FRIDAY, MAY 25, IS DON’T FRY DAY

More than 1 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year. Remind family and friends about the importance of skin cancer prevention and early detection on the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention’s “Don’t Fry Day,” the Friday before Memorial Day.

Whether we exercise or not, we rarely think about balance. Balance, however, is an extremely important component of physical health; it is the foundation of all movement. You literally use balance in everything you do—whether at work, at home, or at play.

It has been said that strength is useless without balance. Good balance creates a sound support base. Having a stable support base in turn allows you to produce more power. Good balance begins with having your center of mass aligned directly over your base of support. Generally, your center of mass is located about 2 inches below your navel. Your support base is your feet. Because balance is optimized when your center of mass is positioned directly above your support base, having a strong core and good posture both play an important role in balancing.

Balance training is something that all people can benefit from. Muscular imbalance and inadequacy can impair the entire musculoskeletal system, thus increasing one’s risk of injury. The human body contains a total of 640 skeletal muscles, and when people engage in strengthening exercises they tend to focus on a small group of what we call “prime movers” (i.e. quadriceps, hamstrings, biceps, triceps). Balance training can be incorporated to activate the smaller, and often neglected, stabilizer muscles, which are crucial in maintaining balance and improving performance. Intermittent or frequent losses of balance can break the chain of force production and skilled movement, thus slowing productivity and progression. By enhancing your proprioception (the awareness of your body in space) and stabilizer muscle strength, you can help to not only increase exercise efficiency, but also decrease your risk of injury.

Balance exercises can be done frequently, and can easily be incorporated into your daily routine. Balance training should be progressive. Always start with static (stationary) exercises, and as you gain balance begin to slowly introduce dynamic (moving) exercises. You will only improve your balance if you are consistent with your training. Furthermore, the more dynamic exercises you can incorporate, the more functional and relevant your training will be. Additionally, there are numerous different products that can be used for advanced balance training, including wobble boards, stability balls, and BOSU Balance Trainers.

Balancing Act

I N G R E D I E N T S

1/2 cup crunchy natural peanut butter

1/4 cup finely chopped salted pretzels

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, melted

D I R E C T I O N S

1. Combine peanut butter and pretzels in a small bowl. Chill in the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes.

2. Roll the peanut butter mixture into teaspoon-sized balls. Place on a baking sheet lines with parchment or waxed paper, and freeze until very firm, about 1 hour.

3. To melt the chocolate, microwave on medium for 1 minute. Stir, and then continue to microwave on medium, stirring every 20 seconds, until smooth.

4. Roll the frozen peanut butter balls in the melted chocolate. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

N U T R I T I O N F A C T S

# of Servings = 20; Serving Size = 1 truffle; Calories per Serving = 64; Fat = 4g; CHO = 5g; Protein = 2g; Fiber = 1g; WW PointsPlus® Value = 2

Lite Bites: Peanut Butter & Pretzel Truffles

Source: www.eatingwell.com

Adding balance exercises to your regular workout routine reaps fitness benefits.

This weekend, make a point to…

Use a sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher: The higher the SPF, the more you will protect yourself from UVB rays. “Broad spectrum” sunscreens also protect from UVA rays. Sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours.

Check your skin: Pay attention to moles that have changed size, shape, or color. Skin cancer is most easily treated if found early. Point out any suspicious areas to your doctor immediately.

Source: skincancerprevention.org

Source: MayoClinic.com

May 2012

The information in this newsletter is intended for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice. Please consult your physician for advice about changes that may affect your health.

MAY GROUP FITNESSMAY GROUP FITNESSMAY GROUP FITNESS

FREE CLASS SCHEDULE

GROUP FITNESS CLASS REGISTRATION

Only Wellness Center LiveWell members are eligible to participate in group fitness classes. If you would like to become a member or upgrade your membership, please contact Jenna Pearson or Brittany Mangione at 518-367-3822, or by e-mail at Jenna.Pearson@WellPoint.com or Brittany.Mangione@WellPoint.com. Schedule is subject to change.

STRENGTH ON THE BALL

A complete body workout. Increase the tone and strength of your abdominal, back, leg, and gluteal muscles while improving your flexibility and balance. Instructor: Brittany

BOSU BLAST

BOSU BLAST is done entirely on the BOSU. This class improves balance and strengthens the core while sculpting your entire body. Instructor: Brittany

CORE & MORE

Core & More focuses on core strength, muscular endurance, range of motion, flexibility, joint stability, balance, coordination, and more. Instructor: Jenna/Brittany

BODY SCULPTING

An exercise class designed for both men and women of all fitness levels. Free weights, bands, balls and other resistance training props will be used to tone and strengthen the major muscle groups. Instructor: Jenna

KETTLEBELL

Exercising with a bowling ball-shaped weight with a handle may seem a bit awkward at first, but this class will give you the tools for a well-defined physique. KettleBell incorporates strength training, muscle conditioning, and aerobic endurance all in one. Instructor: Jenna/Brittany

See calendar page for class schedule!

MAY GROUP FITNESSMAY GROUP FITNESSMAY GROUP FITNESS Session 3 classes will begin 6/4/12Session 3 classes will begin 6/4/12

FEE-BASED CLASS SCHEDULE

GROUP FITNESS CLASS REGISTRATION

Only Wellness Center LiveWell members are eligible to participate in group exercise classes. If you would like to become a

member or upgrade your membership, please see the Wellness Center staff for assistance.

Registration for paid classes will take place in the Wellness Center beginning at 8:30am, Wednesday, May 16th through

5:00pm, Friday, June 1st. You may register after this date; however class size is limited and prices will not be prorated.

The drop-in fee for all classes is $7. Please contact Wellness Center Staff if you would like to drop-in.

Payment by check must be made when registering. Checks should be made out to NIFS.

A minimum number of people are needed to hold each class. If a class is cancelled due to low registration, your check

will be returned to you.

Once classes begin, there will be no refunds. Refunds may be given only when you provide the Wellness Center staff

with a physician’s written explanation of why you cannot attend class.

If you need any assistance or have any questions, please contact Jenna Pearson or Brittany Mangione at 518-367-3822,

or by e-mail at Jenna.Pearson@WellPoint.com or Brittany.Mangione@WellPoint.com

PILATES MAT $35 for 8 weeks

Pilates mat strengthens and tones muscles, improves posture, provides flexibility and balance, unties body and mind, and creates a more streamlined shape. All exercises will be performed on a mat. Instructor: Suzanne—Monday, 5:30-6:30pm

CYCLE FUSION $40 for 8 weeks

This class combines both boot camp and indoor cycling to create a high-intensity, fast pace atmosphere. Time will be split between activity on and off the bike to get the most out of your workout! Instructor: Jenna—Tuesday, 4:40-5:40pm

INDOOR CYCLING $40 for 8 weeks

Enjoy flats, hills, jumps and sprints in a challenging, energizing indoor cycling class. Our certified instructor is guaranteed to take you on the ride of your life! This high-intensity class can be adjusted to meet each individual's level of fitness. Instructors: Jenna—Tuesday, 5:45-6:45pm, Thursday, 4:15-5:15pm

BOOT CAMP $35 for 8 weeks

Get your body moving with this high-energy class that combines cardio, upper and lower body strengthening, core exercises and stretching. Instructor: Brittany—Wednesday, 5:30-6:30pm

WILLPOWER & GRACE® $35 for 8 weeks willPower & grace® is a high-energy, cardiovascular workout that is as philosophical is it is physical; a full-body functional workout meets sports psychology. We integrate the smartest and safest barefoot training methods to strengthen your feet while progressively correcting imbalances in your ankles, knees and hips. You will experience the benefits of cardio-sculpt, the intensity of boot camp, the self-awareness of yoga, and the discipline of Pilates. Instructor: Carissa—Thursday, 5:30-6:30pm

ZUMBA® Session started April 13—drop-in for $7 $30 for 6 weeks

Zumba® is a hip swinging, booty shaking fun way to get a great workout! This class incorporates merengue, salsa, cha cha, cumbia, calypso, and rock and roll. No previous dance experience is required. Instructor: Paula—Friday, 5:40-6:40

FITT Tips: Healthy Hips = Healthy Back

Tightness in the muscles crossing the hip joint may make you more susceptible to lower back problems. Perform the following stretch to help alleviate hip tightness:

1. Kneeling on your right knee with your left foot flat on the floor and both knees bent at 90 degrees, slightly lunge forward while keeping your back straight and forefoot on the ground.

2. Maintain optimal alignment, making sure your left knee does not go beyond your toes.

3. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat kneeling on the left.

May 2012May 2012May 2012

Contact the Wellness Center at 518.367.3822 for more information about the programs highlighted below.

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat/Sun

My Health Wellness

Teleseminar:

May 17, 2-3pm

1-877-317-3803

1

Core & More

12:30pm-1pm

2

Body Sculpting

11:30am-12pm

3

Core & More

11:30am-12pm

4

KettleBell

12:30pm-1pm

5

6

7

Strength on the Ball

11:30am-12pm

8

Core & More

12:30pm-1pm

A Better Weigh Assessments

5/7-5/9

9

KettleBell

11:30am-12pm

10

Core & More

11:30am-12pm

11

Body Sculpting

12:30pm-1pm

12

13

14

15

16

Group Fitness Registration Beings

17

Workforce Team Challenge

18

19

21

Strength on the Ball

11:30am-12pm

22

Core & More

12:30pm-1pm

23

KettleBell

11:30am-12pm

24

Core & More

11:30am-12pm

25

Body Sculpting

12:30pm-1pm

26

27

28 Memorial Day

29

Core & More

12:30pm-1pm

30

Body Sculpting

11:30am-12pm

31

Core & More

11:30am-12pm

Celebrate Employee Health and Fitness Week with:

* Free specialty group fitness classes * Free chair massage * Fun games

and great prizes * Piloxing® drop in *

Source: PT on the Net

Free specialty classes at 11:30am and 12:15pm all week