As you set your goals for the New Year, we urge you to consider more than just your weight and looks. Studies have shown that focusing on health vs just how you look has provided better overall results. As Holistic Lifestyle Coaches, we approach health from the lens of how you can live a longer, more fulfilling life with less pain, so you can be more active, have more energy, and just have more FUN!

Do you have a favorite holiday dish that you ONLY make (or get to eat, if someone else is cooking) during the holidays? You arrive at the big meal starving, having been waiting for this special dish for weeks. You haven’t eaten anything else all day so you can “fit” all the food you want to eat.

We completely understand having a favorite dish you only eat once or a few times a year and giving in to the temptation to do all the things listed above. But these views can really set you up for disaster - a disaster like overeating and then feeling miserable later… taking all the enjoyment out of big, fun holidays meals.

Read on to see our top tips to help manage your food cravings and avoid over eating this holiday season.

Foam rolling, whether it feels good or creates a little discomfort, stimulates the nervous system to relax tension. As you roll over soft tissues, the receptors send signals to the spinal cord. The parasympathetic nervous system (relaxation system) responds by sending signals back to the muscles or tissues to relax. Foam rolling increases blood flow, aiding the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscles.

Since muscle loss starts in our 30’s, we generally start looking for workouts that are easier on our joints but keep our bodies strong and able. This is not to say that we don’t want to stay strong and fit, but rather, we may need to add some low impact workouts to take care of our aging knees and other joints. And by low impact, we don’t mean low intensity.

If we can’t convince you to come to the Studio, we have put together a tough at-home workout with movement that includes cardio and some strength training using your bodyweight. You don’t have to leave your house to do it! No excuses - you can do it every day of the holiday break.

When people think of healthy eating, their first thoughts are typically of being hungry and having to eat food they don’t enjoy. But it is possible to maintain a healthy diet and still enjoy eating! Check out our top ten tips to enjoy your food while eating a healthy diet.

Keeping a food journal is a powerful tool for promoting a balanced, nutritious regime and overall well-being. It’s essential to be honest and consistent in recording our food and drinks to reap the full benefits of this valuable practice.

You know exercise is good for you - but did you know it can actually prevent some medical conditions, and even help treat others?

Lunch is tricky. It needs to be fast - both to make in the morning before you head to work and fast to eat at your desk while at work. It has to be easy, so you can either make it in advance or make it in the morning when you’re not quite awake yet. It also has to be good - because how easy is it to order takeout along with the rest of the office? Especially if the lunch you brought is not exciting or won’t keep you full for the rest of the day.

Longevity and agelessness are hot topics in the world of health and fitness these days. Everyone wants to know the one magic exercise to perform or food to eat to prevent them from aging.

Well, we have good news and bad news.

The bad news is there is no one magic exercise or one super food to eat to prevent aging. But the good news is that what you eat can have a dramatic impact not just on how you feel, but how you physically age.

Tawny, who has been with the Studio over 2 years and is our longest SPT student, has been focused on her health and wellness. As a part of her health journey, she has become a booze-free expert and is sharing her top tips for having fun without alcohol. You can follow Tawny at @tawnymlara.

These days, many people are looking for more than just a fitness trainer. They want someone who can do more than just teach them the proper form for exercising - they want someone who can guide them to their best overall physical health - including fitness, nutrition, and mindset.

Coaches like this who can do it all are generally called wellness coaches. Wellness coaches focus on the whole person - physical fitness, nutrition and healthy eating, and mental health. They help their clients determine their overall health goals and set them up on the path to achieve them. Often, wellness coaches take a holistic approach, incorporating “food as preventative medicine” philosophies and self-care into the health plans.

These days, we see more and more students who want to work on total body health. They want to incorporate nutrition and mindfulness practices into their wellness routines, rather than just focusing on building muscle or looking a certain way. That’s one of the reasons we focus so much on functional fitness, you can get healthy from the inside out with several of our nutrition-focused programs.

We have explored many of the benefits of meditation in previous communication and on our social media. But we know that meditation and mindfulness do not exist in a vacuum, and need to be incorporated into our everyday lives in order to be truly effective. So how can we include mindfulness directly in our exercise routines?

Strength training is one of the keys to living well. It is so integral to overall health that we have made it the foundation of our business. Functional strength training is the focus of our Shared Personal Training sessions, our one-on-one integrated movement sessions (personal training) at the Studio, and our virtual HIIT classes.

High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by low intensity recovery periods. HIIT workouts can be as short as ten minutes or as long as 45 minutes. We do a 45 minute format of 8 to 10 different exercises!

Did you know that here at Studio in the Heights all our workouts are based on primal movement patterns? Primal movements patterns are the seven essential movement skills that form the foundation for any movement that happens in the body. Strengthening these movements makes you more functional fit!

Maintaining good posture is so important to feeling your best. Think of how uncomfortable you feel or how distracted you are when your back hurts. It’s the worst, right? Making an effort to maintain good posture when you’re sitting at your desk, sitting in the car or on the subway, or even sitting on your couch can make a huge difference in how you feel.

The calves are often neglected - even by many fitness trainers! But they are so important. They connect with your Achilles tendons and heels. They are crucial muscles used when walking, propelling you forward with each step. Keeping your calves strong and healthy can help your foot and ankle health. Strong calves support the arches of your foot and keep them flexible and strong.

Many struggle to make time for exercise while traveling or on vacation. When the inbox still needs to be checked, the kids have to be bathed, fed, and shuttled, and you're on the run. That's precisely when your workouts and self-care are most important. Even a few minutes of physical activity can dramatically improve your mood, and that's good for you, the kids, and your significant other. Read on to see our six tips to make time for fitness.

We know the importance of taking rest days to give our bodies and minds a chance to recover between workouts. But rather than just spending our rest days on the couch, there is a better way to help our muscles recover after an intense workout.