Welcome Amanda and Vanessa, our newest fitness specialists:

Amanda is currently a Kinesiology student at Cal State University San Marcos. She graduated from Mira Costa College with an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts with an Area of Emphasis in Allied Health, Nutrition, and Kinesiology. She is passionate about preventative care, and promoting a healthy lifestyle through health and wellness. She has worked with various populations of individuals in the fitness industry from adaptive wellness programs for spinal cord injuries and diseases, to wellness programs for child advocacy, and health. She is so excited to be apart of the amazing team here at Tri-City, and is eager to learn and help people achieve their fitness goals.

Vanessa is a recent graduate of Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, where she received a Bachelors of Science in Neuroscience & Cognitive Studies and a minor in Psychology. She is also a former intern for our Medical Integration program. She loves interacting with people and getting to know their special stories and what makes them unique! While she focused mainly on studying the brain and mental health in college, her ultimate goal is to become an Occupational Therapist, so she can personally get to know people while helping them regain the physical strength they once had to perform daily tasks and live to the best of their abilities. For Vanessa, all of this has sparked a passion in leading and maintaining a healthy overall lifestyle, physically and mentally, and she wants to help you do the same! In her free time, Vanessa also loves to workout, swim, run, take walks with her family, go shopping, and take photos.

Fitness and Travel with Yvonne Gagliardo M.A.

Maintaining fitness can be challenging while on a well-deserved vacation. Extended travel in the car or plane often can leave you with joint aches and pains and requires a trip to the orthopedic on the return.

Traveling should not set you back with joint pain if you follow a few exercises and focus on good posture while on your trip.

POSTURE AND BODY AWARENESS

Travel requires extended periods of sitting, and often hours of slouching in one position, which causes physical stress.

Increased body awareness and adjustments into proper posture alignment is the first step to decreasing stress on the neck and spine.

Follow these steps intermittently when forced to sit for long periods:

1. Sit with feet touching the floor, hip- width apart.
2. Take five deep breaths.
3. Find your neutral spine. Tilt your pelvis forward and back, then come to neutral position-the place that feels most comfortable for your spine, hips and shoulders.
4. Roll your shoulders, then raise and lower them gently until your upper back and scapula are comfortable.
5. Center your neck comfortably over your spine
6. Slowly tilt your head side to side, then right and left, returning to center each time.
7. Roll your ankles and wrists.

For more travel fitness hints including a Hotel Room Circuit, join Yvonne Gagliardo for “Fitness for Travelers”, a 15-30 minute Active Education session:

Tues. 4/17 at 10am or Tues. 4/24 at 2:15pm (Conference Room)  

Complimentary, 16 participant max, register with Service Desk.