Melt Your Stress Away @ Body Mechanix

Hey Arbors River Oaks! Face it, we all live with daily stresses in our lives. This can come from any number of things including work, family life, anxiety or big decisions coming your way. The million dollar question is, how do you deal with all of these stresses and still keep your sanity? Massage therapy is an excellent solution to your problems and you won’t have to spend a million dollars to get your question answered. Body Mechanix is a wonderful solution.

Body Mechanix (3486 Poplar Ave #101) is a locally owned massage parlor, operated by experienced massage therapists. They offer a wide range of massage options such as therapeutic, sports, and pregnancy, as well as a good variety of specials and packages all at reasonable prices. You can get a 5 minute back tune up for $10 or a Swedish massage starting at $35 for 30 minutes. That’s pretty good considering the prices of other spas out there.

Body Mechanix also has various specials throughout the year. For the summer months of June and July, they are offering a  Lush Hydrating Wrap with exfoliation to keep your skin hydrated and nourished under this summer sun. This is going for roughly $50 but it’s definitely worth it.

So if you want an escape from the stresses in your life, get a massage; you’ll be glad you did.

Where is your favorite place to get a massage around the area?

Women Walk/Run Memphis: A Whole ‘Lotta Running!

Hey ARO ladies! Are you interested in competing in a 5K? What about just getting in shape for the summer, or getting in shape period? If you’re already in shape or trying to get there, try participating  in Women Walk/Run Memphis.

Women Walk/Run Memphis is a 10 week program for walkers and beginner, intermediate, and advanced runners, with a ‘graduation’ 5K after the training program. So don’t worry, they’re not throwing you out to the wolves. The people of Women Walk/Run Memphis are here to help you ease into the world of 5K and marathons, and to give you a new look on the world of running. Especially for those who think that running is ‘not for them’.

The kickoff open house and expo will be from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. July 12 at the Agricenter, (7777 Walnut Grove Road). You don’t have to attend the kickoff event to participate in the program, and you can register through August 9. Registration fee is $20 before July 19 and $25 after.  The 5K  ‘graduation run’ is scheduled for Sept. 13 at 8 am at Oak Court Mall.

Imagine the satisfaction you’ll feel once you complete the program! Are you interested in participating in something like this?

Zumba Anyone?

Hey everyone! Let’s break out the sweatpants and sweatbands because it’s time for a workout! Only this isn’t your normal workout. You’re not dreading stepping on automated stairs for an hour, nor spending half of your workout time trying to figure out how to work the new exercise machine. This is actually fun!

It’s called Zumba, and it has taken over the nation! Memphis especially. The workout infuses Latin beats, coupled with lots of hip and arm movement, making for a full cardiovascular workout. The intensity goes up and down throughout the hour allotted. Once you’re done, you won’t feel like you worked out at all because you had so much fun! Well, at least not until about 30 minutes later…

When working out, I like to keep my mp3 player handy, to make things run a little easier. Zumba is no different. Only these aren’t the same beats you hear in your kickboxing class! In a statement about the music used by Zumba founder Beto Perez, she says “Zumba Fitness music is not the synchronized, synthesized monotonous beat you have heard in many aerobics classes,” Perez writes. “We use the originality passion, feel and flow of the song as intended by the music’s artist, rather than the syncro-syntho-mono beat. Our music is not simply background music or a way to keep a beat; it is the driving force of Zumba.”

Want to check out some Zumba classes in your area? Try the Shady Grove Presbyterian. They hold classes every Monday and Thursday evening from 6:15 to 7:15. For more classes, here’s how to search.

Are You Keeping Your Promise to Yourself?

Resident Poll: Are you sticking to your New Years Resolutions?

We have a month in the hole now, which means we’ve had a whole month to think about and plan out how to achieve our resolutions. Have you held true?

Coping With Stress From Work

For workers everywhere, the troubled economy may feel like an emotional roller coaster.

Layoffs and budget cuts result in increased fear, uncertainty and higher levels of stress.

Since job and workplace stress grow in times of economic crisis, it’s important to learn new and better ways of coping with the pressure. The ability to manage stress in the workplace can make the difference between success or failure on the job. Your emotions are contagious, and stress has an impact on the quality of your interactions with others.

The better you are at managing your own stress, the more you’ll positively affect those around you and the less other people’s stress will negatively affect you.

There are a variety of steps you can take to reduce both your overall stress levels and the stress you find on the job and in the workplace. These include:

• Taking responsibilityforimprovingyour physical and emotional well-being.

• Avoiding pitfalls by identifying knee jerk habits and negative attitudes that add to the stress you experience at work.

• Learning better communication skills to ease and improve your relationships with management and coworkers.

What do you do to relieve stress at the workplace?