Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

The holidays should be a season filled with joy, but they can also bring stress and emotional overwhelm from busy schedules, family dynamics, and heightened expectations. Staying emotionally balanced during this time is essential for preserving your mental well-being.

Mindfulness can be a powerful tool for managing holiday stress. By staying present in the moment, you can ease anxiety and negative emotions. Even dedicating just 5–10 minutes a day to mindful breathing, meditation, or simply noticing your surroundings can help you feel more grounded and at peace. This mindset can also help when family gatherings bring the pressure to host or create the “perfect” holiday. Unrealistic expectations often lead to frustration or disappointment, so try embracing imperfection—focus on meaningful connections and remind yourself that shared moments matter far more than flawless details.

Physical activity and rest play important roles in emotional balance. Exercise not only benefits your body but also boosts endorphins—the brain’s “happy chemicals”—which can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression (Rebar et al., 2015). Whether it’s a brisk walk, a workout, or playing a sport with loved ones, movement can help lift your mood. Likewise, getting enough sleep is crucial. A lack of rest can increase stress, irritability, and cognitive fatigue. According to the National Sleep Foundation (2020), maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and aiming for 7–9 hours each night supports both mental and physical well-being.

Practicing gratitude and managing your time can also reduce stress. Taking time to reflect on what you’re thankful for helps redirect focus away from worry and negativity. Try keeping a gratitude journal or sharing what you appreciate with family and friends during holiday gatherings. Meanwhile, avoid overcommitting yourself. The season can fill up quickly, and saying “yes” to everything can lead to burnout. Plan your schedule thoughtfully, prioritize what matters most, and leave room for rest, self-care, and flexibility.

Setting healthy boundaries and maintaining social connections are key to emotional wellness. With family obligations and social pressures at their peak, it’s important to communicate your limits to protect your mental health. Boundaries prevent burnout and help you stay centered. At the same time, positive social interactions can help counter stress. Research shows that strong relationships support mental health and resilience (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010). Make time to connect—whether in person, over the phone, or through virtual gatherings—and reach out for support if you start feeling isolated.

Finally, remember to treat yourself with compassion. Being kind to yourself, especially during stressful moments, fosters resilience and calm. As Kristin Neff’s research (2003) shows, self-compassion reduces anxiety and helps people cope more effectively. Treat yourself with the same understanding you’d offer someone you care about. It can also help to be mindful of your social media habits. The constant stream of curated holiday moments can trigger comparison and stress, so try limiting screen time and focusing more on real-world connections (Przybylski & Weinstein, 2017).

Staying emotionally balanced during the holidays takes awareness and intention. By managing expectations, prioritizing self-care, and nurturing your relationships, you can create a more peaceful, fulfilling, and joyful holiday season for yourself and those around you.

The lack of access to a gym shouldn’t hold you back! Common reasons like “I don’t have a gym” or “I can’t afford equipment” shouldn’t stop you from prioritizing your physical health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the renowned Arnold Schwarzenegger reminded us, “Bodyweight, or freehand, training is the oldest method in the world. Gladiators and Vikings didn’t have gymnasiums.” Bodyweight exercise can be an excellent choice for your fitness routine. Not only is it convenient, but it may, in some cases, be more effective than conventional weightlifting for improving overall fitness. The primary reason may lie within the body’s control center: the central nervous system. 

Understanding Strength and Muscle 

Muscle is responsible for strength by producing contractile force. A muscle shortens, pulling on the bones, which creates motion about a joint. The more force produced to shorten a muscle, the greater the strength in that given movement. It is not necessarily the size of a muscle but how much force is used to shorten that produces strength. In other words, big muscles do not always produce high amounts of strength. This is how individuals with smaller physiques, such as the legendary mixed martial artist Bruce Lee, who weighed nearly 140 pounds, could perform great feats of strength and power. It is theorized that the efficiency of communication between the central nervous system (CNS) and the working muscles is what is responsible for producing greater amounts of strength. 

How the CNS Influences Strength 

The brain and spinal cord send signals, known as action potentials, down the neurons to the muscle(s) they innervate with to communicate with the muscle. Upon receiving a signal, a muscle fiber will contract. The greater the signal, the greater the ability a muscle can shorten. Put simply, the more signals a muscle receives from a nerve, the more strength it can produce. 

Greasing the Groove: Mastering Movements 

So, how can we influence our nervous system to produce more of these signals? One way is to perform countless repetitions of a specific movement. For instance, to get really good at pull-ups, one must perform lots of them. Pavel Tsatsouline, the famous coach who pioneered the popularity of kettlebell training in the West, refers to this as “greasing the groove.” This is where bodyweight training comes in. Bodyweight training is great for workouts involving high repetitions due to a lack of extra resistance from a weight. 

Let’s revisit our pull-ups for an example. Choosing not to add weight to your pull-ups will allow your body to perform more repetitions. Even though you are not creating as much muscle damage (the primary catalyst for muscle growth), you are creating more opportunities for your body to “learn the movement” or “grease the groove.” Each repetition integrates the movement into your central nervous system, developing a “mind-muscle connection.” This integration allows your nervous system to send more signals, enabling greater control and thus greater force production in that movement, making you stronger over time. 

Key Movements for Bodyweight Training 

After learning how bodyweight training can help produce strength by creating a strengthening communication between the nervous system and the working muscles, what are some ways to perform bodyweight training? As with any strength training program, we must focus on a few key movements: pushes, pulls, rotations, isometric holds, and single-limb movements. 

For bodyweight training, some of the most popular movements include squats, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, trunk twists, and planks. Starting with these exercises forms a great foundation for those just beginning in bodyweight training. Over time, as your body adapts to the workload, try varying different factors to make the exercises more challenging. Increasing the number of sets and repetitions is commonly used but is not the only factor that can be varied. The speed of the exercise, body positioning, and performing an exercise unilaterally, such as a one-handed push-up, are also great ways to increase the difficulty. 

Now that you’ve learned why bodyweight training is effective and how to implement it into your fitness routine, you can train anywhere, anytime. There are no excuses! Keep in mind that mastering the art of bodyweight training does not happen overnight. It takes time and dedication. Consistency and discipline are key to practicing these movements. 

Start off with each of the six basic exercises at a difficulty level suitable for you, and incorporate more challenging variations as your body adapts and gets stronger. 

Now get after it! 

‘Tis the season to keep moving! With our Holiday Hustle program in full swing, we hope you’re staying on top of your fitness goals. One of our primary targets is tracking 50,000 steps per week throughout the program — and we aim to keep that momentum going into the new year and beyond.

For some, that goal might seem daunting. If your daily routine involves long hours on your feet in work boots, wearing shoes that have outlasted their prime, or sitting at a desk for hours followed by a car commute, then it's time we talk about how to fit those steps into your day — from the ground up.

Does Your Shoe Fit?

When it comes to footwear, fashion and function often clash. This is particularly evident in the athletic shoe industry, but it also impacts business and fashion footwear. Many popular brands prioritize sleekness or a stylish heel, but sacrifice foot support and proper toe box space.

To check if your shoes are working for you, simply place your foot inside your shoe — does it feel cramped or is there a noticeable difference between the width of your foot and the sole? If your toes spill over or feel pinched, it’s time to rethink your choice. A proper fit is crucial, and many stores offer professional fittings to help you find a shoe that suits your foot's natural shape. If you're starting to feel discomfort or new pains as you take on more steps, a proper shoe fit could be the fix.

Are You Paying Attention to Your Shoes?

If you're already on your feet a lot, walking or standing, it’s essential to pay attention to the wear and tear on your shoes. Over time, shoes break down, and worn-out soles can negatively affect the alignment and function of your feet. Think of it like running shoes — dedicated runners typically replace theirs every 2-5 months because shoes have a lifespan.

Here’s how to tell if it’s time for new shoes:

• Check for worn edges or vertical creases on the sole — a sign the shoe's support is breaking down.
• Inspect the tread — is it still intact?
• Compare the wear on your left and right shoes — uneven wear can signal alignment or gait issues.

If you notice any of these signs, it’s a good idea to schedule a professional shoe fitting or visit us for an assessment.

Are Your Feet Ready for the Challenge?

A well-fitting shoe is just one part of the equation — foot strength is just as important. If you're new to physical activity or haven't been walking much recently, it's a good idea to prepare your feet and ankles for the challenge.

Here’s a simple test: Can you "draw" the alphabet with your toes (tracing each letter in the air) without cramping or tiring out? Can you flex and spread your toes (like making a fist with your feet) 10 times without discomfort?

If these exercises are difficult, don't worry! Start with small, daily stretches and exercises to build strength in your feet. You can also schedule an appointment with one of our physiologists to help improve your foot strength and flexibility.

Ditch the Shoes — Occasionally

Here’s a tip that might sound counterintuitive: sometimes, less is more. Shoes are great for protection, but they also do some of the work your foot muscles should be doing. Whenever possible, spend some time without shoes on. Walk barefoot on grass or around your home to activate your foot muscles naturally. The less support your shoes offer, the more your muscles will engage, improving both strength and flexibility.

This practice not only helps build foot strength, but it also gives you valuable feedback about your walking style, which can be helpful when selecting future shoes — especially for hiking or running.

As the festive season draws near, the anticipation of joy, celebration, and connection fills the air. Yet, for many of us committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the holidays can also bring a sense of unease. The abundance of indulgent feasts, tempting treats, and busy schedules can pose challenges to our well-established routines.

But fear not! Setting healthy goals can be the compass that leads us through the festivities with balance, mindfulness, and a genuine sense of well-being.

What are goals and why should we set them?

Goals help us envision what our future will look like, it’s an intentional plan or activity we set out to achieve. We can use our goals to decide where our priorities lie. Goal setting provides focus and increases motivation. It is also important to limit the number of goals we have at one time, so we do not get overwhelmed. If this is something you are struggling with, it can be helpful to set smaller or short-term goals leading up to a larger or long-term goal.

Adjust behaviors to meet your goals.

For every goal you set, you will need to change your behavior to achieve the goal. It may help to think about the consequences of not changing the behavior vs. changing the behavior to keep motivation to continue working towards the goal at hand.

SMART goals and getting started.

People are more likely to achieve goals that meet the SMART criteria: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound. We can use this information to get started setting our next goal. Start with writing the goal and what makes this goal specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound. Once you have all these answers, you can put it all together and begin working towards achieving this new goal!

Transform this holiday season into a time of self-discovery, growth, and joy. Are you ready to set sail on a path that honors your well-being? Let's embark on this adventure together and emerge from the holidays not just unscathed, but stronger and more connected to our health goals than ever before.

Share your healthy focus this holiday season in the comments! 

The holiday season is about getting family together and spending quality time with each other. But as the weather gets colder, nights get dark sooner, and the weather becomes gloomier people tend to stay inside and become less active. Staying active during the holiday season doesn’t mean one has to go to the gym and pump some iron. There are other great, family – oriented activities that can get people moving! Let’s discuss some everyday tasks that can help burn calories and get people moving more throughout the holiday season!

Commonly, when people think of burning calories, they assume people need to change into a workout outfit, dedicate time out of their day, and get to the gym. There are common activities that people perform daily that cause a calorie burn. Think about walking, walking doesn’t require a dedicated amount of time or energy.

1. Set an alarm every hour to walk just 10 minutes around the house, one can burn 30 – 75 calories depending on one’s age, sex, and weight.
2. Everyone loves a clean house, depending on the cleaning activity and duration you can project typically 50 – 100 calories burned for general cleaning. Of course, depending on the intensity of the household activity one can project a higher calorie burn.
3. Shoveling snow, everyone’s favorite winter activity, can burn close to twice that amount in the same amount of time.

Now that there is a general framework for how many calories people can burn cooped up at home, but how about what happens when people go out and get the family involved? Dedicated winter activities are a great way to get the family together and share some beautiful memories. An added benefit is being able to move around, have fun, and build a slight sweat.

1. Skiing is a common winter activity that many enjoy each year. Depending on the modality that people are skiing one can burn more calories. Skiing at a low speed and intensity will burn less than skiing downhill and skiing downhill burns less calories than skiing at a moderate speed.
2. Snowboarding is another fun activity that can bring family together while focusing on movement during the holiday season. If someone was to snowboard for an hour, they could estimate a near 300 – 600 calories burned for an hour of fun.
3. Ice Skating is another common winter activity that can be either a fun family event or a great date idea. Ice skating at a nice, general pace can have you burning hundreds of calories in an hour. Of course, if someone increases the intensity and tries to race or are a figure skater, then one can project an increase in the calories burned.
4. We can’t forget about sledding. The top three options can present some ecological issues, mainly being that not everyone lives in an area where skiing and snowboarding are viable options and not everyone lives close to an ice rink. Typically, everyone has access to a sled, some snow, and a hill of any size, then the sledding conditions are perfect.

During this holiday season, try to expand your ideas on ways to stay active. Don’t be confined to only doing circuit training or dreading the journey to the gym. Think of the small, simpler things that can be done to increase one’s energy expenditure and incorporate the family in activities this holiday season. Curious what those activities might translate to in calories? Do a simple google search for activity calculator or use this one.

What is your favorite calorie burning activity to do with family during the winter months?

It is almost that time of year where people set goals for themselves but have a hard time following through with the goals or accomplishing them as time goes on. We have all been there before or know someone that struggles with executing their goals during this part of the year. Managing your time, being realistic when setting goals and supporting those goals can get tough as we go into the holidays. Here are a few ways you can avoid becoming stagnant and set your self up for success while finishing this year.

Schedule Time: We all have busy lives which makes it easier for us to lose track of time during the day. This causes us to lose the opportunity to progress towards reaching personal goals daily. A great way to manage your time better is by creating a planner or using a scheduler. Whether it is a daily, weekly or monthly planner, it allows you to visually see what you must get done in that time stand. Another strategy for better time management could be giving each task a time limit. Avoiding becoming burnt out or stagnant by revisiting the task later in the day or on another day, could help you refresh mentally and save time in you day. Establishing a routine could also benefit you when considering time management. By creating a routine, you can avoid time of confusion allowing you to dive right into the task at hand.

Set Realistic Goals: While it is good that we set high expectations and push ourselves, it is even more beneficial to be realistic when setting goals during the holiday season. It has been seen that physically writing down the goal, helps people hold themselves accountable when setting goals. No one wants to look back at something they wrote themselves and think they sold themselves short. It can also be helpful to identify the challenges you may face when in the process of accomplishing your goals. By identifying your obstacles, naturally the next step would be finding ways to eliminate them or finding ways to work around them. Another way of being realistic when setting goals could be to block time out of your day to work towards your goal. While you might have to cut some things out of your normal daily or weekly schedule, it could be beneficial to prioritize time to be productive when trying to accomplish a goal.

Establish a Support System: Yes, even your goals need a support system. An easy way to create a support system for your goals is to get an accountability partner. These are people that are there to push you when you need the confidence and reassurance to keep working towards accomplishing your goals. Not being afraid of starting with a small workload and working your way up is another way of supporting your goals. This is a great way to build your confidence while being realistic when trying to find a place to start. While being realistic is necessary, it is very important that you celebrate your wins whether small or big. Remaining confident when seeing results that are small is a huge obstacle many people struggle to get pass. It is necessary to understand any positive outcome or result, are step towards reaching you long-term goals. By implementing some of these strategies and approaches, you might find yourself accomplishing goals and finishing this year off better than you expected.

How do you maintain your habits through the holidays?

As fall brings us cooler temps and the beautiful change of landscape, it can be a great time to settle into a new wellness routine. After all, keeping your routine fresh can inspire your spirit and challenge your body with new physical and mental endeavors. Here are a few ideas to change up your routine while appreciating all the season has to offer.

•  Outdoor meditation: this time of year can be enriching for the senses with the cooler air, bold colors and earthy smells. Find a peaceful spot to soak it all in and be present in the environment. Practice our mindful meditation session or focus on deep breathing exercises.
• Scenic hikes: head outdoors to walk and enjoy the colors of the season. The cooler temps and lower humidity can make exercise outside more tolerable than in the heat of the summer and the scenery can be a great motivator! Look up the peek color schedule for your region and plan a walk at a local park.
• Go for a swim: while temperatures drop outside, the warm air and climate of indoor pools can help you maintain those summer vibes if desired. Aquatic exercise, whether attending a water aerobics class, water volleyball game, or doing a water walking workout are all fantastic modes of exercise that can get the heart pumping, and the muscles burning, all while being gentle on the joints.
• Recreation programs: while football might not be the most appropriate mode of activity for active older adults, games like corn hole and bocce ball can be a great way to be physically active outside while enjoying those fall vibes (no helmet required). It’s important that you find ways to move your body every day and that doesn’t always have to be structured exercise. Recreation games are a great option to move while having fun!
• Garden prep: picking your last harvest, cleaning out garden beds, and prepping your soil with compost can be a great mode of physical activity and you’ll reap the benefits next spring when you have minimal work to prep for planting season. Many people enjoy the meditative benefits from gardening all summer long so give your garden beds a little TLC as a thank you for another great growing season.
• Harvest meals: veggie and gourd harvests can create some wonderful variety in healthy dining only available at this time of year. Pumpkin bread, grilled squash varieties and hearty soups can be delicious choices and oh so healthy! The colors in the trees and on your plate can be rich and beautiful.

We love partnering with our senior living clients to create new fitness and wellness experiences for residents with the changing seasons and all year round accommodating the requests we hear from residents. The monthly calendar is often full of life enriching experiences that support vibrant living spanning the different dimensions of wellness. Find out what is happening in your community this fall and try something new.

The holidays are always such busy times! Managing all the things from day to day tasks, much less the extra holiday parties, celebrations, decorating, shopping, etc. Many times people decide to skip  workouts or cooking at home to make time for holiday activities. You shouldn't forgo your normal routine and it's best if you try to maintain some normalcy when it comes to your exercise routine and eating healthy. Take a moment to pause and incorporate even just 30 minutes of activity that includes the whole family.

One way to manage your time between celebrating and exercising is to choose an activity with friends and family that involves exercise. There are a lot of festive activities that involve activity. Ice skating as a family is great exercise and can be done indoors or outdoors. During a snow fall, you can shovel and offer to help neighbors who may not be able to. Involve the whole family in building a snowman or snow fort to burn energy. One of the best snow activities is going sledding. Climbing those hills is not only a great leg workout, but also a cardiovascular workout. 

Fortunately, there are a lot of indoor activity centers. If you belong to a gym or club, you can certainly use their facilities to do a traditional workout, play basketball or even swim as a family. Many area high school pools also offer open swim time.  Trampoline parks have become a trend for family fun and instead of watching your kids jump, parents can join in on the fun. It’s quite the workout to jump for an hour, just use caution! Check out other options in your town such as laser tag, rock climbing, indoor batting cages and indoor playgrounds. Most of these involve a fee but if you plan ahead you can often get group discounts and coupons to make it affordable.

Don’t have time to plan ahead or need to save time? Create games and workouts at home. If you have stairs you can all walk or run up and down the stairs and do an activity at the top and bottom to create your own workout. Turn up the music for a family dance party and take turns choosing your favorite songs.  The possibilities are endless, just think like a kid and use your imagination, or simply let your kids choose the activity!

Instead of grabbing food on the go, involve your kids and make it part of family time. Make your own pizzas at home and everyone can vote which is their favorite. Make a healthier Christmas cookie recipe together. There are great recipes that minimize processed sugars and flours. Allow your kids to pick the meal if they help make it. These are all ways that you can still spend family time together without disrupting your healthy eating.

The most important thing is to keep up as much of a routine as you can. If you are used to exercising and eating well then you should keep doing it as much as you can through the holidays. You can certainly take a break but don't disrupt your routine, make the holidays about friends and family, but you can also maintain your health as a priority.

The holidays are a busy time for everyone. Multiple family gatherings, end of the year projects, tons of shopping, yet somehow you have to find time to exercise. Consistency is key with almost everything in life if you want to continue to have motivation towards something important to you. Often times individuals find themselves taking one or two days off from something and those couple of days turn into a week or a month. Exercise is especially something that can be difficult to get back on track after a short break, so continuing your normal routine is vital.

Tips for Fitting it In:

• Schedule it - add a time to your calendar and treat it like an appointment
• Pack your bag the night before and set it by the door - take active steps to be prepared
• Wake up and exercise - the day of an event, or function, start your day with exercise
• Short bouts - if time doesn't allow, 10 minute bouts are better than none!

This time of year also brings about a lot of stress. Exercise is proven to reduce stress in various ways such as swimming, biking, running, lifting, yoga, and many more. Exercise has benefits in reducing feelings of anxiety, fatigue, anger, frustration, and even depression. Along with stress, this time of year also brings about depression and sadness for many. Continuing with a routine not only helps you stay on track even after the holidays, but can also be beneficial to help you get through them. Exercise helps provide structure during the day. If it is something individuals are used to, it is important to continue that during a long break from work. The Food Diary mentions that having a consistent routine helps individuals stay on track with proper meals, getting proper sleep and provides a “framework” for the day to keep you prioritized and on schedule.

Aside from the mental benefits, there are physical benefits to sticking with a routine with exercise. It does not take that many days off to lose everything you had been working for throughout the year. Endurance declines quickly when taking too many days off from exercise. Studies have shown that when a regular exercise routine is disrupted and an individual stops working out, the de-training process begins within a couple of weeks. In addition, it is a time of year where weight gain can quickly occur. Continuing with the same workout routine can help prevent this from occurring and allow you to better maintain your weight. If the exact same routine cannot be managed due to access to proper equipment, shorter maintenance workouts should still be followed so that exercise is not stopped all together.

Throughout the year, you have worked hard to stay on course with managing your health and diabetes, but the holiday season has the potential to take you off course. Eating healthy and staying active becomes more difficult during the holidays due to food being one of the central focuses of the season. When the weather gets colder and travel increases, it is harder to maintain an exercise schedule. As the holidays approach, it is appropriate to talk about some ways you can stay happy and healthy even when surrounded by delicious, yes sometimes unhealthy food.

It is important to set reasonable and attainable goals for yourself during the holiday months. Weight loss can be a very difficult task around this time of year so adjusting goals may be necessary. Instead of trying to lose weight, set a goal to maintain your weight and not gain throughout the holidays. Be sure to stay active even when the weather gets colder. Find ways to stay physically active indoors such as joining a group fitness class, purchase some enjoyable videos or stream workouts, join a sports team like basketball or volleyball, or find an indoor swimming pool. Check your corporate wellness program to see if they offer an incentive  to help you maintain your weight this season. Exercise can help you maintain your weight, lower blood glucose levels, and boost your sensitivity to insulin.

Overindulging can cause some setbacks or worse yet, setup for continued overindulgence. Be aware of your portion sizes and don’t neglect healthy foods. Your diet should include many whole grains, fruits, vegetables and should include less fat and sugar. These healthy food choices will lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and increase your good cholesterol (HDL) levels. It's also smart to limit red meat and avoid processed meats.

Stick to drinks with no (or low) sugar such as water or tea. Studies show that sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to obesity and diabetes. Try rewarding yourself with something other than sweet treats like a movie, pedicure, a book you’ve been wanting, or some new workout gear. If you do consider rewarding yourself with something sweet, make it a healthy dessert like banana bread with less sugar and less calories, something made with fresh fruit, a small piece of dark chocolate or a low sugar latte.

Read our blog [SMART and Healthy Eating During the Holidays]

Don’t let the holiday season take you off course. Do your best to stay on track and enjoy the holidays. Try some of these tips out and hopefully you will be able to progress towards your health and fitness goals even during the holiday/winter months.