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Posts Tagged ‘Physical exercise’

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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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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Make Your Fitness Routine More Productive!

Posted in Fitness, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , , , on January 9, 2010| Leave a Comment »

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

Digitlal Miniposters from Produtive Fitness

I write a lot about increasing activity and fitness in and outside the workplace.  Companies can provide employees with education about fitness to help improve employee health. One easy way to give employees great information about stretching and weight training is to put up posters from Productive Fitness. At home, Productive Fitness provides mini versions of these posters via digital download.

What’s So Great About Productive Fitness?

Productive Fitness Products Inc. is the #1 supplier of fitness books to exercise equipment stores in North America. Mike Jespersen started Productive Fitness Products Inc. with the publication of The Great Dumbbell Handbook. The idea of publishing a book specific to dumbbells came when Mike was working at a local fitness equipment store in Vancouver, B.C. Many of the customers purchasing dumbbells also wanted a reference guide to performing the exercises. The book was an instant success and has now sold over 300,000 copies. This success has been expanded upon with The Great Body Ball Handbook now having sold over 300,000 copies, and The Great Handbook series having sales of over 1.2 million.

Since Productive Fitness Products’ incorporation in 1998, it has continued to publish books, expanding on its series of “Great Books” which offer instruction on specific exercise topics such as the Body Ball, Stretch Tubing, and multi-station gyms.
The “Great Books” are designed as quick-reference handbooks which allow readers to instantly access exercise descriptions for a particular body part. Each exercise description has a start and finish photo with clear, concise, step-by-step exercise descriptions.

• See a sample of Productive Fitness videos on You Tube here.

Who Writes and Reviews Productive Fitness Products?

• Andre Noël Potvin is an internationally accredited author, fitness educator and medical exercise specialist with 24 years of leadership experience and clinical experience. Owner and operator of both a medical fitness clinic and school for fitness professionals, Andre is frequently invited to lecture at international public and professional conferences.
Read more about Andre here.
• James Talo has an extensive background in individual and team sports. His endeavors have ranged from track and field to lacrosse and the martial art, aikido. However, it wasn’t until Jim suffered a spinal injury in 1993 where his appreciation for the human body and how it should optimally move and function became apparent. This injury shifted his attention to the method of kettlebell lifting and the teachings of some of the world’s best coaches. He began his search for knowledge on this niche sport and obtained his first kettlebell certification in 2004.Jim’s coaching philosophy is one he shares with his students, clients and colleagues: “My purpose is to create an awareness… to educate coaches and their athletes on the merits of kettlebell lifting both as a training protocol and as a sport…I am here to serve, and to instruct technique that is safe and highly effective.”

Read more about Jim here.

Fitness Posters from Productive Fitness

• Large Size Posters for the workplace

Large Stretching Poster from Productive Fitness

• Digital Download Posters (8.5 x 11) for home workouts.

Disital Posters from Productive Fitness

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Health For Your Mind, Not Just Your Body

Posted in Health and Wellness, Stress Management, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , , , , on December 15, 2009| Leave a Comment »

2-people-beach-shadows-002
Image by mikebaird via Flickr

Emotional health is just as important as physical health. But what is emotional health? Being happy? Being in touch with your feelings? Being able to cope with stressful situations? Never being angry? Read more from Familydoctor.org below to find out.

What is good emotional health?

People who are emotionally healthy are in control of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. They feel good about themselves and have good relationships. They can keep problems in perspective.It’s important to remember that even people who have good emotional health can sometimes have emotional problems or mental illness. Mental illness often has a physical cause, such as a chemical imbalance in the brain. Stress and problems with family, work or school can sometimes trigger mental illness or make it worse. However, people who are emotionally healthy have learned ways to cope with stress and problems. They know when they need to seek help from their doctor or a counselor.

What about anger?

People are sometimes not aware of what causes their anger, how much anger they are holding inside or how to express anger appropriately. You may be angry about certain events, your own actions or other people’s actions. Many little things can build up to make you feel that life is unfair.If you find yourself becoming increasingly irritable or taking unhealthy risks (such as drinking too much or abusing drugs), you may have a problem dealing with anger. It’s very important to talk with your doctor or a counselor about getting help.

What can I do to avoid problems?

First, notice your emotions and reactions. Try to understand them. Learning how to identify what is causing sadness, frustration and anger in your life can help you do a better job of managing your emotional health. The box to the right gives some other helpful tips.

Tips on dealing with your emotions

  • Learn to express your feelings in appropriate ways. It’s important to let people close to you know when something is bothering you. Keeping feelings of sadness or anger inside takes extra energy. It can also cause problems in your relationships and at work or school.
  • Think before you act. Emotions can be powerful. But before you get carried away by your emotions and say or do something you might regret, give yourself time to think.
  • Strive for balance in your life. Make time for things you enjoy. Focus on positive things in your life.
  • Take care of your physical health. Your physical health can affect your emotional health. Take care of your body by exercising regularly, eating healthy meals and getting enough sleep. Don’t abuse drugs or alcohol.

How does stress affect my emotions?

Your body responds to stress by making stress hormones. These hormones help your body respond to situations of extreme need. But when your body makes too many of these hormones for a long period of time, the hormones wear down your body — and your emotions. People who are under stress a lot are often emotional, anxious, irritable, and even depressed.If possible, try to change the situation that is causing your stress. Relaxation methods, such as deep breathing and meditation, and exercise are also useful ways to cope with stress.

Can emotional problems be treated?

Yes. Counseling, support groups and medicines can help people who have emotional problems or mental illness. If you have an ongoing emotional problem, talk to your family doctor. He or she can help you find the right type of treatment.

Tips on dealing with your emotions

  • Learn to express your feelings in appropriate ways. It’s important to let people close to you know when something is bothering you. Keeping feelings of sadness or anger inside takes extra energy. It can also cause problems in your relationships and at work or school.
  • Think before you act. Emotions can be powerful. But before you get carried away by your emotions and say or do something you might regret, give yourself time to think.
  • Strive for balance in your life. Make time for things you enjoy. Focus on positive things in your life.
  • Take care of your physical health. Your physical health can affect your emotional health. Take care of your body by exercising regularly, eating healthy meals and getting enough sleep. Don’t abuse drugs or alcohol.

Organizations That Can Help with Mental Health

Read more from familydoctor.org

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