I came across this blog post, “athletic body diversity reference for artists” via the Facebook page of my friend, Bodhi Haraldsson, Register Massage Therapist and author of the blog, MTABC – Evidence-based massage therapy resources.
The blog post. “athletic body diversity reference for artists” is written by an artist but it shows all the different types of healthy fit bodies the Olympic athletes have.  It’s a great example of how we all have different genetics and this manifests in different body types. being fit doe snot mean we all look the same or have the same types of muscle development. A long distance runner and a football player may both be fit and strong, but their muscles will develop differently.  Check out the blog post and view the pictures for yourself! Photos  are from “The Athlete” by Howard Schartz and Beverly Ornstein.

A sample photo is shown below. Click this link to see the blog post and all the other photos!

Photo from “The Athlete” by Howard Schartz and Beverly Ornstein

Related posts:

• The Athlete by Howard Schartz and Beverly Ornstein
• Athletic Body Diversity – Photo-shoot of various Olympic-level athletes by Howard Schartz and Beverly Ornstein titled

• “The Athlete” – Understanding body type diversity

People ask me, “Sue where did you hear about all these great adventure travel locations?” One way is through my clients of course! Another way is from the Annual Adventure Travel Show that will be at The Donald E Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont this weekend (January 28 and 29).

Tickets are only $15 and the vent is well worth the price of admission. (Only $7 if you book online!)

Here is what you can expect (from their website):

• Interact and comparison shop with hundreds of destination travel experts and tour operators representing thousands of vacation options all under one roof.
• Take advantage of free scuba lessons from a certified diving instructor.  Wetsuits, masks, air tanks – even hairdryers – are provided. Visitors 10 and older can dive into the 4-feet-deep, 18,000- gallon scuba pool and even play with an underwater scooter and MP3 Players. Bring your swimsuit and you are ready to go!

• Wake up your senses at the Fiery Foods Stage! Experiencing a destination’s cuisine is a big part of every travel experience you have, so we’ve developed a stage that showcases unique flavors from around the world – with a twist (and a little heat)!

• Photo Clinic–Travel photographer and author Ralph Velasco will be
offering a Photo Clinic at the Calumet Photographic Booth 1006

Saturday, January 28 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Sunday, January 29 11:00am – 12:00pm

He’ll be discussing his best travel gear tips and recommendations for anyone interested in embarking on a trip that has photography at its core. Ralph will also be available for small group and one-on-one questions during this time. Bring your camera!

For more info on parking, directions and more click here.

Related articles

• Travel show promotes adventure (travelnews.britishairways.com)
• Travel and Adventure shows offer expert help, inspiration (gadling.com)
• How to get ready for your next dive adventure…. (aquasub.wordpress.com)
• How to Choose a Tour Operator for the Inca Trail (anamericangirlintransit.com)
• Why rent dive gear when you can travel light? (twofishdiversblog.wordpress.com)
• Adventurous? (notlostjustweird.com)

Two weeks ago we ventured to Maui for a week of fitness and photography. Then this weekend, we headed out to the cool crisp air of Palos Forest Preserves for some winter hiking in the new fallen snow. It’s surreal to go from green mountains and blue oceans to white snow and brown branches. Both are visually striking in their own way.  Enjoy the pics from both trips below. Hopefully viewing them will either relax you, inspire you to get outdoors yourself, or just give your mind a break from staring at words or numbers on the computer screen!

Ocean waves mimic deep breathing...or is it vice versa. Image by J. Porys.

Palm trees and vibrant colored flowers are Maui standards. This photo was taken in front of a church. Image by J. Porys.

Driving up towards Haleakala Crater is like driving off the Earth into the sky.

The Road up to Haleakala Crater, Maui. Image by Sue Shekut

Hiking into the Crater we were enchanted by the floating mist as it rolled over the hills, wrapping itself around bushes, rocks and two young men with a jambox playing “I Shot the Sheriff,” reggae style, that passed us earlier in our hike. They were hiking the whole 27-mile path from one side of the Crater to the other side of the National park on the Hana side of the island.

Side of Haleakala Crator interier. Image by Sue Shekut

Of all the beautiful places in Maui, this was one view I could not get enough of! At this point were getting a little altitude sickness so we did not venture beyond this 8000 mile high vista. The actual crater goes up to 10,000 feet above sea level. But even at this altitude, we were able to fill our eyes with great natural beauty to savor for months and years to come!

Haleakala Crater, Maui. Image by Sue Shekut

But Maui isn’t all mountains and fog!

I love these trees and all the green! Image by Sue Shekut

Asian gardens in Iao Valley, Maui. Image by Sue Shekut

And of course, what is a Hawaiian adventure without the underwater sea explorations!

An underwater adventure starts....with big mounds of coral! Image by J Porys.

Maui Immersed. Image by J Porys.

Tied of Maui pics? It’s time to see the raw visual delights of a Northern Winter in Palos Forest Preserves.

Bare trees in Winter in the Chicago area have their own beauty. A stark contrast from the ocean. Image by Sue Shekut

The air was cold but clear and fresh this weekend. The sunlight in Palos casts its own warm glow through the trees.

Palos sunset in Chicagoland. Image by Sue Shekut

If you are really quiet and listen, you may be able to coax a dear to come nearby…or hear the a squirrel chattering up a tree.

This old tree has a lot of stories to tell...Image by Sue Shekut

Palos Forest Preserves are hikeable and mountain-bikeable year round!

Related articles

• The Sparkler Guide to Hawaii: Maui, We Love You! (weddingbee.com)
• Missouri Woman Dies after Falling off Maui Waterfall (beyondhonolulu.com)
• Maui Adventures (bewitchingkitchen.com)

This last week, the web has been a  buzz about an article in new York Times Magazine about “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body.” The article is well worth the read. In it, the author, William J. Broad, explores some of the recent news about serious injuries than can occur from doing yoga.

As a long-time yoga practitioner and as a person that has been injured doing yoga, I found this article welcome and extremely helpful. I admit, part of my own ego is stroked when I read others finally voicing the same “radical” opinion I’ve had for years, namely that yoga, like all exercises, is not 100% benign. Yoga can hurt you. When doing yoga, you really need to be mindful of your own body and not blindly following directions of your teacher or others.

I first tried yoga in grade school in grade school when my art teacher gave a series of extra curricular classes and told us she used yoga to help her stretch on breaks during long car rides.  Years later I turned back to yoga as an adult to help combat my muscular tension from sitting at a computer all day. It was amazing–I felt better, stronger and, since I was already flexible, doing yoga only increased my flexibility. Which was great…at first.

When I came to Chicago about 20 years ago, I was taking advanced Iyengar classes (BKS Iyengar is a yoga guru of sorts, teaching in India for years and with a  book out used by many Chicago yogis, Light on Yoga). Many of the classes I took where taught by Iyengar devotees, who tried to not only emulate Iyengar’s structural approach, but also his militant and almost fanatical demeanor. This teacher said that, according to Iyengar, “The pose is more important than the person.” I don’t know if Iyengar actually said that, but since this teacher did, I was not surprised when I soon got injured in his class. Along the way I met other experienced yoga students that told me to be careful and not overdo it as they had also experienced injuries doing yoga. Yoga, like all forms of exercise is not without some risk.

The Expert About Your Body is You

One of the biggest lessons I learned from my yoga teachers me was not so much how to do each pose perfectly. Instead, after experiencing a few injuries, I learned that I know my body better than any teacher, personal trainer or guru. And if something hurts, no matter what the teacher says, I won’t do it. In fact, I am rather picky about which yoga teachers I will take classes with. I let them know at the start of class that I do not want them to touch me or “adjust me,” a common practice in yoga classes I have taken. Adjustments are meant to be settle touches to a limb or your back to show you how to get in better posture and alignment. But many teachers I’ve taken classes with tend to push too much or too aggressively. It becomes an ego thing. “How far can I push my students?” And for students it can become, “how flexible can I be” or “I must work very hard even if it hurts just to be a good student and do it “right.” It’s yoga, not Mathelethes!

Know Your Experience Level and Don’t Over Do It

Yoga is supposed to be relaxing and allow you to really focus on your body, your breathe and connect with your body, not contort or injure your body (although injury does make you connect with your body pretty quickly!). When I do yoga now or recommend yoga to my clients, I show basic standing poses, some side bends and simple forward bends. AND to make sure they have a doctors clearance to do even those poses. I don’t advocate shoulder stand or headstands or even back bends for beginners. For some, these posts may be OK. But they are fairly advanced and, as the New York Times article shows, these poses can cause SERIOUS damage and injury, not just to your spine but to your brain. Who wants a stoke?

Yoga is Not a Rapid Fix–It’s Meant to be a Lifelong Practice

Another problem with yoga is the Western approach to it. We want to get rapid results, so we use maximal effort, as though yoga is a hammer and our body is the nail. Fitness isn’t about cramming in maximal effort into a short period of time to check that exercise off out list of goals. Fitness is an overall body balance of cardio, strength and flexibility. We can improve our cardiovascular fitness, we can improve our strength, we can improve our flexibility. But we can’t get the body we want by trying really hard. Our natural frames and muscles are made the way they are made. A man’s hips will not open as much as a woman’s because he is not made to birth babies. When men say they are not flexible, I say of course not! Stretching and yoga can help improve your flexibility, but you don’t need to be able to turn your body into a pretzel. Yoga can help increase flexibility but not beyond what is natural for your body type, frame and gender. It’s about improvement and feeling better, not about getting a gold star for most flexible!

Yoga is Meditative, A Way to Calm and Focus Your Mind

If you practice yoga, approach it as a time to relax and unwind. Treat each class as thigh you have never done yoga before (beginner’s mind). Really watch your teacher and tell him or her if you are not comfortable doing a particular pose. Modifications may be suggested or you may need to sit that pose out. That’s perfectly OK! Enjoy the rest between poses and be happy you are spending a few minutes away from your phone, email and workplace!

Practice yoga gently, not while hyped up on caffeine and adrenaline. A yoga session is meant to CALM your nervous system–it’s not Grand Theft Auto on Xbox. Some of my clients and many people I’ve spoken to don’t like yoga precisely for this reason–they can’t relax enough to benefit from gentle yoga because it makes them nervous to be that calm and focus on their breath and bodies. They need constant stimulation and the idea of “just laying around” or breathing actually stresses them out. But a really good yoga class, in my experience, is both gentle on your body (not easy or lame–yoga is a workout!) and so mentally active that you don’t have time to be bored. By mentally active I mean that during a good yoga class, teachers I’ve had are constantly calling your attention to an area of your body and having you focus on that. For example, in downward dog, a teacher may tell you to really open your fingers wide, put your pressure on the palm or heel of your hand, move your shoulders away from your head, attempt to pull your ankles away from your body towards the wall (not trying to put your heels on the floor though). Along with other directions. To avoid boredom and get a good yoga practice in, focus on these instructions, try to follow them and pay attention to your body. How does each movement feel? Are you breathing or holding your breath? All these details serve to not only make your yoga practice more physically comfortable, and give your body a good workout, but they also serve to give your active mind something to focus on beyond the next task on your  do list.

Lastly, I don’t think that yoga is evil or that you should not do yoga. But when doing yoga, use your brain! Make sure the spots are comfortable for you–not easy, just not damaging your body!) Then, you can relax and enjoy the positive benefits of yoga…without causing damage to your body or your mind!

Related articles

• Yoga – At Home and Classes – a Balancing Act (joyofspa.com)
• Should You Give Up Yoga? Experts Respond to the New York Times’ “Yoga-Can-Wreck-You” Controversy (alternet.org)
• How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body (nytimes.com)

In Chicago, we don’t need to wait for the first snowfall to get our skate on! There are at least two well-known out-door ice skating rinks that are now open for Chicago children and adults this winter. The Rink at Millennium Park and the rink at Wrigley Field. List compiled from Chicago Park District site and Explore Chicago.

Ice Skating at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink

The Rink in Millennium Park will opened Friday, November 18, 2011 and will remain open through Sunday, March 11, 2012. Skate rental is available for $10. The ice rink is located on Michigan Avenue between Washington and Madison streets.

Daley Bicentennial Plaza, Grant Park

Ice Rink at Daley Plaza

337 E. Randolph St.
312.742.0064
$7 skate rental; admission free.

Open Skate Hours: Monday – Friday, 1 – 9 pm, Saturday – Sunday, 3:30-8:30 pm

No food concessions available.

Ice Skating at WRIGLEY FIELD!

For the third consecutive year, an ice skating rink will welcome skaters to the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field this winter, thanks to the generosity of the Ricketts family and the Chicago Cubs, 44th Ward Ald. Tom Tunney, the City of Chicago, the Chicago Park District, Westrec Marinas, the Central Lakeview Merchants Association, Patch Landscaping and the Lake View Citizens’ Council.  Skate in the Cubs parking lot at the corner of Clark and Waveland. For more information – 312-617-7017.

Ice Rink at Wrigley Field

The Rink at Wrigley
1060 W. Addison St. – Addison St. and Clark St.
312.617.7017

Note: Due to unusually high temperatures the Rink at Wrigley will not open until further notice. Skating was slated to be open from November 25, 2011 through February 26, 2012. Check the website for updates as temperatures cool:  http://www.rinkatwrigley.com for more information.

McKinley Park

Ice Rink at McKinley Park

2210 W. Pershing Road
312.747.5992
$6 skate rental; admission free.

Open Skate Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 12:30 – 7:30 p.m.

No food concessions available.

Midway Plaisance Park

Ice Rink at Midway Plaisance Park

1130 Midway Plaisance North (east 59th Street at Woodlawn)
312.745.2470
$6 skate rental; admission free

Open Skate Hours: Monday – Friday, 12 – 7 p.m., Saturday, 1 – 9 p.m.. Sunday, 12 – 7 p.m.

Food concessions available.

 

Mt. Greenwood Park

3721 W. 111 St.
312.747.3690
$6 skate rental; admission free.

Open Skate Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 12:30 – 7:30 p.m.

No food concessions available.

Riis Park

6100 W. Fullerton Ave.
312.746.5735
$6 skate rental; admission free.

Open Skate Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 12:30 – 7:30 p.m.

No food concessions  available.

Rowan Park

11546 S. Avenue L
773.646.1967
$6 skate rental; admission free.

Open Skate Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 12:30 – 7:30 p.m.

No food concessions available.

Warren Park

6601 N. Western Ave.
773.761.8663
$6 skate rental; admission free.

Open Skate Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 12:30 – 2:30 pm, 3-5 pm, 5:30 – 7:30 pm

No food concessions available.

West Lawn Park

4233 W. 65th St.
773.284.6078
$6 skate rental; admission free.

Open Skate Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 12:30 – 7:30 p.m.

No food concessions available.

Indoor Rinks

McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink

McCormick Plaza Rink

Ice Skating Chicago

Located at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Washington Street  between Washington and Madison Streets).

Now in its tenth season, the rink is scheduled to remain open through Sunday, March 13, 2011 this year (weather permitting). Admission to the rink is free and skates are available to rent for $10. Try free ice skating and ice dancing lessons in February during Chicago Winter Dance.

Skate rental is available for $10.

The 16,000 square foot ice skating rink has a state-of-the-art chiller system that can maintain the ice even in the event of unseasonably warm weather. Several factors would need to be considered before the rink is closed. If you have questions about the weather, please call 312-742-5222 before you come.

Hours:

Regular Hours

• Mondays—Thursdays 12PM-8PM
• Fridays 12PM-10PM
• Saturdays—Sundays 10AM-9PM

Chicago Winter Dance Extended Weekend Hours in February

• Fridays 12PM-11PM
• Saturdays 8AM-11PM
• Sundays 8AM-9PM

McFetridge Sports Center, California Park

Ice Rink at McFetridge Sports Center

3843 N. California Ave.
773.478.2609
Indoor Rink – open year-round except for the month of August
$3 skate rental; admission is $4 for children 12 and younger, $5 for ages 13 and older, and $2 for seniors 60 and older.

Open Skate Hours:
All ages: Wednesday and Friday, 3:30 – 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 4:30 – 6 p.m.
Adults: Wednesday, 9:15 – 10:30 p.m.
Teens & Adults: Friday, 9:15 – 10:45 p.m.

Food concessions available.

Related articles

• Free Ice Skating (thriftysocialworker.com)
• Big Apple on ice: Best skating rinks in New York City (orbitz.com)
• Celebrating Hotlanta With a Cold Treat: Ice Skating! (blogsouthwest.com)
• Las Vegas resort gets ‘ice’ skating rink (upi.com)
• First-of-its-kind synthetic rink put on ice due to cracks (cbc.ca)
• THE BLUE CROSS RIVERRINK AT PENN’S LANDING RE-OPENS FOR 18th SEASON (gloucestercitynews.net)
• Lasker Rink, by TRUMP, in Central Park (markinthecity.com)
• Bargelona or the Ice Rink in the Center of Barcelona (trenhoteleuropa.wordpress.com)

Image by Gravitywave via Flickr

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

I was looking at my WorkingWellResources  blog subscribers and noticed that I’ve got a few blog stalkers.   OK, not stalkers, just fans. One of them is Healthy In Chicago, an easy to read, fun and accessible blog about healthy lifestyle choices for Chicagoans.

What I like about this blog is that it’s not about being perfectly healthy. The blogger admits that it’s about trying to do his/her best at making healthy lifestyle choices. I am certainly not perfect either. I often have to check myself to see if I am practicing what I preach. And sometimes I fall short of the optimal healthy guidelines I would like to adhere to. I am human. And so are my clients. WE strive for our ideals but don’t get overly critical of ourselves when we fall short of perfection! This attitude of acceptance and moderation helps me be less critical and judgmental of my clients and allows them to share their successes and weaknesses with me more easily. So I am happy to introduce you to another blogger that has a similar positive, but not fanatical, outlook on Wellness.

Check out the Top posts on the Healthy In Chicago blog:

• Green Bean Chips?
• Probiotics in your diet
• Chicago’s Best NEW Workouts
• Summer Thyme! Cooking with Fresh Herbs
• About
• What is Healthy?

Chicago, Meet HealthyinChicago on the blog here. To follow Healthy In Chicago tweets, check out @HealthyNChicago.

Who is the Author of Healthy In Chicago?

The blogger chooses to remain anonymous, but did post some fun factoids about him/herself.

From the Healthy In Chicago Website, the blog author:

• Is someone who doesn’t always ”practice what they preach” in terms of health advice.  I am not the perfect pinnacle of health.  I truly believe in moderation and not depriving myself of things (food and drinks) I love, which doesn’t always fit within the “recommendations” of healthy living.
• Has a sweet tooth
• Makes attempts to make healthy choices and health goals however
• Has a college degree in Sport Science
• Employed with IL largest health system, and is responsible for educating the community on health topics that plague Chicagoan’s (diabetes, heart disease, asthma, obesity, etc)
• Previous experience as a personal trainer
• Certified Intrinsic Coach (basically a life coach, someone to motivate you to follow through with the decisions, you have made in your life…example, quitting smoking)

The blogger also states that:

“I came to a point in my life where I was looking for more active, healthier activities and resources in the city…and really couldn’t find them and neither could my friends. So, I thought…why not share the information I find with everyone so they too can have the local resources to enjoy a healthier life, when and if they want to?  And with that Healthy In Chicago was created!”

Related articles

• Find a Winter Farmer’s Market in the Chicago Suburbs – The Elgin Winter Market (workingwellresources.com)
• Be a Fitness Winner With Wii Fit’s The Biggest Loser Game (workingwellresources.com)

I broke out our Wii the other day and my boyfriend and I played some Wii tennis and bowling. While Wii Sports can be fun, they don’t provide as fun or as active of a workout as Wii’s The Biggest Loser does. For fans of the Show, you may be familiar with some of the trainers and advice. However, the game itself looks like a lot more fun than the standard Wii Fit or Wii Fit Plus workouts. To check out the video of the same showing some of the exercises and visuals, go to the Amazon webpage and click on the video. The game is available from Amazon. com for about $15.00. Click here to order from Amazon.

For a sample of one of the workouts in its entirety, nutwiisystem made this excellent video.  Check it out and you will get a realistic idea of what the Biggest Loser game offers you:

Here’s what you get with the program (from the Amazon website):

Note: You will need to purchase or own a Wii Balance Board to use this game.

Related articles

• The Biggest Loser Diet (everydayhealth.com)
• Wii Exercise Games (mademan.com)
• Designer Whey Introduces New Biggest Loser Protein Bars (prweb.com)
• The Biggest Loser Season 12, Episode 6: Season twelve, Episode six| FX Streaming (oleole.com)
• ‘The Biggest Loser’ Recap: All For One on Hallo-week (buddytv.com)

From the "Healthy is the New Skinny.com" Website

“Healthy is the new skinny!”  according to  Kate Halchishick in O magazine. In the article, plus size model and beauty Kate Halchishick allows herself to be photographed nude and then artists show what they would have to do to surgically alter her body to fit Barbie doll proportions. See full article here.

What a wonderful message for young women and even older women everywhere. I personally believe in a fitness focus over a fatness focus. By focusing on staying fit and healthy, your body will naturally become healthy and reduce fat content. But not in an extreme manner–in a realistic manner. Our bodies are all different. We start with our genetic code and then do what we can via our environment. For some people, like me, I can work out all day long and I will never become tall. Many people resort to plastic surgery to “correct” the body that their parents gave them through genetics. But this sets a disturbing trend for younger people. Bravo to Kate Halchishick for showing how absurd the body proportions of a standard Barbie Doll are to try to emulate. Check out the full article and pics on the Healthy is the New Skinny website here.

Related articles

• Just Like Barbie- Model Compares Body to Barbie (trishjdotcom.wordpress.com)
• Since when did ‘skinny’ mean ‘pretty’??? (loandlife.wordpress.com)
• Do Thin Parents Pass On Skinny Genes? (abcnews.go.com)
• The History Of Barbie (toystalking.wordpress.com)
• The Body Project: Letter To A Teenage Girl | Healthy is the New Skinny (wishverse.wordpress.com)
• Does This Display Want You to Be Skinny? (bellasugar.com)

This study about woman who take supplements dying younger a good example of why it’s important to be research literate. This study does not show a casual link to taking supplements and early death. All it shows is a correlative link between woman who take supplements and die earlier. That’s like saying ice cream causes summer because more people eat ice cream in summer.

In this study, being trumpeted all over the web today, WebMB reports that “In a new study, multivitamins, folic acid, iron, copper, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B6 supplements all increased an older woman’s risk of dying from any cause. The greatest risk was seen with iron supplements. Calcium supplements, however, seemed to reduce a woman’s risk of dying. The study, which appears in the Archives of Internal Medicine, was an observational trial, not a cause-and-effect trial. So it can’t say how, or even if, these supplements actually increase a woman’s chance of dying.“

The results were gathered by woman filling out surveys. No actual medical examinations were done. And self reporting is known to be fairly inaccurate. Do you recall what you ate last Wednesday for lunch? If someone asked you to fill out a survey about your eating habits, would you be able to be 100% accurate? So why would an older woman answering a survey about taking vitamins.  Many commenters have asked if the study considered whether woman taking supplements already had health issues. Science Daily does  a better job of reporting the story. Their headline reads “Certain Dietary Supplements Associated With Increased Risk of Death in Older Women, Study Suggests” while WebMD’s headlines reads “Can Supplements Increase a Woman’s Risk of Dying?”

In reviewing the actual study, it appears that what the researchers did was simply compare the woman who took vitamins and woman who did not and determined who died earlier.  No other data was taken into consideration. Like overall health of the woman. The study did not take into account any other factors that may have caused earlier death. Like genetic predisposition to disease. Link to the actual study results here. At the same time, if fat ssoluable vitamins are taken in high doses, there can be adverse health effects. But this study didn’t mention that.

Citation: J. Mursu, K. Robien, L. J. Harnack, K. Park, D. R. Jacobs. Dietary Supplements and Mortality Rate in Older Women: The Iowa Women’s Health Study. Archives of Internal Medicine, 2011; 171 (18): 1625 DOI:

Look at How Different Media Spin These Correlative Research Results:

• Can Supplements Increase a Woman’s Risk of Dying? (webmd.com)
• Vitamins May Increase Women’s Risk of Dying, Research Finds (livescience.com)
• Daily Vitamins Tied to Early Deaths (abcnews.go.com)
• Vitamin pills ‘may shorten life’ (bbc.co.uk)
• Vitamins Could Lead To Higher Death Rates In Women [Study] (inquisitr.com)
• Study: Vitamins may boost death risk in older women – USA Today (news.google.com)

As part of my ongoing effort to let people know about the Wellness Club team at Whole Foods Market in Lincoln Park, I spoke with Heather Sulic, Wellness Club Team Leader and massage aficionado! I’ve been working with Heather closely these past few months and I must say, she really knows not only how to implement a good nutrition program, but also how to run a fun and active Wellness Club! Meet Heather and read more about her take on the Wellness Club and what is offered there.

Heather Sulic, Wellness Club Team Leader

1. Why did Whole Foods decide to open the Wellness Club at the Lincoln Park store?

We are piloting a Wellness Club in 5 stores throughout the U.S.  Lincoln Park was chosen because it’s a cutting edge store with a great space and loyal customer base.

2. Aside from nutrition classes, what other programs does the WC offer?

Our program offers everything you need for optimal wellness. In addition to nutrition, we educate members on lifestyle change and the psychology of eating habits.  Chef Katie will also teach you how to cook great-tasting healthy dishes. We also offer services to get you active and help you to slow down, whichever you need!  Each day we offer multiple fitness and yoga classes.  We also have massage on site–great for stress relief and pain management.  All of the classes are included in the membership and massage is offered at a discount for members, only $65 for one hour! And, members receive a 10% discount on about 4000 items throughout the store.
3. Can I take classes and get massages at the WC if I am not a WC member?

Yes, most of our services are available a la carte. Yoga classes are$15 a class for non-members, for example, and  massages for non-Wellness Club members are $80/hour.

5. Does the Wellness Club have a changing room?

Students can change their clothing to fitness gear in the men’s and women’s restrooms. For massages, clients can change in the massage room when the massage therapist steps out of the room before and after the massage.

6. I sweat a lot when I exercise. Does the Wellness Club have showers?

We don’t have showers or a locker room.  Our fitness classes are designed for increasing functional fitness-moving through a complete range of motion, building strength, working on core and stability.  We don’t offer cardio classes.  We do have a wide variety of fitness clubs in our local network though.  These businesses are offering discounts and free services for our members who’d like to get some sweating in too!

7. Where do I put my shoes, winter coat and stuff during yoga class at the WC?

Yes, we have cubbies for your shoes and a coat rack.

8. Do you have childcare at the Wellness Club? Some moms like to take fitness classes and get massages but have a toddler/baby etc.

We don’t have childcare services.  However, we will be featuring many classes that you can participate in with your child.  Cooking with Kids classes and Kids Movement classes will be starting soon.  And Kids Science Labs and Fantasy Kingdom, two kid friendly businesses nearby, would love to see your kids while you make use of our Wellness Club services.

9.  Is the WC program vegan?

The Wellness Club program is Plant Strong meaning we advocate eating predominantly whole or minimally processed plant foods.  However, we do have some meat and seafood items that are included in the discount program.

10. How do I get the 10% discount card? Is it free?

Membership includes unlimited classes (yes, yoga too!), discounts on massage onsite and discounts from local businesses in addition to the discount at Whole Foods Market.  For a limited time only memberships are available for a $1 start-up fee and only $49/month!

11. What could I expect from you as a coach to help me incorporate healthier eating into my current diet? How about fitness?

I’m really focused on finding out where you’re at now and what your goals are.  My job is to give you manageable steps to help you move from point A to point B with lots of stops along the way to celebrate successes.  When it comes to fitness, I’m passionate about explaining the “why” behind what you’re doing.  If you’re going to put the effort in, it makes sense to be getting the most bang for your buck.  Too often people spend a lot of time and energy at the gym and end up injured or discouraged because they don’t know how to work out properly. I want to help with that!

Who is Heather Sulic, Wellness Club Team Leader?

Heather has a degree in Secondary Education and has been teaching in various capacities throughout the 12 years that she has worked with Whole Foods Market.  She spent many years in Store Leadership and as a Human Resources Coordinator.  Heather is a Certified Personal Trainer and also holds a certification in Plant Based Nutrition from eCornell University.  Whether it’s one-on-one or in a classroom setting, Heather’s coaching focuses on thorough education and her goal is to help individuals excel in their healthy lifestyles.

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