Newsletter
February Newsletter
You have the power to protect your heart’s health from heart disease. In recognition of American Heart Month, Hunterdon Health encourages you to educate yourself and your loved ones. Understand your risk factors and commit to making healthy lifestyle choices so you can live every day, extraordinary. To learn more, visit our website.
#HeartMonth #GoRed
February Fitness Article
By: Sharon McGeehan - W.I.T.S. Certified Personal Trainer & Senior Trainer & Aquatics Trainer, Certified Lifestyle Health Coach
When we talk about what we use for determining how fit a person is, the criteria may surprise some people. Most of us are familiar with our cardiovascular health and how to improve it and maintain it. Frequent heart-healthy exercise-walking, running, biking, swimming and aerobic classes all work to make your heart healthy and maintain that level of fitness. The heart is a muscle and needs to be exercised like all muscles. Working that muscle on a regular basis and increasing the duration, intensity, and frequency are all good practices to keep your heart fit.
Secondly, we all know that we need to work our other muscles to make them strong and keep them that way. Whether you like to use weight machines, free weights or any other variety of toys, my personal favorite Resistance bands, Pilates rings, Swiss balls or even a Bosu ball will give you different results. In addition to finding a method that works for you, consistency is key. This is especially true for so many women who lack upper body strength.
However, most people don’t realize that as we get older the last three components of fitness become just as important, if not more so. Flexibility, coordination, and balance impact all aspects of our lives every day and the need for all three are just as essential as the first two. Flexibility refers to how nimble we are, and how fluidly we move, ideally comfortably. How well does your body seamlessly flow from one movement to the other, your hips, ankles, shoulders, knees, and neck? Do you work on it? Most of us do not stretch as much as we should, especially if we find ourselves sitting in the same position for too long. Yoga classes and now, actual stretching classes can help you get started and ensure you’re doing it correctly.
Coordination, the 4th pillar refers to how well all your body parts move in sync together at the same time. Think about walking-do you swing your arms in time when you step forward? Can you swing the opposite arm? Can you do it without thinking about it? Coordination incorporates movements that are accurate, controlled and fluid.
There are three different types of coordination, Hand/Eye Coordination, Gross Motor Skills, and Fine Motor Skills. All diminish with age, because of vision changes, poor health or other issues related to balance. We can and should try to incorporate all three types into our daily lives to keep from losing them. Hand and eye coordination is required for driving, cooking, and dressing. Exercise and sports can be helpful and fun ways to improve and maintain those skills. Gross motor skills involve movements we make using the larger muscle groups, like walking. Fine motor skills utilize the smaller muscle groups.
Lastly, is balance which is essential as we age to help avoid falls. Working on balance every day is important and easy to do. Try standing on one foot, all the while making sure you have something to hold onto. Switch the foot that you raise and gradually increase the time you have the foot up. I encourage my clients to walk outside, thus negotiating an uneven walking surface. Spending time every day on these 5 Pillars of Fitness ensures that we age as injury-free as possible!
What's New in February?
National Wear Red Day
National Wear Red Day is February 7th.
Wear red on February 7th and shine the spotlight on heart disease. At the Hunterdon Health & Wellness Centers, we can help you commit to making healthy lifestyle choices. Learn how to keep your heart healthy this month. Let’s protect our hearts!
Valentine Workout
Treat a friend or family member to a FREE WORKOUT with you through Valentine's Day weekend (February 14-16).
Just bring your guest to one of our facilities during Valentine's Day weekend to enjoy a free workout!
Group Fitness Changes
Clinton:
- New Chair Yoga class on Mondays at 11:15 am with Nicole
- New Power Cycle Express Class on Fridays at 6:15 am with Deb
- New Intro To Power Cycle Class on Wednesday, February 5th at 6:45 pm with Paul
Whitehouse Station:
- New Intro To Power Cycle Class on Sunday, February 2nd at 8:30 am with Beth
- Studio Pilates with Megan is now offered at 8:30 am (formerly 8:00 am)
Massage Chair Event
Chris, our professional masseuse, will be offering 15-minute chair massages for the low price of $15. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation and rejuvenation! These Massage Chair events will take place at our Clinton Wellness Center from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Thursday, February 6th and 13th. To schedule an appointment you can stop by or call the front desk at 908-735-6884.
Weight Loss Program with Your Whole Health
Ready to make meaningful changes? Join our weight loss membership where you will receive both one-on-one visits looking at your individual needs as well as group medical visits that will provide a deep dive into nutrition, movement, and lifestyle changes that you can make for a lifetime.
$200 per month, 4 month program
1st Class is Thursday, February 13th at 5:30 pm
$50 discount for Hunterdon Health and Wellness Center members.
Call Your Whole Health at 908-213-5145 to register.
Random Acts of Kindness Day
Monday, February 17th is Random Acts of Kindness Day!
Sometimes it’s the little things that can have a big effect on other people. A random act of kindness shared between two strangers can create a ripple that not only affects each of these people’s lives but may also echo through them for generations to come. And that’s why Random Acts of Kindness Day is such a powerful holiday.
On this day, people are encouraged to do an act of kindness for a complete stranger, a coworker, or a family member. A kind act that’s given without any thought of recognition or praise. It can be something as simple as giving a person a compliment out of the blue or paying for the person behind you while you’re waiting in a line at the grocery store. Anyone who wants to observe this holiday can do so by just offering a piece of kindness to another human being on the 17th of February. Maybe celebrating this holiday will set a pattern that you can follow for the rest of the year.
M2 Mindful Movement & Meditation Wellness Series
A Valentine’s Heart-Centered Meditation Complimentary Wellness Session with Kathy Vandenburg, Mindfulness Instructor.
Embark on a journey with Kathy through various mindfulness techniques with our M2 (Mindful Movement & Meditation) series. Each session will offer an opportunity to explore mindfulness practices for enhanced well-being.
Friday, February 14, 2025, from 12 pm to 1 pm
Hunterdon Health and Wellness Center
Clinton Health Campus, Studio 3
Register through the Club Automation Member Portal App, or call the Front Desk in Clinton at 908-735-6884.
Gong Sound Bath
Gong vibrations elevate us and create a deep, spontaneous meditative state that can restore harmony and vitality to the mind, body and spirit. Join certified sound meditation facilitator, Lesley Vollmer as she welcomes a 40-inch Chau gong into her collection of resonant instruments. The benefits of sound bath include stress reduction, alleviating pain and improved sleep quality. It can also enhance creativity, increase concentration, restore energy and promote a sense of well-being and inner peace.
Sunday, February 23rd from 2:30 - 4:00 PM at the Clinton Wellness Center.
Bring your pillow, blanket, eye mask, and yoga mat (or use one of our yoga mats)!
Register by visiting our membership portal/app. The event can be found under Programs. Please click “Facility” and choose the Clinton location to find the event. Or you may also book by calling the front desk at 908-735-6884. ($30 for Members, $35 for Guests).
Aquatics:
Reminder - Please be sure to shower before entering any of our pools and refrain from hanging or sitting on the lap lanes. See Pool Schedules.
Fitness Floor:
Please be mindful when stepping onto the track. Members utilize the track for different reasons and you do not want to get run down. Treat it like you are crossing the street, be sure to look both ways!
Equipment:
Everyone has been doing a great job of wiping down the machines and keeping our equipment clean. Thank you for your consideration!
PLEASE NOTE!
If you are waitlisted for a class and someone cancels, you will automatically be moved into the class and an email will be sent to you if it is within 2 hours of the class start time.
Two hours prior to the class, the waitlist closes and no one automatically gets moved in. The reason for this is the person being moved into the class may not get the notification in time, therefore, we are potentially holding a spot for someone who may not get the message. Members should check the portal/app or may call in within two hours of the start time to find out if there is an opening. In other words, the open spots become available to anyone at the two hour mark.
If you are on the waitlist and you decide that you are not going to attend, we ask that you please remove yourself. We also kindly ask that members who are unable to attend a class, cancel their registration more than 2 hours before the class begins. Please remember that if you do not cancel at all, you are subject to a $10 penalty.
If you refer a friend or family member and they join the Wellness Centers, you will receive a choice of $20 on your club account that can be used toward any service, product, or membership fee OR two free guest passes.
We appreciate your customer loyalty and are happy to help guide you on your wellness journey!
If you have any further questions or comments, we welcome your phone calls to our Front Desk!
Most Sincerely,
