Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

Staff High Five: Moira Cogswell

We say it with pride quite regularly, our amazing staff in corporate and senior living fitness centers are what help us serve our clients so well. Their strong educational background in health and fitness helps us set the bar high while their exceptional creativity and relationship building skills allows them to keep their members engaged and asking what’s coming next. Since we have the privilege of getting to know our staff across the country, we thought our followers might like to as well. Join us monthly as we throw a different NIFS team member a High Five.

  • MCogswellName: Moira Cogswell
  • City, State: Indianapolis, IN
  • Years with NIFS: Almost 2 years
  • Position: Assistant Manager, Active Aging
  • What brought you to NIFS: I knew about NIFS throughout my undergraduate schooling since many of our hands-on labs were at NIFS.  I was working in Minnesota and wanted to make the move back to Indiana and a good friend of mine was a corporate site fitness center manager, and she referred me to NIFS.  The rest is history!
  • What is the most impactful moment you have shared with a member:  There is a member of the fitness center that had not worked out regularly.  We were able to work together in finding an exercise prescription that worked for her wants and the needs we saw during a fitness evaluation.  I have been able to see her not only build her strength and abilities, but also her confidence when walking into the fitness center.  Now she comes to me asking about various exercises she has seen or incorporating functional exercises that she thinks she can improve upon.
  • What separates a NIFS fitness pro from the rest: With NIFS being nation-wide, there is a wide support system that you can go to to help keep classes interesting, programs fresh, and to be able to ask for general guidance on situations that may arise.  NIFS Staff members not only care about the members of their fitness centers, but also helping their peers!
  • What is your favorite thing about working at your client site: The variety in the clients – they are in their second childhood as many of them would say.  I can help them find a balance that works for their lifestyle, but also enable them to live their best lives by teaching them the 'why' so they understand.
  • What motivates you: Seeing the members improve is exciting.  When they tell me that they feel the difference, and they desire to challenge themselves is satisfying.
  • What is your favorite hobby: I really enjoy spending time outside on Lake Michigan or gardening, lifting weights, and spending time with my family and friends (when we are not in a pandemic)!

Interested in learning more about our staffing services? Click below for what best fits your needs.

ACTIVE AGING   |   CORPORATE FITNESS

Topics: nifs staff

What's Your Cup of Tea?

Throughout the day we have so many options on what we choose to drink. That may be water, coffee, tea, juice, or pop. What is your go to drink? Do you know how much caffeine is in it or how much sugar is in it? What about the amount of many calories it contains or how it could affect you? Never fear NIFS staff is here to help give you a better understanding of the drinks you are sipping on.

GettyImages-904544998Let’s get started with EVERYONES favorite go to drink, or should be, WATER! Magical water contains zero calories, zero sugars, and zero caffeine. By drinking water throughout the day your brain, kidneys, skin, joints, digestive system, body temperature, and blood pressure will all thank you! Water will help regulate the body to run properly and make you feel great.

Just sip on this, the human body is made up of 60% of water. Great, so what does that mean in depth? According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and the heart are composed of 73% water, the lungs are about 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and surprisingly bones 31% water.

Throughout the day we are losing that water by breathing, sweating, and using the restroom. Now how can we replenish what we have lost? YOU GOT IT! By good old H20.

Let’s talk about another popular drink that is consumed on a regular basis. As you wake up, still a little sleepy, on a chilly morning in January what would be the drink of choice? Or as you finish your nice supper and it is time for the decadent dessert with a cup of? You got it, a cup of Joe! A plain cup (8oz) of coffee contains less than five calories, zero sugars, and between 80-175 mg of caffeine depending on the type of coffee. Decaf coffee contains about 3-4 mg of caffeine. Remember when adding creamers to your coffee you will be adding 20-50 calories, 1.5 grams to 40 grams of sugar, and 0.3 grams to 20 grams of fat.

How does this delectable drink affect your body? When consuming in moderation (8-16oz) coffee can help:

  • Protect against Type 2 Diabetes
  • Protect against Heart Failure
  • Improve liver function/reduce risk of liver cancer
  • Lower risk of Parkinson’s Disease
  • Improve memory

We also have to understand that excessive intake of coffee can cause:

  • Increase heart rate
  • Increase blood pressure
  • Increase insomnia
  • Increase anxiety

Let’s turn the tables and talk about tea. Black tea contains 39-109mg of caffeine and two calories per 8oz cup. Green tea coming in at significantly less with 35mg of caffeine, and two to three calories per 8oz cup. Adding sweetener will significantly increase the amount of calories and sugars. Let’s say you add 1 tbsp. of honey, you will be adding on 64 calories and 17 grams of sugar. An alternative option to add a little more zest to your tea without adding an abundance of calories and sugar would be a squeeze of lemon. Benefits of tea included, decrease blood pressure, decrease cholesterol, inflammation, and help immune function.

Or you could give herbal teas a try! Herbal teas range from zero to three calories and contain zero caffeine. Types of herbal teas included, but not limited to, peppermint, chamomile, orange, hibiscus, blueberry, raspberry, ginger, lemon, and honestly just about any yummy flavor you can think of!

Benefits of herbal tea:

  • Improved blood pressure
  • Help to prevent kidney stones
  • Help digestion
  • Help cholesterol
  • Improves sleep
  • Reduces stress
  • Soothe stomach issues (constipation, IBS, and motion sickness).

While the drinks above may not be your cup of tea, what if you are a juice drinker? There are over 50 plus types of juices (vegetable, fruit, and combination of both) we have the option of choosing. Vegetable and Fruit juices range from 40-152 calories and five to 36 grams of sugar. Both vegetable and fruit juices have an abundance of vitamins and minerals that help improve heart and digestive health. When drinking juices, especially fruit juices remember the sugar intake is much higher, which could negatively affect the body’s function.

Increased intake of too much sugar could cause weight gain, increase risk of type 2 diabetes, increase heart disease, impact dental health, decrease energy, change mood (risk of depression), and more. Make sure to be mindful of the amount of sugar per serving!

Lastly, let’s talk about pop, soda, cola, or whatever you may call it! This bubbly sweet drink (diet and regular) ranges from zero to 190 calories, zero to 56 grams of sugar, and zero to 80 mg of caffeine per 12 oz. can. Added sugars may be hiding in the ingredients label so be aware! Also check out the amount of sodium the drink contains! Excessive intake of sodium can increase risk of high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and increase heart complications.

Some, alternatives to this carbonated drink are, but not limited to, sparkling water (AHA, Bubly, La Croix, Perrier, and Waterloo), sparkling juice (Bai, Ice, Polar, Sanpellegrino), and other types (Olipop- sparkling tonic, and Zevia –stevia pop). These drinks all have a variety of flavors and range from zero-fifteen calories, zero mg of caffeine, and zero-three grams of sugar.

At the end of the day it is all about moderation! Before taking a sip of your next drink take a look at the nutrition label and see how caffeine, sugar, and calories are in there. You may just rethink your drink!

Did you not read about a drink you consume regularly and are looking to find more nutritional information on a specific thirst-quencher? Contact your NIFS staff to get more information!

Topics: nutrition

Staff High Five: Jordan Matthews

We say it with pride quite regularly, our amazing staff in corporate and senior living fitness centers are what help us serve our clients so well. Their strong educational background in health and fitness helps us set the bar high while their exceptional creativity and relationship building skills allows them to keep their members engaged and asking what’s coming next. Since we have the privilege of getting to know our staff across the country, we thought our followers might like to as well. Join us monthly as we throw a different NIFS team member a High Five.

  • JMatthewsName: Jordan Matthews
  • Years with NIFS: a little over 3 years
  • Position: Fitness Center Manager
  • What brought you to NIFS: Learned about NIFS Fitness Management through a friend
  • What is the most impactful moment you have shared with a member: When I was working as a health fitness specialist in coverage I worked with an individual at one of our senior living communities. We worked together for 3 months to build enough quad and core strength to stand from the chair without using the chair arms. After 3 months we not only achieved our goal but they performed 9 more after that!  
  • What separates a NIFS fitness pro from the rest: The amount of care that is placed in every question, group fitness class, and training session. The trainers at NIFS show a passionate desire to try and help each person they encounter!
  • What is your favorite thing about working at your client site: The atmosphere that we have created at my client site is as close to a family as I’ve ever been outside of my own. Some employee’s look at the fitness center as a stress reliver and that is a testament to the positive atmosphere created. Running programs with employees at this site are fun and exciting.
  • What motivates you: I focus on what I preach to all my clients, “try to get 1% better every day”. I work with around 15 individual clients and they all have different goals that they want to achieve. Learning better ways to help clients towards there goals and motivating them to continue after there goals are reached.
  • What is your favorite hobby: I enjoy playing sports with my friends (as long as I don’t get hurt). I also, due to my competitiveness I love to play board games at home! One of my favorites is Monopoly.

Interested in learning more about our staffing services? Click below for what best fits your needs.

ACTIVE AGING   |   CORPORATE FITNESS

Topics: fitness center staffing nifs staff

Fitness Center Staffing, Hiring the Best

CFM_AA Staffing Infograph new

 

Topics: senior fitness management nifs fitness management staffing staffing corporate fitness management