General Health Articles

Fitness for All: Lose Weight a Work

You are there at least 8 hours a day (if not more) so why not try and do everything you can to change your diet and fitness routine while you are there? Here are some simple ways to lose weight at work.

• Don’t miss breakfast.  We have heard it all before, but in order to lose weight make sure you are packing a powerful protein for that first meal of the day.
• Pack your lunch.  When you pack your lunch, you are in complete control of portion sizes, if you go out to lunch you are more than likely to overeat and have unnecessary calories.
• Walk on your lunch break – or at least half of it.  Instead of taking your entire lunch hour eating, take a half an hour to eat and a half an hour to get out and exercise.  Try a brisk walk to help you lose weight and burn stress, too.
• Keep a food journal.  That way you are determining how many calories you are taking in during the day.  Many people fail to realize how many calories they are ingesting in a single day until they start writing it down and logging it.
• If possible, leave your car at home.  People who walk or bike to work have a lower risk of being obese.  If you take a bus to work, get off a few stops before your stop and walk the rest of the way.  If you must take a car, park at a parking lot away from your building and get some extra cardio in before your work day even starts.
• Wear a pedometer.  During the day, shoot for 10,000 steps or approximately 5 miles.  Use the stairs instead of the elevator a few days a week or walk to a coworker’s desk instead of sending them an email.
• Walk around during the day.  While your boss may frown on you doing this many times during the day, if you get up a few extra times a day you will burn more calories than staying sedentary for your full eight-hour shift.
• Get a headset and pace in your office when you are on the phone.  Many people who work in an office don’t realize how many hours they spend on the phone… utilize this time by burning some calories while on the phone.

Healthy Living: Ways to De-Stress This Holiday Season

The holidays can be the most joyous AND the most stressful time of the year. Instead of driving yourself crazy and worrying your way through the season, use the following advice to help de-stress this year.

If you exchange gifts with friends, family or co-workers, decide ahead of time a pre-set spending limit that you will spend on each other.  By keeping this amount in mind when you are shopping it will be less stressful to you when you are searching for that perfect gift as you can eliminate certain gifts if necessary.

Don't try to do all the cooking for your get-togethers.  Instead delegate certain dishes to your different family members or guests and let them help take the stress off you when it comes to the meal.  You will not only get a break, but your guests will feel like they contributed to making the holiday special.

Watch your sugar intake over the holiday season.  Taking in too much sugar will not only lead to bloating, but it could also lead to depression.  By watching what sugary treats you eat this season you will also avoid having to lose those extra pounds that you may put on by eating those foods.

 Teach your children the value of gift-giving and the “reason for the season.”  Children do not need an abundance of gifts, instead by getting them a few memorable gifts you will be instilling in them happiness for what they do get.  This will also alleviate the stress of shopping every day for those items that will only be forgotten in a few days

Don't sweat it if things aren't “perfect.”  Believe it or not, your friends and family aren't interested in critiquing your tree, your decorations, your food or your gifts.  Stop stressing about making everything perfect and realize that this holiday is about the joys of spending time together and not the other minor details.

In the News: Cold Weather Skin Tips

The winter months are some of the harshest months on your delicate skin.  But you can follow these tips to help protect your skin from the harshness of winter and your body will thank you for it.

Skin tips for cold weather

Don't forget the sunscreen. Just because the temperature drops don't mean the ultraviolet rays have gone away.  While the UVB rays are weaker, you shouldn't skimp on the sunscreen during the winter months.  Dermatologists suggest using a cream or moisturizer with an SPF of 30-year-round. 

Turn down the thermostat , just a few degrees.  Surprisingly people who spend most of their time outdoors aren't the ones with dry, peeling skin.  It is just the opposite.  Those people who spend their time indoors with indoor heat constantly are those who experience parched skin the most.  If you can, turn down the thermostat a few degrees and use a humidifier to put some moisture in the air.  This combination will help to replace some moisture in your skin and will alleviate parched skin.

Nutrients are key to quench dry skin.  While many people believe that drinking an abundance of water will help quench dry skin, dermatologists suggest that getting the appropriate nutrients is more important than downing water when it comes to healing dry skin.  Getting appropriate levels of omega-3 fatty acids through a diet rich in foods like salmon and halibut can help to combat skin dryness.

The acid in these types of fish lessens inflammation and plays a huge role in strengthening the lipid layer, thereby helping your skin retain its natural oils.

Skip the long, hot baths.  While a good long soak in a hot bath sounds like just what the doctor ordered after a day out in the elements, that hot bath is a big no-no when it comes to protecting your skin in the cold.  Taking a bath that is warmer than your body temperature opens up your pores and releases the moisture that your body desperately needs during the winter.  If you would like a bath over a shower, limit your time in the tub to about five minutes and be sure to use a creamy oil wash to give your skin that moisture back that it may lose.

Fitness for All: Staying Motivated in the Winter Months

When the weather outside is frightful, it's easy to get lazy and to lack the motivation to even get out of bed some days.  So how do you stay motivated when everything is keeping you down?   Try some of these tips:

Winter Motivation Tips

• Set goals and document them. By keeping a list, you will see this daily and you will feel more inclined to want to check things off this list.
• Set clear dates of when you need to complete things by, whether they are long term or short-term goals. By giving yourself a deadline, you will work harder to keep them.
• Reward yourself for meeting your deadlines and reaching your goals.  Whether you allow yourself to buy something nice or a day of pampering at the spa, you will work harder to do things when you know there is a reward at the end.
• Listen to motivational tapes and/or read motivational books to help gain some inspiration to keep going.
• Learn to breathe correctly.  You will feel more relaxed and when you are more relaxed you will also be more apt to stay motivated than when you are stressed.
• Keep a positive attitude.  Even though it is easy to be depressed when the long, cold winter months drag on, try to remain positive and you will notice that motivation comes along with being happy.
• Remind yourself that progress is what is important and not perfection.  This is especially important when you are looking at your long-term goals, as they may seem like the most unreachable.  Remember all of the short-term goals that you have met, and you will be more successful.
• Build a support system of friends and family members that are typically motivated.  By keeping like-minded people close to you, you will become motivated by just being in their presence.

Awareness 101: It's Movember-No Shave November

Wondering why all of the men in your life seem to be sprouting more and more facial hair these days? Then wonder no more : it's Movember! (Also known as No Shave November.)

Movember

The meaning behind Movember is to raise awareness for prostate cancer and testicular cancer and the movement began in Australia more than 13 years ago.  Males participating not only talk about why they are participating but also get other men to start talking about men's health and cancer awareness.  Men participating are also encouraged to donate what they would otherwise spend on grooming/shaving to the American Cancer Society.

Don't worry, ladies, you are encouraged to participate as well, you can forego shaving your legs or cancel the waxing/threading appointment that you have planned for the month.