Renew Day!
I hope this newsletter finds you well and ready for a summer of activity and rejuvenation. I know I’m ready for the warm weather and long days!
The year began with our first Full, Fit & Fabulous event held here in New York City. Sessions included Integrated Wellness, Living Big, Bold & Beautiful, a sensual movement class and bra fittings! (Photo L-R: Jeanette Bronee, CHHC, myself and Karol Ward, LCSW).
And Renew Day was born… ;)
Renew Day is the date of your birthday set aside each month to bless your health! Set up a reminder on your phone or computer to remind you each month on your Renew Day. Take a moment to notice one thing that IS working with your health and give thanks. This newsletter celebrates my Renew Day today. I give thanks in this moment for my steady breath.
On The Road…
I have been literally and figuratively “on the move” lately, attending a number of inspiring wellness events. I spoke at the IDEA Personal Trainer Institute in March in Alexandria, VA. I trained fitness professionals how to design movement programs using Health at Every Sizeprinciples, an anatomical assessment and breathing skills. It was rewarding to see the fitness industry engage in learning to work with the fuller body.
Later in March, I attended the Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA) Conference in Bethesda, MD. My colleagues and I presentedThree’s A Charm: The Integration of Movement, Nutrition and Mental Health. Given my personal history with bulimia, the conference always feels like coming home. It was thrilling to work with such amazing friends, colleagues and pioneers in the field of binge eating!
(Photo L-R: Myself, Cindy Elms, RD, Caryn Attianese, MA, LCP).
Industry Insight
Muscle of the Month: For June, I’ve chosen to feature the Rectus Abdominis, one of four abdominal muscles. These muscles are closest to the surface of the skin. There are a number of ways to gently begin engaging the abdominal muscles. I teach some of them in my pilates and yoga classes, but you can engage them right now at your computer. Start by sitting up straight. Gently draw the navel toward your spine. As your abdomen compresses inward, imagine that your navel is massaging the spine. As your abdominal wall contracts, you are giving your internal organs a gentle squeeze which is great for digestion. You can do this simple abdominal strengthener at your desk or even while walking.
Size Sensitivity: For those of you new to the field of full figured wellness, you may be interested in reading “Guidelines for Fitness Professionals Who Serve Fat Clients” produced by The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA). This organization aligns with my own view that each person has the right to a movement program that fits her body. NAAFA strives to remove the bias and judgement often associated with full figured bodies. With an active lifestyle, you can be FULL, FIT and FABULOUS!
To your health: I also recommend reading the Health At Every Size(R) basic principles. Above all else, accepting your body and loving yourself AS YOU ARE is the first step toward leading an active lifestyle. This self-love includes finding movement that is enjoyable for you. There are so many different ways to move- there truly is something for everyone!
Moving Forward
There’s a lot I look forward to in the months to come. I love playing outside with my nephews (I’m still a kid at heart)! I am excited to host our 16th Annual Wellness Weekend in August. (Photo: A day in the rain with my nephews).
I am pleased to welcome Rachel Aylward to the In Fitness & In Health team. Rachel is a fellow dancer and UMass Amherst alumna. She is moving to the city after having taken the New York Professional Outreach Program (NYPOP) that I teach through UMass. Rachel is a Dance and Marketing major as well as a yoga teacher. Many of her classmates and former NYPOP students will be moving to NYC this summer as well. It puts a smile on my face to have so many of the recent UMass Dance graduates moving to NYC to continue their dance careers just as I did. The dance carries on!
I hope to dance with all of YOU this summer. Whether it be in a class, at an event, or just in passing. I’d love to share in a smile and perhaps to share in some movement. May you meet yourself with kindness and self-love this month by engaging in your own active and fulfilling lifestyle.
Heres to MOVING forward ;)
Yours in health,
