Racquetball
This sport is a fast-paced cardio workout like no other. Whether you want to aggressively hit the ball or focus on placement shots is as challenging as you want it to be. Our 2 indoor courts make it possible to play year-round, especially in the cold months when outdoor activities are at a minimum. For reservations or inclusion in our round-robin league call 508-548-7433.

Tennis
With 6 indoor and 3 outdoor courts we have you covered year-round for casual or competitive play, leagues, tournaments or lessons. For court reservations or membership information call 508-548-7433. Or for lessons call 774-392-3666.

Sports Center Physical Therapy
We treat patients for a variety of pre and post surgical conditions. We also specialize in sports therapy, offer aquatic therapy, and have a licensed massage therapist in our clinic. We are a provider for most insurance companies, including Medicare. For more information call us at 508-548-7491 or visit scptfalmouth.com.

241 Fitness
Feel the energy with a variety of classes that will get you moving and feeling great! Our instructors Ally and Wendy are the best and they make every class an uplifting and fun experience. We offer:

• Zumba® (& Zumba Gold®)
• Zumba® Toning
• I.T. Cardio & Weights
• Body Sculpt
• Kick I.T.
• Sport Yoga
• Pilates
• Women’s Self Defense
• 20/20/20 – Cardio, Weights, Pilates

Visit www.241fitness.com for a full schedule and pricing.

Outdoor Recreation
Add some fun and excitement to your fitness routine with our outdoor recreation activities such as biking, kayaking and hiking. We explore the beautiful areas of Falmouth and Cape Cod. A great way to meet new people while getting a good workout. All our activities are casual and open to people of all fitness levels. Call Todd Souza at 508-662-7036, email friendsinmotion@me.com or check out www.facebook.com/FriendsInMotion

Motivations
What will keep you motivated to achieve your fitness goals? We will develop a Fitness Plan that works for your interests and life and then help you achieve your goals. Just some of the options Motivations offers to keep you on track:

• Connect you with fitness activities indoors and out that fit your interests and schedule.
• Introduce you to a workout buddy or group if desired.
• Receive a customized goal chart to keep you on task each week.
• Get encouragement, accountability and other support.
• Meet health-minded people at our education/support meetings and healthy pot-luck dinners.

This program works for individuals, families, groups or businesses and is a great weight loss solution as well. Call Todd Souza at 508-662-7036 or email friendsinmotion@me.com

Yesterday I went biking on the Cape Cod Canal and it was fabulous.  It was a perfect summer day for it wasn’t too hot or cold.  As soon as we started riding we noticed how quiet it was on the bike path…you could hear boats in the distance, people talking here and there, the sound of bikes, rollerbladers and joggers….so many people enjoying the path.  Everything we saw and heard was Cape Cod and summer at its best.  It reaffirmed me that how we approach a bike ride in our mind can help determine whether it is an inspiring ride or just a ride.  Even before we set off I said to myself this is going to be a great ride because it is a great day and I will enjoy the company I am with.  I set myself up for a positive experience with the ride and didn’t allow any excuses to get in my way.  The more we rode the more magical it became.  The views of the canal were beautiful…the lush green trees, the blue water, seagulls flying here and there, the people and families enjoying the path.  I find inspiration comes from noticing what’s around…the sites, sounds and even smells.  Even saying hi to people felt good as everyone seemed to be in a good mood.  Our destination was Scusset Beach in Sagamore and that made our trip even more inspiring.  At the beach there was no wind, the tide was low so we got to walk in the shallows and swim.  The ocean was almost flat and the gentle movement of the waves as we looked out towards P-Town was mesmerizing.  The sounds of kids having fun throwing a football, of seabirds and the gentle lapping of waves on shore added to an experience that touched our soul.  In the end it was an adventure of being with nice people, enjoying our health and the beauty we are blessed to have around us on Cape Cod.

A week ago I was biking with my daughter, Sierra.  What a special trip it ended up being.  We headed off to Woods Hole on the Shining Sea Bikeway in Falmouth to visit Pie In The Sky bakery for a special treat.  At one point near Trunk River we stopped so I could take a picture of my daughter.  A runner was running by and he happily offered to take a picture of my daughter and I together.  That was so nice of this person who could have easily ran by us.  Instead he helped us have a picture that means so much to us.  After the picture was taken I apologized to a bicyclist who we inadvertently blocked from passing when our picture was taken and he said, “no problem at all…just tell me you are having a great ride today.”  I gladly told him we were and he shared a big smile with us both.  Sierra and I continued to Woods Hole, checking out the beautiful scenery, talking and enjoying our special time together.  It made me think that we can make special times in our life so easily.  For a total cost of $8 for bakery treats my daughter and I made a memory that will stay with us for a long time I am sure.

Inspiration can be as simple as spending time with a friend or loved one on a bike path, enjoying the people you are with, the things you see, smell and hear, and the beautiful day you have been given.  It doesn’t get any better than working your body while outside.  The natural high from being outdoors and the endorphins from moving our body can make us feel on top of the world.  So let all your senses enjoy the experience and allow it all to inspire your life.

Key elements of the program include:

• Connect you with fitness activities indoors and out that fit your interests and schedule.  These may include working out, biking, kayaking, hiking and even dancing at a club.
•  Introduce you to a workout buddy or group if desired.
• Receive a customized goal chart to keep you on task each week (see sample).
• Get encouragement, accountability and other support in person or through email, phone call or text.
• Meet other health-minded people at our education/support meetings and healthy pot-luck dinners.

This program works for individuals of all fitness levels, as well as families, groups or businesses and is a great weight loss solution as well.  One of our staff will sit down with you, your family or company to find out what your needs are.  We develop a fitness plan that is customized to what will work best for you.  We then provide assistance in all aspects of making your plan successful for you.

There are number of reasons the program may fit you.  For those starting out on a fitness routine it can help you establish a fitness plan with realistic goals while taking a step at a time to your new lifestyle.  Each week we can give you a new goal to work on so you are not overwhelmed.  We know what it’s like to start a program so we are happy to hold your hand and make you comfortable with every part of your plan.

Many of us find ourselves in a place now and then where life has distracted us from being healthy.  It could be a the birth of a child, a new job, marriage, divorce, almost anything can take our focus off of our wellness goals.  Motivations gets your focus back.  Our program’s structure lends to re-prioritizing your life so that your health is important and your life once again has balance.

And for those who are already successful with a fitness routine the program can help to tweak what you do so that plateau’s are a thing of the past.  Just by changing up your exercises, adding a new outdoor activity to your routine, or helping you eat healthier you will once again be on track for your goals.

People in our program are what make it fun and interesting.  When you workout with someone it becomes a motivating and enjoyable experience.  People make us laugh, the encourage us, help us and are there when we need them.  That person or workout buddy also keeps you accountable.  And sharing information and tips is something that naturally happens and benefits both people as well.

By working with our staff you will find that getting started and staying committed to Motivations is easy.  We make our activities the best part of your week because fitness should be a positive experience.  With this program you will succeed because you will have the support you need.  It is unlike any other that you may have tried before.  So start telling yourself that you can and will achieve your fitness goals with our structured program and take the first step and contact us…….call Todd Souza at 508-662-7036 or email friendsinmotion@me.com

Determining where you go and what you will do for your fitness goals are important choices. Will you go to a place (or a program) that makes you feel good about yourself and your fitness efforts, will it inspire you to keep moving forward?  The possibilities are unlimited with what you can do at home, in a gym or with specialty programs.

At Home

At various times in our life we all get moments when we are determined to start a new fitness routine and we figure why not do it at home.  The advantages of working out at home are convenience and lower costs.  We may rationalize that we can buy some equipment, fitness DVDs or just watch the free fitness programs on our cable TV channels.  I’ve seen studies where this works for a small percentage of our population; the rest of us often run into one of the following challenges.

At home there aren’t people to work out with, lots of equipment to choose from, and the energy of a health club or group fitness program are absent.  When working out around other people we can get excited.  As humans we are made to live in groups so therefore we tend to like being around others when working out.  It can add fun to what we are doing.  People can challenge us, make us feel comfortable, encourage us, entertain us and even help us to be accountable.  There’s always new things happening when you workout with people: new sights to see, new things to hear, new lessons to learn.  All of these things reduce boredom.  Without people it is easy to become bored and lose our interest and motivation.

Accountability can be another issue.  At home there probably isn’t anyone who is expecting you to show up for a workout, or anyone that will tell you “you can do 2 more!”.  At a health club or group fitness program you are part of something, you are a member.  Your presence is valued and when you want someone kicking your butt they can do that.

And then there’s taking time for ourselves.  Sometimes we just need to get away from home.  Some me time can energize and refresh us so when we return home we are happier whether we are a spouse, parent or single.

At A Gym

A gym covers three important areas for fitness success. It provides equipment, people and programs, which all makes for an ideal atmosphere for workouts.  Members of a health club as well as staff play an important roll, as I mentioned above.  When you walk into a fitness center it is great to see people you know or at least people who are friendly.  This makes us feel comfortable about being there and working out.  The human connections make a big difference.  And knowing that there are friendly and supportive staff that can help is a plus as well.  Falmouth Sports Center is known for being a comfortable place to workout because of the friendly members and staff.  There’s no competitive undercurrents, the music isn’t cranking, and the atmosphere is conducive to focusing on your workout.  People get to know each other; some have known each other for decades.

Group fitness classes are also a huge motivational factor at a health club.  The people, instructors and music make for an energy that is easy to go with.  Moving our bodies becomes fun, exciting and a positive group experience that you can always look forward to. If a place allows you to participate in multiple classes then all the better.  Variety can prevent boredom by trying new things, challenging ourselves and meeting new people.  241 Fitness at the Sports Center has a variety of group exercise classes to choose from including Zumba, Sport Yoga, Pilates, Body Sculpt and more.  Ally and Wendy are excellent instructors and I guarantee their classes will get you feeling great!  Check out their website at 241fitness.com.

Specialty Programs

Specialty programs can be effective as they can focus on your individual needs.  Working with a trainer, coach or program that gets you moving in ways that you like can make a big difference.  There are many weight loss programs additionally.  With so much out there to choose from I recommend considering whether or not the program is following one or preferably all of the 3 essential components of fitness: moving your body, eating healthy, and staying motivated.  If the program is making you…take pills; lose more than a few pounds a week; eat frozen dinners or food with tons of sodium, sweeteners or chemicals; cutting out essential food groups from your diet; not helping you to exercise;  making you buy equipment; or forcing you to take in less calories than your active body needs therefore making you go into weight gaining starvation mode….be careful.  (more on weight loss programs in future posts).  There is just no other way to lose weight in a safe and healthy way than moving your body often, eating right and giving you the support, encouragement or motivation to keep going forward with your goals.  Any other method is a waste of time and money and may be detrimental to your health.  The Motivations program we are now offering at the Sports Center will assist you with the 3 essential components, making them part of your lifestyle.

So on your fitness journey be on the lookout for people, places and programs that will help you get into or stay committed to living healthy.  Trust your instincts when for the first time you step into a health club, meet a trainer or start a program.  You will know what feels right, what you can connect with and what will keep you moving forward.

Todd

I run a program called Motivations at the Sports Center that will keep you excited about achieving your fitness goals.  I will help you determine your goals and come up with a fitness plan that works for you.  I will then keep you motivated to stick to your plan by using whatever motivators work for you.  From setting you up with a customized monthly goal sheet where you check off your progress, to getting you going with activities that you enjoy, to connecting you with someone to workout with or a group of people who will walk with you and/or offer you support.  I will do whatever it takes to ensure that your fitness plan works just right for you, providing encouragement, daily check-ins or a kick in the butt if that is what it takes!  We can even involve your family if you would like.  Plus I will help to adjust your fitness plan as changes happen in your life.  A great fitness plan adapts to your life, to the seasons as well as your changing interests.  With Motivations you won’t ever be bored or uninspired with fitness.  And you will never feel that you are alone on your fitness journey.  I will keep you moving forward so that you will enjoy your journey and achieve your goals in record time.  So give me a call or stop in and let’s get you on a customized plan that will get the results you want.

Preparing for fitness success is important because nationally 50% of Americans fail in  their attempt to stick to a fitness program within the first six months.  So let’s get you off on the right step…..

Determine Your Goals

Why do you want to be fit?  For each of us it is different.  It may be short-term goals such as looking good for a wedding or reunion; or it could be longer-term goals such as having more energy for your kids, or to go off of medications.  I suggest you write down your goals and put them on the fridge or some other prominent place.  And put a few exclamation marks after them, underline them, or jazz them up with some pictures of people in your life who you love.  For your goals are going to drive you, they are going to be the things that make you get up on a cold morning to take that walk or go workout after a long day at work when you are tired and stressed.

My inspiration to stay fit.

“I Can’t Workout Because I’m Having A Bad Hair Day”

I love the commercial where the couple tells of all their excuses to not exercise (http://youtu.be/Z2JSWgkwRL4).  “I missed the cat”, and “my mother called” gave me a good laugh.  A can-do attitude is the only way to go with fitness.  As Nike says, you have to “Just Do It”.  To be fit you have to want it.  And with your busy life and responsibilities tugging at you this way and that you’ve got to want it bad.  You have to get yourself excited about fitness and achieving your goals.  Put it in your head that you are going to get serious about getting fit; that nothing will get in your way or distract you from moving your body.  This is what separates success from failure.  Those who succeed don’t allow bad hair days or anything else to interfere.

Here are some good attitude tips for fitness….

• If you believe you can do something your mind sets out to make it happen; your mind begins to find solutions.  If you believe you can’t do something then your mind goes with that.  It’s the same principal as when you tell yourself you are going to have a good day, your mind believes it and therefore it is more likely to happen.
• Replace your thoughts of, “I will try to do this” with “I will do this”.  Make sure you use words like “I can”, “I will”, and “I am going to”.  Believe with all your heart that you can do whatever it is you have set out to do.
• Be a “yes man” or a “yes woman”.  If you ever saw the funny movie Yes Man with Jim Carey you will know that I am talking about saying yes to life instead of no.  When someone asks you to go hiking, or a child asks you to play catch…yes makes you a participant in life as opposed to a spectator.

• Embracing fitness means you will be exploring new fitness options for yourself, learning new information and even getting out of your comfort zone.  Do realize that not everything you expose yourself to will work but that because your attitude is positive you will be persistent and find what does work.
• Thinking that you may not have enough time to be fit is a good example of where you want to replace a can’t-do thought with some can-do.  Know that you can come up with a solution – that there are areas in your life that you can re-prioritize so that fitness makes it into your schedule.  This may require cutting out old habits that don’t get you moving so you can adapt to your new goals and lifestyle.
• When you use positive thoughts and actions (when you are in “the zone”) you will attract other people who are also making a lifestyle change, who are active or trying to be.  This can be very helpful as studies have shown that people who connect with others are more likely to succeed with their fitness goals.

Believing In Yourself

Know that you are an amazing person capable of doing amazing things.  Love yourself as you are today, honor your past, and know that in time you will only improve.  Believe in yourself.  Visualizing can help.  First visualize what you want to be like – how you may want to be slimmer, more vibrant and happier.  Next visualize how you will get there, what steps you will take…how you will get to the gym after work, eat healthy or go for a bike ride for example.  Next, realize how good it will feel to do these activities, to go forward with your health, make a commitment, stick to it and enjoy the results.  And then believe what is in your head and believe in yourself.  Convince yourself you can do it, that you have the strength and focus to succeed.  Feel that you want this, that it is you…a new you.  Our feelings are what we act on so go from thoughts about fitness…to believing in yourself…to visualizing your success….feeling it all….then taking action.  You’ve got to eat, drink and sleep fitness; at least for the first three weeks until your actions become habit.

Think back on how in your life you set out to do something and you did it.  Maybe it was starting your career, buying a home or even finishing a road race.  Whatever you did you did it because you believed in yourself.  You put a goal in your head, you convinced yourself you would achieve that goal and you worked hard at it until you accomplished what you set out to do.  This is what is going to happen now.  Whatever your fitness goal you will rise to the occasion taking one step at a time to accomplish it.  Things will fall into place because you are going to have a positive attitude.  You will experience strength in yourself that you never knew you had.  You will work hard at it, enjoy what you are doing and make progress each week.  Yes there may be obstacles and feelings less than positive that you may experience along the way but your determination, faith and attitude will help you persist and build a stronger momentum for you.  Believe that this is your time to shine.  When you wake up in the morning start telling yourself you are going to attack this day, do a great job with whatever you have to do and succeed at making yourself healthier, stronger and happier.  Always believe in yourself and whatever gives you hope for your beliefs are powerful allies in your pursuit for good health.

Part 2 of Preparing For Fitness Success includes: Staying Focused; A Fitness Plan To Stay Motivated; Enjoying Your Fitness Journey.

Enjoy your health!

Todd Souza

Inspiration from Shining Sea Bikeway

This photo was taken on a sunset ride on Shining Sea Bikeway that our biking and kayak group recently went on.  What an inspiring sky it was!  The group is sponsored by Falmouth Sports Center and Friends In Motion and is free to anyone that would like to get together with others to do fun fitness activities while enjoying our beautiful surroundings.  All ages and skill levels are welcome.  To join you may stop by the Falmouth Sports Center and ask for me, call 508-662-7036 or leave a comment here.