Life & Style
A little help from your friends Getting in shape tops most people’s New Year’s resolution list. Figuring out how to do it is the hard part. Consider group exercise, says Dr. Michael Kwast, a spokesman for the Michigan Association of Chiropractors. “People who exercise in groups — especially if they are with friends or have an accountability partner — are much more likely to follow through with exercise activities than if they are trying to do
At the David D. Hunting YMCA, Katie Horbogen works out; a group fitness class stretches.
it on their own,” he said. “Stuff comes up and you get busy, but if someone is counting on you to be there, it helps keep it a priority.” To make things easier, the Michigan Department of Community Health partnered with the Michigan Association of Chiropractors to launch mymacwellness.com, a website with information about free and low-cost fitness activities. On the homepage, visitors can click on locations around the state to find out what’s going on locally, from yoga classes to walking trails. The website also has videos of new types of exercise — and visitors are invited to send in their own. Nutritional advice is provided by the Michigan State University Extension Service, and there’s even a place to enter information to receive a personal health plan. Living in Michigan can make it difficult to get outside and exercise during the winter months so Kwast said mymacwellness.com offers creative ways to enjoy the season while staying in shape. “It’s giving people options and it’s no cost,” Kwast said. “You can receive an assessment and advice by going through the website.”
Photography by Michael Buck
Photography by Jim Gebben
— Nick Capisciolto
“People who exercise in groups — especially if they are with friends or have an accountability partner — are much more likely to follow through with exercise activities than if they are trying to do it on their own.” — Dr. Michael Kwast
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