Aspen Club and Spa

Here’s something most of us might not think about-stretching as a daily form of exercise. Okay, so your heart isn’t pumping and your legs arent pounding the pavement, but stretching has awesome benefits for the body. Do you know that feeling when you wake in the morning- a huge stretch feels soooo good! We often see people stretching before and after a workout, but the art of stretching can be a workout in itself. It gets the blood flowing, loosens tight muscles, increases elasticity and flexibility, and can help reduce stress. Itcan also give you fresh energy. Give these simple poses a try: Raise your arms above your head and grow long. Sway the body slowly to the right, and then to the left. Take a baby back bend if it feels right.  Head to knee stretches are great for the lower back and hamstrings.  Try a few cat and cow stretches as you kneel in a taple-top position.  Meow and moo, (kids love this!) Lastly, lay on your back and do a few restorative spinal twists by gently taking the knees to one side and the head to the other, arms are out like a T. Always remember to breathe while stretching, holding in the breath does no good. Incorporate stretching at least once a day into your life-in the morning when you rise, during a stroll on your lunch, or even at the office for an afternoon refresher. Meow!

I haven’t “dieted” since high school, when I really didn’t know what I was doing ( in more ways than one.) Back then, as an impressionable young woman, dieting often meant not eating or skipping meals. Working out meant hitting the stairmaster, and if I recall, it was a chore, far from enjoyable. But we did it anyway. This phenom became even worse in college, with the added stress of challenging classes and pressure from peers in a society that celebrated being thin, at all costs. If you weren’t thin, you weren’t in. So much emphasis was placed on looks, it was no wonder the very real rumors of girls developing unhealthy eating habits and patterns in order to achieve the goal of “looking like everybody else” became a very real reality. But just who was “everyone?” Who came up with this generalization in the first place?

It wasn’t until later in life I realized the importance of eating right, resting when I needed it, taking vitamin supplements, and working out regularly was the only way to achieve weight management and optimal health. I’d like to say I’ve evolved in my way of thinking about what looks good and that every single person is different. Hooray for that! That means all of our minds and our bodies are unique and that we all have different needs, goals, and ways of obtaining them.

Whether it’s a career move, tackling the garden, or wanting to tone up for summer, I think having a life coach, mentor or using a similiar mindful approach is a great idea to get going! These people are trained in stress managment, proper nutrition, and have knowledge to share about setting realistic, achievable goals, whatever they may be. We could all use a little help in this department: a nudge, a step in the right direction, some support and feedback. I think it’s great having people  committed to helping others in this way. Who sets the standards now, I look back and ponder. Well, it looks like we do! And that is a beautiful thing.