Ginger is a common holiday spice that we rarely think much of. But did you know that ginger has a number of wonderful wellness benefits? Here is a quick, yet delicious recipe for the holidays that combines two “super foods” – ginger and parsnips! We hope you enjoy this ginger roasted parsnips recipe!

It’s hard to avoid getting ill during this time of year with so many of us indoors and in close quarters, especially around the holidays. Frequent hand washing is the best way to avoid picking up viruses or other “germs” but we can all take other steps to stay healthy this winter. Not to mention, strengthen your immune system!

It was my half-marathon race week! I was excited to go! I was feeling strong, ready to run.

For the first time in many years, I’ve decided to take 13 days off between Christmas and New Years and not traveling. I’m feeling the need to really scale back my life right now and the holiday time is a perfect time to get back to what is really important to me. To jumpstart my time off, I am starting with a 3-day long digital detox: no social media, no internet, and my phone will be on airplane mode the entire time.

Are you in need of simple and delicious recipes for Thanksgiving? Do you want a healthy dish but don’t want to sacrifice the flavor? Try out these 2 easy sweet potato recipes! These dishes are full of flavor and yet don’t leave you feeling like you’re missing out on anything.  Give these a go for your Thanksgiving table!

Many clients come to me with sore muscles, stiff joints or just their entire body hurting. I quickly learned that many of these aches and pains come not only from activity but also from what we do outside the gym. We may spend an hour working out, but our bodies are subjected to the stress of how we carry ourselves throughout the rest of the day.

I was looking forward to this week’s training to see what these old legs could do with more half marathon specific runs. My body did not cooperate, however. I had the “kid crud” this past week.

Like many runners at a race, I may be so pumped that I’ll go out too quickly then drop off from fatigue. My goal will be to run conservatively through the halfway point in the half marathon then gradually pick things up as I can.

Concentrating on one main task or activity each day allows the brain to rest in between activities. So, we can really focus when we are working or in meetings.

If you need more convincing, I think a conversation about the benefits of overnight oats is in order. These pumpkin overnight oats are a quick, easy, and healthy breakfast option packed with protein!

I have a real tendency toward anxiousness. I think a lot of people do, especially in our modern-day society. Regular mindfulness exercises combined with a casual exploration of the topic (reading books, articles, listening to podcasts, etc.) have made a huge difference in the severity of my worried thoughts.

The snatch is taking an object (Usually a barbell, dumbbell, or kettlebell) from the ground to overhead in one movement. Generally, people are most familiar with the barbell version because of the Olympics and more recently Crossfit and related activities.

I’ve been running for about 40 years now. Long-term wear and tear led me to an altered gait. Which in turn led to lots of pain when running. Personal trainer and gym co-owner, Tom Duer, gave me exercises to strengthen my weak hip flexors. Suddenly, running seemed possible again. It was time to try training for a race!

Whenever you go on vacation it’s really easy to make excuses when it comes to diet and workouts. “There wasn’t much equipment.” “We did a lot of walking.” “I didn’t feel like it.” It may seem hard to believe, but it is definitely possible to get your workouts in while you are on vacation. Read this article before you go out of town and you’ll be all set workout wise before your next vacation!

Office jobs keep many people sitting for most the day. Prolonged inactivity like that can have serious health consequences. But not just consequences on our muscles. Inactivity affects our brains as well. Do you find yourself achey, sluggish, and not as mentally sharp as you used to be? Those symptoms might have something to do with your activity levels.

Nothing is more refreshing after a grueling workout than a fruit smoothie. One of my all-time favorite summer smoothie recipes is a super fresh peach banana smoothie. After a workout, however it is important to make sure you are supplying your body with adequate protein. Rather than just mixing protein powder in water I turn it into a smoothie which then fills me up for several hours afterwards.

Food combinations are a great way to add in fruits and vegetables that you wouldn’t usually eat alone. For example, I don’t eat plain carrots very often but if you give me some hummus I could eat an entire bag! This being said, it is important to eat everything in moderation and to be mindful of when you are genuinely hungry and when you are full.