Merritt Clubs Blog

After my dad passed away about a year and a half ago, I started attending Friday night services at my synagogue on a regular basis. Initially, this was so I could say the Mourner’s Kaddish (prayer for the dead) for my Dad. But, as time went on, I realized that I enjoyed and appreciated the ritual of ending the work week in this way. The service lasts just under an hour, there’s lots of joyful singing, and, it’s a chance to see friends I don’t see on a regular basis. I always leave my phone in the car, and surprisingly, even that one short hour gives me a chance to unplug from the rest of the world and focus on what’s important and right in front of me.

I’m sure by now you’ve heard that February is Heart Month. Merritt Clubs is offering many programs and classes throughout the month that support heart health and the American Heart Association. No matter your level of activity, by exercising just a couple of days during the week, you are already taking important steps to fight heart disease.

Do you have people? You know what I’m talking about…YOUR people. That friend you can count on or call on at any hour of the day or night. The person you see in the middle of Target and instantly connect with. The person you meet on the street and think “we should be friends.”

It’s that time of the year. The holidays are looming, college students are in the thick of finals, the short days pass very quickly, and everyone is rushing to finish shopping, studying, working, schlepping, and cooking. How, in this busy season, do you find the time or even the energy to maintain a healthy lifestyle? Where does fitness fit into your day? Your week? Would it surprise you to know that the limiting factor in our lives when it comes to healthy life choices is not motivation or knowledge, but time?

When I teach classes that have squats in them, and that’s pretty much most of the classes I teach, people will often come up to me afterwards (or before) and tell me they can’t squat. “I can’t do squats. It bothers my knees.” “I don’t like squats, so during the squat track I’m just going to work abs, ok?” “Why do we do so many squats?” In reality, squats, and their many variations, are probably the one exercise everyone should do every day. According to Dr. Christopher Stepien, sports therapist and chronic pain expert, performing 50 squats a day will help your health and well-being. “Daily squats will help you mentally and will even give you better yearly checkups with your primary physician.”

It’s a joke in my family that whenever someone asks, “How are you?”, the answer is always “I’m fine.” When I was young and would call my grandparents, they were always fine, and so were we. When my Dad was sick, and even until the day before he passed, friends, family, and doctors asked him how he was and he always said, “I’m fine.” And even now, when I’m feeling stress and anxiety (and lately there’s been a lot of that for me), people ask, “How are you?” and my answer is always (and will continue to be) “I’m fine.”

Public schools started last week, and classes are now in full swing. Time to focus on improving students’ performance in the classroom. Most people agree that physical activity is essential for healthy growth and development of the body. But did you know physical activity also has positive effects on the brain and on school performance?

After teaching BODY PUMP last night, a member told me that I always make the workout look easy. Well, that was news to me! It was a tough class and at times I felt like I was struggling to complete a block of work. But, it made me think…why is it that some days we are bursting with energy and others we have to fight to finish (or even begin) a workout? And, what can we do to push through when fatigue or the occasional lack of motivation threaten to derail our daily exercise routine?

It’s mid-July and finally, FINALLY, you’re on vacation! You’ve planned, prepped, saved, and worked hard all year and now it’s time for that much-anticipated get-away. Whether you’re planning on complete relaxation with family or friends, an active vacation with a lot of walking and sightseeing, or a little bit of both, your workouts and fitness don’t have to suffer. Here are a couple of tips on how to stay fit and active while away.

When people talk about health and wellness, the conversation generally turns to diet and exercise. And yes, what you put into your body and how you move your body are important. But have you ever considered how important sleep is to your overall well-being? We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, and sleep is vital to overall body health, regulation, and restoration. Lack of sleep not only affects mood, productivity, and performance, but also can increase your risk for high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, irregular hormonal function, and obesity.