Merritt Clubs Blog

So, what exactly is stress, and why does it make us feel angry, disconnected, and sad? Stress can creep into our daily lives if we feel misunderstood by others and ourselves. If you made a New Year's resolution to lose weight – and statistically 45% of us do – perhaps going from 0 exercise to an ambitious goal of 5x/week at 5am, then first, good for you, and second, there’s only about an 8% chance of achievement. Rewrite that goal, dig in to understand ourselves, and alleviate some of that unwanted, unpleasant, soul-sucking stress.

'Tis the season for a cough, sniffle, or if you’re one of the unlucky ones, a bout with the flu. Instead of turning to your nearby drug store to keep you out of the doctor’s office, look no further than your kitchen. Stock up on the following five powerful immune system boosters to keep your sick days saved for playing in the snow. 

Well, it’s mid-January: that time when resolutions begin to lose their shine and real life becomes once again…well…real life. Did you make any resolutions for the new year? How’s it going? If one of your resolutions was to get to the gym more often or to simply start working out, here’s some news that may give you a little push in the right direction. According to a recent study completed by the Cleveland Clinic, not exercising can be more detrimental to your health than smoking, diabetes, or hypertension (high blood pressure).

We're kicking off one of my favorite times of year – Les Mills Launch Week (I might even argue that it’s better than Christmas)!  Each quarter we receive a new release with brand new music and moves that we get to present for our members to keep our classes fresh.  What makes it more exciting is that we get to team teach and work with some of our other fabulous Merritt instructors who we don’t get to see on a regular basis and who can spice up the experience and bring a little extra energy for our members.

Hello 2019! With every new year, we hear about new resolutions, new goals, new plans. We see that with gyms being packed in the month of January. Everybody is eager to start a new journey and to get results.

This month was all about me! It was the best month ever. I managed to get an accountability partner this month too without even asking. My husband was very happy to thrust himself into this challenge and treat himself too. (See this photo? We’re treating ourselves to delicious NYC ramen. Yeah, that sums up my month pretty well.)

"Our bodies are made to move."

Such are the words of Merritt Clubs Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach Janelle Duttenhoffer as she spoke about fitness for all ages. Whether it be for a playful 4 year-old, a sedentary 30 year-old with a desk job, or a retired 75 year-old, being active is important in having a high quality of life. 

Read on as Janelle talks about her personal experience with getting fit and healthy, the importance of educating yourself about fitness and nutrition (check your resources though!), and why active agers need strength training.

Then, see what holiday fitness and nutrition tips Janelle has in store!

This is the joyful season, that time of year when we’re supposed to be happy, giving, and thankful. But hosting guests or traveling and being a guest in someone’s home for any length of time can cause the opposite reaction. If you’re hosting, getting the house ready, maintaining it in guest-ready condition for the duration of the visit, preparing holiday (and other) meals, and keeping the guests entertained can all be stress and anxiety inducing. If you’re traveling, you may be eating unfamiliar foods, sleeping in uncomfortable beds, and keeping irregular hours. Before your eye starts twitching uncontrollably, take a look at these tips for surviving your role as either a host or guest.

You don’t have to look far during this time of year to find highly-caloric and highly-delicious treats all around. At work, at home, at your friends’ and families’ homes, you’re sure to find platters stocked high with cookies, pies, and other tempting treats that will have you diving in face first and leading to that overly stuffed, uncomfortable, gotta-put-on-sweatpants feeling. If you take a moment now to step back and reflect on what the holidays are truly about (read: friends and family) and to focus on your goals, you’ll cruise into the new year feeling great both physically and mentally.

Happy Holidays and thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! We want to take a moment to let you know how much we appreciate you! We want to celebrate you and all the hard work you have put in this year, not only working out, but in your entire life.