Latest news with #LAFitness
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Great Misconception About Willpower
It's not just a 'depleting resource'. Porcelain-skinned women donning new neon wedgie yoga pants with matching mesh halter tops. V-shaped formations of bro dudes in sweat-stained tank tops and basketball shorts enjoying the spectacle. They were a match made in hell. The first Monday after New Year's Eve was always the same. Hyde Park's LA Fitness was an unmitigated meat market. Those who worked out looked cherry-faced and miserable. Those who didn't looked bored. Most of them were gone after two months. Gym resolutions are the crowned prom queen of failed willpower. They live on as a reminder of shame to these participants for the remaining 10 months of the year. The unfortunate fact is that these people were never bad or inadequate. They just bought in to a great misconception about willpower. The experiment of focus explains it Each day, 205 people went about their lives, walking through Germany, going to work, going on dates, doing the routine things of everyday life. Every few hours, their phone beeped. An app asked about their difficulties with self-control (since their last check-in). They were part of a study at The University of Chicago that produced a paradoxical result: the people who reported being best at overcoming temptation also experienced the least amount of temptation. Put another way, a signal of good discipline was not having to use it at all. A separate study had a parallel conclusion: people who exerted more self-control felt more exhausted and achieved fewer goals. This runs in sharp contrast to society's obsession with willpower, and glorification of figures who exude it in spades. Hustle culture would have you believe that willpower is a vessel to unlimited motivation and success. Understand your genetic influences In lab rats, they identified and activated the gene that causes hunger: When they activate the hunger gene in a group of rats — by diminishing the appetite suppressant, leptin — the rats rapidly gained weight and doubled in size. They experienced what a bear preparing for hibernation feels: insatiable hunger that returns just moments after eating a huge meal. Were you the hunger-enhanced rat, it is highly unlikely willpower would stop you from inflating like a water balloon. Each time we face temptation, we create cognitive dissonance: a pleasure-seeking voice that wants one thing, and a wiser voice that demands restraint. The tension between those two drains us. Each time we painfully say no, it gets harder to say no again. Willpower is depleting resource. Metacognitive tactics you can use The children who succeeded in the achievement-predicting Marshmallow Test — get one marshmallow now or wait 10 minutes and get two—used what is referred to as compensatory mechanisms. Some looked away from the marshmallow. Some sang and played with their hands, or looked down. These kids were deploying early signs of metacognition, a secret superpower of high achievers. Metacognition is the awareness of the conditions under which you typically succeed. As an obvious example, men who are good at staying faithful to their partner, don't typically frequent single bars until wee hours or get loaded at the strip club every weekend. They don't cuddle with a coworker to a Coldplay concert. They intuitively know that willpower and love don't render them invulnerable to temptation. They put themselves in a position to achieve their desired outcome. For example, years ago, I struggled to manage my weight. I can vividly remember sitting on my couch, thinking about eating candy. I heard the Twix bar singing to me from my kitchen. I felt haunted. I couldn't make it go away. I lost over and over again. My weight loss goal crumbled under the pressure. If I'd only known the trick wasn't to win the war over what to eat, it was to avoid going to war in the first place. I should have spent less time on that couch, and put fewer unhealthy foods in my fridge. A self-control test You are going to see a series of words in a moment. They were part of an experiment to test self-control and its fatiguing effects on the brain. As you look at them, read the name of the color you see, not the color that the words spell. Make sure you move quickly from left to right. After doing this in repeated trials, participants showed weaker willpower in subsequent tests and reported being exhausted. I did this several times in a row and can confirm it gets quite tiresome quickly. Why? Because this conflict between the spelling and the actual color mirrors decision fatigue — the tension you face while looking at the restaurant menu, knowing what you should order and what you want to order. Allowing this conflict to revisit you is how willpower crumbles and goals fail. It's why my crowded gym is nearly empty just two months after New Year's Eve. Make it your goal to reduce this conflict as much as possible. I will sometimes just order food I know most restaurants have, like a chicken caesar salad. Or, I'll ask the waitress about their healthy options, and skip opening the menu altogether. The ultimate discipline trick My dad was a Navy SEAL for 37 years. I had this super interesting conversation with him a few years ago. We were talking about Hell Week. For those who don't know — Hell Week is ridiculous. You wake up on a Sunday to the sound of machine guns firing. Then, you exercise until Friday with no sleep. Hell Week is the bottleneck where the top 20% of soldiers are reduced down to the top 3%. Many great men tap out and quit. Dad said the most peculiar thing, 'Tuesday morning was the absolute worst.' Strange, right? Tuesday? Wouldn't Thursday be worse? Or Friday morning? When he explained it, it made total sense. You wake up on a Sunday morning at ~2 AM to gunfire. You run miles while getting yelled at. You do push ups, jump in the cold ocean (repeatedly), carry logs, roll in the sand. This continues all day, then into the night. As people cozy up in their warm beds, you continue shivering, running, and getting yelled at. Monday morning comes. The drills repeat from sun up to sun down with non-stop exercise. It's torture. Then, through the night, you do it again. Then — Tuesday morning rolls around. You've now gone more than two full nights without a wink of sleep. You've endured intense stress, cold water, and relentless exertion. By Tuesday morning, you are unimaginably tired. You've never experienced anything close to it. That's when you start to feel sorry for yourself. 'Oh wow. It is only Tuesday morning. How am I going to get through all of this?' 'If I'm this tired now and I'm not even halfway through… how will I make it through this…' This is decision fatigue in action. The men who think like this are the ones that quit. The men who succeed — only look a few minutes in front of them. They don't worry about Thursday or Friday. They stay focused on each individual exercise. They do one thing at a time. The men who pass don't have unlimited willpower. They know to manage themselves and their mindset. You can apply this to many aspects of your life. If you are studying for a huge test, take it one page at a time. If you are working on a huge presentation, go one slide at a time. Break up a challenge into tiny bits you can work with. Try to imagine a fog blocking your view of the entire mountain. A final thought Gurus would have you believe willpower is a nuclear weapon against laziness. Willpower is a muscle. It can be strengthened. But it can also be overused, strained, and injured. Thinking you can muscle past every distraction and temptation is how goals die. Don't fight temptation. Avoid it. Make your efforts as easy as possible. Lower your field of vision. Be selectively blind to things that hold you back. If your fridge is full of junk food, you are already losing the battle. And remember that no matter how beaten down you get, you always hold the ace card: free will. And with it, the ability to say no. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Great Misconception About Willpower
It's not just a 'depleting resource'. Porcelain-skinned women donning new neon wedgie yoga pants with matching mesh halter tops. V-shaped formations of bro dudes in sweat-stained tank tops and basketball shorts enjoying the spectacle. They were a match made in hell. The first Monday after New Year's Eve was always the same. Hyde Park's LA Fitness was an unmitigated meat market. Those who worked out looked cherry-faced and miserable. Those who didn't looked bored. Most of them were gone after two months. Gym resolutions are the crowned prom queen of failed willpower. They live on as a reminder of shame to these participants for the remaining 10 months of the year. The unfortunate fact is that these people were never bad or inadequate. They just bought in to a great misconception about willpower. The experiment of focus explains it Each day, 205 people went about their lives, walking through Germany, going to work, going on dates, doing the routine things of everyday life. Every few hours, their phone beeped. An app asked about their difficulties with self-control (since their last check-in). They were part of a study at The University of Chicago that produced a paradoxical result: the people who reported being best at overcoming temptation also experienced the least amount of temptation. Put another way, a signal of good discipline was not having to use it at all. A separate study had a parallel conclusion: people who exerted more self-control felt more exhausted and achieved fewer goals. This runs in sharp contrast to society's obsession with willpower, and glorification of figures who exude it in spades. Hustle culture would have you believe that willpower is a vessel to unlimited motivation and success. Understand your genetic influences In lab rats, they identified and activated the gene that causes hunger: When they activate the hunger gene in a group of rats — by diminishing the appetite suppressant, leptin — the rats rapidly gained weight and doubled in size. They experienced what a bear preparing for hibernation feels: insatiable hunger that returns just moments after eating a huge meal. Were you the hunger-enhanced rat, it is highly unlikely willpower would stop you from inflating like a water balloon. Each time we face temptation, we create cognitive dissonance: a pleasure-seeking voice that wants one thing, and a wiser voice that demands restraint. The tension between those two drains us. Each time we painfully say no, it gets harder to say no again. Willpower is depleting resource. Metacognitive tactics you can use The children who succeeded in the achievement-predicting Marshmallow Test — get one marshmallow now or wait 10 minutes and get two—used what is referred to as compensatory mechanisms. Some looked away from the marshmallow. Some sang and played with their hands, or looked down. These kids were deploying early signs of metacognition, a secret superpower of high achievers. Metacognition is the awareness of the conditions under which you typically succeed. As an obvious example, men who are good at staying faithful to their partner, don't typically frequent single bars until wee hours or get loaded at the strip club every weekend. They don't cuddle with a coworker to a Coldplay concert. They intuitively know that willpower and love don't render them invulnerable to temptation. They put themselves in a position to achieve their desired outcome. For example, years ago, I struggled to manage my weight. I can vividly remember sitting on my couch, thinking about eating candy. I heard the Twix bar singing to me from my kitchen. I felt haunted. I couldn't make it go away. I lost over and over again. My weight loss goal crumbled under the pressure. If I'd only known the trick wasn't to win the war over what to eat, it was to avoid going to war in the first place. I should have spent less time on that couch, and put fewer unhealthy foods in my fridge. A self-control test You are going to see a series of words in a moment. They were part of an experiment to test self-control and its fatiguing effects on the brain. As you look at them, read the name of the color you see, not the color that the words spell. Make sure you move quickly from left to right. After doing this in repeated trials, participants showed weaker willpower in subsequent tests and reported being exhausted. I did this several times in a row and can confirm it gets quite tiresome quickly. Why? Because this conflict between the spelling and the actual color mirrors decision fatigue — the tension you face while looking at the restaurant menu, knowing what you should order and what you want to order. Allowing this conflict to revisit you is how willpower crumbles and goals fail. It's why my crowded gym is nearly empty just two months after New Year's Eve. Make it your goal to reduce this conflict as much as possible. I will sometimes just order food I know most restaurants have, like a chicken caesar salad. Or, I'll ask the waitress about their healthy options, and skip opening the menu altogether. The ultimate discipline trick My dad was a Navy SEAL for 37 years. I had this super interesting conversation with him a few years ago. We were talking about Hell Week. For those who don't know — Hell Week is ridiculous. You wake up on a Sunday to the sound of machine guns firing. Then, you exercise until Friday with no sleep. Hell Week is the bottleneck where the top 20% of soldiers are reduced down to the top 3%. Many great men tap out and quit. Dad said the most peculiar thing, 'Tuesday morning was the absolute worst.' Strange, right? Tuesday? Wouldn't Thursday be worse? Or Friday morning? When he explained it, it made total sense. You wake up on a Sunday morning at ~2 AM to gunfire. You run miles while getting yelled at. You do push ups, jump in the cold ocean (repeatedly), carry logs, roll in the sand. This continues all day, then into the night. As people cozy up in their warm beds, you continue shivering, running, and getting yelled at. Monday morning comes. The drills repeat from sun up to sun down with non-stop exercise. It's torture. Then, through the night, you do it again. Then — Tuesday morning rolls around. You've now gone more than two full nights without a wink of sleep. You've endured intense stress, cold water, and relentless exertion. By Tuesday morning, you are unimaginably tired. You've never experienced anything close to it. That's when you start to feel sorry for yourself. 'Oh wow. It is only Tuesday morning. How am I going to get through all of this?' 'If I'm this tired now and I'm not even halfway through… how will I make it through this…' This is decision fatigue in action. The men who think like this are the ones that quit. The men who succeed — only look a few minutes in front of them. They don't worry about Thursday or Friday. They stay focused on each individual exercise. They do one thing at a time. The men who pass don't have unlimited willpower. They know to manage themselves and their mindset. You can apply this to many aspects of your life. If you are studying for a huge test, take it one page at a time. If you are working on a huge presentation, go one slide at a time. Break up a challenge into tiny bits you can work with. Try to imagine a fog blocking your view of the entire mountain. A final thought Gurus would have you believe willpower is a nuclear weapon against laziness. Willpower is a muscle. It can be strengthened. But it can also be overused, strained, and injured. Thinking you can muscle past every distraction and temptation is how goals die. Don't fight temptation. Avoid it. Make your efforts as easy as possible. Lower your field of vision. Be selectively blind to things that hold you back. If your fridge is full of junk food, you are already losing the battle. And remember that no matter how beaten down you get, you always hold the ace card: free will. And with it, the ability to say no. Solve the daily Crossword
Globe and Mail
15-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
American Consumer Assessment Inc. Announces 2025 American Consumer Awards 'Sports & Leisure' Winners in New York
The results of the 2025 American Consumer Awards in the 'Sports & Leisure' category, organized by the American Consumer Right Association (ACRA) and managed by the American Consumer Assessment (ACA), have been announced for the New York region. These awards aim to uphold consumers' fundamental rights by sharing results based on consumer evaluations, providing objective and valuable information, and promoting the qualitative enhancement of consumers' lives. Evaluations for the 2025 American Consumer Awards 'Sports & Leisure' category were conducted from March to June, we conducted an evaluation through review platforms. The evaluation criteria included staff friendliness, facility satisfaction, pricing satisfaction, accessibility, and service satisfaction. Several outstanding businesses were recognized for their excellence in this category. Gym : LA Fitness (1776 Eastchester Rd) LA Fitness (1565 Forest Ave) Planet Fitness (16840 Jamaica Ave) Adventure sports center : Bury the Hatchet Axe Throwing Brooklyn Rock climbing gym : Movement LIC Yoga studio : Hot Yoga Chelsea / Flatiron NYC Skydiving center : iFLY Indoor Skydiving - Westchester Sports complex : Sky Zone Trampoline Park (161 N Jensen Rd) Bowling alley : Rab's Country Lanes Go-kart track : K1 Speed - Indoor Go Karts. Corporate Event Venue. Team Building Activities (2272 Palisades Center Dr. West Nyack) A spokesperson for the American Consumer Assessment inc. stated, "The 2025 American Consumer Awards are grounded in evaluations from real consumers, and we hope these results will provide trustworthy information for consumers and contribute to the growth of the Sports & Leisure industry. We also believe that these assessments will encourage businesses to prioritize customer satisfaction and continue to offer exceptional service." Media Contact Company Name: American Consumer Assessment Inc. Contact Person: Harvey Reed Email: Send Email City: Los Angeles State: CA Country: United States Website:
Boston Globe
10-07-2025
- Boston Globe
Two men arrested after ‘brazen' shooting at R.I. shopping center
A retired State Police lieutenant who witnessed the shooting reported a man dressed in black fired several rounds at another man, who fled inside the store to take cover, officials said. 'A surveillance video shows the suspects waiting near LA Fitness for an extended period before ambushing the victim as he exited the gym,' police said. 'The shooter fired five rounds at close range while the target attempted to flee, ultimately taking shelter inside a nearby business.' Get Rhode Island News Alerts Sign up to get breaking news and interesting stories from Rhode Island in your inbox each weekday. Enter Email Sign Up No injuries were reported, according to police. Advertisement According to authorities, the apparent target of the shooting 'refused to cooperate with investigators.' Police did not publicly identify the man, but said he has a 'lengthy criminal record and known gang affiliations in Massachusetts.' Witnesses provided police details of the suspects' vehicle, described as a 'green/gray Kia with Massachusetts license plates,' which officials later determined was stolen from Swansea, Mass., officials said. The description was shared with other law enforcement in the region and 'within minutes, the Rhode Island State Police located the vehicle on Route 6 and initiated a pursuit, which continued through the Smith Hill neighborhood of Providence,' authorities said. Advertisement The chase ended in the Providence Place Mall parking garage, where both suspects attempted to flee on foot, and were apprehended by Providence police and State Police, officials said. One of the men was found with a .25-caliber handgun, police said. Authorities intend to conduct ballistic testing to confirm whether the firearm 'matches the shell casings recovered at the scene,' police said. According to officials, both Pizarro and Ross have 'extensive criminal histories involving violent and narcotics-related offenses.' As of late Wednesday night, both were being held at State Police headquarters and were scheduled to be arraigned Thursday morning in Providence County District Court, police said. 'This brazen act of targeted violence at one of our city's busiest and most vibrant shopping destinations is unprecedented in my tenure as chief,' Cranston Police Chief Michael Winquist, who Pizarro was charged by Cranston police with six charges, including assault with intent to commit a specified felony, felony assault with a dangerous weapon, and discharge of a firearm while committing a crime of violence. Ross was charged by Cranston police with intent to commit a specified felony, felony assault with a dangerous weapon, and two counts of felony conspiracy. Both men also face State Police charges. Christopher Gavin can be reached at
Time Business News
19-06-2025
- Time Business News
Top 5 Unexpected Spots to Freshen Up on the Road: Tips for Today's Digital Nomad
Life as a digital nomad is thrilling, flexible, and packed with adventure. But let's be honest—sometimes it's hard to stay fresh between long flights, bus rides, and spontaneous detours. You don't always have the luxury of a hotel room, and let's face it, public restrooms aren't exactly spa-like. That's why knowing where to stop and refresh can be a game-changer. Here are five unexpected but totally effective places where modern travelers and remote workers can clean up, relax, and recharge without breaking the bank. 1. Private Home Bathrooms via Sharing Apps This might sound surprising, but you can now rent a bathroom by the hour through apps like Shower Share. Think Airbnb, but just for showers. Whether you need a quick refresh before a meeting or a proper shower after a red-eye flight, you can book clean, private spaces near you with a few taps. Shower rental near me has become a popular search term among travelers who prefer more privacy than gyms or gas stations can offer. It's affordable, safe, and often located exactly where you need it—urban hubs, near transit centers, and even suburban neighborhoods. 2. Airport Lounges (Without First Class Tickets) You don't need to be flying business class to access airport lounges anymore. Many offer day passes or memberships that grant you access to showers, lounges, snacks, and Wi-Fi. For example, Priority Pass has hundreds of lounges worldwide where you can clean up during long layovers. If you travel frequently, this can be a solid investment. But even if you're not a frequent flyer, purchasing a lounge pass for a single trip can make a long day feel luxurious. 3. Gyms and Fitness Clubs (Even as a Visitor) Major gym chains like Anytime Fitness, LA Fitness, or Planet Fitness offer day passes, allowing travelers to access their facilities. These gyms usually have showers, lockers, and sometimes even saunas. It's a great way to fit in a quick workout and take a proper shower afterward. Even better, many gyms are open 24/7 and are found in both large cities and smaller towns. 4. Highway Rest Stops with Full-Service Amenities Not all rest stops are created equal. Some of the larger highway stations across the U.S. offer full-service rest areas, including private showers, changing rooms, and even laundry facilities. These are commonly used by truck drivers but are open to everyone. They're especially helpful on long road trips where hotel stops aren't practical. Just bring a towel and a travel-size toiletry kit, and you're set. 5. Boutique Co-Working Spaces with Facilities As remote work becomes more widespread, co-working spaces are upping their game. Many now include shower rooms and wellness areas for their members. You don't need a monthly pass—just check which ones offer day passes. It's a smart option if you want to be productive for a few hours and clean up before your next journey. Some even have meditation rooms and quiet pods. Bonus Tip: Book a private restroom in NYC or other metro areas Cities like New York can be overwhelming when you're trying to find a clean, quiet space. That's where Shower Share shines. You can browse listings and find private restroom in NYC to take a break from the chaos—perfect for nomads attending events, meetings, or just needing a minute to reset. Flexibility and location are everything when you're on the move. You don't always need a full hotel room, just a clean, safe place to freshen up. That's why the rise of on-demand services like Shower Share is such a win for remote workers. These services are also great for digital nomads who want to rent out your shower when they're not traveling. Hosting gives you extra income, while booking gives you control and convenience. It's a modern solution to an age-old travel problem. As a digital nomad, your schedule is yours—but so are your hygiene and comfort needs. With these five unconventional but reliable options, you can keep moving without compromising how you feel. From gyms and lounges to local bathrooms listed on sharing apps, you now have more ways than ever to stay fresh on the road. So next time you're wondering where to clean up, skip the gas station sink and book yourself a proper refresh. It's never been easier to travel clean. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
