Office Health
The latest news about health in the office workplace
Below is a collection of the latest news about Office Health. Please excuse us if some of the content isn't quite pertinant, we're still working on improving our sources.
Vote in This Week's Poll: How are you spending less on exercise?
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Whenever I hear anything about the economy, my eyeballs fall out of my head. It's an unavoidable topic, so I just gather them up, pop them back in and get back to clipping coupons. When the economy takes a nosedive, what's the first thing to go in your household? I asked one of my clients this question and she said, without hesitation, "The kids. That's absolutely the first thing to go when I run out of money."
I'm pretty sure she was kidding, but I'll check the bedrooms the next time I'm there, just to be sure.
Aside from kicking out family members, a lot of us cut things like eating out, haircuts, shopping and $4.00 coffee drinks. Some people have to take it further and get rid of all extra expenses, including those related to exercise. Some of my friends and clients have cut down on personal training, canceled gym memberships or even sold some of their exercise equipment.
There are ways to exercise on a budget and save money on equipment and, of course you don't need any equipment to get a great workout, but I'm wondering how the economy is affecting your workouts. Are you spending less on exercise? If so, how are you saving money and is it making your workouts better or worse? Or have you stopped exercising completely? Vote in this week's poll and tell us how you're spending less on exercise.
Vote in This Week's Poll: How are you spending less on exercise? originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 07:00:02.
Exercise of the Week - Kettlebell Figure 8
I'm all about finding new ways to work the abs, which is one reason this exercise has become one of my favorites. The figure 8 involves passing the kettlebell from hand to hand behind the legs as you make a figure 8 motion. This move works on activating the stabilizer muscles of the core while also challenging your balance and coordination.
I love this move as a warm up before a dynamic ab workout or just as a way to make my clients stare at me in confusion. It does require concentration and you'll want to start slowly to avoid dropping the weight (which does tend to happen, so do this move on a mat to be safe).
Do it right: Hold a medium kettlebell in the right hand (I used a 10-lb weight here) with feet hip-width apart and lower into a squat. Bring the weight between the legs, grabbing onto the handle with the left hand behind the left leg. Circle the weight around the front of the leg (you can add a swing for intensity, as shown in the picture, or just keep it small), again bringing it between the legs and grabbing onto it with the right hand behind the right leg. Continue moving the weight in a figure 8, exchanging it from hand to hand, for 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps.
Exercise of the Week - Kettlebell Figure 8 originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 07:00:34.
Reader Success Story - How Grandma B Lost 130 Pounds
One of the hardest parts of losing weight is giving yourself permission to put yourself first. That's something a lot of us struggle with, including our successful weight loser of the week, Grandma B. At 55 years old, Grandma B realized she need to make some changes in her life if she wanted to avoid future health problems. She had a hard time doing this before because:
"Somehow I equated taking time for exercise as being selfish. There was always a meal to prepare, or something "more important" to do. It finally dawned on me I may never be around long enough to enjoy the fruits of my labor . . . I want to enjoy my husband, our kids and grandchild. I need to be healthy and active to do that."
That's a powerful statement and something many of us can relate to. Read more about Grandma B's amazing weight loss story and share your own success story.
Reader Success Story - How Grandma B Lost 130 Pounds originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 09:57:54.
New Reviews: Philips Activity Monitor and Polar FT40 Heart Rate Monitor
I love gadgets, particularly gadgets that relate to exercise and working out - I know, I should probably go out and get a life. Until I find one, I'll happily continue reviewing exercise gear and gadgets that are worthy of the discerning exerciser.
This week, I've posted a review of the Philips Activity Monitor. This little gadget, which is about the size of a Wheat Thin, fits in your pocket and monitors your body's movement throughout the day, letting you know (with flashing green indicator lights) how close you are to your activity goals. I love almost everything about the monitor and the website, which gives you cool graphs to track your goals. I did have a few issues with it as well, which you can read about in my review. Don't forget to leave a comment if you've had any experience with the Philips Activity Monitor.
Next up is my review of the Polar FT40 Heart Rate Monitor. I love the look of this watch and I also like the innovative features included - like the EnergyPointer and the Fitness Test. I'm not sure every exerciser would like this particular model, especially those who like to have more control over setting their own heart rate zones, but there are some great features that some exercisers might like.
Do you have a favorite heart rate monitor or other exercise gadget that helps motivate you? Leave a comment and tell us about it.
New Reviews: Philips Activity Monitor and Polar FT40 Heart Rate Monitor originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 07:00:43.
The Truth About the Fat Burning Zone
We've come a long way in the fitness world (yes, I used to wear leg warmers and lift pink dumbbells) but there are still myths out there that persist despite the best efforts of fitness experts everywhere. One of those myths is the one about the fat-burning zone - you know that one, right? It says that working out at a lower intensity will help you burn more fat.
I've written quite a bit about this and was drawn back to the topic when I read an article in the October 2009 issue of the IDEA Fitness Journal. In "The Fat-Burning Zone," Dr. Jason Karp talks about this myth stating that our bodies do rely on fat as fuel when we're working at a lower intensity. As the intensity increases, we use more carbs for fuel.
That sounds a lot like fat-burning but, here's what's important: Just because you use fat doesn't mean you actually burn more fat. In fact, if your goal is to lose fat, higher intensity exercise burns more calories overall. As Dr. Karp puts it, "What matters is the rate of energy expenditure, rather than simply the percentage of energy expenditure derived from fat."
The bottom line? Lower intensity exercise is great for a variety of reasons but, if your goal is to lose fat, incorporating some higher intensity workouts (particularly interval training) will get you closer to your goal.
What do you think about the fat-burning zone? Leave a comment and tell us about it.
More About the Fat-Burning Zone
Source:
Karp, J. "The Fat-Burning Zone." IDEA Fitness Journal, Oct 2009.
The Truth About the Fat Burning Zone originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 07:00:44.
Post Halloween Recovery Plan
So? How'd you do last night? Did you eat too much candy or are you patting yourself on the back for your ability to moderate? I have to admit, I had some candy last night - hey, you have to test it before just giving it out, right? Also, my neighbors came by with some Rice Krispies Treats and caught me in a vulnerable moment.
Yum.
It's nice to enjoy the holiday and, for the most part, I'm a big believer in guilt-free treats. If you want to do some damage control, however, there are ways to add intensity to your planned workout to burn a few extra calories. Below you'll find some ideas for kicking up your workout as well as new workouts you can try, if you're looking for a challenge.
- 5 Ways to Add Intensity to Your Workouts. This article covers ideas for both cardio and strength training. Just trying one of these techniques can help you maximize your workout time and burn extra calories.
- Advanced Cardio Blast Workout. This tough workout for intermediate/advanced exercisers is a great way to blast some calories. The moves are high impact and really get your heart rate up.
- Low Impact Cardio Blast. If you want the challenge without the jumping, try this low impact circuit workout.
- Strength/Cardio Circuit. This routine includes two circuits, each of which alternates a cardio move with a strength move. Depending on your time and fitness level, you can do one circuit or you can do both. The cardio moves include some high impact, so you may need to substitute some exercises.
- Burn More Calories Right Now. If a workout isn't in your immediate future, there are some ways you can burn calories right now without even changing your clothes.
Post Halloween Recovery Plan originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 07:00:42.
Vote in This Week's Poll: What's in your home gym?
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Working out at home isn't for everyone. While it's convenient to be able to workout whenever you want, it also takes a certain amount of self-discipline to workout with so many distractions. At the gym, you don't have much of a choice (unless you're doing what my husband calls the Gentleman's Workout - sitting in a hot tub before showering, shaving and going off to work).
We know that losing weight and maintaining that weight loss involves predictable things like exercise and healthy eating, but having the right home environment helps as well. One study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine found that people who maintain weight loss usually have exercise equipment at home and fewer televisions around.
While this isn't all that surprising, it's interesting to think about how your home environment can contribute to your success. I'm curious about you. Do you workout at home and, if so, does having exercise equipment available all the time make it easier? Do you exercise more? If you're a gym-goer, would you enjoy having exercise equipment at home as well? Vote in this week's poll and tell us about your home exercise equipment and how you use it.
More Resources for Working Out at Home
- Basic Home Gym Equipment
- My Favorite Home Gym Gear
- What's Your Favorite Home Fitness Equipment?
- Getting Fit at Home
- Workouts You Can do at Home
Source:
Phelan S, Liu T, Gorin A, Lowe M, et al.What Distinguishes Weight-Loss Maintainers from the Treatment-Seeking Obese? Analysis of Environmental, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Variables in Diverse Populations. Ann Behav Med. 2009 Oct 22.
Vote in This Week's Poll: What's in your home gym? originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 07:00:03.
'No Excuses' Exercises of the Week - Killer Body Weight Moves
If you're on the road as much as my husband is, you may have a hard time keeping a workout routine going. While there's often no shortage of fitness rooms or running trails, the missing ingredient is usually time. When you have a day that starts at the crack of dawn and doesn't end until after a long client dinner, the chances of getting in a workout aren't very good.
The nice thing about exercise is that you don't need any equipment to do it. When I told my husband this, he informed me that body weight exercises are lame. That was all the motivation I needed to prove him wrong.
Below are some of the moves I had him do for a short, simple, yet challenging workout. The key to making body weight exercises challenging is to play around with the exercises, reps, tempo and positioning. For example, adding a side plank to the pushup engages more core and makes the move more intense. Adding short, slow pulses to the around the world lunges (4 pulses per lunge) had him wincing, and I won't even mention what he said about the squat thrusts (add a pushup in there and a jump at the end and the sweat starts to flow). The plank with a knee bend is a great exercise for the core and adding mountain climbers at the end rounded out a decent series of exercises for staying active on the road.
These are just a few examples...what about you? What are your favorite killer body weight exercises? Leave a comment and tell us about them.
More Body Weight Resources
'No Excuses' Exercises of the Week - Killer Body Weight Moves originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 07:00:05.
Are You an Exercise Perfectionist?
While plenty of people struggle to exercise on a regular basis, there is another group of people (or "freaks" as my husband calls us) who actually struggle to take breaks from exercise. For this type of exerciser, completing every workout with 100% effort is the norm. In fact, working at 100% is something this exerciser comes to expect.
But what happens when he catches a cold, or he doesn't sleep well or he's just tired? He may still push himself to the usual levels of intensity despite the fact that his body (and, perhaps, his mind) just isn't up for it. That can lead to unsatisfying workouts, poor performance and a feeling of failure. Over a period of time, it could lead to other problems such as overtraining, depression and burnout.
If you're an exercise perfectionist, you may find it hard to back off of your workouts or take recovery days. You may expect nothing less than perfection, even when perfection is out of reach. You may constantly worry about failure and ignore even your smallest successes.
Does any of this sound familiar to you? Are you an exercise perfectionist? If you're not sure you can take this quiz to, perhaps get some insight into what makes you tick.
Be sure to leave a comment and tell us about your perfectionist tendencies and how you overcome them.
Are You an Exercise Perfectionist? originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 07:00:46.
What's Causing Your Weight Gain?
I once had a client who, after working with me for about a month, nearly stabbed me with my body fat calipers. The reason? She had actually gained weight rather than losing it, which, as you can imagine, wasn't our primary goal. While I'm sure many of my clients fantasize about stabbing me (a good reason never to give out my home address), gaining weight after starting an exercise program is something many people experience.
The reason for this weight gain is usually related to the calories in/calories out equation - namely, more calories are going in without them realizing it. That's what happened with my client who, after keeping a food journal, realized she was eating more at her meals than before she started exercising. It was a good thing we found that out before she became physically violent.
There are other reasons we may gain weight including:
- Overstimating calories burned - This is easy to do, especially if you're relying on cardio machines, which aren't always accurate. This is particularly problematic when you're relying on those numbers for weight loss. If a machine tells you you just burned 500 calories, but you really only burned 200, it's easy to miscalculate your calorie needs and overeat.
- Eating too much - Like my client, it's easy for new exercisers to overcompensate for their workouts by eating more. Keeping a food journal can help keep you on track.
- Relying on the scale - When you start exercising, you may lose body fat, which isn't always reflected on the scale. You may be making progress without even realizing it.
- Medical conditions or medications - If you're on certain medications or have a condition, such as thyroid problems, it may be more difficult to lose weight.
There are a number of other areas to look into if you're gaining weight and you can find out more in what's causing your weight gain.
In my experience, weight gain is almost always caused by eating too much, but what about you? Did you gain weight after you started exercising? What was the problem and how did you deal with it? Leave a comment and tell us about your experiences.
What's Causing Your Weight Gain? originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 07:00:11.