Hopkins Community Education

If you’ve noticed hip/thigh/butt spread, you are not alone. We have become a nation of professional sitters, causing lower body muscles to weaken and sag. In this workshop, you will learn: my famous ‘10 Minute Miracle Exercise’ series to strengthen lower body muscles quickly and, in the process, increase metabolism and bone density; decrease 2 inches off saddlebag area in 2 weeks; trim inches off lower body by getting rid of excess water weight; breathing technique to stimulate fat metabolism; acupressure points for lymph circulation and drainage. If you don’t have time, money, or inclination to haul yourself to a gym, you will love these powerful and effective techniques. You will need a resistance band, tied in a loop for some of the exercises.

Abdominal muscles weaken and lose shape due to past pregnancies, surgeries, sitting at a desk all day, being sedentary and poor posture. Learn a series of extremely effective exercises to quickly strengthen all four layers of abdominal, WITHOUT stressing back or neck joints and WITHOUT getting on the floor. Common abdominal exercises like crunches can place too much stress on back and neck joints.

Have you ever caught sight of your reflection in a window or mirror to see that your head leads the way? Or noticed that your shoulders and upper back are too rounded forward? You’ll learn simple techniques to improve posture and stand straighter. We’ll do exercises to help flatten the upper back, un-round shoulders and flatten your midsection. Learn how to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and how to re-gain bone mass. We’ll discuss the latest research findings on nutrition, minerals and trace minerals needed for bone health; foods that help and/or harm your bones and more. Wear loose, comfortable clothing. You will need a resistance band or tube for some of the exercises.

Have you ever found that in the a.m. your pants fit fine but by mid-afternoon, the waistband squeezes you like a tourniquet. Or that no matter how many crunches you do, your stomach still hangs out? Getting rid of a potbelly is much more than just doing abdominal exercises. In this workshop, you will learn the main causes and 6 strategies for getting rid of belly bloat. We will do a few exercises designed to strengthen the deepest layer of abdominal muscle - the layer that is responsible for flattening your stomach, shaping your waistline, and supporting your lower back. And we will do this without getting on the floor.

Ever caught your own reflection to see that your head hangs too far forward, or your shoulders are too rounded, or you slump too much? You will learn how to correct common posture problems and learn an ‘Instant Alignment Technique’ that will have you standing straighter immediately. We’ll discuss easy to implement tips when at a computer, in a car or working out. There are many benefits to improving posture. And, the good news is no matter how long you may have had poor posture, it is NEVER TOO LATE to make improvements. Your clothes will fit better, too! You’ll need a resistance band for some exercises.

Acupressure is an ancient healing art that can offer great relief, with no side effects, from symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, bloating, headaches, irritability, nausea, insomnia, anxiety and even weight gain. Learn which points balance hormone levels naturally, including thyroid hormones. Acupressure is a wonderful self-help tool that will help you feel your best. We will discuss breathing techniques, nutritional musts, and more.

Current research shows lifestyle and diet have a big effect on HOW the brain ages. Cognitive function, which covers all aspects of perceiving, thinking and reasoning, CAN improve. And the very good news is no matter what your age there are things you can begin to do today to improve how quickly and effectively brain cells communicate with each other. We’ll discuss which ‘superfoods’ reduce the damaging effects of toxins and inflammation on the brain and which nutrients are great for memory, attention, processing information and reducing stress. You will learn simple, easy to implement strategies to help your brain stay healthy and alert.

Are you finding no matter how well you watch what you eat or how much you exercise that weight is not budging? Your inability to lose weight probably has more to do with hormone levels than anything else. Until any imbalances are corrected, trying to lose weight will be like shoveling sand against the tide. We’ll discuss concrete solutions (not tricks, not using your will power) for controlling appetite and cravings; simple things you can do every day to boost your metabolism; major sources of hormone mimicking chemicals and how to get rid of them; what HRT or birth control pills have to do with weight gain; how to have your hormone levels checked reliably; what steps need to be taken to safely break the vicious cycle of hormone related weight gain.

If you currently take thyroid medication but are still gaining weight and still have a variety of symptoms, there's more you need to know. Fatigue, weight gain, depression, anxiety, rising cholesterol levels, inability to focus, thinning hair, digestive problems, abnormal blood pressure, reduced sex drive, and heart palpitations are only some of the symptoms. In this workshop, we’ll discuss how thyroid function can make any illness worse; the 5 things that need to be measured, but usually aren’t; why the #1 thyroid replacement may not be helping you; connection between thyroid, fibromyalgia and arthritis; foods that help or hinder; commonly misunderstood rules of how and when to take thyroid meds; environmental triggers and info you need to discuss with your doctor. This workshop is a source of information only and should by no means be considered a substitute for the advice of a qualified medical professional.