WEIGHT GAIN & MINDFULNESS

with David Callari & Nancy Cucchiara

Even though everyday life continues to evolve towards the “back to school” schedules most kids and parents are used to, the everyday is far from “normal”.

Different ways of learning for kids, working from home, and general stress can be difficult to put in its place, and sometimes can have an effect on our exercise and nutrition routines. Here we have David Callari of RPM Nutrition and one of THE GYM’s amazing dance instructors Nancy C discussing some of the post quarantine pitfalls and some strategies to help get you back on track.

THE GYM would like to introduce our new Account Manager, Neal Pire.

Neal joins our team with an extensive amount of experience in the fitness industry and has been serving the communities of New York and New Jersey since 1979.  A Master Graduate from Columbia University (Applied Physiology), Neal has certifications with the American College of Sports Medicine, National Strength and Conditioning Association, and American Council on Exercise.  He has served as a member of the ACSM Committee on Certification and Registry and is currently the Executive Director for the Greater New York Regional Chapter.  Neal has served as a fitness director and supervisor in many health club locations, including one for Bill Parisi from 1998 to 2001.  He has also been published on such topics as business and career direction and resources for personal trainers, as well as plyometric training.

Neal will leverage his education and accomplishments in our industry to assist our members in achieving their goals through concierge behavior modification, accountability and in-depth exercise application.  He is an exceptional addition to our Team and we ask that you help us welcome him to his new home at THE GYM.

Dealing with an eating disorder is a difficult task that must be handled one day at a time with the right help in your corner.  COVID-19 has now presented an even bigger challenge to those who are tackling such a task, specifically those who are known to binge eat.  I’m not a professional who can diagnose or treat an eating disorder such as binge eating, but I can provide a few tips on how you may be able to take this on and improve your situation during this pandemic or any other challenging time.

 

Eat Consistently

You will want to avoid restrictive eating patterns because this will increase your chances of binge eating during isolation.  Try to adopt a consistent pattern of eating, where you opt for 3 square meals plus 1 or 2 snacks per day, spaced evenly apart.  Eating in this pattern will make you more conscious and will prevent any feelings of extreme hunger, hence giving you control over your day.

 

Take up a New Hobby

Now is the perfect time to take up that hobby you’ve always wanted to.  Taking up a new hobby is crucial because it takes away most of the factors that trigger eating disorder behaviors.  More specifically, a new hobby relaxes you, gives you purpose, builds your self-esteem, and ultimately reduces the importance you place on eating, shape and weight.

 

Reduce Your Social Media Usage

Given that social media usage is associated with more body image issues and disordered eating behaviors, you want to try to reduce the time you spend on these platforms.  Not only could you reduce the time spent on social media, but you may also want to unfollow accounts that reinforce those appearance ideals that tend to make you feel particularly bad about yourself.

 

COVID-19 is a formidable foe to your health on many levels, but there are many factors you can take charge of that will leave you safe and sound when it’s all said and done.  Don’t let your isolation from the virus bring about other health concerns and take control of your life now with a little help from your friends at THE GYM.

THE GYM’s group exercise schedule is back and in full swing. While classes are limited due to remaining state restrictions, we are making the most of our space and offering as many as possible. Your energy has filled up our Group Exercise room over the past few weeks and it’s been great! We were all hesitant about wearing masks during the classes but everyone seems to have gotten used to it and it’s surprisingly manageable.

It’s all about having the right mindset and, of course, the right mask. Come try it for yourself and see how you too can squat, curl and even do burpees with it on. Of course, modifications are always there for you if you feel like it’s hard for you with the mask, but once you’ve tried it, you will feel so much more confident that you can come back and challenge yourself inside THE GYM. It’s so important to keep up our routines right now. Watching all of you adjust is amazing.

As the weather changes and you need to bring your routine indoors, we will be here waiting for you in class and on the fitness floor.  As always, we continue to be thankful for our amazing cleaning team here at THE GYM that has been so diligent with keeping our space clean ensuring your safety and health.

See you in class!

The chill is back in the air, and we are all now readjusting to new…old…new routines. The summer holidays have passed, the fall holidays have passed, and kids are back in school…for whatever that means. We need to be fluid with our routines in ways we never had to before. You get that dreaded call from the school nurse and off you go to pick up the little one. We are still being interrupted, but we have to stay flexible, body, mind and spirit. At the same time, we try to carve out a few moments for ourselves. We get it. Don’t worry about it, if you get called out of your Pilates session, we’ve got you covered. We will work it out keeping you in your routine (but only in the most flexible way). Pilates (literally) has your back. Like what I did there? Book a Pilates session. Feel the difference that flexibility makes.

Looking forward to seeing you again at THE GYM,
Tamara

Those of you that know me well know that I’m a bit of a fangirl when it comes to Brené Brown. She’s brilliant, witty, and super down to earth. If I had a bucket list, having coffee with her would be on it.

I love her.

I can typically tune in to her via her podcast (Unlocking Us) or one of her books via Audible…because I don’t really have time to sit and read, so I listen while I’m in the car. Since she narrates them herself, it hits the spot. Did I mention that I love her?

My guess is that you fall into one of three categories:

Of course I know who she is and I’ve seen everything and read all of her books and I love her too!

Or,

I’ve heard of her but I don’t really know that much about her.

Or,

I’ve never heard of her.

I suppose there might also be a category for people who don’t care for her, and that’s totally fine, but my guess would be it’s a small group.

In any case, I feel like it is my Divine mission to suggest (Request? Implore?) that everyone (whether you never heard of her, or you do know her and just haven’t seen this yet) watch her Netflix special: The Call to Courage.

This is just over an hour of your time, and it is my belief that it  will have a life-altering effect on everyone who watches it. Men, this includes you. Just in case any of you reading this are thinking “Brené is more for women”, I fully and totally challenge you, and if you do accept the challenge, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts after you watch it.

As a matter of fact, I’d love to hear from any and all of you who have either seen it or go ahead and watch it after reading this article. You can email me directly at Lauren@HineniCoaching.com.

You will not regret the investment on time on this.

We’re back! We would like to welcome you back, but also extend a special welcome for those who are new to our GYM family! Our Child Care is committed to providing a fun atmosphere in a safe, secure, and nurturing environment. Your children’s safety and health is one of our important priorities, and to make sure you feel at ease when working out, we’ve made a few changes! We’ve changed our room around to ensure that the kiddos have enough social distancing space to abide by the CDC & NJDOH Guidelines. We’ve also given our Merv-13 air filters that have been installed through THE GYM’s ventilation some extra help by having our own air purifier in our Child Care room turned on at all times. Cleaning and sanitation stations are located around the Child Care for staff to sanitize toys and surfaces throughout the shift, however don’t worry, they’re out of children’s reach! Masks are required to be on at all times, and we do understand how uncomfortable they get at times, but hopefully there’s enough distraction with the arts & crafts, games and toys that we have in store for October! As a sneak peek, for the month of October, we have some Fall painting crafts, Halloween projects, Craft Stick ideas, Pumpkin cut outs and many more! As much as we love sharing with our friends, each child will have their own arts & crafts bucket to minimize the spread of germs. We also offer WiFi if your child wants to bring in their ipad/phone, and even homework help from 4-7pm Monday through Fridays.

The past couple of months may not have been what we expected but this is the time to take advantage of the many different activities, the potential one – on – one, and even the education help from the Staff so you can step foot into THE GYM and get back into routine.

We can’t wait to see you all again! Call today to make reservations!

More information about our Child Care and its rule changes can be found by clicking here. If there are any other questions or concerns for the Child Care Manager, you can call our direct Child Care Phone line at 201-399-1017.

As seasons change, so do your self care needs. As we turn the corner on the cooler weather, we all need to keep our immune systems as strong as possible, and that means managing inflammation, stress and pain. Massage is not a luxury, especially in these stressful and uncertain times. It is an essential weapon in your wellness arsenal, especially as we put so many demands on our immune system. Book a massage with one of our therapists and see how valuable it is in helping you to face any daily challenge (even if that is “only” getting your kids to keep their masks on…). Feel the difference when you add massage to your self care routine.

Looking forward to seeing you at The Spa,
Laura Zamudio LMT, NAT