Thursday, March 16, 2017

The 9-5 Woman - Fit and Fabulous?

Working a 9-5, while maintaining a home and social life, is challenging enough. 

Throw in the expectation of a daily workout and you’re veering towards downright absurd.  Who has time to do all that?

How is a modern, do-it-all woman… a superhero, if we’re perfectly honest here… supposed to maintain her health? 

It’s not like we can add more hours to the day. 

Yet, we all know something has to give. 





According to Mayo Clinic cardiologist, Martha Grogan,  "for people who sit most of the day, their risk of heart attack is about the same as smoking." 


It turns out this detrimental effect is more profound for women than men.  

According to a new research study, spearheaded by Allard Dembe, an Ohio State University professor of health services management and policy,

women who worked an average of 60 hours or more over the three decades of the study had three times the risk of getting diabetes, cancer, heart trouble and arthritis than those who worked 40-hour weeks. 

In fact, those that have dedicated their lives to the corporate lifestyle, are now facing their very own disease.  “Today, our bodies are breaking down from obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, depression, and the cascade of health ills and everyday malaise that come from what scientists have named sitting disease” (James Levine, MD, PhD).


Infographic from JustStand.org

I am happy to report that it is entirely possible to maintain your superhero status.  

Exercise CAN be worked into your day.  

Top 8 ways for busy corporate women to work fitness into their daily lives.


1. Wear a pedometer


This step tracking device is a great accountability tool and will push you to take more steps throughout the day.  10,000 steps is the distance most often recommended, which equates to almost 5 miles for a woman of average height.  In reality, this is the minimum that we should all be walking each day.  Use this a yardstick and strive to increase your number of steps each day.  All movement helps!


2. Move every chance you can


Take the stairs, park farther away, walk to a colleague’s desk rather than sending an email.  It all helps.  Find little ways to incorporate more movement throughout your day.



3.  Set daily goals/ challenges for yourself


Whether it’s to take 10,000 steps, make that water aerobics class after work, or complete 10 squats every time you get up to go the bathroom, setting daily goals will give you something to work towards.  If you do it right, it can even make the whole “moving more” thing kind of fun.  Try to beat your previous goal. Challenge yourself!


4. 10-minute exercise bouts


Recent research has shown that getting 30 minutes of exercise via 3 separate 10 minute bouts can be just as effective as one longer session.   This is helpful for the woman that just can’t fit in that full 30 minute workout session after a long day.  A 10 minute ride on a stationary bike in the morning, 10 minutes walking around the office building at lunch and a quick 10 minute low-impact You Tube video when you get home at the end of the day can make a huge  difference.

5. Experiment, find something you love


Let’s face it: if you hate your workout, you won’t do it.  You will find every excuse under the sun to come home and crawl under the blankets for a well-deserved nap.  It is essential to experiment until you find something that you enjoy.  It is possible to find a workout that you will look forward to.  This will look different for everyone.  The workout that your best friend swears by, just may not do it for you.  Some may love going to barre classes, others may thrive by joining a soccer league, still others may really love the bootcamp atmosphere.  Though that couch and blanket will still be appealing, finding your “fitness home” can greatly improve your overall motivation. 

6. Start an office challenge



Get an accountability buddy and find other co-workers that are interested in moving more.  Start a workplace challenge, it can be as simple as who takes more steps over the course of a week (fitbit has a great app for this), or create a support group in which you each take a moment to check in and see how others are doing that week.  Having a support system and even a little friendly competition can be just the push you need.

7. Try an office workout


Can’t work out after work?  No problem.  It is entirely possible to get a great workout in throughout your workday.

Shut your office door and complete these moves  from the Washington Post at your desk.  They even include a rating for level of difficulty, sweatiness and humiliation factor!  All of the moves can be completed in work clothes and won’t leave you dripping sweat.  They will, however, get you moving and your heart rate pumping. 

Even better?  Complete the moves a couple times throughout the day.

I’ve had several clients enjoy setting daily office workout challenges, i.e. Monday’s challenge might be 100 squats.  Every time they get up from their desk they complete 10 squats.  They mark it off until they reach their goal of 100 (or whatever that day's goal might be).  Tuesdays could be desk pushups, 20 second planks, or reverse lunges.  You get the idea! 

Extra points if you bring in a light pair of dumbbells to keep in the bottom drawer of your desk.  You can do so much for your muscles and overall health if you work some light resistance work into your day.

8. Speak to your HR department about setting up a wellness program at your office


According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Chronic diseases such as depression and hypertension can lead to a decline in the overall health of employees in a workplace, contribute to an increase in health-related expenses for employers and employees, and lead to lower productivity and/or days of work missed. Many businesses have realized the benefits of health promotion, and to curb the costs of rising health care offer workplace health programs to their employees.

Many companies are recognizing the incredible benefits in employee productivity and work satisfaction when they bring a culture of health and wellness into the office.  Approach your HR department, boss or CEO with the idea.  Check out the corporate page at Life True To You for statistics and some selling points to use when talking to the head honcho.

Give a few of these strategies a try to discover what works for you and then go be the fierce superwoman that we all know you are!

Yours in wellness,
Crissy






Monday, February 6, 2017

Everything You Think You Know About Healthy Eating is Wrong

-- And it could be making you fat and tired! 

Oh my goodness!  I see diet and nutrition information every turn I make!

Each expert wants to lead you in their direction because they know best and their advice is going to help you.  Perhaps, it is something they've tried and it worked for them.  Maybe, it's what all the current research says.  

So, if it worked for someone else, it will work for you too.  Right?

Well, maybe…

Each person is unique and that is why an individualized approach to health and fitness is essential. 

Case in point: 

Everyone has heard (and maybe lived through) the intense focus on how much you eat.  While this does affect your weight and energy level, it's certainly not the “holy grail” of health.  Many people will lose weight by simply counting calories; however, many will still find they struggle with this method alone, and, to top it off, they feel sluggish and zapped because of the restricted calories. 


Let's focus a bit more on the often overlooked (and yet proven) benefits of what and how you eat and drink.

What you eat and drink

The “calories in, calories out” philosophy (i.e. how much you eat) is drowning out research on other factors that may be just as important.  Don't get me wrong, limiting calories, carbs or fat can certainly help you lose weight but that's simply not the only factor for long-term weight loss and maximum energy for everyone. 

When the intense focus on how much we consume wasn't working in the long-run for everyone, it wasn’t really a surprise. We kinda knew that already, didn't we?

You can certainly still continue to count your calories, carbs, and fat but don't forget to also pay attention to what you are eating

Ideally, you need a varied diet full of minimally-processed foods (i.e. fewer “packaged” “ready-to-eat” foods).  This simple concept is paramount for weight loss, energy, and overall health and wellness.

Every day you should aim for:
     A colorful array of fruits and veggies.  You need the fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals these foods provide.
     Enough protein.  Making sure you get all of those essential amino acids (bonus: eating protein can increase your metabolism).
     Healthy fats and oils (never “hydrogenated” ones).  There is a reason some fatty acids are called “essential” - you need them as building blocks for your hormones and brain as well as to be able to absorb essential fat-soluble vitamins from your uber-healthy salads.  Use extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil, eat your organic egg yolks, and get grass-fed meats when possible.  You don't need to overdo it here.  Just make sure you're getting some high-quality fats.

How you eat and drink

It's also important to pay attention to how you eat and drink.

Studies show that this could have more of an impact than previously thought.

Are you rushed, not properly chewing your food, and possibly suffering from gastrointestinal issues? Do you drink your food?

When it comes to how you eat let's first look at “mindful eating”.

Mindful eating means taking smaller bites, eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, and savoring every bite.  Notice and appreciate the smell, taste and texture of your food.  Breathe!  Don’t inhale your meal while standing over the kitchen sink, responding to work email on your cellphone.

By eating slowly and mindfully, your digestive system will have time to prepare for digestion and to secrete the necessary enzymes.

This can also help with weight loss because eating slower often means eating less.  Did you know that it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to know that your stomach is full?

If you've scarfed down an entire meal in less than 20 minutes, you're not allowing the brain to kick in and register that full feeling. 

We also know that more thoroughly chewed food is easier to digest and it makes it easier to absorb all of those essential nutrients.  That means your body will more readily absorb the vital nutrition it needs.

And don't forget about drinking your food. 

Yes, smoothies can be healthy and a fabulously easy and tasty way to get in some fruits and veggies (hello leafy greens!) but drinking too much food can contribute to a weight problem and feelings of sluggishness. 

Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of a delicious green smoothie.  They can make an amazingly nutrient-dense meal and is way better than stopping for the dangerously convenient junk food – just consider a large smoothie to be a full meal and not a snack.  And don't gulp it down too fast!

If your smoothies don't fill you up like a full meal does try adding in a spoon of fiber like ground flax or chia seeds.

Today's Lesson:


Consider not only how much you eat but also what and how you eat it.

Until next time!

Be well,
Crissy







Monday, January 16, 2017

What is Metabolism?

The word “metabolism” is thrown around a lot these days.

You know that if yours is too slow you might gain weight.  You also know that your friend that is lucky enough to have “fast” metabolism can eat anything she wants and never seem to put on a pound.
But what exactly does all this mean?

Technically, “metabolism” is the word to describe all of the biochemical reactions in your body.  It's how you take in nutrients and oxygen and use them to fuel everything you do.

Your body has an incredible ability to grow, heal, and generally stay alive.  And without this amazing biochemistry you would not be possible.



Metabolism includes how the cells in your body:
     Allow activities you can control (e.g. physical activity etc.).
     Allow activities you can't control (e.g. heart beat, wound healing, processing of nutrients & toxins, etc.).
     Allow storage of excess energy for later.

So when you put all of these processes together and combine it with your own unique biochemistry and hormonal makeup, you can imagine that these processes can work too quickly, too slowly, or just right.

Which brings us to the “metabolic rate”. 

Metabolic rate

This is how fast your metabolism works and is measured in calories (yup, those pesky calories!).

The calories you eat can go to one of three places:
     Work (i.e. exercise and other activity).
     Heat (i.e. from all those biochemical reactions).
     Storage (i.e. extra leftover “unburned” calories stored as fat).

As you can imagine the more calories you burn as work or creating heat the easier it is to lose weight and keep it off because there will be fewer “leftover” calories to store for later.



There are a couple of different ways to measure metabolic rate.  One is the “resting metabolic rate” (RMR) which is how much energy your body uses when you're not physically active.

The other is the “total daily energy expenditure” (TDEE) which measures both the resting metabolic rate as well as the energy used for “work” (e.g. exercise) throughout a 24-hour period.

What affects your metabolic rate?

In a nutshell: a lot!

The first thing you may think of is your thyroid.  This gland at the front of your throat releases hormones to tell your body to “speed up” your metabolism.  Of course, the more thyroid hormone there is the faster things will work and the more calories you'll burn.

But that's not the only thing that affects your metabolic rate.

How big you are counts too! 

Larger people have higher metabolic rates; but your body composition is crucial! 

As you can imagine muscles that actively move and do work need more energy than fat does.  So the more lean muscle mass you have the more energy your body will burn and the higher your metabolic rate will be.  Even when you're not working out.

This is exactly why weight training is often recommended as a part of a weight loss program.  Because you want muscles to be burning those calories for you. 

The thing is, when people lose weight their metabolic rate often slows down as they lose valuable muscle mass, which you don't want to happen. 

Aerobic exercise also temporarily increases your metabolic rate.  Your muscles are burning fuel to move so they're doing “work”. 

The type of food you eat also impacts your metabolic rate!

Your body actually burns calories to absorb, digest, and metabolize your food.  This is called the “thermic effect of food” (TEF).

You can use it to your advantage when you understand how your body metabolizes foods differently. 

Fats, for example increase your TEF by 0-3%; carbs increase it by 5-10%, and protein increases it by 15-30%.  By trading some of your fat or carbs for lean protein you can slightly increase your metabolic rate.

Another bonus of protein is that your muscles need it to grow.  By working them out and feeding them what they need they will help you to lose weight and keep it off.


And don't forget the mind-body connection.  There is an abundance of research that demonstrates connections between high stress and lack of sleep to a lower metabolic rate.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to metabolism and how so many different things can work to increase (or decrease) your metabolic rate.


Additional Sources of Interest on Metabolism: