Professional Health and Fitness Experts Provide the Latest Health Research

Pre-Diabetes: Know the Facts! By Gretchen Scalpi

December 7, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

How Do I Know If I Have Pre-Diabetes?

In order to know whether you have pre-diabetes or not, it is helpful to understand exactly what pre-diabetes means. The term pre-diabetes is used to describe the state between normal blood sugar and type 2 diabetes. At one time, physicians used to refer to pre-diabetes as “having a touch of sugar,” or “borderline diabetes”. Fortunately, these terms are no longer used! Somehow having a touch of sugar does not convey the urgency or importance of taking steps to correct a potentially serious health issue.

A person with pre-diabetes may go on to develop type 2 diabetes. While type 2 diabetes is a permanent condition, pre-diabetes is not. In fact, if the right steps are taken to treat pre-diabetes early, you may be able to reverse the condition and never develop diabetes at all.

The easiest way to find out if you have pre-diabetes is to get your blood sugar checked. For this test, you will have to fast overnight and have your blood drawn at the lab. A fasting blood sugar between 100 and 125 mg/dl is indicative of pre-diabetes. For the record, normal fasting blood sugar is between 70 and 99 mg/dl, and a fasting blood sugar greater than 125 mg/dl is indicative of diabetes.

If you have gotten a blood sugar reading in the pre-diabetes range (100-125 mg/dl), you should have the fasting blood sugar test repeated a second time to see if the result is still the same. If it is similar a second time, that is a confirmation of pre-diabetes.

Pre-diabetes may or may not have symptoms that accompany higher than normal blood sugar. Don’t assume that a lack of symptoms means that everything is fine. I have interviewed hundreds of people with the diagnosis and learned that many people had absolutely no idea that they had pre-diabetes. They may feel just fine or perhaps notice that they are a little more tired than usual. Often the person having a routine medical checkup learns quite by accident that their blood sugar is in the pre-diabetes range. The person who feels a little more tired than usual may not make the connection between the fatigue and the pre-diabetes.

Here are some red flags that may or may not occur with pre-diabetes, but you should see a doctor if you have any of these symptoms:

* increased thirst
* increase urination, particularly at night
* fatigue that does not improve, even with more sleep
* blurred vision that is not permanent

The most important thing to know about pre-diabetes is that you cannot ignore it. If diagnosed, don’t believe that it will get better on its own or go away. Blood sugar levels that remain in the pre-diabetic range can cause complications that are usually associated with diabetes. Take positive steps to reverse pre-diabetes sooner rather than later. Learn how to get started with a healthy lifestyle plan that includes proper diet and exercise.

Gretchen Scalpi is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, author and Certified Wellcoach®. Gretchen has worked with hundreds of clients in her own private practice since 2002, providing nutrition and wellness coaching. She is the author of the “Pre-Diabetes: Your Second Chance at Health” and “The Everything Guide to Managing and Reversing Prediabetes”. To learn more about her services and books visit http://www.nutritionxpert.com.

Filed Under: Research Update Tagged With: blood sugar, Diabetes, diabetes care, diabetes symptoms, glucose testing, Gretchen Scalpi, healthy eating, important blood tests, pre-diabetes, wellness

How to Select a Fitness Professional by Brett Klika

September 13, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

Have you been maligned by the mirror, scorned by the scale, or belittled by your belt size? You know you need to exercise, but with your job, kids, and previous shortcomings with an exercise program, it’s tough to know where to start. Seeking the services of a fitness professional is a safe, effective, and efficient way to reach your fitness goals.

A Google query of your area may turn up thousands of options for fitness professionals who can help you. How do you know which is the best fit for you, qualified and professional? You don’t want to waste time, money, and effort on a mentor who doesn’t understand, listen, or have the ability to accommodate your needs.

When selecting a fitness professional, YOU are the boss. You are interviewing a potential employee. For a trainer-trainee relationship to be effective there must be a reciprocation of respect, reliability, and effort.

Here are 5 key aspects of selecting a Fitness Professional that is right for you and your health goals.

#1 Referral
If a friend with your similar needs, personality, etc., has worked with a fitness professional and can vouch for their effectiveness, knowledge, and professionalism, it’s worth giving them a try. A robust resume is great, but if you have witnessed first hand accounts, it’s even better. A referral from a friend also suggests that the trainer works with others similar to you. This increases the odds they will understand your physiology as well as your psychology!

#2 Certification
There are numerous governing bodies offering certification for fitness trainers. Unfortunately, certification often says very little about experience, knowledge, and ability to educate. Certification does guarantee that the trainer is accountable to a central governing body. From a liability standpoint, this is significant.

Highly recognized certifications include those by the NSCA, ACSM, NASM, and ACE. Ask any perspective trainer for their certification information. If the certification has a gym name in it, be weary.

#3 Experience
Just because a fitness professional is new to the industry doesn’t mean they are ineffective. They may display more passion, vigor, and willingness to go the extra mile because they haven’t been on the grind for years. However, if your needs are extremely specific, for example you are working around on injury or pathology or you need high level skill instruction, a more experienced trainer may be able to offer more help. In my experience, a fitness professional with at least 10 years experience is going to be a master of their craft. You may pay more for this expertise, but depending on the specificity of your goals, it may be worth it.

#4 Degree
When a fitness trainer has a degree in the exercise field, it increases the likelihood that they possess the necessary knowledge and abilities to help you. Granted, it doesn’t guarantee anything. Someone may have a PhD, but if they don’t inspire you, it’s an absolute waste. A degree is a definite plus, but you must trust and be inspired by the professional helping you.

#5 Do You Like Them?
If you don’t respect and trust your mentor, how can they help you? A trainer can be a referral from your best friend, winner of every industry award, and have 3 PhD’s in exercise. However, if they rub you the wrong way or your personalities simply don’t gel, you are not going to get anything out of the program.

Bottom-line: If you don’t leave a session feeling better, physically and mentally, it’s not the right mentorship.

Employing the above criteria will help see to it that you select the professional that is going to help you BE GREAT; mind, body, and soul!

Brett Klika C.S.C.S., Director of Athletics at Fitness Quest 10, is a world renowned human performance specialist, motivational speaker, author, and educator. In his 14 year career, Brett has accrued more than 20,000 hours of training with youth, athletes, executives, and every day people. He uses this knowledge and experience to motivate individuals and audiences around the world through his writing, speaking, DVD’s, and personal correspondence. For more information and video on exercises, programs, and any other information on losing fat and creating the body you have always wanted, check out The Underground Workout Manual – Exercise and Fat Loss in the Real World at www.undergroundworkoutmanual.com.

Filed Under: Research Update Tagged With: finding a fitness professional, finding help with exercise, hiring a fitness professional, how to find a wellness consultant, starting a workout

The 80% by Colin Milner

June 7, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

What do you do when 80% of a market comes knocking at your door? You open the door as wide as you can. Such a knock is being heard around the globe, as adults ages 65-plus—at least 80% of whom have at least one chronic health condition (e.g., high cholesterol, heart disease, cancer)—attempt to prevent, delay, manage or improve ill health. In many instances, these health issues can cause fatigue or lack of energy.

“If we had a pill that contained all of the benefits of exercise, it would be the most widely prescribed drug in the world,” says Ronald M. Davis, MD, president of the American Medical Association. In the absence of this magic pill, we must rely on what we know does work: exercise and physical activity.

Condition-specific exercise programs are plentiful—from cancer to heart disease, from fibromyalgia to depression, from osteoporosis to diabetes. Whether indoors or out, a well-rounded exercise and physical activity program will help address virtually any health condition while reenergizing participants. A point to remember: Sixty-nine percent of adults 50 and older exercise to increase their energy levels, yet a significant number state that they don’t exercise because they lack the energy to do so. It is obvious there is a need for education on the benefits of exercise, including how it impacts health and energy levels.

Consider a marketing campaign created by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Don’t sit still for arthritis pain,” reads the headline of an ad, which then promotes physical activity as the “Arthritis Pain Reliever.” The issue is that arthritis is a barrier to exercise, and inactivity can lead to less energy. CDC also created a brochure entitled “What to Take for Arthritis Pain?” that mentions the physical activity solution on the cover. Inside, the brochure explains that while arthritis hurts, exercise can help. Being active will help you feel less pain, move more easily, do more activities, keep muscles and joints healthier, and be more energetic, the text explains. The brochure also recommends swimming, walking and cycling as a few exercise options.

Learning about condition-specific educational programs opens a variety of options. Research literature from various advocacy groups, such as the American Heart Association, National Osteoporosis Foundation and American Dietetic Association, to name a few. In addition to providing information, organizations such as these may offer one-on-one or classroom-style learning opportunities (e.g., cooking classes) or lectures on chronic condition-specific solutions (e.g., cooking for weight management; joint, heart and eye health; chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia).

Adults 50 and older are also looking beyond traditional exercise and information to address their specific health conditions. One area experiencing acceptance with older adults is complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), as 63% of this group use CAM-related products and 66% of them do so to treat a specific condition.

A survey by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, one of the US National Institutes of Health, and CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics shows the percentage of US adults who have tried the following 10 most commonly used practices or products:

43%     prayer for own health
24%     prayer by others for respondent’s health
19%     natural products (herbs, other botanicals, enzymes)
12%     deep breathing exercises
10%     participation in prayer group for own health
8%       meditation
8%       chiropractic care
5%       yoga
5%       massage
4%       diet-based therapies (Atkins, Pritikin, Ornish, Zone)

The bottom line is for almost every physical issue there is a solution; exercise and physical activity just may be that solution.

Colin Milner, founder and CEO of the International Council on Active Aging®, is one of North America’s foremost visionaries and original thinkers regarding the health and well-being of the older adult.

Filed Under: Research Update Tagged With: arthritis, benefits of exercise, blood pressure, chonic pain and older adult, exercise and older adult, fibromyalgia, heart disease, osteoporosis, reducing pain

Going Nuts for Nuts? By Dr. Bushman

April 19, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

Going nuts for nuts?

In a recent publication in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers highlight the health benefits of nut and tree nut consumption. For purposes of the study, “nuts” referred to peanuts, peanut butter, tree nuts, or tree nut butter. Specifically “tree nuts” included almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, and pine nuts. To be considered a consumer of nuts, at least ¼ ounce (7.09 grams) of nuts were consumed daily; non-consumers ate less the ¼ ounces per day. Subjects in the study included adults 19 years of age and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) over a 6 year period of time. Nut consumption was found in approximately 19% of individuals between 19 to 50 years of age and 21% of those over 50 years of age; tree nut consumption was about 5½ and 8½ percent for the two age groups respectively.

Nut consumers were found to have a number of positive health characteristics including lower body mass index, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure as well as decreased prevalence of some risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome (including hypertension and low levels of HDL-cholesterol.)

Similarly, tree nut consumers had a decreased prevalence of hypertension and low HDL-cholesterol. In addition, tree nut consumers had lower body weight and a lower prevalence of abdominal obesity and high fasting glucose. Thus, consumption of nuts/tree nuts was associated with a lower prevalence of a number of risk factors for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. (Metabolic syndrome includes dyslipidemia, hypertension, abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, and high blood glucose.)

Does this mean that simply adding nuts/tree nuts to an individual’s diet will improve health? Since this study is cross-sectional (meaning behaviors and measurements are recorded at a particular point in time), a cause-and-effect relationship cannot be determined – future research will be required to look at specific ways nuts/tree nuts impact health. However, nuts as a general group are a good source of monounsaturated fatty acids while being relatively low in saturated fatty acids. Nuts are high in fiber as well as various other vitamins and minerals (e.g., vitamin E, folate, magnesium, potassium.)

At this point, researchers are encouraged by the association between nut/tree nut consumption and, coupled with the known nutritional profile of nuts, suggest that nut consumption be recommended by health professionals and dietitians.

SOURCE: O’Neil CE, Keast DR, Nicklas TA, Fulgoni VL. Nut consumption is associated with decreased health risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome in U.S. adults: NHANES 1999-2004. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 30(6):502-510, 2011.

Dr. Bushman is a Professor at Missouri State University and is American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) certified as a Program Director, Clinical Exercise Specialist, Health Fitness Specialist, and Personal Trainer. She is the editor of ACSM’s Complete Guide to Fitness & Health (Human Kinetics, 2011, http://www.humankinetics.com/products/all-products/acsms-complete-guide-to-fitness–health), a book focused on optimizing both exercise and nutrition to improve fitness and health for individuals of all ages. For more health and fitness related tips, join Dr. Bushman’s Fitness ID Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FitnessID) to discover, develop, evolve, and personalize your FITNESS ID. Dr. Bushman also is the lead author of ACSM’s Action Plan for Menopause (Human Kinetics, 2005, http://www.humankinetics.com/products/all-products/action-plan-for-menopause) and is the author of the “Wouldn’t You Like to Know” column in the ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal.

Filed Under: Research Update Tagged With: Nuts and nutritional value, research on benefits of consuming nuts

Fit or Fat: Research Explained by Dr. Bushman

March 22, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

Fit or Fat – can it be either one or the other for health?

How do fitness level and body fat affect health risks? Fitness helps to lower one’s cardiovascular risk level; gaining weight or fatness, in contrast, increases risk. Although these relationships are widely supported, there is less consensus regarding the impact of being fat but fit on health.

In a prospective observational study of 3,148 healthy adults over a 6-year time period, researchers examined the effect of fitness and fatness – separately and combined – on the development of cardiovascular disease risk factors, including hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and metabolic syndrome. Fitness was determined using a maximal treadmill test (modified Balke protocol). Fatness was determined using percent body fat (7-site skinfold measures) and body mass index. Hypertension was defined as resting systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher, diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or higher, or physician-diagnosed hypertension. Hypercholesterolemia was defined as total cholesterol of at least 240 mg/dl or physician-diagnosed hypercholesterolemia. Metabolic syndrome was defined as the presence of three or more of the following: waist circumference of over 102 cm in men or 88 cm in women, triglycerides of over 150 mg/dl, HDL-cholesterol less than 40 mg/dl in men or less than 50 mg/dl in women, blood pressure of at least 130/85 or physician-diagnosed hypertension, and fasting glucose of 100 mg/dl or physician-diagnosed diabetes.

The researchers found changes in fitness and fatness were BOTH significantly associated with the development of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and metabolic syndrome; lower risk was associated with maintaining or improving fitness while the opposite was true for increasing fatness.

The researchers then examined the question – can fitness compensate for the health hazards of fatness? The answer appears to be not completely. Some of the negative effects of fat gain were lessened by maintaining or improving fitness BUT were not completely eliminated. Similarly, reducing body fat compensated for some health risk associated with loss of fitness but not entirely.

Bottom line: maintaining or improving fitness ALONG WITH preventing fat gain are BOTH important for reducing risk of developing a number of risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease.

(Source: Lee D, Sui X, Church TS, Lavie CJ, Jackson AS, Blair SN. Changes in fitness and fatness on the development of cardiovascular disease risk factors. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2012; 59:665-72.)

Filed Under: Research Update Tagged With: Fit or Fat research explanation, how body fat affects health risks, how fitness level affects health risks

Ramp up Metabolism by Kathy Smart

February 16, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

This Article Brought To You By:
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Ramp up Metabolism

A sluggish metabolism can cause you to feel tired and have a lack of energy. Simple lifestyle and dietary changes can boost your metabolism and give you more energy throughout the day.

Trick your body into burning calories more efficiently! Your basal metabolic rate — the energy your body expends at rest — is generally determined by your genetics, but new research shows you can trick your body into burning calories more efficiently.

Stoke your system with B vitamins
B vitamins: B vitamins are key players in DNA synthesis, the central nervous system, metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and protein and energy production. Inadequate amounts of B6, B12, folate, thiamin and niacin can leave you feeling depressed and fatigued, slow the body’s metabolism and increase your risk for chronic diseases. Get the bulk of your B’s from food, where they pair up with other vitamins and minerals for a complete synergy of action. Foods high in the B’s include: spinach, asparagus, beans (navy, soy, black beans), melon, broccoli, fish, poultry and eggs.

Up the Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral needed by every cell in your body and is used in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including proper muscle, nerve and heart function, protein synthesis and energy metabolism. The National Institutes of Health reports that most Americans are not getting enough magnesium in their diets for optimal health. Boost your intake of high magnesium foods to give your metabolism a boost. Go green with your vegetables. Green vegetables such as spinach provide magnesium because the center of the chlorophyll molecule contains magnesium. Other excellent sources of magnesium include: halibut, nuts such as almonds, cashews and peanuts, so, whole-grain cereals, oatmeal, and legumes such as black-eyed peas and lentils.

Spice it with Heat
Some plants contain the bioactive ingredient capsaicin, which not only makes them spicy hot, but also doubles energy expenditure for 3 hours after a meal. Plants belonging to this family are a hot ticket for boosting metabolism. Include red peppers, cayenne, jalapenos, habaneros, and tabasco to recipes. It may also work to decrease appetite centers in the brain by boosting the release of certain neurotransmitters.

Add Chromium
Chromium is an essential trace mineral meaning that it is essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates, and it also helps to regulate the metabolism of our blood sugar and thus helps deter diabetes. The benefits of chromium also include controlling fat and cholesterol levels in the blood, and if adequate amounts are provided to the body, it can help to prevent hypertension or high blood pressure. The best source of chromium is in true brewer’s yeast. Nutritional yeast is not the same and will not contain the same amount of chromium. It can also be found in grains and cereals although most of it is lost through refining.

Kathy Smart, TV nutritionist, host and chef of Live the Smart Way ~ the world’s first vegetarian and gluten free TV show’ and author of ‘Live the Smart Way. www.livethesmartway.com

Filed Under: Research Update Tagged With: burn more calories, how to increase metabolism

Interpreting Fitness Data by Jan Schroeder, PhD

January 30, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

The mind-body world has been shaken up lately with an article in the New York Times stating that yoga can wreck your body. The title of the article was quite shocking, but could it be true? What about all the benefits we hear about? The author of the article, William Broad, has a book coming out in February which discusses the benefits and risks of performing yoga. The New York Times article focused solely on the damage that yoga can do. These claims are supported by a yoga teacher and a few research articles. Does this mean that yoga is now dangerous and you should stop your practice? To answer that question, we need to assess the source of where the claims are originating.

When assessing the legitimacy of a source, you must first understand the difference between anecdotal evidence and scientific evidence. Anecdotal evidence is based on casual observations rather than rigorous analysis. These observations may be true; however we cannot definitively say they are factual as they have not undergone the scientific method. Scientific research requires the scholar to adhere to strict protocols for investigation into an issue. Once, the issue has been studied in a controlled environment we can begin to formulate an educated opinion.

So does that mean if it is a statement supported by a research study, that it is true and you should believe it? No. One research study does not create an absolute decision in an area. Each research study is constrained by its participants and its methods. First, we need to ask the question, who was in the research study? For example, if all participants were post-menopausal Caucasian women, then the findings of the study can only be related to that specific population as the findings may not hold true for African American older men. We also need to determine how the study was conducted or how well controlled was the experiment? For example, if we were looking at the effects of walking on flexibility and our subjects walked in a structured program but we did not have them stop their swimming class, who is to say that walking and not swimming had an effect on flexibility. We cannot fault the researcher for these inherent issues with research as we cannot study all populations or control for every factor in an experiment. Therefore, we need to read many research articles to make an informed decision.

So where does this leave us in relationship to yoga and injuries? The author’s claims are supported by anecdotal statements and a few research studies which do not provide us with enough information to make an informed decision as to the safety or dangers of yoga. Until more research can be done in this area, remember as with any exercise, injuries can occur when we push our bodies past its limits. Respect the signals your body provides and enjoy your practice.

Jan Schroeder, PhD, is a professor of Kinesiology at California State University, Long Beach.

Filed Under: Research Update Tagged With: deciphering fitness data, interpreting health claims, making sense of research

Optimal Exercise by Dr. Bushman

December 14, 2011 By hywo Leave a Comment

What is an “optimal” exercise prescription?
What will bring about the greatest results for the time invested in an exercise program?

A study by researchers at Duke University Medical Center and East Carolina University published in the November 2011 issue of the American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism provides some insight. The researchers compared aerobic training to resistance training to see the impact on fat stores, along with some other health-related measures, in a group of overweight or obese inactive adults. Although both visceral fat (the fat within the abdominal cavity surrounding the internal organs) and subcutaneous fat (the fat just under the skin) were assessed, the focus was on visceral fat due to its relationship with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even some cancers. Researchers found that aerobic exercise including use of treadmills, elliptical trainers, and/or cycle ergometers was superior to resistance training for reducing body mass, subcutaneous fat, and visceral fat. Aerobic exercisers included an equivalent of about 12 miles per week (about 132 minutes) at an intensity around 75% of their peak oxygen uptake while the resistance training group exercised 3 days per week, 3 sets per day with 8-12 repetitions per set, for 8 different exercises.

Based on the study results, for individuals with limited time to exercise, aerobic exercise appears to be more time-efficient and effective than resistance training to reduce body weight and fat. Does this mean that resistance training is of no value? Rushing to that conclusion is premature. Realize this study focused on very specific outcome measures and thus did not examine the effect of resistance training on improvements in other important health parameters like blood pressure or bone mass, both of which have been found to be improved with resistance training in other studies.

Bottom line: Resistance training IS important for improving strength and lean body mass, even if its role in reducing visceral fat wasn’t found in this study. Thus, don’t throw out the concept of a balanced exercise program for overall health, which includes both aerobic exercise and resistance training.

For a complete look at the research study, see http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/301/5.toc. For more information on the benefits and components of a complete exercise program, see ACSM’s Position Stand on Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory, Musculoskeletal, and Neuromuscular Fitness in Apparently Healthy Adults: Guidance for Prescribing Exercise (http://www.acsm.org/access-public-information/position-stands) or a summary of this material at http://www.healthyourwayonline.com/?s=bushman.

Filed Under: Research Update Tagged With: fat loss, overall fitness, research by Duke University Medical Center and East Carolina University

Sport Can Make Girls Happier by Maggie Ayre

December 12, 2011 By hywo Leave a Comment

A study conducted by the University of Leeds, in the UK, and published in The British Journal of Health Psychology discovered that “highlighting the emotional benefits of sport to young people increased their levels of physical activity more than highlighting the physical health benefits” according to Professor Reema Sirriyeh who led the study.

During the study girls who were sent a text message telling them “physical activity can make you feel cheerful. What activity will you do today?”completed an additional one and a half hours of activity each week compared to girls who received texts highlighting the traditional health benefits of exercise.

This study offers an insight into how we can motivate girls to become more active. We must stress the emotional benefits of sport that exist for girls.

So what are the emotional benefits?

Sport Increases Overall Mood and Happiness. Exercise helps to balance hormones in the body which can result in a feeling of well-being; we also see a balancing of the nervous system over time. Sport also helps increase body-awareness and the establishment of a body-mind connection which can help improve overall mood.

Sport Reduces Stress. Exercise can reduce stress. This can be particularly important during exam times or when an important piece of coursework is due in. When taking part in sport a girl must concentrate on the task in hand this makes them unable to think about what is stressing them and effectively gives them “time out.”

Sport Increases Concentration and Memory. Exercise wakes up both body and brain. There are an increasing number of studies that support the findings that active children concentrate better in class and have better memory. This may be because exercise relieves muscle tension and increases the heart rate – a combination that leaves you feeling more relaxed and alert and better able to study.

Maggie Ayre is the UKs Leading Fitness Coach for Teenage Girls. She has recently developed the 3G Program designed to be run in schools and youth clubs with the aim to get every teen girl active. She also offers Personal Training for Teenage Girls in person and via email, skype and video sessions. To learn more visit: www.maggieayre.com

Filed Under: Research Update Tagged With: benefits of girls and athletics, girls and sports, improving self esteem in girls

Helping you RUN your business by Laura Ouimet

November 15, 2011 By hywo Leave a Comment

One of the fastest growing trends in corporate America may surprise you. Wellness programs are taking corporations by storm, not only encouraging employees to lead healthier lifestyles, but also giving them incentive to do so while at work and at home.

By promoting healthier lifestyles, corporations are creating healthier employees who will work more diligently and miss fewer days of work due to illness. Corporate wellness programs are designed to reduce the need for medical treatments and medications, translating to reduce healthcare expenses for the business. The added bonus of wellness programs is creating a working environment that produces less stress and is more inviting and balanced.

There are various ways to integrate a wellness program at your organization. The basic premise is to provide your employees information and valuable tools they can use to initiate a diet and exercise program that each individual can then maintain as a lifestyle. This may be as extensive as an on-site health club, with a medical consultant, nutritionist, and personal fitness professional. It may even include a professional therapist for on-site counseling. Another option is to provide less extensive program that can be as simple as an on-line program, offering basic health and fitness information, downloadable logs, and referrals to resources. Serving as a third option, somewhere in the middle, may be a monthly workplace seminar, covering topics from physical fitness to mental and emotional well-being, to weight loss and nutrition.

Many corporations offer incentives to their employees to take part in wellness programs. These incentives may include the following:
Company Recognition
Cash Incentives for employees who achieve prescribed goals (i.e. weight loss, fitness level increase)
Wellness Spending Accounts (i.e. pedometer, running shoes, race entries)
Health Screenings
Flex Time for health-related activities

Wellness programs that provide training resources, such as access to a corporate running club, also produce effective results. Running and even taking part in a local race are great ways to encourage an active lifestyle, camaraderie, and even healthy competition. Running clubs are relatively inexpensive to create and to participate in, yet the cardiovascular benefits are huge. Employees can run before or after work, even on their lunch hour, and do so as a team or individually. Corporate running clubs benefit the employee by lowering blood pressure, increasing heart and lung strength and capacity and improving sleep.

Whatever your wellness program, it’s important to provide proper resources to keep employees active to maximize their health both physically and mentally. Research conducted by American Sports Data showed that individuals who exercised frequently stayed home from work one day less per year than those who were sedentary.

By Laura Ouimet, Dana Point Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, and a marathon/ triathlon coach and trainer. To learn more about the Dana Point Turkey Trot and to sign up, visit www.turkeytrot.com.

Filed Under: Research Update Tagged With: corporate wellness programs, exercise programming at the office, work running clubs