Focused Workouts

You may dread the gym for a lot of reasons: you feel self-conscious around all the tight and toned people, it sucks up a lot of time or, simply, you’re not sure your workout is really working out for you. If you have a particular health problem or illness, all of these factors get amplified and you may not feel so motivated in such a silently-judging atmosphere.
 
Gyms across the country are beginning to tailor workouts to specific needs, but it’s much more than the “beginner” versus “advanced” idea. The Dedham Health and Athletic Complex in Boston sees a lot of patients after diagnoses of diabetes, heart disease and others, tailoring routines on an individual basis and emphasizing comfort in the gym surroundings.

Ellen Orzel joined after a double mastectomy to lose some extra weight, a risk factor in recurring bouts of certain cancers. She says, “I was comfortable going in there, knowing I could tell her I had a mastectomy.” In addition to losing pounds and getting in shape, there is common ground and camaraderie if you are doing your cardio next to someone who experienced a similar bad bout of health. Now, that’s a support group! [CNN]