Trip to Disney Star Wars

I don’t like Star Wars (un-American, I know).  But I love someone who loves Star Wars.  So I found myself on the Disney Star Wars Galactic Space Cruiser.  My presumption was that we’d have an interesting, albeit cheesy experience.

Having taken this ride with Disney, I can say they did something impressive, and I also understand why it’s failing.

From the moment we boarded the “shuttle” to our space cruise, it was fully immersive.  The set was all consuming and the entire crew played along.  Audience member costuming was mixed, but most came in costume and many had elaborate backstories they had prepared—some even with props.

I didn’t fully know what I was getting into until I was there. It’s a new style of tourism, and Disney’s advertising didn’t make it seem appealing. But, what they designed is a ton of fun and clearly took a lot of work.  In addition to games and puzzles on your phone and throughout the elaborate, large spaceship, there is a cast that basically puts on an 8-hour play each day.  They move the story along.  They have lines they need to get through, but when they aren’t […]

Trip to Disney Star Wars2023-08-22T11:32:03-04:00

Keep Kids Moving This Summer!

Your kids are home from school.  You’ve played all the board games you can.  And, maybe it’s even a rainy week.  What can you do to burn off a little of that excess energy building up in both you and the kids?  KEEP MOVING, of course.

You probably have items in your home that can help create a playful, imaginative workout.  Here are some ways to help kids stay active with household items:

 

Painters Tape

Put a strip on the floor—young enough kids can use it as a balance beam.  They won’t be balancing, but they can try to walk along it and stay on the line.  You can make it straight or zig zag it.

If you have a hallway, use painters tape to turn the floor into a hopscotch.  Swap a bean bag for the rock you’d use outside and now your child can hop their way down the hall.

Or, in the hallway, put tape at different intervals and different angles to create a “Mission Impossible Laser” hallway.  Your child has to try to get from one end to the other without touching the tape.  This one is easy to make easier […]

Keep Kids Moving This Summer!2023-06-21T17:05:02-04:00

Fitness Holiday Gift Ideas

Buying a loved one a fitness gift provides more than just the surface level gift. It shows you really care about their health and wellness, which is key to a quality life. Here are some of my favorite fitness holiday gift ideas for all types of friends this year:

 For the Fun Fitness Type:

How about going a little retro with a pogo stick? Sure you can get this gift for a child, but you can also find one for your silly, fun loving, Tigger-impersonating friends. If you opt for this just make sure it’s weighted for an adult. I’ve seen them weighted up to 180 pounds.

If you have a group of friends that workout together or you know a sports team that exercises together, consider HIIT the game. It is a card game where you draw high intensity exercises, but along the way you can swap cards with players or make someone do an exercise you don’t want to do. You get points for each move you can complete.

 For the Practical Fitness Type:

A fun water bottle is a good reminder for anyone in your life to stay hydrated. This is especially important when we exercise.

Gaiam now makes foldable yoga mats. While […]

Fitness Holiday Gift Ideas2021-12-20T14:56:44-05:00

Get Motivated to Move

Fun Workout: Axe Throwing

If you exercise more than 30-minutes a day, five days a week, you are meeting the government recommendation. Let’s acknowledge two points: that is not nearly enough movement to be healthy (though it’s a great start) and if you meet that you do deserve credit. You are in the minority. Only 24% of Connecticut residents meet the standard (and we are one of the better states). So how do we get motivated to move?

Not Motivated

Reading between the lines it becomes very clear that most adults are not motivated to exercise. Why is that? And how can we motivate ourselves and our loved ones to get up and get moving?

The simple answer is: Movement has to be FUN! We need to be excited to move. We call it a WORKout. That’s not an enticing activity. It doesn’t bring the connotation of Happy Hour, playtime from when we were kids, or snack time. We need to reconsider what we think a workout entails and figure out what would make it fun.

It’s not surprising people who do workout often go with a friend (which means some social time), enjoy their […]

Get Motivated to Move2019-10-11T15:34:35-04:00

Get Moving

This time of year we often see lots of family and friends for various gatherings, often for prolonged periods of sitting and eating.  While that is fun, sometimes we can miss out on our regular exercise routine because we are preparing, shopping, or prepping for meals.  It means this is often the season of a lot more calories in and a lot less calories out.  So how do you get your family moving?

There are fun ways to incorporate movement that can include the whole family and might actually get you all laughing together.  Remember, movement shouldn’t be a chore or a bore.  It can and should be fun.

Eleven Tips for Getting your Family Moving around the Holidays

  • Walk Between Dinner and Dessert

As an added bonus, taking a walk often gets you out of dish duty.

  • Play Charades or Another Physical Game

If your family needs a real challenge, show up this year with Twister.

  • Stretch Between Courses

Think of this like the seven inning stretch.  Get up and get moving.  Pick gentle stretches that feel good.  Some shoulder shrugs or a group hip flexor stretch.

  • Dance While Washing Dishes

Put on some fun music and dance while you clean up.  I think […]

Get Moving2018-02-14T16:07:47-05:00
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