Posts Tagged ‘coperate wellness’:


The Benefits of Yoga

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Fitness on December 8th, 2011
Your practice of yoga is a journey of self-discovery. Yoga is a holistic approach to good health and well being. Your yoga session will include relaxation, breathing, posture alignment, strength conditioning, and flexibility. The results can include better sleep, less stress, more energy and stamina. Yoga empowers you to seek your true inner self, and wipe away the needless thoughts and anxiety that cloud your mind and constrict your spirit.
Each yoga experience is the same, yet different. It has been compared to entering the same river and the same spot along the bank. However, as the water flow is constant, the place you enter is always changing. You are where you need to be right now to enter the flow of the river! Yoga reminds us that we are not alone in the universe. We are part of a universal cosmic energy that, once tapped into, can greatly enhance our outlook on life and our ability to fully experience all of life’s wonders.
So ask yourself, what do you desire from yoga? What amount of free time do you have to practice yoga? How does your body feel to you? Armed with these answers and still having

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many questions, try a yoga class and experience the stillness and joy of yoga. Gradually you can pick a style of yoga that suits you best and draw on the concepts of yoga that appeal to you. Keep an open, playful mind and feel the new vitality you’ll have in your everyday life. People who practice yoga eventually believe they are doing yoga 7 days a week, 24 hours a day as they are in the “yoga mind and spirit” continually.

For example, you can bring awareness and calmness into a stressful situation at home or work. Remember “yoga” in Sanskrit means “union” so yoga unites mind and body. Living yoga daily means applying the knowledge of yoga to everyday life situations and staying aware and present each moment. When you are able to practice the yoga postures in a state of awareness of breath and relaxation then yoga will be part of you. The posture and the meditation are finally joined.
Article by Bob McDowell, Certified Personal Trainer.
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Body Mass Index (BMI) and the Metabolic Syndrome

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Health on December 7th, 2011
For those of us who love statistics, this article will list some numbers and calculations related to BMI. 
 
BMI is calculated by dividing your weight by your height in inches.  For example a 160 lb person with a height of 70 inches has a BMI of 23.  A 180 lb person with a height of 61 inches has a BMI of 34.  The standards of the National Institutes of Health in 1998 advised that anyone with a BMI of 25 or above is overweight and anyone with a BMI of 30 or above is obese.  In March 2005 researchers reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association that 56% of the players in the NFL are obese by these standards. 
 
NFL players are a very select group of individuals.  For the vast majority of the population, the standards for overweight and obesity can be used as a helpful guideline to watch for unwanted waistline expansion.  Athletes in training and body builders will weigh more due to their muscle mass.  Also remember the BMI chart doesn’t take bone mass, age or gender into account.  Some health professionals refer to the circumference of your waist as an indicator of future health risks or measure body fat to determine the percentage of lean muscle mass to fat tissue in the body.  These may be better guides as to a person’s exercise and nutritional habits.  For men a waist size 40 inches or greater and for women 35 inches or greater is considered at risk for certain health problems.
 
The reason these statistics are currently in the news is due to the attention being given to the metabolic syndrome.  This fairly new term is being applied to a group of risk factors that may lead to an increased chance of having diabetes, hypertension, and various types of heart disease.  Poor nutrition, lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle leading to obesity, puts one at risk for some of these factors.  Most charts of the metabolic syndrome identify several risks and indicate if one has three or more of them, the chances increase for the syndrome.  The factors are:  Blood pressure 130/85 or higher; HDL less than 40 mg (men) less that 50 mg (women); triglycerides 150 mg or higher: waist circumference 40 inches or higher (men), 35 inches or higher (women); and fasting glucose 110 mg or greater.  Concerning our life style, there are additional risk factors over which we have no control such as age, gender, and family history of heart disease.  We do have control over smoking, stress level, nutrition, exercise, rest and alcohol abuse. 
 
At a recent conference on health and wellness, Dr. Neil Gordon, Clinical Professor of Medicine at Emory University mentioned that there is a way to treat the metabolic syndrome.  The answer is TLC – Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes, which include weight management, exercise, dietary modification, and smoking cessation.  TLC fights all the risk factors mentioned above.  Another point mentioned by Dr. Gordon is that it is better to be slightly overweight and exercise than to be thin and inactive.  Being thin does not mean you are healthy.  An overweight person without a very large waist circumference, who exercises regularly, can be very healthy.  Physical activity effectively targets waistline fat.  Dr. Paul Ribisl, Chair in the Department of Health and Exercise Science, Wake Forest University, has written extensively on the value of using the waist circumference measurement as predictive of health outcomes for an individual.  He believes this is a better measurement than the hip waist ratio or BMI alone.
 
You may have seen recent newspaper articles indicating that being slightly overweight was not necessarily a high risk factor for poor health or chronic disease.  These articles were referring to what I mentioned above.   The bottom line seems to be that just being thin does not indicate good health and being overweight alone does not indicate poor health.  The two main ingredients that need to be added are physical activity and proper nutrition.  If you would like further information on BMI or the Metabolic Syndrome, check with your doctor.  Some statistics can be good for us to know. They are BMI, waist size, body fat, and scale weight.  Armed with these numbers one can easily check progress monthly to determine a level of success toward a healthy lifestyle.
 
Article by Bob McDowell, Certified Personal Trainer.
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Smoke Free

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Health on December 6th, 2011
If you want to stop smoking, here are a few ideas that may help in the process. List your reasons for smoking and note the time and place where smoking most often occurs. Determine what you will do instead during those times. Remind yourself of all the health benefits of not smoking and how thankful your heart and lungs will be for allowing them to breathe clean air.
Tell your family, friends and co-workers of your plan and write down the date you will begin to live smoke free. As the date approaches, clean the house, send your clothes to the cleaners to rid them of the smell of cigarette smoke and throw out all the cigarettes and matches. Go for a walk each day and take some deep breaths congratulating yourself on a new healthy plan for the

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rest of your life. Consider giving yourself a treat with the money you’ll save not having to buy cigarettes. Keep very busy during the first few weeks of not smoking and have someone you can reach out to when you need to talk.

Change old habits by instituting new ones to replace them. For example, if you smoke while watching television, then have a pretzel nearby to hold or chew as you enjoy the show. Try brushing your teeth often with a peppermint flavor to give a different taste to the mouth. If you are using the nicotine patch or gum or any medication, consult with your doctor for the best advice and treatment available. Savor the food you eat and recognize new flavors you may have missed while smoking.
Two great resources are the National Cancer Institute’s Smoking Quitline: 1-877-44U-QUIT (1-877-448-7848) and the website at http://smokefree.gov. The toll-free number provides helpful messages 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Here you can learn about nicotine craving and solutions, the benefits of not smoking and numerous other related topics. During working hours, you can speak with a counselor as well. Congratulations to you on embarking on such a health-worthy venture.
Article by Bob McDowell, Certified Personal Trainer.
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Should I Walk Or Jog?

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Fitness on December 5th, 2011
You may have heard that walking at a moderate intensity will burn as many calories as jogging. That is true, but it will take longer. For example, walking for 40 minutes is roughly the same as jogging for 20 minutes as far as the amount of calories used during the exercise session. Walking is gentler on the joints and can be done by most people anywhere or anytime. Consider safety concerns when walking alone, at night, along busy roads or in extreme temperatures.
The most important item for walking is your shoes. Get a good pair that fit well and keep then for walking only. Shop for shoes later in the day when your feet are at the fullest extent and wear the socks you intend to use. In warm weather wear light colored clothes that wisk away sweat, not hold it as cotton does. The outside layer can be a light wind breaker. Use a hat and sunscreen as necessary. In cooler weather add gloves, a scarf, and layer a shirt or sweater under the windbreaker. Consider carrying water in a bottle that straps onto your belt or over your shoulder in a carrying case. You may like to use a pedometer to measure your distance, a heart rate monitor to record your heart rate, and a small flashlight for evening walks.
If you walk with a friend, you can practice the “talk test” to determine the intensity of your effort. If you can carry on a full conversation with few pauses for breaths, you are probably walking at a very light intensity. If when you talk you are gasping for air, you are at

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a high intensity level. Pick a moderate level in which a small conversation can be accomplished with slight breathing effort. Walk about 30 – 45 minutes on level ground to begin. Later add a few hills and work up to 45 – 60 minutes. If all you have one day is 15 minutes then enjoy a shorter, quicker paced walk in that time. Have fun by changing the walking route or trying a different walking buddy. Dog walking is good if the dog is actually walking and not stopping every few seconds. If you feel light headed, develop chest pains, or become short of breath, stop walking, rest, alert your buddy and consider your options. If you carry a cell phone, use it if necessary. Tell someone where you are walking and your expected return time.

Some normal soreness may develop if you are new to walking. Stretch tired muscles at the end of your walk as you cool down. When you begin to walk start slowly and use this time to warm up your leg muscles and get into good form and posture. Most people use the heel-toe walking technique where your heel strikes first followed by the rest of the foot and finally pushing off the ground using the big toe. Have a comfortable stride which allows you to lean forward slightly, head erect, arms pumping at your sides and feet moving straight forward. If you want to add jogging to your walk, then every 10 minutes jog for 1 minute and return to walking. See if you like that variation.
Sources:
Walking Medicine, Gary Yanker and Kathy Burton.
Walk Shaping, Gary Yanker.
Article by Bob McDowell, Certified Personal Trainer.
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Weight Loss With A Passion

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Nutrition on December 2nd, 2011
Did you ever notice that when you are involved in a project you love, time passes by rapidly, meals are forgotten, and your focus is totally directed to the work at hand?  Could you try to have such a passion in your life, that whenever you are engaged in this passion all else is pushed to the background?  Let’s use the examples of walking and painting.  There is a certain ritual you follow to prepare for walking such as putting on your sneakers, placing a CD in the walkman, and stretching.  Before you paint, the brushes are cleaned and the lighting is set.  The smell of the paint triggers your brain that it is time to begin.  The feel of the pavement under your feet motivates you to walk.  Whatever the triggers are that you use they form a habit so when you put on the sneakers, you’re body and mind are ready to exercise.  It is your passion and all else is forgotten. 
 
This process can be used for proper nutrition and weight management.  This is how it works.  Let’s associate our actions with our feelings.  For example, associate opening the refrigerator with having a piece of cool, refreshing fruit.  Think energy time when the kitchen clock strikes 12 noon.  Make it a habit to walk at 3 pm or do sit-ups when a commercial is running on the television screen.  If you do this 10 times, it may be habit forming!  When the clock is at 12 noon, you will think of doing something physical which gives you energy.  Whatever you choose, do it with a passion losing all other thoughts and distractions and totally focusing on the activity.  Once you know the triggers which start the activity, you can use them anytime.  For example if you are hungry, then opening the refrigerator will cause you to reach for a piece of fruit, not a bowl of ice cream.  If you are tired at 3 pm, you will go for a walk, because you have made that your habit.  You will feel energized! 
 
Think of something you love to do and how it makes you feel.  Take those feelings and use them in your new healthy life style to trigger a response to exercise and eat the proper foods.  I remember a radio program I listened to every day at 12 noon, and when the program’s music began, I thought about a tuna fish sandwich.  Every time I heard that show I visualized having tuna for lunch.  Today, 10 years later, I still think of tuna when the music plays.  Create healthy associations in your life and let the music play.  Make healthy nutrition your passion and watch the pounds drift away with your music. 
 
Article by Bob McDowell, Certified Personal Trainer.
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Home Exercise

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Fitness on November 28th, 2011
           
There are many ways to get your 30 – 60 minutes of daily exercise around the home without having to travel to a gym or health club.  Weather permitting, you can walk for your aerobic segment.  Try to include some hills on your route and consider using a pedometer to record your distance, and a heart rate monitor for your intensity level and target heart rate (THR).  Remember, you are trying to work out for at least 20 minutes in your THR which is found by subtracting your age from 220 and multiplying the answer by 65% for the lower end and 80% for the upper end.  For example, a 50-year old would subtract: 220 – 50 = 170, and multiply: 170 x .65 and 170 x .80, for a THR of 110 – 136 beats per minute.  Other aerobic exercise could include climbing the stairs in the house, dancing to fast music, performing an aerobic routine by following a video, or jumping rope.  Check with your doctor prior to doing aerobic exercise and ask for her recommendations. 
 
Strength or resistance training can be done at home by traditional exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, squats, stretch and reach, and lunges.  If you have a pair of 5 or 8 pound dumbbells, use them for arm curls, chest press, shoulder press and 1-arm rows.  If you don’t have dumbbells, use soup or bean cans or plastic detergent containers.  There are numerous books in the library and many magazines in the supermarket that show pictures of the proper form for all these exercises.  You may want to buy an exercise band for stretching and strengthening moves.  They are sold at many department stores. Some have handles and some are simply the band itself.  The band can be placed around a stable object such as a pole in the basement and you can pull the ends towards you in a rowing motion.
 
For better flexibility and decreased risk of injury, perform some stretches for the legs and back.  They can be done by lying on your back and bringing your knees to your chest.  Also, you can raise 1 leg at a time straight to the ceiling and stretch the back of the leg.  Almost all the books on yoga include a section on stretching.  Often the package in which an exercise band is wrapped includes instructions and sample exercises.  A broom or mop handle can be held at the ends with both hands and used for stretching.  Calf stretches can be done on the stairs by placing the front half of the foot on the first step and raising and lowering the heel in the air. 
               
Use your imagination to think of other exercises and stretches.  Make it fun but most of all, be safety conscious.  Have proper balance and body alignment and wear loose clothing and no jewelry.  Protect your joints such as the knee by keeping the knee over the ankle when lunging or squatting.  See what you have in your house or apartment that could be used for exercise.  Do you have a sturdy table, counter top, or a chair without wheels?  If so, you can gently lean on them to perform a push-up or an upper back stretch.  You may want to use and exercise ball or a medicine ball for resistance and lifting.
 
Find something that you can do regularly and make it a positive, healthy habit.  Could you try a few sit-ups while watching television?  Involve the family or a friend in your program and keep a record of your accomplishments.  Set short and long range goals and reward yourself on a job well done.  You deserve the benefits a strong body and a healthy lifestyle provides!
 
Article by Bob McDowell, Certified Personal Trainer.
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Weight Management

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Nutrition on November 22nd, 2011
Be honest with yourself.  Only you know yourself!  This is a wonderful thing because it means that you hold the key to your own weight management.  Find your key and you will be free to live the life you want to live!
           
Give yourself the gift of freedom to live the life that you have dreamed about.  Can you imagine waking each morning feeling good about yourself and possessing the freedom to do the things you really want to do?  You will no longer be a prisoner to your weight, pain, fitness limitations or fashion requirements.  Close your eyes and imagine life without weight issues.  You deserve this life.  What are the triggers that make you turn towards food?  Is it stress, boredom, or family issues?  Why do you make unhealthy choices?  Do you eat and watch TV?  What time of day do you eat the majority of your food?  Note your answers to these questions and consider keeping a daily food log.  Check with your doctor concerning a particular diet, food choices and portion sizes for you.  Drink water, get proper rest, exercise and try to eliminate some stress from your life.  Consider having a buddy with you as you start a healthier life style.
 
Where to begin?  A pound is 3,500 calories and to lose a pound you must eliminate 500 calories per day for 7 days.  Exercise and diet together are the best way for healthy weight loss.  It is not healthy to eat less than 1,200 calories a day.  It is better to reduce calories by 250 by adding a brisk walk of 30 – 40 minutes to your day.  Exercise can elevate your mood by changing your body’s chemistry.  Loss of weight can help reduce your risk of certain diseases as well.  You can make a conscious decision to live an active lifestyle and increase your chances for a happy and healthy life.  An active lifestyle enhances your mood, increases your metabolism, improves digestion, increases bone density and may lower your resting blood pressure.  Make small goals and strive to reach them.  When you do, reward yourself.  Some goals may be walking every day, taking the stairs at work, standing while talking on the telephone or doing sit-ups during the TV commercials.
 
Choose an exercise you enjoy and wear proper clothes and shoes.  Be careful and safe and start slowly.  If you feel pain or discomfort, check with your doctor before continuing.  It is ok to take a day off.  Eat a nutritious breakfast and drink water.  Try having smaller more frequent meals during the day rather than one very large dinner.  Cut down on saturated fat and sweets and eat several portions of fruits and vegetables daily.  Check with your doctor or a nutritionist for a specific diet plan for you.
 
Visualize your overall goal and set a course for a new healthy life style.  You deserve the very best.  Now let’s begin!
 
Article by Bob McDowell, Certified Personal Trainer.
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Doctors and Health

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Health on November 21st, 2011
On one of my own annual trips to the Doctor’s office, I asked his advice on what I could do to maintain good health.  He made the following points: 
 
·         First, don’t smoke.
·         Second, wear a seatbelt while in a vehicle. 
·         Third, eat moderately from all food groups.
·         Fourth, exercise daily. 
·         Fifth, do something that pleases you. 
 
Let’s expand on the fifth and final point, as the first four have been reported upon extensively.  Do something such as play a sport, eat a special meal or take a ski weekend trip.  Read a classic book, hug your children, say a prayer for a deceased parent, or smell a beautiful flower.  Do something that pleases you. 
 
The idea is that I have the power to make myself happy and I ought to do that at least once or twice a day.  You may call it stress reduction, self fulfillment or taking charge of your own life.  The label isn’t important.  What matters is that you deserve some peace and enjoyment in life. 
 
Many of us were raised in families that were economically poor, but found great enjoyment in each other and in the simple pleasures of life.  These pleasures may have been conversations, card playing, gardening, collecting stamps or baseball cards, visiting a zoo, watching the sunset, or making potato pancakes.  I think what the doctor meant by the fifth point was living in the present and finding time for enjoyment now.  Good health encompasses many different facets. One of them is a restful night’s sleep dreaming about a simple pleasure that made you smile that day. 
 
Article by Bob McDowell, Certified Personal Trainer.
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Do Drink The Water

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Nutrition on November 18th, 2011
You have heard the expression “don’t drink the water”, usually referring to tap water in a foreign country.  Well, fortunately in the U.S. water is a safe commodity to use, so drink up.  Experts suggest drinking at least (8) eight ounce glasses of water per day.  If you exercise and perspire, you may need more.  Several training books recommend drinking water before, during and after an exercise session. 
 
One gauge of how well your body is hydrated is the color of urine.  You want the color to be clear, not yellow.  Another gauge is thirst.  It is recommended that you drink water before you feel a thirst sensation in your mouth.  As our bodies and especially our muscles are mostly water, it is important to stay well hydrated. 
 
Of course there are other fluids besides water, but water is the best one for our bodies.  You can drink juice, low fat milk, tea, and flavored beverages, but check the amount of sugar in each.  Try sipping water from the water cooler each time you pass it at work, and carry a water bottle with you in the car or keep one at your desk.  When walking, have one with you as well for constant refreshment.  Drink a glass of water in the morning, and have one before dinner and one prior to bed time.  Remember alcohol, diet drinks, and caffeine act as diuretics which can dehydrate you.  Those drinks don’t count as part of your 8 glasses of water.
 
Water is important for digestion and metabolism of food and for carrying nutrients and oxygen to the cells.  It also helps regulate body temperature.  On a normal day your body can lose 10 – 12 cups of water and your food will only provide 2 – 4 cups leaving you a deficit of about 8 cups that you need to consume.  For weight loss water is essential as it can suppress appetite when taken before a meal and is essential for fat metabolism and proper liver and kidney functions.  Insufficient hydration will cause your body to retain water which can lead to swelling in the legs.  As you can determine it is essential to drink adequate amounts of water. (Water helps the body function efficiently.  Drink up.)
           
Sources:
Strength Training Past 50, Wayne Wescott and Thomas Baechle
Physical Fitness, Robert Hockey.
 
Article by Bob McDowell, Certified Personal Trainer.
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The Great American Smokeout – November 17, 2011

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Health on November 17th, 2011

WellAdvantage 

Wellness Tip

Tips to Help with Smoking Cessation
One reason people smoke is that the nicotine helps them relax.  Once you quit, you’ll need another way to cope with stress.  Try getting regular massages, listening to relaxing music or learning yoga or tai chi.  If possible, avoid stressful situations during the first few weeks after you stop smoking.In addition to the tremendous health benefits, one of the perks of giving up cigarettes is all the money you will save.  Reward yourself by spending part of it on something fun.
The Great American Smokeout
November 17, 2011
 
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