Introducing a discussion of Health & Fitness in Long Valley

This blog will be an interactive discussion of how we can develop health and fitness in Long Valley, both as individuals and as a community.

This first post outlines what you can expect from the blog.  It highlights the core philosophies that will influence the content and topics you're likely to see.

These core philosophies will influence the blog content.

• This blog serves the audience.  You control the content - we will post topics that interest Long Valley Patch readers.  Your comments are always welcome, and we will make best efforts to understand and direct content towards your interests.
• Fitness is a lifestyle.  Taking a balanced approach to life is the best way to achieve true and lasting health and fitness.  While physical fitness is most prevalent, fitness also involves mental, social, emotional, even spiritual aspects.  These different aspects work together to promote health and wellness.  Fitness can best be achieved through a balance of activity, nutrition, rest and recovery.
• Living a fit lifestyle is hard.  It's not easy to live a fit, healthy lifestyle.  There are temptations and distractions around every corner.  Sometimes we "fall out" of a fit lifestyle.  That's ok.  The important thing is to keep working at it.
• Fitness is uniquely individual.  Fitness means something different to everyone, and each of us have different reasons for wanting to be fit.  It's an individual choice, commitment, and focus.  What works best for one person might not work best for someone else - it's important to discover what works for you.
• Communities can develop a "fitness culture."  While fitness is uniquely individual, together we can develop a culture of fitness within our community.  Communities with a fitness culture have more active and healthier populations (including children), and fitness cultures can influence other aspects of community life (e.g., the economy).
• Long Valley has great potential for developing a "fitness culture."  From the people to the features of the area, Long Valley has a lot to offer people who want to live a fit, healthy lifestyle.  The blog content will therefore have a local slant - we'll include profiles of people and places that might interest readers who want to get fit and live a healthy lifestyle.

Please check out my for information about me...my interests will also influence the blog content.

I'm really looking forward to this blog.  You can expect one or two posts a week.

I hope you'll visit regularly to engage in a dialogue that helps each of us individually, and the community as a whole, live a healthier, more fit lifestyle.