Healthy Lifestyle

5 things that may surprisingly keep you from reaching fitness goal There’s nothing quite as disappointing as putting time and effort into a goal only to find out your effort was wasted. This is one of the reasons why so many people give up on their health and fitness goals, especially weight loss. If you put in hours at the gym only to see the needle on the scale refuse to budge, it’s easy to get frustrated. “How much harder do I have to work?” you might think. “How much more time do I have to put into this.” But the problem often isn’t time or effort; it’s the details. You’re working hard at what you’re doing, but you’re doing the wrong things. Here are five things that you might think are helping with your fitness goals, but really aren’t: 1. Spending too much time on your abs. If you have a big belly that you’re trying to shrink, it might seem logical to think that spending hours on sit-ups and other ab exercises would be the best way to use your time at the gym B...

Fitness: Does school keep our kids slimmer and healthier Research suggests that without scheduled activity like recess and gym class, children are more likely to develop unhealthy habits. Dario Ayala / Montreal Gazette files As much as children enjoy the carefree months of summer, those lazy, hazy days often mean less sleep, fewer fruits and veggies and more time spent in front of a screen. And while parents have also been known to rejoice in the annual break from the routine that dictates much of family life during the school year, several studies note that children have a tendency to return to the classroom in poorer physical condition and with accelerated weight gain compared to the months spent in school. This trend is especially pronounced among children who are already overweight and/or who come from lower-income families. Interventions in public schools, through meal programs and increased bouts of structured physical activit...

Fitness doesn’t stop in the fall The Hermann 5K walk/run will take place on October 14 and it is one of the Park and Recreation department’s more popular events. The Hermann 5K walk/run will take place on October 14 and it is one of the Park and Recreation department’s more popular events. Youth flag football is available for those in grades 1-5. The Hermann Tot Trot is another popular event for those ages 3-9. Swimming lessons for participants of all ages will take place this fall. NEW ULM — While summer is coming to an end, that doesn’t mean it’s time to push aside any fitness plans you may have started this spring. In fact, the New Ulm Park and Recreation department has many fall activities planned this year to keep people of all ages active while the temperatures drop. The Park and Rec department offers plenty of fall favorites, including flag football for those in grades 1-5, youth volleyball for those in grades 3-6, youth archery for ages 6-14 and both yo...