Business, Health & Fitness

Advice and insight on health and fitness in the workplace.

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Of Course You Realize . . . This Means War

Those were the famous words of a certain long eared, bushy tailed Warner Bros cartoon character aimed at one Elmer Fudd numerous times. In cartoons, a lot of humor can be found in that phrase. But when it comes to battling the obesity epidemic, particularly in today’s workforce and the ever rising associated health care costs, war has been declared and it is no laughing matter.

There Is No Limit to What You Can Do

Ask yourself this question: If I had a million dollars, what would I do? Would you think about how you would spend the money? Would you quit your job? Would you follow your dreams and do the things you always wanted to do but were afraid to take the chance? Bottom line is, you could do a lot with a million dollars. But then ask yourself this question. Why do I ponder about what could be instead of doing what I dream to do? Have you ever thought about what you could do if you really wanted to?

Investing in Yourself

There are few things in life that are a guarantee. Everything else is a result of the choices and decisions we make as we walk through that life. You could say then that the life we choose is largely dependent on what we do as individuals and that the best way to maximize that experience is to constantly invest in ourselves. So when was the last time you invested in yourself? I am not talking about retirement planning or preparing to go on vacation. While both of those things certainly have a level of value to them, they are still dependent on one thing to be able to enjoy them — you.

Greatness is Possible!

In his New York Times Best Selling book, Good to Great, author Jim Collins states, “Greatness is a matter of choice; a discipline.” How each of us defines greatness is as unique as the individual.  But regardless of how you define it, greatness does not happen by chance or by luck. It is a culmination of thoughts, choices, and actions that are in alignment with that idea of greatness.  It is neither unattainable nor impossible. Rather, it is a mindset.

Consider Your Body as a Business

Ever think about what would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? For the thrill seeker, that may mean taking that big step over the edge for the ultimate rush. For the entrepreneurial minded, that may entail taking the risk of starting up and running their own business. But is there really a difference between the two? Wouldn't it be correct to say that to be an entrepreneur one has also got to be a risk taker or perhaps even a thrill seeker?

Take Time to Slow Down

Imagine driving your car at the average pace on the 422 By-pass and then suddenly hitting the brakes. What would happen? If your car is equipped with the latest in safety features, it may quickly come to a stop but not without some tremendous shift in forces affecting the car, the road, and more importantly, you. Now imagine for a moment that that zooming car is you as you go through the speed of the day and then all of the sudden stopping as if hitting the brakes. You'd have one heck of a case of whiplash wouldn't you?

Dare to Dream

At a very young age, we were introduced to the song, “When you wish upon a star” and believed everything we dreamed of and desired could be found by looking towards the stars. Just as we are individuals, our dreams are truly unique based on our needs and wishes. Everyone wants to live or achieve their dreams yet only few are successful at making them a reality. Is it perhaps that our dreams are too lofty, unattainable? Or is just that we daydream too much and wish what could be rather than daring to take action of what can be?

Creating a More Healthful Workstation

Sit up straight. Stand tall. Don’t slouch. Mom always had a way of telling us how to “defy gravity.” As is with most things Mom taught us, it’s not until we’re older that we better understand those subtle commands, let alone appreciate them. If you work in an office setting, I’ll bet if you turn around right now you will find a few dozen offenders of mom’s regulations. Perhaps you won’t even have to go that far and just take a look at yourself.

Vending Machine Jargon

Convenient. Cheap. Fulfilling. These three words can ring harmony in most ears, especially when referring to food. We like to eat quickly and hassle free; we'd rather not spend too much; and we expect to be satisfied with our meal. Think for a moment of how it was hundreds of years ago and eating a meal wasn't as convenient (you most likely had to hunt for it or grow it), it certainly wasn't cheap (it could cost you your life), and the act of eating at all was fulfilling enough.

Politically Correct Fitness?

As long as man has been alive, there has been physical fitness. Centuries ago, physical fitness was a way of life. It was how we lived and more importantly, it was how we survived. Fast forward to today, and physical fitness hasn’t changed. At least it shouldn’t have changed.  It is and should still be a way of life and unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, it is definitely something that will help you survive.

Going Green With Health and Fitness

“Going Green” appears to be one of, if not the mantra of the new century. Companies worldwide are claiming to cut back on waste production, energy costs, and finding newer Earth friendly solutions for conducting business in today’s eco-conscious world. “Going Green” initiatives began in response to the growing concern for the health of the Earth and its environment as a result of the adverse changes occurring to the planet, whether caused by man, natural causes, or some combination of both. But what about a growing concern for the health of the population?

Recession Proof Your Health

Does your head hurt as the bills pile up? Is your heart racing as your investments and job opportunities head south? In these tough economic times, financial stress can hurt not only your wallet but also your body and your mind. According to a poll from the Associated Press, the recession and consequential debt may be harming the health of up to 16 million Americans. Although a recession does not kill tens of thousands of people in a single catastrophic event, it harms health in the long run. The consequences of dealing with financial uncertainties can be devastating.

No Excuses

No excuses — quite possibly the favorite of expression of most physical trainers, and this one is no different. It is a common slogan in athletic environments, often seen on the back of t-shirts and sweatshirts or on the walls of weight rooms and locker rooms. These are two simple yet powerful words. The slogan urges athletes to maintain their focus and to put in the physical and mental work needed to perform at their best. Simply put, there is no excuse for doing something that could prove to be detrimental to performance or avoiding the work that needs to be put in.

Fitness To Go

Imagine for a moment that while heading out to work for another day of toil and labor, you stop at your favorite place to grab a coffee, breakfast, or whatever you do to start your day. Then while on your way to your confinement for the next eight to ten hours, you pull into a drive-thru; only this drive-thru is not a bank or another fast food joint. It is a body shop. Here you drop your body off and head off to work while your body is flexed, stretched, and exercised while you sit at work.

Are You Living on Autopilot?

See if this sounds all too familiar. Wake up at 6 am; get a cup of coffee and perhaps eat breakfast; watch the morning news programs or read the paper; get in the car for a one hour commute to work; get to work and go through the motions for eight hours; get in the car again for another one hour commute back home; eat a dinner or something called a dinner; watch four hours of moronic TV; have another terrible night of sleep and start the entire process all over again.  Does this sound like a typical day for you?

Defeating Back Pain in the Office

It's only Monday and you're already wishing it was Friday. Sound too familiar? Is work really that bad or is it that you just don’t enjoy what you’re doing? Or is it perhaps that the cause of your anguish really has nothing to do with your job, your career, or your colleagues? Chances are, the one thing that can make any work seem a lot worse than it actually is the one thing you take to work and even take it back home with you. I’m talking of course about your back.

When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Fit

Times are tough, financially speaking of course. Our greed has now become the very cause of the enemy we now face. But even in a troubled economy, there is a glimmer of hope; that things can only get better. While no one can accurately predict or guarantee when that will happen, one assurance we can all and should grasp is the one asset we have 100 percent control over — our health. Without our health, there is nothing but illness, decline, and darkness; much worse than any bad news that could ever come from Wall Street.

No Replacement for Hard Work

A while ago I received an interesting e-mail from a blog I subscribe. The author of the blog, Seth Godin, a bestselling author, entrepreneur and self-professed agent of change questioned whether effort was a myth. He pointed out that our society, as is reinforced through the media, believes that success is merely a product of luck – who you know and whether you get “picked.”  Politicians and beauty queens who get by on a smile and a wink; lottery winners who turn a lifetime of lousy jobs into one big payday; sports stars who are born with skills we could never hope to ac

The Business of Weight Loss

The number one resolution people make every year is to lose weight. As a result, weight loss is a billion-dollar a year industry. The reason: everyone is looking for the quick fix when it comes to losing weight and never appreciating the fact that losing weight takes time. It’s a surefire and costly path to failure. Everyone wants to burn body fat yet few people truly understand how our bodies do that. What better gift than by sharing with you just how that happens.

Employers Incentivizing for Health and Wellness

It has always been amazing to me to think that people need to be incentivized to be healthy. Despite all the studies on the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle; the number of preventable diseases prevalent in today’s society; the growing evidence that we are a civilization in physical peril, and people still don’t feel that the investment in themselves is not important or valuable enough. That is unless of course, there is an incentive for them to do so. Worse yet, they blame their poor health and poor choices on other circumstances, some of which they claim to be beyond their control.

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