Rosalind Agee and her staff heal people with their hands. No, we are not talking about some new age rigmarole.  Agee, the owner of Elements Therapeutic Massage in Orland Park, helps eradicate various types of pain and eases ailments by the art of therapeutic massage. Agee says we need to expand our view of massage. “It used to be that people with more disposable incomes got massages regularly to relax and pamper themselves,” Agee noted.  Massages should instead be part of a consistent wellness regimen to help people stay stress-free and avoid other health issues, she believes.  While massages…

As spring approaches, many are noticing the extra pudge and flab that’s hanging around from the long winter. Solution: Join a boot camp to get “whipped” into shape in time to don your summer clothes. Often people shun boot camp workouts because they are afraid they aren’t in good enough shape to handle them. They also tend to believe boot camps are populated by mostly fit, thin exercisers, and they are intimidated. Nothing is further from the truth. Just take a look at the cross-section of average everyday joes participating in FitCode Boot Camp, a boot camp that offers over twelve boot …

Being the mother-in-law of a local baker who makes tantalizing cakes can’t be easy on the diet. But Celia Stribrny, whose daughter-in-law Heather Stribrny operates IBake, doesn’t struggle with her weight anymore. Stribrny lost 70 pounds by following the Weight Watchers program 25 years ago and has maintained it ever since. Stribrny has been a leader for Weight Watchers for 21 years, and currently educates and motivates over 400 members weekly at the Orland Park location at Park Hill Plaza. “My job is to facilitate the meeting; I’ll introduce a topic, such as portion control, and then let the …

Bringing fitness into the workplace may be the simplest way to reduce obesity among Americans, while cutting down on spiraling company health care costs at the same time. Many insurance companies already recognize this trend. Humana announced a new wellness initiative this week- participation in the voluntary wellness program will earn incentive rewards for exercising, not smoking, and obtaining regular health screenings. Let’s face it – a fit employee helps a company save money. There’s a reduced risk of lifestyle diseases, such as type-2 diabetes and heart disease; less sick days, and more …

Orland Park cardiologist Dr. Kathleen Drinan wants you to know your numbers. February happens to be American Heart Health month. Heart disease is the number one killer of women - twelve times more women die each year in the US from heart disease than they do from breast cancer. “Every year, 490,000 American women die of cardiovascular disease, while 40,000 die from breast cancer,” Dr. Drinan said. “We need to increase our awareness, because cardiovascular disease is very preventable.” Annual mammograms and Pap smears allows doctors to catch diseases in the early stages. They have greatly …

Mark’s wife wasn’t acting much like herself lately. “She was sleeping all the time, like most of the day,” he said. Mark, a Tinley Park resident whose name was changed to protect his anonymity, noticed these changes after his wife lost her job several months ago. “She wasn’t interested in doing anything anymore,” Mark said. “All the things we used to love doing together didn’t interest her anymore.  And she just seemed really sad all the time.” Although he continually tried to talk with her about it, she claimed she was okay. One day he happened to read an article about the signs of …

Emma, a southwest suburban resident, tried to kill herself by overdosing on pills when she was 20. She said that at the time, life no longer interested her. “I’m normally a pretty happy person,” Emma, whose name has been changed to keep her anonymity, explained.  “But I went through a very bad period in my life – I could not get out of bed and everything made me exhausted and anxious.”  Weary of fighting these demons, she said she just decided to give up the fight one day. Thankfully, Emma was not successful. Her experience unfortunately isn't uncommon. Many of us have moments when we feel …

My three clients all moaned and groaned as they finished their eighth set of pushups in our Tabata training interval.  “Any reasonably sane person would not do this on their own,” said Kate Martin, one of the participants. Her perceptive comment is a main reason people hire personal trainers – we push them to achieve milestones they would not have reached on their own.  But – and this is key – only if they are ready and physically able to reach this milestone. Group fitness classes are great ways to get and stay in shape, but they are not individualized to your needs. While you may certainly …

Stephanie, a 13 year old Tinley Park resident, fights constantly with her mom about her weight. She knows, deep down inside, that she is overweight. Obese, even. But the last person she wants to hear it from is her mother. Karen, Stephanie’s mother, is at a loss as to what she should do. No matter what she suggests to her daughter, it is immediately rejected. Stephanie’s weight has become just another territorial point in the age-old war between teen and parent. “We’ve been trying to work on her weight for several years now,” Karen said. “But in the last year or so, she’s become more …

Former southwest side resident Steve Tuszynski used to frequent all the famous fast food haunts in and around the southwest suburbs. He enjoyed the bounty of burgers, polish sausages, and other meat they offered. “Steak burritos from El Farol in Summit, barbequed ribs from the Patio in Bridgeview, and Italian beef from Al’s in Oak Lawn – all these were a regular part of my daily diet,” Tuszynski commented. Tuszynski now limits his consumption of red meat and fast food, and eats mostly vegetables, beans, whole grains, and fruits, with some fish and chicken.  He also enjoys the occasional prime…

Looking for a high energy workout that burns tons of calories without being boring?  Why not try Zumba Fitness, the biggest craze to hit the group fitness arena since Gin Miller brought her now-iconic step to an Atlanta gym. In case you’ve been living under a rock, Zumba Fitness is a Latin-inspired dance workout.  Invented by Beto Perez in the mid-90’s, Zumba blends together the high energy rhythms such as salsa, merengue, and reggaeton, with easy to learn dance steps for a cardio workout that is more like a dance party than an exercise session.  This workout has become so popular with all …

Sometimes it's what you don't do that brings you success.  Start your new year off fresh by editing these bad habits out of your life. 1.     Don't keep doing the same thing. We all need to change things up occasionally in our lives to keep it fresh and effective and our workout is no different.  Especially if you are not happy with the results of your workout in the last year or so – why would you keep doing the same thing yet expect different results? Instead, analyze your current exercise routine.  If it's non-existent, then get it started.  Otherwise, try adding extra time to each session…

Work off those holiday calories and enjoy the winter wonderland this weekend.  Here's a roundup of several fun winter options in the Orland Park area. Ice Skating at Centennial Park Centennial Park, the crown jewel of Orland Park's extensive park system, offers an enchanting evening at their old fashioned skating pond.  There's a warming house on-site, and they rent skates there as well as cross country skis.  Skating is a great cardio workout – the average 150 lb. person skating at an average speed burns approximately 500 calories per hour.  The skating rink is open until 9pm. 1 Hour of Ice …

Fitness is a multi-billion dollar industry that produces a continual stream of fads and trends.  History has a way of repeating itself, and many of these fads get resurrected decades later – even when they did not work the first time.  But we still search for that magical bullet – the surefire way to finally lose weight and get buff. Who knows what the future has in store for the fitness world?  What if someone told you that by taking a magic pill daily, you'd have no need to exercise?  Would you trust them?  Would you do it? Because some of the past fads in fitness are not that far off from…

Dieting and eating healthy are essential for feeling good and staying thin. For anyone concerned about their health or weight, a healthy cookbook can make a thoughtful gift this season.  I've assembled a selection of my favorite books and cookbooks focusing on healthy eating. This collection addresses anything from low calorie recipes to eating organic and sustainable foods.  Inspire someone in your life to start eating consciously. The End of Overeating – Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, David A. Kessler, MD If you've ever struggled with controlling your urge to splurge on…

How can you avoid gaining weight over the holiday season and still have fun? Moderation is key. We should be able to partake and enjoy holiday festivities.  But too much Christmas stollen makes our tummies swollen.  So try these strategies to stay svelte and healthy this holiday season. Drinks, anyone? Extra holiday festivities mean extra holiday drinks – which can increase the caloric toll quickly.  Some popular drinks can weigh in over 300 calories – two of those a couple times a week will quickly add up to several extra pounds.  Avoid or limit fruity or creamy drinks, such as margaritas or…

Planning on hitting the mall on Black Friday?  Keep your energy levels high and eat healthy while shopping with our review, "Cheers & Sneers", featuring an analysis of the healthy highs and lows of Orland Square Mall's dining options. Breakfast – 5am Cheers!  At 240 calories and seven grams of fiber, Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal with a dried fruit and nut medley is a great choice for a healthy breakfast.  It's important to start the day off right with a light but filling meal.  Oatmeal is full of fiber, which will aid digestion of that heavy Thanksgiving meal, and it acts like a sponge in your …

Are holiday happenings stressing you out already?  While the holidays are supposed to be an enjoyable time to reconnect with loved ones, in reality they are often a cause of major stress and anxiety.  What should I buy for Aunt Sue, brother Bob, and the other twenty people on the gift list?  How much can I afford to spend?  How will I have time to cook Thanksgiving dinner in between work, working out, deadlines, and other commitments? And how will we possibly all not get into an argument about politics over the upcoming holiday dinners? Uggh – stress.  It's not good for our health and it …

Recently I asked several shoppers at the Orland Square mall about their favorite dieting method.  Jennifer, a Tinley Park resident, said her go-to diet was to eat Lean Cuisines at every meal.  Orland Park resident Mark likes the Atkins diet.  "I always lose weight and I enjoy eating meat to my heart's content," he said.  I have probably been asked that question a zillion times by clients.  When I tell them to watch their portion sizes, throw out their processed foods, and eat more vegetables, their eyes glaze up.  Because don't we all want the quick and easy fix?  There's always a new diet …

I'm an outdoor runner and biker for most of the year, and only head indoors during snow or extreme cold.  Winter in the Midwest, therefore, always throws a wrench into my exercise routine, as I find stationary bikes boring.  And running on a treadmill every day would kill my knees. So this year, I'm looking for a tough, challenging class that will take me out of my comfort zone.  I've taken and taught cardioboxing classes for several years, so I decided to give the LA Boxing workout a go at their in Orland Park location. Boxing is an intense workout – it's definitely not for the faint of …