NIFS Healthy Living Blog

The first quarter of the year is behind us, and for many, those New Year's resolutions may feel like a distant memory. Maybe you started strong in January, only to have motivation wane as life got busy. Or perhaps you never quite found the time to commit to your health goals. The good news? Spring is the perfect opportunity to refresh your mindset, refocus your goals, and build sustainable habits that carry you through the rest of the year.

Reassess & Reset Your Goals

If you’ve fallen off track, now is the time to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and where you can make adjustments. Were your original goals realistic and specific? Instead of broad resolutions like “eat healthier” or “work out more,” refine them into actionable steps, such as:

• Plan and prep three balanced meals per week.
• Strength train twice a week and walk 8,000+ steps per day.
• Prioritize hydration by drinking at least 80 ounces of water daily.

Small, achievable goals build confidence and create long-term success.

Meal Prepping Made Simple

Consistency starts in the kitchen. If meal prepping feels overwhelming, keep it simple:

1. Batch cook proteins like grilled chicken, turkey, or tofu.
2. Pre-chop veggies so they’re easy to grab for meals or snacks.
3. Stock nutrient-dense staples like Greek yogurt, nuts, eggs, whole grains, and frozen fruits/veggies.

Fueling your body properly makes it easier to stay active and energized throughout the day.

Stay Active Without Overcomplicating It

Movement doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing effort. If your workouts have been inconsistent, ease back in by:

• Trying a new class at the gym for variety and motivation.
• Walking or biking outside now that the weather is warming up.
• Setting a non-negotiable workout time in your schedule.

Progress isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency. Even small steps forward will make a difference over time.

Spring Forward with Sustainable Habits

This season is a fresh start. Whether you’re refocusing on nutrition, movement, or overall well-being, commit to small, sustainable changes rather than short-term fixes. Progress isn’t measured by how perfect you are but by how often you show up for yourself.

Let this be your sign to spring into action—reignite your motivation, take control of your habits, and make the rest of the year your strongest yet.

We can concur with many years of research that obesity can increase the risk of immune dysfunction. This is a multifaceted phenomenon often associated with factors such as physical inactivity, poor nutritional profiles, increased adiposity (fat tissue), and metabolic disorders/diseases. Commonly, the latter can gradually progress from the aforementioned factors.

What we have also seen in recent years during the COVID pandemic is how important it is to address the risks to public health and mortality caused by poor health status and possible exposure to infectious diseases. The solution to shelter in place (reducing transmissions) was a band-aid to the very real problem that our culture is not perfect, and we have many individuals at risk due to unhealthy lifestyles. To improve public health on a broader scale, we need to make interventions at the community and individual levels.

Immediate Lifestyle Changes for Better Immune Health

1. Increase Sunlight Exposure One immediate lifestyle change at-risk individuals can make to improve their immune health is to increase their exposure to sunlight. Sunlight exposure triggers Vitamin D synthesis via UV light and 7-dehydrocholesterol. This essential vitamin plays a critical role in respiratory immune response, including both inflammation and acute damage responses.
2. Boost Physical Activity Another crucial intervention is increasing physical activity. This has a two-fold benefit: improving body composition and metabolic health, and potentially increasing Vitamin D levels (even without sunlight). This is because Vitamin D is stored in adipose tissue and can be released through the metabolism of fat cells.

Moving forward, we can improve the health of our community by helping each other enhance diets, increase physical activity, get outside in the sun, and maintain hygiene for others.

NIFS: Supporting Your Health Journey

Here at NIFS, we encourage members to participate in our outdoor classes, such as boot camp and Tabata. We also offer nutritional services and unconditional support for improving nutrient content and sustainability in dietary practices.

If you feel you may need a body composition assessment, we offer BodPod and NIFS3D scans that can provide more information on your health, including risk factors such as BMI, body fat percentage, waist circumference, and total energy expenditure. Our staff can educate you on what your readings mean, how they are relevant to you, and what strategies could improve your overall health and fitness in the long term.

We also maintain the utmost cleanliness on each machine and encourage our members to be diligent about cleaning machines after usage.

Please reach out and utilize the many free and additional services we offer to aid in your health journey. We are excited to have a great community, and we look forward to you being a part of it. Get outside and join us for some excellent fitness and health services!

The current COVID-19 pandemic is unlike anything most have experienced in their lifetimes. The dangers of this virus are still real and need to be taken seriously. Even though it seems monotonous, it is important to recognize the importance of wearing a mask and maintaining physical distancing, because at times it seems the public is becoming numb to these terms.

We know that many people are still working from home as we are at the one-year mark of shutdowns. We all want to reach a sense of normalcy sooner rather than later. But with new stressors of the inability to “unplug” from work, balancing work within family life, and keeping businesses afloat that rely on in-person transactions for revenue, these times are arguably more stressful now than they have ever been.

What Is Wellness and How Can NIFS Help?

Wellness is the act of practicing healthy habits daily to attain better physical and mental health outcomes so that instead of just surviving, you’re thriving.

We want to encourage you to eat, exercise, and sleep like we are not in a pandemic. Plan a routine, eat on a schedule, set aside a time to increase your heart rate, and rest.  

We offer virtual personal and small-group training options as well as nutrition coaching to create your very own personal action plan. Our trainers can work with you at a time that is convenient for you from the comfort of your own home. In addition to tailored workout programming, we also offer a variety of group fitness classes livestreamed on Zoom weekly.

Why Is Prioritizing My Wellness Important?

Numerous areas of your lifestyle tie into your overall wellness. Those areas include social connectedness, exercise, nutrition, sleep, and mindfulness. Every single one of these aspects impacts your physical and mental health. To starts, consciously make one or two simple and healthy choices each day. Go on a walk, try new food, or call a family member or friend. Making small changes daily can lead you to a better-rounded and well-balanced lifestyle during the current pandemic. 

Implementing new habits that you look forward to can make a positive impact on your life. By consciously making the daily choice to be well, your actions will lead you on the path toward reduced stress, positive social interactions, and optimal wellness.

***

NIFS wants to help provide you with the tools you need to be well both physically and mentally. Our facility is open with sufficient distancing, mask-wearing policies, and additional cleaning measures in place. However, we understand that in-person is not the best way we can serve everyone at this time. NIFS is meeting you where you are to support your wellness. If you want more information about online classes or online training please contact us today at 317-274-3432 ext 262 or by email.

Let us help you positively impact your well-being.

This blog was written by Payton Gross, Group Fitness Coordinator and Barre Above Instructor. Learn more about the NIFS bloggers here.

With millions of people around the world suffering from back pain, is there any hope for relief outside of traditional methods? Low back pain can be excruciating and immobilizing, but there is still hope. When dealing with any pain or injury, exercising might be the last thing that crosses your mind, especially if it’s chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, that’s exactly what is recommended and what can help.

Research is revealing that people who exercise and stay flexible are better able to manage pain than those who are sedentary. So my charge to anyone reading this, whether or not you are living with low back pain, stay proactive and make health and fitness a priority. Rather than be forced into reacting to an injury that might have you sidelined for months, take a step toward low back pain relief.

The Impact of Lower Back Pain

Alarming statistics reveal that the single leading cause of disability globally is none other than low back pain. According to the American Chiropractic Association, “Back pain is experienced by 31 million people at any given moment.” After all, it is the third most common complaint during doctor visits and accounts for more than 264 million lost work days annually.

What Causes Low Back Pain?

Low back pain can flare up and subside in the blink of an eye. Often there is no warning and there are no other accompanying symptoms. Pain can occur in varying intensities and pain levels. It is important to take back pain seriously because it is your body trying to tell you that there is something wrong and that you need to make a change. Common causes include the following:

• Muscle strain/sprain
• Muscle spasms
• Bulging discs
• Arthritis
• Skeletal irregularities

What You Can Do: Fitness and Wellness Ideas

Fortunately, there are several precautionary steps that you can take to prevent low back pain episodes as well as further injury. Keep in mind that humans are complex beings and it is important to address overall health.

• Start and maintain an exercise program. Our NIFS staff can work individually with members to develop a proper strength-training program that addresses cardiovascular fitness as well as flexibility and mobility.
• Maintain a healthy weight. According to the National Arthritis Foundation, “Every pound of excess weight exerts about 4 pounds of extra pressure on the knees.” Therefore losing a few pounds can take pressure off the back and knee joints.
• Limit and manage stress levels. Paying attention to stress levels can help you avoid behaviors that lead to obesity such as overeating and a sedentary lifestyle. If stress levels stay low, it can help improve overall health.

Always keep in mind that we are complex beings and it is important to address our overall health needs. It might take multiple methods to address back issues, but why not jump ahead and try to prevent them through proper health and wellness strategies? Visit www.nifs.org to find out more information, see the up-to-date Group Fitness Schedule, and start your fitness journey now.

This blog was written by Cara Hartman.To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Throughout your life, you will come across times and situations that are tough, making you feel as though getting through it all is inconceivable and hopeless. There are more traditional ways to deal with these ups and downs of life, such as therapy, but there are other ways to overcome stress in life that can be as easy as taking a walk, shooting some basketball, or even lifting weights.

Forget Your Worries: Emotional Benefits of Exercise

There seems to be something about exercise that allows us to forget our worries and deal with our stresses while also improving our lives through wellness and fitness. With as much stress as we see in people's lives today, it would seem as though fitness would stand out as a blessing to anyone who wants to make their life better. Because this isn’t always the case, you can start as slow and as basic as needed to make sure you are getting the right exercise at the right amount at the right time.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America has determined that exercise is essential for good mental well-being and that the benefits go beyond just reducing stress. Improved mood, increased energy, better sleep, reduced anxiety, and improved self-esteem all are payoffs too.

Get Your Endorphins Going

You might have heard of endorphins. They are the hormones that are released from the brain and nervous system and into your body. We feel good when endorphins are released into our bodies. This can happen as a result of almost anything that stimulates your brain, ranging from riding a rollercoaster to seeing your favorite band perform. With fitness, the same endorphins can be released through exercise, giving you similar feelings. We call this the “runner’s high.” You don’t have to be a runner to achieve this feeling, but exercise is the key ingredient, however you decide to score those endorphins.

Thomas’ Tips for Getting More Active

• Start small, start smart. Take a walk around the neighborhood or with friends after work at the mall. Walking is definitely exercise and has many benefits. .
• Do activities you like to do. If you are trying to keep this fitness and wellness going for a long time, you’d better like what you are doing (at least some of the time).
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Not only are there fitness professionals who can help you, there are other individuals who are in the same boat as you. Make time to commiserate and help each other overcome obstacles together.

Getting started in fitness can be a daunting task. Even knowing the benefits associated with exercise might not be enough to light your spark. NIFS has certified and degreed individuals ready, willing, and able to assist with every aspect of wellness and fitness, ranging from fitness programming to nutrition and wellness. Let us know how we can help you reach your goals and hopefully reduce stress along the way. Make a choice to be a better you today!

This blog was written by Thomas Livengood, NIFS Health Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer. To read more about the other NIFS bloggers, click here.