Coastal Breeze News

The Greater Marco Family YMCA will join the Alliance for Children and Families in celebrating families during National Family Week, November 21-27. As National Family Week approaches, the Y reminds families of the importance of spending time together. When families do things like preparing meals or playing a game, they learn from each other and their relationships become stronger. “The Greater Marco Family YMCA is dedicated to helping children and families become more healthy, connected and secure” said Cindy Love, CEO of the Greater Marco Family YMCA. “During National Family Week, we’re encouraging everyone to focus on their family relationships ... Read More »

Saturday, November 19, 2011 Beginning at Veterans Community Park, Marco Island, FL 7:30 AM  Whether you are a runner or a walker, this fun event is for YOU! Enjoy a beautiful Marco Island morning, add to your exercise routine or begin a new one today, and help the Island Parks and Recreation Foundation raise funds to support programming and special events on Marco Island. Look for a fabulous Health Fair in the near future! Refreshments, awards and cash prizes will be provided. Be sure to bring your four-legged friends for the walk, and the first 100 dogs will receive special dog ... Read More »

Crystal Manjarres  Q. Thanksgiving is here! How can I avoid gaining weight? A. The fall season is littered with opportunities to fall off the fitness wagon: Halloween festivals and “fun-size” candies, November potlucks and the inevitable Thanksgiving Day feast, plus the holiday parties galore in December with Christmas, New Year’s Eve and so on. It is no wonder the holidays make fitness devotees apprehensive with weight-gain worry. After surviving many holiday seasons successfully, I can give you some tips that I have used to prevent the dreaded belly bulge. Rule number one: workout first thing in the morning! Seriously–pump some ... Read More »

The last of the Summer Swing Tennis events was hosted by the Marco Island Racquet center. Thirty six players from the Marco Island Racquet Center, YMCA Island Country Club and Hideaway Country club turned out for the last of the highly successful and enjoyable series of events. Players started the day with a continental breakfast and moved on to the center’s newly reconditioned courts for a day of tennis. Each player participated in two nine game sets accumulating points per games won. The top 12 players from the 3.0 and 3.5 ranking advanced to a third set. Players were matched ... Read More »

The parents, coaches and the athletic department of Marco Island Charter Middle School hoped to put together a good football team. The idea had been discussed for a few years. Three coaches, Jim Young, Scott Gibbs and Chris Burt were under the direction of head Mike Vanderjagt. As everyone knows, Mike played with the NFL, so experience fanned the fire of enthusiasm and commitment. “We had 45 kids show up to try-out of that, 29 made the team. The team was open to all middle school grades, but no 6th graders try out. The team was made up of 7th ... Read More »

Crystal Manjarres  Q. What are some fun ways to boost my fitness motivation?  A. So many people want to work out, but lack the motivation or are intimidated by that first step. The obvious solution is to seek out a knowledgeable (and fun!) personal trainer. Ask yourself what is your “fitness personality”? Do you prefer undivided, one-on-one attention with an individualized fitness, nutrition and cardio plan? Do you desire a private atmosphere where you can dress down with comfy workout clothes, bad hair, and no make-up? Do you like to pick your appointment times and have someone train you on ... Read More »

Crystal Manjarres  Q. What are some effective ways to prevent cancer?  A. One of the most preventable ways to avoid cancer is avoid cigarette smoke. Do not smoke, do not inhale the smoke of those who do, and if you currently smoke—stop immediately. Smoking easily tops the list of the most preventable cancers, and for good reason—you are literally signing your death sentence with each drag you take; true, some people smoke and do not get cancer, but do you really want to play Russian Roulette with the big C? If you currently smoke, take action now to stop, and if ... Read More »

Naples, Fla.(October 11, 2011) – The Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) representing the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades area has released its Strategic Plan for tourism destination marketing for the 2011/2012 fiscal year. The plan includes an increased focus on digital marketing and continuation of the focus on growing the group meetings market established in the 2010/2011 fiscal year. The plan contains both a long-range plan for the destination through 2016 and the 2011/12 Destination Marketing Plan. It is based on considerable input from national and local research, area tourism businesses and area stakeholder groups. The draft plan was presented to ... Read More »

Crystal Manjarres    Q. I have heard a lot about Pilates. Could you elaborate on the benefits? A. The benefits to Pilate are numerous! The first that comes to mind is that of postural awareness; you cannot master Pilates without it! In fact, that is one of the first goals I urge clients to take away from their first (as well as successive) session(s). You learn how to stand, breathe, and carry yourself consciously—you will find that it spills over into every aspect of your life. Another facet that Pilates is known for is promoting longer, leaner muscles; because there ... Read More »

By Danielle Dodder  Beep! Beep! A new runner’s club is starting up on Marco, just in time for area running aficionados to join the race across the Jolley Bridge on its November 19th formal opening. Scott and Lisa Hicks are local residents and avid runners whose favored route tracks from ‘Old Marco’ along Bald Eagle to Collier, then towards South Beach. By forming a club, the couple hopes to create a social, encouraging environment where fellow runners can meet. “It’s also a great way to promote fitness on the island,” adds Scott Hicks. The club’s first meeting was held on ... Read More »

READ MY TIPS By Doug Browne Gosh, as long as I can remember, the tennis experts continually debate the plight of USA tennis. Do you remember the 1994 Sports Illustrated article by Sally Jenkins that proclaimed, “Is tennis dying?” Fortunately, the sport of tennis has come a long way since the epitaph was written but Americans are panicking because our current stars are fading and many are unsure if we have a new crop of players coming up the pike. Good or bad, the person in charge of resurrecting our USTA junior program is Patrick McEnroe. McEnroe, the younger brother of controversial ... Read More »

Crystal Manjarres Q. I’ve been considering hiring a personal trainer… what are the benefits? A. I’m so glad you asked! Everyone can benefit from a personal trainer- anyone from a novice to an experienced athlete. Age doesn’t matter either; my husband and I have trained children, teenagers, young adults, middle-aged adults, and mature adults. Like I said before, anyone can benefit! We all have different goals and an experienced and knowledgeable instructor can help you to achieve those goals. A trainer is able to motivate you and help you to get the most out of every workout– unlike when you ... Read More »

By Crystal Manjarres  Q. I have heard a lot about inflammation lately… what can I do to prevent it? A. Believe it or not, inflammation can be a good thing for the body; for this conversation’s sake, we will focus on the negative, chronic effects of prolonged inflammation. Diet controls a large portion (no pun intended) of how our body deals with and reacts to inflammation. If we load our bodies up with processed foods and fast foods, our bodies do not know how to handle- much less digest- these foreign toxins. This constant battle causes our bodies to eventually ... Read More »

By Crystal Manjarres Q. What are some important nutrients I should be including in my diet? A. According to the USDA, Americans are lacking in seven essential nutrients: potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin E, calcium, vitamin C, and fiber. Potassium has been shown to decrease blood pressure naturally, in addition to enhancing fertility, as well as muscle and nerve function. Potassium is readily available in many foods such as: bananas, potatoes, avocados, apricots, walnuts, peanuts, strawberries, oranges, broccoli, tomatoes and squash, just to name a few. My personal favorite way to consume potassium is pure coconut water- it has double ... Read More »

ENTER THE SCULPTED FOR SUMMER FITNESS CONTEST! By Crystal Manjarres I have received so many questions from so many misguided people about fitness- that is after all, the purpose of this column- so I thought, why not offer all you Coastal Breeze readers out there a chance to experience a fitness program catered specifically to you and your needs? It will jump start your goals and kick off your summer nicely. It will motivate and educate you and take your fitness regime to the next level. Celebrate your health! Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Have you ... Read More »

By Crystal Manjarres Q. I am worried about tearing my rotator cuff… what can I do to protect it? A. First off, congratulations on being aware of the importance of strong shoulder muscles and being proactive on prevention of injury. Most people overlook/neglect shoulder training to focus on muscles that bother them (like saggy underarms), or muscles that they want to highlight (like lean legs) instead of working on the body as a whole. Shoulder training, and more specifically rotator cuff training, is crucial to prevent muscle strain and/or tear; the truth is most people injure their rotator cuff muscles ... Read More »

By Crystal Manjarres Q. I work out my entire body three times a week, but my body has not changed. Any advice? A. There are several factors that could be contributing to your body not changing: you are not allowing for proper rest between workout days, your body has hit a plateau, your diet is lacking, you are not properly fatiguing the muscle, etc. Without personally watching how you work out and knowing what you eat, it is nearly impossible for me to tell. You, however, know the answers to these questions and can make some changes to any (or ... Read More »

By Crystal Manjarres Q. How much sleep should I be getting if I’m working out? A. There is no clear-cut answer to this type of question- some people do great on six to seven hours sleep, while others require eight to nine (and in some cases even more)! I would say that a healthy aim, for those working out would be anywhere between eight and nine and a half hours of sleep. Will something terrible happen to you if you get less than that? Not exactly, but for optimal muscle rebuilding, body repair and regeneration for ideal functioning, eight or more ... Read More »

By Crystal Manjarres Q. I keep hearing about muscle vs. fat. I was told that muscle weighs more than fat- is this true? A. This is one of the most controversial topics in the fitness realm- the age-old question of “which weighs more, muscle or fat?” Because there is so much misinformation out there, this is usually one of the first questions I ask a potential client. I have had people say fat weighs more, muscle weighs more, and “I don’t know”. The truth is, I have yet to find a single individual who answers this question correctly. Think about this: ... Read More »

By Crystal Manjarres Q. I have Scoliosis and am looking to add weight training and Pilates to my workouts…are there any exercises that will benefit me? A. I have worked with several clients with Scoliosis both past and present in personal training and Pilates, and there are numerous benefits from both disciplines, as well as numerous exercises that will strengthen and help straighten scoliosis. Weight training will help build muscle in your biceps, triceps, back, legs, and core-pretty much anywhere you can train a muscle! You will become fitter, leaner, have more energy, and be able to perform physical tasks ... Read More »