April 2013
Calendar of Events:
April: National Stress
Awareness Month
April 8th 7:30 p.m.
Clinic on Olympic Lifts
May 14th 7:15 p.m.
Proper Squat Technique
Please
remember to
sign in as you
enter and return
your towels as
you leave!
Thank You!
-Fitness Center
Staff
Letter From The Coordinator
Spring has sprung! I really do hope the warm weather will stay. Something about the warm, sunshine filled days that
give people an extra pep in their step. Let’s use that extra pep to continue our healthy lifestyle; whether that is enjoying
picnics with friends or family, choosing healthier food items, taking long walks in the park, or simply coming to the
Fitness Center one more day a week. This month, we want to focus on utilization. We have all heard the basic recommendation of 3-5 days/week for 30-45 minutes per session of cardiovascular exercise. Yes, this is true, but do you
really understand the why of this statement. There have been numerous studies conducted over the years that validate
this statement. One recent study is from King’s College London who found that “regular intensive lifelong exercise as a
child and adult improve cognitive functioning at the age of 50”. Regular exercise will improve blood pressure, lipid
levels, and blood sugar levels, mental and physical health. SO something as simple as parking the car further from the
door or taking the stairs can help improve your well being. You belong to a fitness center let’s try getting here more
than three days per week. I encourage everyone to increase their exercise to better their health this month.
A reminder, please eyeball the television above the towels for upcoming events, programs, and incentives. We want to
relay information to everyone without cluttering the front desk. Coming soon is an Arthritis Foundation Aqua
course. This six week course will help those who have arthritis at any age gain mobility and flexibility without putting
pressure on the joints. Massage therapy will be here soon as well. We will offer 30-90 minute massage packages. More information and a start date will available soon.
Please make sure you have picked up your guest pass for the year. This has your three free guest passes for the remainder of the year. If you do not have it when you bring in a guest, you will have to pay the $12 guest fee. Don’t forget.
Lastly, I would like to thank each of you for being a loyal member of The Fitness Center at Kernersville. We all look
forward to assisting you in your health goals.
-Kristen
ASK DR.DUMBBELL "Some of the secret
joys of living are not
found by rushing from
point A to point B, but
by inventing some
imaginary letters
along the way."
-Douglas Pagels
HAVE YOU NOTICED ANYTHING DIFFERENT BACK IN THE GYM? MAYBE A CERTAIN BLACK BOX, ON A CERTAIN COUNTER? WITH A QUIRKY LOOKING DOCTOR FLEXING A DUMBBELL? WELL IF SO YOU GUESSED RIGHT! WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A NEW SYSTEM TO ANSWER ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS YOU HAVE PERTAINING TO WORKING OUT, WEIGHT LIFTING, CARDIO EXERCISE. AND ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN‐BETWEEN. FEEL FREE TO DROP A QUESTION IN THE BOX ANYTIME AND DR. DUMBBELL WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER IT FOR YOU! TRIAD PERKS: TELL YOUR FRIENDS
Have you been trying to get your workout buddy to join the gym? But they keep making
excuses? Be sure to send this little piece of knowledge their way:
New Members save $50 on your enrollment fee to The Fitness Center at Kernersville or High
Point. Normally $75, now just $25 with this GetMyPerks.com offer.
Maybe this will be just the nudge they need to get them in the door!
April 2013
Spring Cleaning: 10 Ways To Instantly Sweep Away Your Stress
Spring is finally here and before we begin to pile on more stress of sprucing up our homes to our ever so
busy lives, lets take a moment to instantly melt away the stress we are dealing with now. Its as simple as just taking a
moment to relax. Yes, doctors do say a small amount of stress is good because it keeps you alert, but too much
stress produces negative outcomes. WebMD did a piece on 10 ways to reduce stress on the spot anywhere you are.
These simple tips can be very helpful to reducing your stress levels significantly. So lets begin:
1. Meditate: No, its not necessarily the meditation where you sit in silence and try to find your inner nirvana. If that’s
what helps you calm yourself then go right ahead. Mediation can be many things. You may not even realize an activity
you currently do can fall in this category. For instance knitting could be your release. Any action that reoccurs in a
repetitive motion and that keeps you calm in that moment can be considered meditation. Be creative and find unique
was to meditate where ever you are.
2. Picture Relaxation: Sometimes even when we are quiet, our mind still seems to running at a million miles a minute. Personally I know the feeling all too
well. Even when I am trying to relax I find myself planning and worrying about my next move. Here’s a good tip from WebMD that may help the overactive
thinkers as myself, just stop. Stop and visualize somewhere, something or even someone’s company that you find relaxing. The more detailed you imagine
this escape to calmness the more relaxation you will receive.
3. Deep Breaths: Stress is synonymous with short and shallow breaths. So de-stressing is as simple as breathing air. Just change the way you breathe. Try
this: Joan Borysenko, PhD, director of Harvard’s Mind-Body Clinical Programs, recommends doing the following: Imaging your lower belly or center, as a
deep powerful place. Concentrate on your inhales and exhales. With each inhale feel your belly, sides and lower back expand. Exhale, sigh and drop your
chest, feel your belly back and sides contract. Repeat this 10 times, relaxing more and more each time.
4. Look Around You: "Mindfulness is the here-and-now approach to living that makes daily life richer and more
meaningful," says Claire Michaels Wheeler, MD, PhD. The key is to approach life like a child, without passing
judgment. Focus on one activity at a time, ease up on the multi-tasking! Hone in on the present and your immediate
surroundings, this can promote relaxation and prevent depression. As long as you can keep your mind focused on
something in the present, stress will take a back seat.
5. Drink Hot Tea: If you tend to be addicted to coffee, like me, green tea can be a healthier alternative when it
comes to lowering stress. Coffee consumption raises levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Chamomile tea is a know
for its calming effects and its ability to reduce stress...and not to mention with a bit of honey it’s quite tasty. Simple
changes like this can make a world of change when it comes to clearing out your stress levels.
6. Show Some Love: The relaxation process can be brought on as something as simple as snuggling your pet as
you sip some tea *see suggestion #5* Or even a hug to a friend, family member or loved one can help lower your
stress levels on the spot. Talk about the positive aspects in you life with others. Why you might ask? Experts have
proven that social interaction helps your thinking process. It can motivate you to find different solutions to your problems that before seemed unfixable. With
this physical contact can lower blood pressure and stress hormones. So there ya go, go out there and start giving people some hugs!
7. Try Self-Massage: If you are like me and are too busy to visit a real masseuse, or frankly don’t have the cash to spare either, try giving yourself a simple
neck massage. If you have never done so before here are some simple instructions: Place both hands on your shoulders and neck. Squeeze with your
fingers and palms. Rub vigorously, keeping shoulders relaxed. Wrap one hand around the other forearm. Squeeze the muscles with thumb and fingers. Move
up and down from your elbow to fingertips and back again. Repeat with other arm. Try this on your own, it’ll save you some cash and loads of stress.
8. Take a Breather: When you find yourself becoming angry or tense, take a minute to find a quiet place, take some deep breaths and focus all your energy
at that moment on releasing tension and slowing your heartbeat. Just relax focus on that moment and let the stress flow out of your body.
HEADS UP:
Beginning April 1st, we will set each television to
a certain channel and maintain this
station. There will be 8 different channels, giving
everyone a variety. As we are here to provide
customer service, there are times when we
cannot attend to the televisions.
POOL MAINTENANCE: We will be closing the
indoor pool on the first Thursday of each month
from 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. for monthly
maintenance. We appreciate your cooperation
during this time!
9. Turn up the Tunes: Well, not too loud. But do turn them on. Music can calm ones
heartbeat. So find one of your favorite songs with a slow tempo and try to align your
heartbeat with it. Classical music is suggested, studies have shown that calming effects equal
to that of taking 10 mg of Valium can be produced by listening to 30 minutes of this genre.
10. Adjust your Attitude: Thirty seconds is all you need. That’s all it takes to change your
heartbeat from stressed out to relaxation. You do so by positive thinking. Think of things that
you view as positive. It could be a memory, a scent, a song, anything. Thinking of these
positive things will naturally slow your breathing, relax your body and maybe even bring a
smile to your face.
All of these things can be done anywhere at anytime, and the great part is its at no cost. So
next time you feel that looming pressure of stress coming over you. Stop and think about the
10 things you have read, choose a few that work best for you and find your way to relaxation.
Hope this helps!
-Christin