A gorgeous beach day on Naples Beach - June 11, 2023!

Classes such as Yoga and Pilates are fantastic because they incorporate strength and stretching into each pose.

Our lifestyles involve more sitting than ever.

The less we move, the tighter our muscles become, and as a result, many people suffer from pain and dysfunction, commonly associated with office based work and a generally sedentary lifestyle.

Often those in pain turn to physical therapy and massage which offers much needed relief, until old patterns begin to repeat themselves again and the pain or muscle tension inevitably returns.

Enter your daily stretching routine!

Stretching is a cost free, self-empowering, time efficient and simple way to maintain healthy muscles.

A comprehensive five-minute stretching routine could potentially change posture, reduce pain, promote tissue repair, lubricate stiff joints and improve training recovery.

The physical benefits of safe stretching are undeniable and are too often ignored by...

A beautiful day for a early Spring Run in Lakes Park, Fort Myers!  Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

You hit the ground running.

Literally.

Running five times a week.

You’re feeling good and setting new personal bests along the way.

Then it happens …

After a few weeks, you start to notice that little niggle has developed into an ache in your shin, or a stabbing pain in your knee or burning at the back of your heel.

It’s upsetting, even common, but it can be fixed.

When diagnosing this pain, it’s important to acknowledging that you aren’t in pain because you’re running, it’s how you are running.  

When starting any new activity, you should gradually ease into it. Every structure within your body has a specific capacity to resist stress and load.

When too much stress is applied without enough time for your body to adapt, pain will occur. As running is essentially repeating the same movement over and...

A beautiful early March sunset in Lakes Park, Fort Myers, Florida. Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II

It’s 5 a.m. and your alarm goes off. You immediately begin the battle of whether to get up and exercise or not.

You know you’ll feel better if you do, but why?

This is your brain on exercise.

The reason that we feel so good when we exercise and get our blood pumping and our muscles firing is that it makes our brain feel good.

Essentially, building muscles and conditioning the heart and lungs are bi-products or side effects from exercise as there is a biological relationship between the body, the brain, and the mind.

It can be said that a key point of exercise is to build and condition the brain.

The relationship between food, physical activity, and learning is hardwired into the brain’s circuitry and therefore to keep our brains at peak performance, our bodies need to work hard.

Fitness: What to do when your workout stops working

The reason physical activity is...

A gorgeous February day on Naples Beach in Southwest Florida - Feb 19, 2023. Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

With almost 2 months of the new year gone, how are you doing with your big year goals?

For many, weight loss was at the forefront of our minds and you may or may not be feeling successful.

Although weight loss is a great goal, it is an outcome-based goal which relies on behavioral change.

As important as it to maintain a healthy weight, it is also important for us to incorporate non-scale goals which can help modify our behavior.

Ultimately, these will help to support the intended long-term outcome of weight loss.

With that in mind, try incorporating non-scale goals to help reach your ultimate outcome.

Hydration — 

Water is an important nutrient that every cell in our body requires to function optimally.

Through daily natural physiological processes like breathing, digestion, sweating, we lose water that must be replaced. Studies show that an increase in...

With so many ways to maintain fitness, people are looking for alternative ways to get in their exercise... 

Remember, "variety is the spice of life", right?

That said, what better way to enjoy the fabulous outdoors than on a bike?

And, the mere act of being on a bike ensures you are practicing proper social distancing. So, grab your helmet and let’s get going.

Like all forms of moderate intensity exercise, regular cycling (3 to 5 times a week for a total of 150 minutes) will reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and improve your overall health, and may even reduce the risk of some forms of cancer.

Cycling will improve your endurance and aerobic capacity, while toning the muscles of your lower body like the calves, thighs and buttocks.

An hour of cycling can burn between 250 and 700 calories depending on the intensity and it is an excellent way to reduce stress.

In addition, for anyone carrying extra weight and/or people who have joint problems who may find it...

A gorgeous run on Naples Beach on a cooler, less humid fall Florida day.  Photo Courtesy of Charly II.

Professionalism and know-how are vital in the fitness industry.

To achieve your full fitness potential, you need proper guidance from your trainer.

With that being said, you need to be mindful of the advice you are given.

Considering the uptick in group personal training sessions (is group personal?) and the more recent ‘fitness scandals’ - I’ve compiled a few do’s and don’ts to help you navigate working with a trainer:

A personal fitness trainer MUST stay current.

The fitness industry is always changing and evolving, so it’s important your trainer stays current with their certifications.

Not only is it a manner of professionalism but it also helps them serve you better. 

With a plethora of courses constantly offered in person and via distance learning, look for someone who actively pursues continuing education, conferences, and reads...

A beautiful summer sunset walk on Naples Beach, walking off a delightful dinner on 5th Ave South. Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

Have you ever felt that you are up against a brick wall when it comes to weight loss?

You are not alone.

Many people struggle with the weight loss dilemma daily. Metabolism is a complex subject with a plethora of variables but we are going to break down a few basics to help you. 

First, understand that you need a certain amount of energy (calories) to stay alive, as well as to move around.

You can get this energy from food, or you can retrieve it from stored energy (fat reserves) in the body.

If you consume less energy than you expend, you will lose weight – and if you consume more energy than you expend, you will gain weight. 

This relationship between ‘energy in’ and ‘energy out’ is called the Energy Balance Equation, and it’s the most commonly accepted model for calculating how much weight you...

Enjoy this beautiful walk along the bay in St. Augustine, Florida, getting outside, standing up right, moving your body & enjoying life... (It is literally what your body needs!)  Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II

The 2020's, or as I like to call it ~ the longest decade in history, has seen many of us working from home, sitting in front of computer screens, and spending more time in one place.

Whether it’s at your home or office desk, driving your car or watching television, long periods of sitting can have adverse effects on your health.

Scientists have identified a new threat from people’s sedentary lifestyles that they call ‘muscular inactivity’.

Sitting has always been regarded as bad for your posture.

Here’s why — 

It is physically impossible to maintain perfect posture for your entire seated day.

Sitting invokes what is known as the ’double flexed’ position.

Your body is flexed at the hip and the knee. Flexion...

"You can't change what you don't measure." and it's never been easier to measure success than today (through wearable tech)! (Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II)

If you own a Fitbit, Apple Watch or another kind of wearable technology to track your fitness, you’re already following the number-one predicted fitness trend for the next decade - wearable technology. 

Wearable tech has topped the list 4 times in the last 5 years and we don’t expect it to be slowing down any time soon!

More people than ever are wearing 'wearable technology' to track their daily steps, calories burnt and time spent sitting vs standing —

All with the goal to be their best, healthiest self! (YES!)

The recently published fitness trends survey, now in its 16^th year, surveys more than 3,000 health and fitness professionals worldwide, and was designed to reveal trends in various fitness environments. 36 potential trends were given as choices, and the top 20 were ranked and published by...