I always enjoy reading blog comments from members and other followers, but one comment in particular caught my attention recently. Lori, a TOPS member from Oregon, shared how she won a recumbent bicycle from a raffle. Enjoying the novelty of the bike at first, she decided to get serious and now rides it every day to the end of her…
We finally got our first real taste of spring here in the Midwest this week. Grills were fired up, windows were thrown open and winter boots were gleefully tucked away … and now we’re expecting snow. But, despite the weather, it’s still officially spring and a great time to refresh your healthy goals. If your New Year’s resolution seems like…
As I write this, the flakes continue to fly here in Wisconsin. They’re pretty, I’ll give them that. But all I can think about is scraping my windshield at the end of the workday, the slippery ride home and the endless shoveling. Spring is only a few weeks away, but winter feels like it’s dragging on … and on. One…
Updated Physical Activity Guidelines were released last month urging us all to sit less and move more, and reminding us that even small amounts of extra daily activity can be beneficial. I know that for me personally, it can be easy to get stuck in an “all-or-nothing” mindset where, if I can’t do a full workout, I don’t bother doing…
Earlier this summer I went on my very first mountain biking excursion in Bend, Oregon, with my dad. I thought this would be a fun and active way to spend part of our family trip and balance out the inevitable vacation calories. And what better place to experience mountain biking than the city that’s a famous hotspot for this very…
(Updated April 11, 2019) During our workplace TOPS meeting last week, one member mentioned having a hard time exercising (like getting on a treadmill, for example) just for the sake of exercising. He likes the idea of getting moving for a purpose and is a fan of activities like geocaching, where different navigational techniques are used to hide and seek…
This week I’m excited to have TOPS Member Content Associate Taylor Patton as my special guest blogger. As of today there are five days before Christmas and less than two weeks before the end of the year, and the various health clubs, wellness centers and fitness studios of the world aren’t letting you forget it. In fact, on the way…
If you’ve ever tried to watch your weight, you may be familiar with the sneaky weight “creep.” This “creep” is deceiving, because it happens very slowly. Maybe you forget to log your meals one day. No big deal. Then one day turns into a week. You may skip the gym for a couple days, then those days turn into a…
I recently watched a documentary about the founders of a popular outdoor sportswear company where one of the founders noted, “when everything goes wrong, that’s when adventure starts.” I heard this at the perfect time – during a vacation to visit family in the Pacific Northwest where things didn’t go quite as planned. Prior to my trip, I had hoped…