitness routines by considering the differing benefits that those movements provide.  For example, we know that cardiovascular exercise of some kind is vital, because it serves, improves, and protects our circulatory system. That might lead us to ask  – what kind of cardio is best?  That’s where it gets a little

Have you ever heard the phrase: “counting your macros”? Ever wondered what in the world macros are?   In this case,  “macros” is shorthand for macronutrients,   which refers to a category of nutrients that the human body requires in large amounts.  The three macronutrients counted are (1) carbohydrates, (2) fats, and (3) proteins.  In short, your body needs significant amounts of each one of these nutrients each day in order to support essential functions.  So then, what are

If only my hips were flexible enough, I would. The month of October was the month of the feet. Young athletes, older athletes and first time runners with foot, ankle and/or lower leg pain. All eager to learn how to get rid of it.  The mechanics of the foot and ankle are glorious, like our bodies in their entirety are. When we stride forward, landing on our heel, the foot changes shape and unlocks, allowing for shock absorption. Then, as we move forward, up and over the ball o

We kicked off our Simple30 health & wellness challenge, and had an amazing potluck full of delicious, nutritious eats to get our participants excited.  We’re one week in, and we’re already inspired by folks doing extra exercises between classes, contributing to their teams with enthusiasm and encouragement, and of course - swapping recipes!  For weeknight dinners, there is nothing easier than a simple sheet pan bowl. Sheet Pan Dinners - Sweet Potato, Kale, & Mustard Vinaigret

We know that movement is medicine, and working out is good for us – but how often should we be doing it? What is the magic number?  You can probably guess the answer here, because it’s usually the truth:  it depends.   Many people (usually selling you something) would have you believe that they know the magic number; that if you just do X type of workout Y number of times per week, all your troubles will be cured and your dreams will come true.  However, humans are wildly div

Originally developed to help treat diabetes, the popularity and use of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro for weight loss have been skyrocketing in the US in recent years. As of September 2024, over 5% of all prescriptions written (1 in 20) for these drugs have been for weight loss. That’s staggering, considering most insurance companies don’t cover these drugs for weight loss and it can cost $1,000 (or more!) per month.  So the big question is…. should I be

Do you find yourself reaching for a second, third, or fourth cup of coffee in the morning (or afternoon)? Do you want to throw your alarm clock out of the window? And yet… are you staring at the ceiling wishing for sleep every night?  You’re not alone!  In the United States, about one third (yikes!) of people don’t get enough sleep.  Why is sleep so important? It supports a huge range of vital functions in our bodies, including brain health, cardiac health, hormone health, me

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Is “No Pain, No Gain” Actually True?

“I fear not the man that has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced 1 kick,10,000 times.” -Bruce Lee These...

It goes without saying that to be at your best health, you need to exercise regularly and have a well-balanced diet, but an additional...

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