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…
Tomorrow officially kicks off the start of the state fair here in Wisconsin. One of the stars of the fair each year is, of course, the food. Each year, I’m always amazed by what vendors decide to deep fry or wrap in bacon. Unsurprisingly, the fair isn’t exactly a waistline-friendly event. But that doesn’t mean you have to skip it…
If you had told Patsy Casteen three years ago that she would be running countless races, line dancing on the TODAY Show, hula-hooping in Orlando and representing TOPS at a medical conference in Philadelphia, she would have laughed in disbelief. Since rejoining TOPS in 2014, Patsy (pictured left) has lost 100 pounds and feels healthier and more active than ever.…
Monica Thomas has disliked vegetables all of her life … until now. When she decided to be healthier, she knew she needed to include them whether she liked it or not. She started buying frozen veggies and jazzing them up with a little bit of cheese or a small serving of a healthy salad dressing (she now makes her own).…
Earlier this week, we wrapped up a four-week series of yoga at work for TOPS employees. Aside from feeling a nice blend of relaxed and energized after each session, I loved that we all had varying levels of yoga experience from beginner (me) to advanced. This helped prove that, no matter where we are on our fitness journey, we can…
Change of shoes for the gym – check. Extra layer of gym clothes – check. Ice scraper for car – check. Extra driving time to account for slippery road conditions – check. Motivation to actually go to the gym – check (sort of). Who knew working out in the winter could be so much…well, work? Here in Wisconsin, winter can…
Working for a health and wellness organization, my team and I are often asked, “What’s the best form of exercise?” Well, swimming is an awesome way to burn calories and is easy on your joints…but what if you hate water? Running is a popular form of cardio and requires little more than a good pair of shoes…but what if you…
I wish I loved any form of exercise the way my dog Nellie (pictured above) loves walks. It doesn’t matter if it’s sunny or rainy, chilly or warm, windy or calm, Nellie greets me with the same unabashed excitement every single time I pull out her leash. I don’t know if it’s the chance to get out of the house,…
Sometimes I think to myself, “Maybe bears are onto something by hibernating in the winter months.” This thought usually occurs when I’m piling on layers of clothes just to go outside and scraping the ice off of my car in sub-zero temps. Winter can be tough. Staying active can be tough. Staying active in winter? You get the idea. Living…