Wellness 365

Need to make some necessary cancelations in order to focus on a family member's healthcare needs:

Tuesday 6/9 no Osteoporosis Maintenance at Worcester Senior Center

Wednesday 6/10 no Living Strong at Barre/Hardwick Senior Center
&
no Strength and Stretch at 1pm at Listening Wellness Center.

There WILL be a 5:30 Strength and Stretch.

Great opportunity to get some fresh produce regardless of budget!

This class has been so much fun to teach during the day, we're bringing you an evening edition at Listening Wellness Center in Barre.

May is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month.

Here are a few facts:

Boneless often occurs without symptoms.

Approximately 50% of adults over 50 are at risk for an osteoporosis-related fracture.

Lifestyle modifications can be a part of a prevention plan.

Contact us to help create YOUR plan!

Every day can be your health and fitness day!

Strength training plays a bigger role than many realize.
Beyond physical gains, it supports stability, confidence, and long-term engagement in movement.

Thoughtful programming helps older adults stay capable—not just active.

I love supporting this event. Not a runner? Donations always accepted through the website.

Girls on the Run https://www.gotr-worc.org/ run for Free!! If you are a member of the "Girls on the Run" program you are invited to participate in the City to Saddle 5K at Mesa Farm in Rutland without paying the entrance fee: No number, no race t-shirt, not timed or eligible for placing. Wear your "Girls on the Run" t-shirt and join other girls (and other runners) in a fun run on a farm. Please note this is not an official Girls on the Run event. We'd like you to still register, so please sign up at the CitytoSaddle.org race webpage and you'll see a link on the site just for Girls on the Run. This will have you opt out of the donation/payment page unless you want to contribute to City to Saddle and be timed and eligible for placings.
To register: https://www.citytosaddle.org/cts-5k-2026

Great information. Also consider how "squishy" the soles of your shoes are. If you can't feel the ground beneath you, you can't navigate it either.

Think twice before you lace up those high heels (or even those cushioned running shoes with a steep heel drop)! Did you know that the shoes on your feet could be the hidden culprit behind your nagging lower back pain? It all comes down to a chain reaction in your biomechanics.

Here is exactly how it happens:

1. The Forward Shift
When you wear a shoe with a raised heel, your heel is lifted higher than your toes. This naturally shifts your body weight forward, throwing off your center of gravity.

2. The Pelvic Tilt
To keep you from literally falling flat on your face, your body has to compensate. It does this by tilting your pelvis forward—a condition known as anterior pelvic tilt. Picture your pelvis as a bucket of water; a heel lift causes that bucket to tip forward, spilling water out the front.

3. The Lower Back Crunch
When the pelvis tilts forward, it forces the lumbar spine (your lower back) to over-arch to keep you upright. This excessive arching compresses the facet joints of your spine, restricts your lower back muscles, and puts immense stress on the surrounding tissues.

The result? That deep, dull ache or sharp tightness you feel in your lower back after a long day on your feet.

The Fix: If you want to relieve the stress on your lower back, you need to look at your foundation.

Check your athletic or daily walking shoes—look for options with a lower "heel-to-toe drop" to keep your pelvis in a neutral, happy position.

Your body works as an integrated system. Take care of your feet, and your back will thank you! 👣✨

You can find me at 2 of those centers, Barre/Hardwick Senior Center and Worcester Senior Center.

Movement is medicine, and it doesn’t have to mean running marathons (unless you want to 😉).

Senior Centers across Massachusetts offer fitness classes for all levels, from chair yoga to walking groups.

Dancing, light weights, or chair exercises are just a few other great ways to get yourself moving.

What’s your favorite way to stay active?

Simple starts can make big changes.

Five squats.

Five push-ups.

Five minutes walking.

Start there.

You don’t need a complicated routine.

You don’t need an hour.

You don’t need perfect conditions.

You need a starting point.

Five turns into ten.

Ten turns into strength.

Strength turns into confidence.

Keep it simple.

Start there.