Western Blogs

November 25, 2021
All Things Racquet Restringing: Terms and Recommendations

by Jayson Memken, Tennis Director

Have you ever wondered what string is best for you, what tension your racquet should be, or what are some of the technical terms surrounding strings in the racquet?

November 19, 2021
Protein Myth Busting

by Tad Taggart, Registered Dietitian, Precision Nutrition Coach

When it comes to literally anything related to nutrition, protein seems to be at the forefront of many people’s minds. When it comes to fitness and performance nutrition, it’s not a matter of if, but when, protein becomes a part of the discussion. While there are 3 different macronutrients (i.e. “macros”), carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, it seems as though protein gets a disproportionate amount of attention. Today, I’d like to clear the air related to some of the common misconceptions I hear regarding protein. Along the way, I’d like to make the argument that this macro isn’t any more important than carbs or fat, regardless of your health and fitness goals. That being said, let’s get started…

November 12, 2021
Creating Healthy Sleep Habits

by Robyn French, ISSA Personal Trainer

Do you lie awake at night, fighting to fall asleep? Maybe your brain is keeping you up with all the stress of the day or you're struggling to find a comfortable position where your body can feel relaxed. If this is relatable, I promise, you are not alone. When we don’t get a healthy amount of sleep, it can lead to experiencing major threats to our health and happiness. Sleep is responsible for healing and preparing the body for the next day. It improves our daily performance, keeps our minds sharp, and we feel better mentally and physically. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to increased heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, depression, weight gain, and more negative side effects.

November 5, 2021
Tips for Healthy Weight Loss

by Ryan Kostroski, ISSA Personal Trainer and Fitness Consultant
As Western Racquet’s Fitness Consultant I am in a position to talk with many of our new members about their goals when it comes to their health and fitness. I typically hear many of the same responses with weight loss being the number one desire for many out there. Weight loss isn’t easy and it tends to become more difficult for most of us as we age. It definitely doesn’t help that we see a plethora of commercials daily advertising silly things like lose 30 pounds in 30 days when most of us in our heart of hearts know that isn’t reasonable. These ads give people unrealistic expectations that can often lead to them giving up way too early when the end goal of losing significant weight feels unattainable. As someone who lost 40 pounds over an 18 month period, I am here to help you find some practical ways to make this dream a reality.

October 28, 2021
4 Beliefs You May Need to Let Go of, to Finally Put Yourself First 

by Jen Shomin, Member Engagement Director & Wellness Coach
As a (recovering) people pleaser, I never entertained the thought of putting myself first. But during these crazy and uncharted times in a pandemic, I believe now more than ever that it’s important to make yourself a priority. 

Growing up we are taught to share with others, care about others, and give to others (time, money, love, energy, talents, etc.). These “others” that I speak of could be family members, friends, business partners, charities, or even strangers on the internet! Not only was it taught, in many families, it was even encouraged! 

Now…don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that giving the above mentioned to others is bad and shouldn’t be encouraged. Giving can make you feel REALLY good and fulfilled! But how often are we taught to truly give to OURSELVES? When we are younger, how often are we encouraged to put ourselves first? 

October 22, 2021
Release Stress at the Gym

by Olivia LaPlante, ISSA Personal Trainer

The holidays are right around the corner, and though there can be many joyful moments throughout, 'tis also the season for anxiety, depression, and stress. Although the gym is not a cure for those symptoms, it's a good starting place to help ease them! 2021 has been an interesting year, to say the least, and I'm sure most of us have suffered from added anxiety, depression, and stress due to COVID and many other things in one way or another. All of us need an outlet to release some of those negative feelings sometimes.

October 1, 2021
Sometimes Less Is More

by Tad Taggart, Registered Dietitian, Precision Nutrition Coach, Wellbeing Team Director

“The only bad workout is the one that never happened.”

“No pain, no gain.”

“Go hard or go home.”

We seem to have an endless supply of motivational quotes designed to keep you pushing your limits. The message in all avenues of life is clear; if you aren’t working your butt off, you’re wasting your time. Particularly in the fast-paced culture we currently live in, the perspective seems to be that you need to be busy or productive every hour of the day, otherwise you would be considered ‘lazy’.

Right now, I’m begging you to question this perspective.

September 23, 2021
A Few Tips for Breaking the Routine

by Jen Shomin, Member Engagement Director, Wellness Coach

When I was a kid I recall going on many adventures. I would pretend that my swing set was sitting over boiling lava. You had to get across without touching the ground or you’d burn to death!! I would go over to a friend’s house at least once a month and play games like Ghost in the Graveyard (although I was afraid of the dark). But the best adventures of all were when my sister and I would go over to my grandma’s house for the night or weekend. We’d stay up until the wee hours of the night watching I Love Lucy reruns while eating hot air-popped popcorn with real butter, salt, and a side of a Butterfingers candy bar.

September 17, 2021
4 Tips to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

by Jennifer Shomin, HCI Certified Health Coach, Certified Life Coach

In this week's Wellness Corner, I want to explain what I feel the differences are between competitiveness and comparing, and how I’ve been able to live a happier life because of recognizing those differences!

I am competitive (I get it from my mom). The thrill of beating my husband (occasionally) at a round of horse makes me giggle. It feels like I won Jeopardy when I can name a song title and band name before anyone else as it starts to play. Monopoly? You bet I’m out for blood. 

Competitiveness can be a very healthy attribute to have, minus the gloating (I’m guilty!). Being competitive can give you the motivation to be better and push yourself. It can help you admire people that are, in your eyes, succeeding. Competitiveness may even create drive and inspire you to set new goals for yourself which is great (and has done wonders for me). But there is a fine line between competitive and comparing. 

September 10, 2021
Making Goals: Long Term & Short Term

by Ryan Kostrosk, ISSA Personal Trainer

With the recent Labor Day weekend wrapping up we now officially enter one of the busier times of the year for gyms and health clubs everywhere. Many people find themselves overwhelmed during the summer months with an abundance of traveling, sporting events, family activities, etc. and simply fall out of their regular fitness routines. If this sounds familiar to you then there is simply no time like the present to reassert your commitment to your health and fitness. That being said, what is the best way to go about doing this?

September 3, 2021
Corporate Wellness Defined - And Why It's Important To You!

by Katie DuBois, Corporate Wellness Director

It’s a fact - happier, healthier employees are more productive employees. We’ve all heard this statement before, right? This is the main concept behind the birth of Corporate Wellness Culture, but what does it even mean? Think about it this way: when was the last time you had a really great week – go back to that time in your mind. You accomplished a lot at work and had a very productive week. Now, think of how your time was spent outside of work hours that week. What else was going on?

August 27, 2021
Gut Check

by Tad Taggart, Wellbeing Team Director

“It’s all in your head.” Whether you have struggled with anxiety, depression, or even overwhelming stress, this is a phrase you may have heard at some point. Even if it comes from a well-intentioned friend or family member, this “advice” or suggestion is literally less helpful than someone saying nothing at all. If you or a loved one has struggled with their mental health, you might also agree that this statement couldn’t be further from the truth. What if I told you that research continues to find evidence that psychological conditions are actually a manifestation of physical imbalance or illness and not simply just a result of “a bad mindset”. You may be thinking of the “chemical imbalances in the brain” often discussed with mental illness, but that isn’t what I’m referring to here. No, I’m actually discussing an imbalance in the body that is nowhere near the brain. Instead, we need to look lower. Much lower. We need to look to the gut.

August 20, 2021
Sugar & Joint Health

by MS, NSCA-CSCS Certified Personal Trainer Andy Gaustad

Sugar! People love it and it’s practically found in everything. The average American consumes 47 pounds of sugar and 35 pounds of high fructose corn syrup per year! We all know sugar is in foods like cakes and other desserts, but it’s often hidden in other “healthy” foods as well. Cereal, yogurt, Nutrigrain bars, protein bars, Gatorade, and many others all contain it. Sugar-dense foods, such as these, are linked to heart disease and obesity, but they can also affect your joint health, as well.

August 13, 2021
Finding Balance With Self-Care

by Rachel Borowitz, FuelBar Director & Wellness Coach

Wake up, take the dogs out, feed them, start coffee, get lunches ready, get dressed, leave for work. Get to work and open, serve customers, have meetings, chat with co-workers and members, get prep list completed, place orders. Get home, take care of the dogs, get dinner ready, clean up around the house, get dishes done, maybe cut the lawn, chat with hubby, prep anything for next day, and finally go to bed. Whew! The day is over! Does that craziness sound familiar to you?

August 5, 2021
Timeboxing: A Simple Time Management Hack

by Jen Shomin, Wellnes Coach
It doesn’t matter who you are in this world (your title, status, salary, etc.) - we ALL have just 24 hours in a day. That’s it! No more, no less. But what you choose to do with it, is what makes each of us different. For someone like me, managing that time can be incredibly overwhelming. I have struggled with ADD, time management, and procrastination from an early age, and to be quite honest, I still struggle with it. My husband lovingly reminds me. “Try not to over-book yourself!” or “You always pack your days so full!” I always say to myself “I can make it work, I can do it!” But then end up draining myself of all my energy. I needed to find a better way to manage my time. Between YouTube, Google, and (of course) TikTok, I found a few tools and processes that not only helped me with my time management but also significantly reduced my anxiety. The process that has helped me the most is something called Timeboxing/Timeblocking.

July 30, 2021
Self-myofascial Release

by Zach Prochnow, ACE Certified Personal Trainer

Self-myofascial release (SMR) is a popular form of self-massage used to reduce soft-tissue stiffness, aid post-workout recovery, and maintain normal muscular function.  SMR can be done with a variety of tools such as foam rollers, lacrosse or tennis balls, and handheld rollers. SMR works by applying pressure to tight or knotted muscles in order to trigger relaxation.  It can be an intense experience, but consistent use will maximize the benefits and decrease the discomfort.

July 23, 2021
Get Out Of That Mid-Summer Rut: Fun Green Bay Area Family Activities

by Kaila Paar, Childcare Director

What a beautiful summer we have had here in Wisconsin! It has been great to be back into a regular summer routine with parties, swimming, and all the fun things that we missed in 2020! With that being said, I know a lot of families hit a rut mid-summer with their kiddos! It can start to feel like you've exhausted every activity! So now what? Well, there's still plenty of summer fun to be had! Check out some fun family activities I've compiled in the Green Bay (and Fox Valley), geared toward all different age groups, and broken down into different categories.

July 7, 2021
Eccentric, Isometric, & Concentric Training

by Casey Alger-Feser, NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Today I want to walk through the basics of eccentric, isometric, and concentric training. Each of these components plays a role in many different exercises, but can often be overlooked or misunderstood.

July 3, 2021
Cryotherapy: Healing for Body & Mind

The dog days of summer are here and they are coming in HOT! If you’re looking to cool down, a session in the cryosauna in our Wellness & Recovery area will do the trick! In fact, the whole body cryosauna cools down to temperatures around -250 degrees Fahrenheit, which sounds pretty tempting on a 90-degree […]

June 25, 2021
Setpoint Theory: Are You Battling Your Biology

by Tad Taggart, ACSM-CPT
Nutritionist, Personal Trainer

Imagine you have a rubber band wrapped around an immovable stake in the ground. That stake is your body’s current “setpoint” weight. This is the weight that your body would prefer to be at, based on the many interactions of your physiology. The rubber band is your genes trying to always pull you back to your setpoint weight. Your pull on the rubber band, wrapped around this stake, is like your efforts to change your weight. It is true that you can pull and stretch the band, but note that rubber bands become much harder to pull the more they are stretched

June 18, 2021
Make Meal Planning Part Of Your Routine

by Deb Guenterberg, MS, RDN, CD - Prevea Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Do you dread meal planning? Here are some easy tips to make this “chore” become a choice you look forward to completing each week or month.

May 14, 2021
Training vs. Exercising

by Andy Gaustad, MS, NSCA-CSCS Certified Personal Trainer

Are you going to the gym to train or to exercise? Are they the same thing? Exercising can be defined as any activity that requires effort carried out to improve health and fitness. Perhaps you go on a morning run, or play tennis, or do your “routine” in the gym. Often, many come to the gym every day and walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes, move to the elliptical to another 20 minutes, go into the weight room and pick up some weights, do 15 reps of certain exercises, get a sweat going, perhaps do a circuit, finish with some ab work and stretch out. All are really great forms of exercise to be doing consistently. If you’re doing one, some, or all of these, you’re on the right track!

May 6, 2021
Get Back On Track

by Alex Awve, Fitness Director and NSCA-CSCS Certified Personal Trainer

We all slip from time to time! Progress isn't always linear and when we're working towards goals, it's expected that there will be occasional setbacks. Don't let your setbacks stop your from reaching your goals! Here are ten tips for getting back on track!

1. Only eat when you are feeling hungry (wait until your stomach is growling but not until you are starving). If you wait until your body goes into starvation mode your body will not burn as many calories...

April 29, 2021
How To Do A Box Squat

How To Do A Box Squat by Casey Alger-Feser

This week I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the box squat. I will be going through an explanation on why the box squat can be beneficial to you, how to properly perform the squat, and a few other details regarding different training variables. A few great reasons to try out this squat are the fact that it will help reinforce proper form as well as help break through strength plateaus.

April 1, 2021
Tire Flipping Season Is Here!

by Olivia LaPlante, ISSA Personal Trainer

The snow has melted, the sun’s out, you know what that means… tire flipping season is right around the corner! I bet you thought I was going to say, “sun’s out, guns out.” In a way that is true too, but we are talking about a hardcore full-body workout this time! With every exercise, there is a right and wrong way to do it, that is why form is so important when doing any exercise. Tire flipping requires a checklist for correct formation before performing. First, when approaching the tire, you are going to be standing with a wide stance with your toes pointed slightly outward. You start in the position because you will follow by going into a deep sumo squat.

March 26, 2021
Just A Fitness Class: One Year Later

by Kari Merrill, Group Fitness Director

It’s been over a year. A full year since I last wrote a blog expressing how lost I felt without Group Fitness classes running, expressing how it felt when we were not seeing our members on a regular basis, not hearing the bass drop in the studios, not watching my Instructors doing what they love every day, numerous hours a day. Over 80 classes a week of Group Fitness ground to a halt. A wide variety of modalities all created by my staff of 50 went suddenly -poof!-  A staff and a schedule that we built, studio by studio, class by class, year by year. We were so proud of that schedule. We brought in the education for each format, purchased the best equipment, and practiced a lot so we could give our members that absolute best Group Fitness experience. Throughout the year, we (over)used the word "pivot" and I admit I probably added some words before "pivot" that I won't type out in case my Mom is reading this. Our members took our pivots in stride, stood by our side, cheered with us, cried with us, and were game for anything as we figured out how to do Group Fitness in a COVID-19 world.

March 2, 2021
Eat Less, Move Less

by Tad Taggart, ACSM Personal Trainer

Many people in the fitness community fall into one of two categories. The first category is filled with those that view their time at the gym as a necessity. These people feel energized, refueled, and fulfilled by their trips to the gym. A missed session would make for an incomplete day. The second category dreads every workout. The trip to the gym is a box to check off on the “to-do” list, and the workout is anticipated to be long, painful, and unpleasant. These categories are not necessarily distinct from each other. Rather, these categories fall on opposite sides of a spectrum. Regardless of which side of the spectrum you feel you typically fall, it may benefit your fitness journey to consider the following...

February 18, 2021
Balance is Key

by Katie Fichtenbauer, ISSA Personal Trainer

It’s all about balance, right? In our diets, lifestyle, workplace, and our bodies!

Balance is your body’s awareness. Both internally and externally your body is looking for ways to assess your current condition. It’s rare that we are going to have 100% awareness of our surroundings, but we can build our bodies to optimize our daily, and adventurous, movements. Whether hiking over logs, stepping off a curb, or playing sports, we shouldn’t wait until we injure ourselves to strengthen our balance.

And how do we strengthen our balance? Ankle and foot stability, and a little mental override.

February 4, 2021
Single-Leg Workout Musts

by Krystal Morgan-White, NSCA-CSCS Personal Trainer

Friends don’t let friends skip leg day! This has been my motto for a while now and I say it frequently at the club! I know leg day isn’t everyone’s favorite, and it doesn’t have to be, but it should be a part of your normal fitness routine.  Or maybe you don’t have leg “day,” but you incorporate some leg moves throughout your other workouts, which is great! Hopefully, you all know the benefits to including some leg exercises into your fitness regimen, but do you incorporate any single leg moves? Or know the benefits of them?

January 29, 2021
Finding Joy

by Amy Xiong, Yoga Instructor and Western Membership Director

In the craziness of life, I often forget to be joyful and to find or be reminded of what brings me the most joy.
The past year has caused worry, anxiousness, stress and so many other emotions. We’ve had to navigate the unknown even more than normal.
It always leaves me feeling somewhat numb and just going through the motions of daily life. I have to remind myself to only control what I can, and that is myself and taking care of my family.
That’s where we need to come back and be present.

January 22, 2021
Masking in the Gym

by Andy Gaustad, MS, NSCA-CSCS Certified Personal Trainer

Let's face it. Nobody likes wearing masks all day. They can be uncomfortable, hot and sweaty. But...we're all in this pandemic together and so close to getting through, so we need to keep working together towards common goals so one day masking can be just a memory!

Working out is difficult enough, let alone wearing a mask while doing so. Due to our state mandate and wanting to follow public health recommendations for the safety of our community, we’ve required members to wear the masks to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Just like we’ve done at the beginning of the pandemic to where we are today, we’ve had to adapt and grow with changing policies and knowledge we've all gained throughout this pandemic. We’re learning ways to cope with the masks to make sure we get to the gym, stay strong and stay healthy.

Here is the rundown on why masking at Western is so important and how you can help keep your community safe...

January 15, 2021
Put the "WE" in Wellness

by Katie DuBois, Corporate Wellness Director

I’ve never been one to set New Year’s resolutions. “On January 1st, I’m going to...”, nope. Not me. I know myself too well. I’ll set too many goals, or too big of a goal, and fail. I’ve always just let the New Year come and continue on, taking it day by day as I usually do. But this year feels different to me, does it for you too? These past few weeks I’ve found myself spending many moments reflecting. Reflecting on where we’ve been the past 10 months...what has happened, how we’ve changed. It’s been A LOT of change. For all of us. Our jobs look different, our businesses look different and the way we interact is REALLY different. But one thing I’ve recognized that has remained the same is our CONNECTION.

January 8, 2021
The Sled Pull

by Casey Alger-Feser, NASM Certified Personal Trainer

The sled pull is a dynamic move that will work on your legs, upper back, and grip strength, it's also good for getting your heart rate up. While these pulls do help with multiple muscle groups, this article will focus on the quads and why it is beneficial for your knees. In our gym, we set up the sled pull by attaching a TRX strap to our weighted sled in the carpet area between the cardio floor and weight room.

December 16, 2020
The Anterior Tibialis

by Casey Alger-Feser, NASM Certified Personal Trainer

My name is Casey Alger-Feser and I am one of the Personal Trainers here at Western Racquet. Today I would like to take this opportunity to talk about a muscle that seldomly gets any isolation work even though it plays a large role in many physical activities and our daily life - the Anterior Tibialis is a muscle that sits along the lateral area of the tibia. In other words, to the right of the shin bone on the right leg and to the left of the shin bone on the left leg.

December 4, 2020
Your Mood With Food

by Rachel Borowitz, FuelBar Director

Have you ever sat down to eat a meal and instantly thought, “I should not be eating this!"?  Or, did you ever think that “My day was awesome! I owned it, I am going to enjoy this cheeseburger, fries and beer!”?  Nutrition is often a love/hate relationship because some foods that you truly enjoy may not be what you ‘should’ be eating.  Yet, who is to say that you should or should not eat a cheeseburger and fries or enjoy a venti peppermint mocha with extra whip and sprinkles? Granted having those high fat, high sugar, highly processed foods daily can lead to some future health concerns, but they may be consumed in moderation.  

November 24, 2020
Leg Workout Musts

by Andy Gaustad, MS, NSCA-CSCS Certified Personal Trainer

Leg workouts are a tough day for anyone. They’re hard, they’re exhausting, they hurt in good ways and sometimes in bad ways. Knees, hips and back hurt occasionally. Most of the time, the pain part is short term. Oftentimes, it’s a lingering ache that we just ignore and keep pushing through. Muscle and joint pain are usually signs of dysfunction somewhere in the kinetic chain. Short and long term overuse, weakness, muscle imbalances, tightness, poor posture, among other issues are reasons behind lingering pain. When “leg day” pops up during the week, many of us experience pain stemming from these dysfunctions.

November 12, 2020
The Fight Lives On: Rock Steady Boxing at Western

by Kari Merill, Group Fitness Director

Nearly 1 million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinson’s Disease. An American is diagnosed every 9 minutes. I think when some people hear ‘Parkinson’s Disease’ they think it affects the older population, with tremors and slower movement.  That might be true for some, but being diagnosed with Parkinson's is different for everyone. When I got Certified as a Rock Steady Boxing Coach, a neurologist spoke with us and said, "If you met one person with Parkinson’s, you have met one person with Parkinson's." I think this is the most frustrating thing for diagnosed patients and their loved ones. Parkinson’s is an ongoing, progressive disease of the nervous system which affects your movement. There is no cure. There are medications to help control the symptoms but one thing that is scientifically proven to delay the progression of Parkinson's Disease is EXERCISE. That’s right. MOVEMENT.

November 6, 2020
Exercise & Pregnancy

by Krystal Morgan-White, NSCA-CSCS Personal Trainer

About 85% of women will become pregnant at some point in their lifetime. Exercise is an important aspect of growing a healthy baby inside you as well as for the mother's well-being. Most doctors recommend exercise throughout pregnancy if the mom is cleared to do so. There are many benefits of working out throughout pregnancy. There are also some do’s and don’ts to follow. If done right, keeping an active lifestyle throughout the duration of the pregnancy will lead to easier delivery and quicker recovery. As always, consult with a doctor before beginning or changing a fitness routine during pregnancy.

October 15, 2020
Pores & Skincare

by Megan Burnach, Licensed Aesthetician

"Sorry you have to look at my skin, it's dry/oily/got acne/etc."  This is by far one of the most common statements I receive when looking at a clients skin during a skin analysis during a facial, especially with first-time clients. Most of the time it has something to do with having pores, not even having blackheads or whiteheads, just by simply having them! 

Let me start off by stating one simple fact. Every single person on this planet has pores. You do not need to apologize by having them!

October 9, 2020
Pistol Squats

by Olivia LaPlante, ISSA Personal Trainer

One of my personal favorite leg day exercises is to do pistol squats. For those of you who do not know what a pistol squat is, it is a single leg squat that requires a great deal of balance. The idea of the pistol squat is, while standing on one leg, squat to the lowest point without letting yourself fall back or rest on the ground.
Benefits: Develop full range of muscle recruitment, isolation of each leg for balancing strength deficits, increases flexibility and mobility, increases ankle joint mobility and flexibility, and greatly improves balance.

October 1, 2020
Stress Eating (COVID-19 Style)

by Deb Guenterberg, MS, RDN, CD, Prevea Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Have you found yourself stressed from the COVID-19 pandemic? The virus and many changes over the last few months have impacted all of us in some way. Are you having a difficult time managing your stress during the pandemic? One common reaction to stress is overating. Here are a few tips to help you turn stress and eating into a positive influence for your life.

September 10, 2020
S.A.D. | Seasonal Affective Disorder

by Alexis Alger-Feser, Certified Health Coach & Personal Trainer

What is S.A.D.? A type of depression that corresponds to the changes in the seasons. For most people, this starts in fall and continues throughout the winter months. This usually starts and ends at the same time each year when the seasons change. As the season progresses, your symptoms may progress as well. Seasonal affective disorder occurs more often in women than men; also, it occurs more often in younger adults than in older adults. But it can affect anybody at any stage in their life! What may increase your risk of S.A.D.?

September 3, 2020
"Fall"ing Into a Wellness Routine

by Jamie Burich, Wellness & Recovery Director

Here we are in September and fall is in the air! The days are slowly losing sunlight. School is back in session. Pumpkin spice everything is popping up everywhere we look and our favorite oversized sweaters are being pulled out of storage. Long summer weekends are a thing of the past but the sun's wrath still lingers on our delicate skin. Dark spots appear on our faces that weren't there 3 months ago. You tell yourself, but I used sunblock, I mean, I mostly used sunblock. Maybe I forgot the sunblock a few times? It’s too much hassle to put the sunblock on. I’ll do better next year. This is me and so many other people I know. We are well-intentioned at the beginning of summer, and then we lose steam when it comes to our personal well-being as the summer goes on...

August 28, 2020
What are fats?

by Katie Fichtenbauer, ISSA Personal Trainer

What are fats and why are we afraid of them?
Fats are a macronutrient, meaning they are one of the three main ways the body obtains energy or calories. CALORIES are ENERGY. According to health.org: Dietary fats are essential to give your body energy and to support cell growth. They also help protect your organs and help keep your body warm. Fats help your body absorb some nutrients and produce important hormones, too. Your body definitely needs fat.

August 20, 2020
Strategies for Dealing with Stress

by Alexis Alger-Feser, Certified Health Coach & Personal Trainer

With so much uncertainty in the world right now, you might be more aware of your stress levels now more than ever. The world is simultaneously going through a global pandemic and significant social and political upheaval, plus many of us are still dealing with big changes in lifestyle, like working from home, facilitating virtual learning for kids, and continuing public health precautions like limiting our interaction with friends and family which can take its toll on us mentally and emotionally. Stress is inevitable, even in the best of times, but how you look at stress determines how it will affect you. Take control of the situations in your life you have control over, find what works best for you, and find a stress management routine to create a healthy relationship with the stressors in your life.

Here are some healthy ways to cope with stress...

July 30, 2020
Mental Fitness

by Alexis Alger-Feser, Certified Health Coach & Personal Trainer

We tend to focus so much on our physical fitness but do you ever focus on your mental fitness? Your brain needs exercise just like your muscles do. You can become more mentally strong, healthy, and fit at any age! You just need time, practice, and consistency. Here are 10 ways to start focusing on your mental fitness today!

July 23, 2020
Staff Feature: Life's A Climb, But The View Is Great

by Amanda Boeder, Membership Director & Group Fitness Instructor

One thing I love is being able to look back on my journey on how I got to be where I am today. I had my daughter at the very young age of 18 so I had to grow up very fast but gosh, she was the best thing that ever happened to me! A few years later I decided to go to college and I later graduated with a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice in March of 2011. I was ready to dive into a job in the criminal justice field, make a difference, and change the whole dang world. But the funny thing about life is that you might make all the plans to go down a certain path, and life brings you down a path you never even dreamed you would go down!

July 9, 2020
Questions to Ask Yourself for Personal Growth

by Alexis Alger-Feser, Certified Health Coach & Personal Trainer

The average person thinks 12,000 to 70,000 thoughts a day. And we tend to judge and blame others much more harshly than we do ourselves. We all have our own beliefs, thoughts, and purpose that build our identities, so questioning ourselves can be uncomfortable. No one said change was easy, but it is almost always worth it. The following questions will challenge your purpose and beliefs and may be tough to answer. If you honestly answer them, hopefully you will be able to go forward and make different or better choices in the way you think and act.

July 1, 2020
Yoga: Start Where You Are

by Amy Xiong, Yoga Instructor

Have you ever thought about trying yoga but aren't sure if it's for you? We all have excuses of why we shouldn't try it or how inflexible we are. There are so many benefits as to why you should practice yoga. Follow yogi Amy Xiong in this yoga flow video and learn about all the benefits of yoga!

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