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Archive for the ‘Stress Management’ Category

Sing Your Way to Better Fitness With Pam Peterson

Posted in Fitness, Stress Management, tagged , , , , , on February 13, 2010| 2 Comments »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapists, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Yesterday I was at Gold Coast Whole Foods Market and got a fantastic 30-minute massage from Marcus Brent, one of my crew at our Working Well Massage chair station. Marcus’ massage had me so relaxed and feeling great I thought I’d grab a nice dinner. I went over to the hot food bar to look for some great eats and struck up a conversation with an interesting woman who was also waiting for the cooks to bring out some fresh pecan encrusted catfish (absolutely melt in your mouth yummy). Turns out, the woman is Pam Peterson, a fitness instructor, personal trainer and professional signer. And Pam has a new kind of exercise she’s created called ExerSong.

ExerSong is a combination exercise class and singing event!  In her one hour class, you can sing and move to your favorite songs, while increasing your strength, flexibility, endurance and balance through a well-rounded exercise program. Songs are customized to the group’s preferences (show tunes, pop, oldies, etc.). You also learn basic breath control and how to vocalize from the core. (Which really helps for those unexpected karaoke events!)

Pam teaches her ExerSong classes at the Indigo Studio at 309 W. Chicago Ave, Suite #300 on Saturdays at 9am and on Sundays at 10am.

Who IS Pam Peterson and Why Should We Take Her Classes?

Pam Peterson

Pam Peterson, ACE-Certified Personal Fitness Trainer, has facilitated profound change in her many dedicated clients for over 20 years. A staunch believer in the transformational power of physical strength and movement, Pam has shared her enthusiasm with many groups in corporate settings and fitness clubs, as well as one-on-one.

She was awarded Best Trainer in Chicago by HG Magazine, and continues to effect winning results in the health, appearance and positive mental attitude of her clients.

In addition to her fitness background, Pam is an accomplished singer and now runs Custom Cabaret, a company that gives you a musical revue, complete with Spoofs, favorite tunes and anecdotes about the honoree.

Pam told me she created the class to make exercise more fun, help people improve their cardio vascular fitness and get a great workout. Pam is not only committed to fitness but she’s committed to song and fun. If you are fighting the winter blues and want to belt out a show tune while you workout, try Pam’s class!

You can reach Pam for more info at 773-525-6414 or pam@pampetersonfitness.com

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Less Stress for Pet Owners and Pets via the Compassionate Vet

Posted in Health and Wellness, Stress Management, tagged , , , on February 12, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

The Compassionate Vet

Pets are important family members for their owners. They provide comfort, companionship and affection to young and old family members. Cats and dogs can help decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels in their owners, reduce loneliness and even provide exercise and socialization for us.  Even the U.S. Government encourages pet ownership for our health! According to the CDC, caring for a pet has many health benefits. At the same time, losing a pet can be stressful.

This Wednesday I had to put my much loved cat, Niche, down. She was a big part of our family and has been with me for over 17 years. It was a tough decision. We knew she was dying from feline renal failure and we knew it would be a matter of time before she started suffering. By Wednesday it was time. I knew I wanted to give her the best possible end of life experience I could. So I called the Compassionate Vet and he came to our home and euthanized our “baby” in familiar warm surroundings.

Dr. Shanon, aka The Compassion Vet,  is a vet that makes house calls!  He provides hospice care, wellness care and pet euthanasia services. He also sees pets at this clinic at 620 W. Webster.  I first met Dr. Shanon years ago when he came to a friend’s home to euthanize my friend’s cat. Last year Dr. Shanon put our other cat down and each time I’ve worked with him he’s been very supportive and compassionate.

Losing our “children,” which our kitties are in some ways, was tough enough. But I would not want to have to drag my dying cat outside in this weather in a cat carrier to the vet’s office with other dogs and cats and bright lights for her last moments. For me that would have been torture for her and for me. Instead she got to sit with us on a comfy space on the familiar family coach and Dr. Shanon came in and examined her. He agreed she was suffering and it was a reasonable time to let her go. He injected a sedative to calm her down before he gave her the final injection that let her go peacefully. Then he took her sweet body with him for cremation.

Death is not easy and losing a pet is very difficult. But I am so relieved she is not suffering and we were able to give her this very peaceful last  few moments. When Dr. Shanon left he gave us a folder with some wonderful handouts on grief and handling the loss of a pet.

I am sad that I lost my two cats, but I am so very grateful for the years of love and affection I received from them. I am just as grateful for the opportunity they gave me and my family to love and care for them. My blood pressure is and health has benefited as well as my mental health. And I thank Dr. Shanon for making the end of my cat’s lives easier to bear.

Link to the Compassionate Vet website here.

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Are You a Procrastinator or is it Just Your ADHD?

Posted in Health and Wellness, Stress Management, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , on February 5, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

We all struggle with procrastination at times.   I struggle with focus when I am distracted or overwhelmed. Knowing this about myself helps me better prioritize my day and stay on task.  Interestingly, I came across a post linking ADHD to procrastination from the Associated Press. The author, Bruce Ziebarth, offers his tips for dealing with procrastination as an ADHD sufferer. I am sharing a snippet of the article here. If it interests you, click to link below to read the entire article at assocatedcontent.com.

Link Between Adult ADHD and Procrastination

Bruce Ziebarth

by Bruce Ziebarth

Many people procrastinate. People procrastinate for a variety of reasons; sometimes we just do not feel like doing something, sometimes there is something we want to do more, and sometimes we are just being lazy. No matter who you are, you have probably fought with procrastination. For people with Adult ADHD, procrastination is more than an annoying fact.

Adult ADHD is not a simple condition like cancer or diabetes. Adult ADHD is made up of symptoms from many different categories. A person receives an Adult ADHD diagnosis by showing several of the symptoms including trouble with organization, paying attention, finishing a task, etc. These symptoms must also rise to the level of interfering with daily living. Adult ADHD’s broad range of symptoms makes it difficult to address everyone’s needs. However, whether you have Adult ADHD or not, the strategies outlined here will help you identify why you procrastinate and help avoid future procrastination.

Read Bruce Ziebarth entire article on ADHD and Procrastination here.

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Grab a Map and Find Your Way to Fitness and Fun with Orienteering

Posted in Fitness, Stress Management, tagged , , , on January 30, 2010| Leave a Comment »

An orienteer about to "punch" at a c...
Image via Wikipedia

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Some  of my clients are active outdoorsmen and women. They hike, they backpack, they climb mountains. Now you can join them in a fun activity called Orienteering. In Chicago, the Chicago Area Orienteering is an active group whose members combine mental exercise with physical exercise. (Information below is from the Chicago Area Orienteering website here.)

What is Orienteering?

Orienteering is a sport that gets you off the roads and into the forest preserves in the Chicago area. It has been popular in Europe for many years and is just starting to be popular here in the US.

For a nominal fee ($10) you are given a detailed 5-color map of the forest preserve that is made by our club. You copy one of the five offered courses onto your map and pick up a Punch Card and a Clue Sheet. The Clue Sheet tells you exactly what natural feature you’re to look for inside each of the 100m diameter circles you’ve drawn on your map. You report to the start table for a start time and then you’re off into the woods, trying to find each of the control features of your chosen course where you punch your card, and return to the finish line in as short a time period as possible.

It’s a fast treasure hunt! Sometimes a compass is nice to use, but usually you can navigate using the features marked on the map, just as you would a street map.

Who Can Participate in Orienteering?

Orienteering is often called the “thinking sport” because it involves map reading and decision-making in addition to a great workout. Orienteering is a sport for everyone, regardless of age or experience. The competitive athlete can experience the exhilaration of running through the woods at top speed, while the non-competitive orienteer can enjoy the forest at a more leisurely pace. If you love maps, exploring, and the great outdoors, try orienteering.

Sounds Like Fun. How Do I Try Orienteering?

Just show up at one of the events. The Chicago Area Orienteering group always offers a free beginner’s clinic that will teach you what you need to know.

Are There Good Books on Orienteering?

A good beginner’s book is Orienteering: The Sport of Navigating with Map and Compass by Steven Boga. You can sometimes find copies at outdoor outfitters such as REI, or Dick’s Sporting Goods. It is also available at Amazon.com. Other orienteering books can be found there, and at orienteering suppliers such as GO Orienteering. But really, there is no need to do any prior study.  Just come to a meet. The best way to learn is by doing.

When Does the Orienteering  Day Begin

Most local meets begin at 9:30 a.m. on respective Sundays with a Beginners’ Clinic for first-timers. Master maps and registration are available too, so orienteers can be ready to go by the time first starts are handed out at 10 a.m. Meet fees are a reasonable $10 per person (and only $7 for CAOC members). Make sure you bring a whistle for emergencies.

Read more at the Introduction to Orienteering Page here.

2010 Schedule of Local Orienteering Events here.

Upcoming Orienteering events in February and March 2010:

Saturday February 20, 2010: Snowgaine! event info here.
Mississippi Palisades State Park

March 21 Madnaess #3, Country Lane Woods

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Learn to Give Back Rubs Without Hurting Your Hands

Posted in Massage Therapy, Stress Management, tagged , , , , , , on January 23, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Most people like to receive a good back rub but they hate giving them. I hear complaints from, “giving  back rubs hurts my hands, giving back rubs hurts hurts my back,” to “I don’t want to hurt her/him.” I also hear, from the back rub recipients, that their partners don’t use enough pressure, or use too much pressure or don’t massage them long enough.

I’ve been an instructor at the Wellness Massage Training Institute since 2000 and I’ve taught many laypeople to give better massages without hurting themselves.  Now in February, Whole Foods Lincoln Park is graciously allowing me to pass on some of my massage wisdom to a few lucky students in a short form couples massage class.  Class details:

Free Couples Massage Class with
Working Well Massage

Thursday, February 11th
From 5:30pm-6:30pm
Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park Cooking Classroom
1550 N. Kingsbury
Free parking!

Join Sue Shekut from Working Well Massage as she teaches you simple techniques for you and your partner to relax body and mind.  To register, please stop by the Whole Foods Lincoln Park customer service desk or call 312 587 0648 and ask to register for the class. Class size is limited to 14 (or 7 couples) so sign up early!

A couple can be two friends or a mother and daughter or father and son as well. The techniques I teach will cover good body mechanics, the best way to perform simple compressions and gliding strokes. I will also have samples of some the best creams and lotions from Whole Body at the class.

Note: Yes, I am engaging in a little shameless self promotion. But since the class is free, I don’t feel bad about it. I love to share my knowledge with others and help others learn how to take better care of themselves and their loved ones. If I can teach 7 couples how to give each other great mini-massages, I will be very happy.

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Where to Find Yoga Classes in Chicago

Posted in Fitness, Stress Management, Yoga, tagged , , , , on January 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach,  ACSM Personal Trainer

Yoga Journal

I took my very first yoga class about 15 years ago at my local YMCA in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Yoga was not as popular at that time and when I moved to Chicago, I relied on fliers and word of mouth to find a yoga class I enjoyed. Now, like most things, the internet makes it so easy to find a yoga class!

If you are a yoga novice looking for your first class, or if you are new to Chicago and want to find a yoga group that fits your practice, check out Yoga Chicago. Yoga Chicago is a local magazine that has a complete directory of yoga classes in Chicago and surrounding suburbs. They also post articles and info about upcoming workshops and yoga oriented trips.

To view a list of classes in your area, click on this link here.

Read one of the interesting articles in the current issue of Yoga Journal, “Neuroscience, Hatha Yoga and Creativity: A New Paradigm for Teaching” by By Michael McColly. Click here to read his article.

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Surviving Loss…With the Help of a Paperback Friend

Posted in Health and Wellness, Stress Management, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , on January 14, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Certified Wellness Coach, Licensed Massage Therapist, ACSM Personal Trainer

How to Survive the Loss of a Love

In the past few weeks a few of my friends have lost loved ones to cancer and heart disease. Loss is never easy and grief take s a lot out of us emotionally and energywise. Losing a life partner, a parent or anyone close to us is like having major surgery ourselves. The funeral and wake may come and go quickly, but the grieving process takes much longer. And the stress of carrying on daily life while grieving can be stressful.

Years a go while I was grieving the loss of a loved one, a friend gave me a helpful little book and said to me “This book helped me get through my mother’s death. I am giving it to you. All I ask is that you pass it on to someone in need someday if it helps you.”  To date I have give away about 15 copies of the book to friends that have faced loss. And I am recommending it to you now if you ever lose a love one or are dealing with loss now. (Loss can also be a divorce or loss of a job, anything  that makes you feel grief.)

The book is called “How to Survive The Loss Of A Love,” by Peter McWilliams, Harold H. Bloomfield and Melba Colgrove.

It is available from Amazon here.

Reading one book won’t eliminate all grief and pain, but this book is easy to read, full of helpful tips to help you work through the grieving process and it’s only about $8.00 on Amazon. I hope it helps you as much as it’s helped me and others I know!

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Where to Walk in Chicago

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Stress Management, tagged , , , , on January 5, 2010| 2 Comments »

Image representing Walk Score as depicted in C...
Image via CrunchBase

By Sue Shekut, Licensed Massage Therapist, ACSM Personal Trainer, Certified Wellness Coach, Owner, Working Well Massage

Want to know where you can take a nice after dinner walk in Chicago?  I know it’s cold but if you bundle up, you can burn some calories and still see the bright lights and your neighbors holiday decorations as you stroll.   Check out this site dedicated to providing rankings on most walkable neighborhoods: Walk Score.com

According to WalkScore’s website, “The top 8 neighborhoods in Chicago are Walkers’ Paradises. 66% of Chicago residents have a Walk Score of 70 or above. 96% have a Walk Score of at least 50—and 4% live in Car-Dependent neighborhoods.”

Top  Cities for Walking

The cities at the top of the Walk Score rankings have density, mixed use, transit, short blocks—and almost everything else on our walkability checklist. Most importantly, these cities have lots of destinations near each address, which is the strongest indicator of whether people walk.

Least Walkable Cities

It’s difficult to get by without a car (or even walk to a nearby restaurant) in these sprawling cities. More time in the car means more money at the pump, less exercise, and more pollution. But even the least walkable cities have walkable places. Read about these walking oases.
Top 20 Most Walkable Chicago Neighborhoods according to WalkScore

Neighborhood     Score
1  Loop                       98
2  Near North Side  97
3  Lincoln Park        94
4  Lake View             93
5  Uptown                 92
6  Edgewater            92
7  Near South Side  90
8  Rogers Park         90
9  West Town           88
10  Hyde Park          87
11  Logan Square     86
12  Lincoln Square  85
13  Bridgeport          85
14  Lower West Side 85
15  Near West Side   84
16  Albany Park        84
17  North Center      83
18  West Ridge         83
19  North Park          81
20  Irving Park         80
Read more from the WalkScore website here.
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A New Year and a Fresh Start

Posted in Health and Wellness, Stress Management, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , , , , on January 1, 2010| 1 Comment »

Sydney. Fireworks Newyear 2006. Opera House an...
Image via Wikipedia

By Sue Shekut, Licensed Massage Therapist, ACSM Personal Trainer, Certified Wellness Coach, Owner, Working Well Massage

Mainstream media is full of celebrity resolutions, local Chicagoan resolutions and predictions for the year ahead. I am not big on resolutions. I am more of a goal setter. Resolutions are promises or wishes that may be tough to deliver on. Goals are actionable, time delineated, realistic, measurable and positive! Wellness Coaching is also big on goal setting. In fact, goal setting, goal review and goal refining is a big part of what makes wellness coaching so successful.

When you set a resolution or “swear off” booze, or sugary foods or some other lifestyle problem, you set yourself up for failure and the shame and guilt that can accompany that failure. When you set a goal, you have a chance to think through specifics, what you are trying to accomplish, and what tools and support you will need to reach those goals. The process of goal setting is just as important as the actual goal you set.

For example, a new years resolution might be “I will quit smoking for the New Year!”

• This resolution doesn’t give you a start date, any tools or a structured support system for quitting smoking.

A goal may be “I make a list of smoking cessation programs by January 8th.”

• This goal gives you a specific deadline: June 8th. By June 8th you will know whether you completed the goal or not.

• Making a list of smoking cessation programs gets you mentally ready to quit without imposing too many obligations on you. Making a list is an action. When you complete it, you can feel good that you have accomplished a step towards your ultimate goal of quitting smoking.

Goal Review

Goals can be and should be reviewed frequently. In Wellness Coaching session, we review goals about once per week. If a goal is not met, then we look at changing the goal instead of beating you up about not completing it.

For example, if you goal is to eat 5 vegetables each day and you end up not eating any vegetables, we would likely look at the goal and decide if this is a reasonable goal for you. Perhaps adding 1 serving of fruit each day may be a more realistic and achievable goal on the way towards your ultimate aim of eating 5 veggie servings a day. Then maybe the next goal may be eating veggie soup once a day. The goals you set would be tweaked based on your past experiences of what works best for you and what’s realistic for your to achieve within the time constraints we set up.

This New Year I wish everyone good health, happiness and stress free days. I will write more about goal setting in the coming months. But my goal for this blog is to write a post about aspects of wellness at least four times each week.

Happy New Year!

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Smells Great, Tastes Great, but Less Acidic–Coffee

Posted in Health and Wellness, Stress Management, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , , , on December 27, 2009| Leave a Comment »

A photo of a cup of coffee.
Image via Wikipedia

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

As a young woman, I drank a lot of coffee. A LOT of coffee. Until a close friend told me one day she couldn’t get a word in edgewise, I was talking so much. I was so hyped up on caffeine it impacted my ability to listen!

I cut down on my caffeine intake, but still drank a cup a day for quite a while. Then the acidity of most coffee started to bother my stomach. I found Starbucks to be the next best thing to rocket fuel, with the acid content to match the power of the caffeine. I had to cut coffee out altogether.

Now I only drink coffee periodically and there is only one brand I can tolerate: Folger’s Simply Smooth or Simply Smooth Decaf (if I want to spare my friends and family my auctioneer impression).

According to Folger’s, they roast the coffee beans to reduce certain irritants that may affect a sensitive stomach.  The caffeinated version coffee comes in  34.5 oz, 23 oz, 11.5 ounce tubs and is available in a decaffeinated variety in 23 oz, 11.5 ounce tubs.

While I like the coffee, I wish Folger’s marketing team had come up with a better name. Simply Smooth sounds like a laxative, and that’s really what most stronger coffees are, not this gentler version of Folger’s coffee! To me, this coffee would be better named  “Gentle Java.”  But, as you know, I don’t work for Folger’s nor their PR team, so I can only drink their coffee and laugh at the name!

The larger tub version of Simply Smooth is tough to find in stores. Target carries it, but lately I’ve only been able to find the small 11.5 ounce tubs. So, if you want to buy Simply Smooth in the larger size tubs, go to good old Amazon.com and get it shipped right to your door. Click on link here to get your own Folger’s Gentle Java (aka ahem, Simply Smooth) coffee.

Folgers Simply Smooth®

Folger's Simply Smooth

Folgers Simply Smooth® Decaffeinated

Folger's Simply Smooth Decafe Coffee

For another perspective, read Clever Shopper’s blogppost,”Folgers Simply Smooth Coffee: Finally a Coffee Gentle on the Stomach!!” here.

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