Put Your Oxygen Mask on First
Before an airplane takes off, during the safety instructions, the flight attendant will explain that if the cabin loses pressure, the oxygen masks will automatically drop down. Why do they always insist that you put yours on first before you place one on your child? Because if you are passed out, you will be useless […]
The Importance of Self-Love
I always thought I was an extrovert because I am pretty friendly and enjoy being around people. That is, until a few years ago, after I read a book by Susan Cain called Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. I learned that extroverts get their energy by being with other people, and […]
Do You Have a Dream?
Back in the day, when the kids were young, at this point in the summertime, we would start to count down the last low-key remaining days until the start of school. While they were complaining about how fast the summer went and how the school year should be two months long, and summer should be […]
Why You Should Throw Away Your Scale
Sometimes the scale does a number on our heads, especially when we’ve been “good” all week and can’t understand why the numbers haven’t budged. Then, our inner critic takes over, “Why should I even bother, I’ve tried everything, nothing works.” We get discouraged. We give up. While the weight on the scale matters, it doesn’t […]
A Different Way to Look at Willpower
Decisions, decisions. All-day long, our brains are bombarded with making decisions. Work, school, family, medical, nutrition, exercise, vacations, etc. All this thinking can cause fog in the brain! We may not even be aware that the sum total of all of these decisions depletes our energy, and when our energy becomes sapped, our willpower follows. […]
Personal Trainer Eavesdrops on Conversation
Recently, I overheard two women in the waiting room at the salon. They looked like they were in their late 50’s, early 60’s talking about their aches and pains and how life is all downhill once you reach a certain age. I cringed as I waited for my name to be called. I knew that if I […]
No Magic Pill, Only Sheer Will
Proper nutrition will change your body composition. Poor nutrition will prevent you from changing your body composition. Period. Many people believe they can “work off” last night’s indulgences or add an extra workout to make up for a summer of chardonnay, but unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. It takes hard work and pig-headed determination […]
It’s all in your Head
The other day, one of our Active Life Fitness members complained about her “problem area” as she rubbed her belly. She said, “If only I could get rid of this,” grabbing a chunk of her midsection. I told her that the only “problem area” on her body was her head! If we believe we have […]
Going to the gym even when you don’t feel like it
On many evenings, you may see some members of our ALF family dragging themselves in, understandably so. They have been beaten up by the stresses and demands of their commute, family, and jobs. Sometimes they arrive wiped out, exhausted, and unable to fathom how they will get through their workout. Welcome to life in New […]
Time to Breathe
For most of us, the only time we are aware of our breathing is when we exert ourselves, have a physical or emotional problem, or during the “breathing drills” we do before every workout at ALF. Although the Central Nervous System controls breathing, the way we breathe is a habit and is considered to be […]