Posts Tagged ‘Kendra Conrad’

Time To Get Back On Track

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

Well, it is 2012 and time for resolutions. I think resolutions can be a good thing since most of them involve getting healthier. You know, “I am going to start eating healthier”, “I am going to workout 3 days a week”, “I am going to become stress free this year!” Even though I am not one to really make resolutions I think I need to this year. Let me take that back I am not going to make a resolution; I am just going to get my butt back in gear.

So I am sure you are wondering what I am talking about. Lately I have felt like a big hypocrite. Why? I work in the health and fitness profession and day in and day out I tell people how important it is to be healthy, to eat right, and to be active and all along I am not even following my own advice. Just like anyone else I can come up with a million excuses but I have one big excuse. He has big brown eyes, the cutest smile you have ever seen, and the most precious little toes…yep I am the mom to a 1 YEAR OLD!

I love my job and enjoy working with the public and educating people on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. I get to speak with all different types of people and walks of life but I have found a common trend. When speaking with most women who are mothers they all have the same excuse to why they do not work out: Kids and have no time. That answer blows my mind. I mean there are 24 hours in a day and all I am asking of them is to give 30 minutes to be active. They have to have a better excuse than time. Well guess what, THEY ARE RIGHT! I know I could always set the alarm earlier, workout at lunch or even when the little one goes to sleep. But I have found extra sleep and a break seem better than stepping on the treadmill.

So I am going to take my own advice to become active like I once was or at least work up to it. Even small increments of 10 minutes here and there are better than nothing. Did I mention that my job is at a fitness center? And still I don’t work out regularly. There are many exercises I can do at home with my little one and still not miss out on spending time with him.

So to those parents who are successful with being a parent and exercise, can you offer any advice?

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National Immunization Month

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Summer is winding down and soon we will be preparing our kids to head back to school. So this is a great time to remind family and friends to catch up on their vaccinations. August is National Immunization Awareness Month. Vaccinations are not just for babies and young kids. We need to promote immunizations to our friends, family and coworkers across a full life span. Vaccines safeguard children and adults from illnesses and death caused by infectious diseases.

There are many benefits to getting vaccinated. Before vaccines the only way to become immune to a disease was to get it and survive it. If we get vaccinated we train our immune systems to resist the disease. This is a win-win for families, employers and communities because it is much cheaper to prevent a disease than to treat it. According to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, in a 2005 study on the economic impact of routine childhood immunization in the United States, researchers estimated that for every dollar spent, the vaccination program saved more than $5 in direct costs and approximately $11 in additional costs to society.

One of the most common immunizations we are all encouraged to get every year is the flu shot. Offering flu shots for your employees is one of the easiest ways to offer worksite wellness and will also have a positive impact on a company’s bottom line due to fewer absences from work. Everyone aged 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine according to the CDC. Vaccines not only protect ourselves but those around us by decreasing or even eliminating the chance state of being contagious.

Vaccines offer safe and effective protection against infectious diseases. We should all lead by example and stay up to date on recommended vaccines. We can all work together towards the common goal of preventing diseases. Take time to schedule yourself and your family to get the annual flu shot. You can spend time having fun instead of fighting the flu!

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Posted in General, Lifestyle, Worksite Wellness | 2 Comments »

Need a Vacation from your Vacation?

Monday, July 18th, 2011

Beach bag packed? Check. Sun block packed? Check. Hiking gear packed. Check. Are you counting down the days till peace and relaxation? It is summer and that means vacation season is in full swing. Whether you are going camping, to the mountains or soaking up the sun vacations may bring more than a nice tan and fun memories.

Most of us expect to come back from vacation fully rested and recharged. Some of us do, but for most it is just the opposite. We return home being stressed and more tired than before we left. According to a new Gallup survey 54% or respondents reported they returned from vacation feeling tired, including 19% who said they returned feeling either “very tired” or exhausted.

It seems that these days’ people have increased stress and pressures at work so they work harder and stay longer in the office leading up to their vacation. Since we are spending more time in the office that causes us to pack the night before or wake up early to pack the day you plan to leave. So before your vacation even starts you are already sleep deprived and stressed.

Traffic jams and long security lines also add to our stress load. Even when you reach your destination it seems that other obstacles come along. Most of us want to see all and do all while we are visiting our vacation spot. Even though it seems fun planning your daily “must-do” list it can add stress trying to make everyone in the family happy and  trying to fit it all in. With that said, most vacationers tend to stay up later than normal and get up early to make sure they see all their favorite spots.

So, if you are getting ready to leave for vacation or if you are already planning for next year’s get-a-way, follow these tips for a stress free vacation.

  • Prepare for your trip ahead of time.
  • Leave your work at work.
  • Plan naps while you are on vacation
  • Plan exercise to stay energized.
  • Involve the whole family in the planning process and don’t take it all on yourself.

The best piece of advice is to stay flexible. Even with having everything planned, plans fall through. So roll with the punches and enjoy unscheduled time. Those are the memories we remember most.

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Keep Kids Active This Summer!

Monday, June 27th, 2011

Most of us can remember our growing up years; we spent time riding our bikes, playing kickball and playing tag. It seems that today’s generation of kids spend time watching TV, playing video games, and spending hours online.  More often than not, it seems to be a challenge to get kids off the couch and get active. Even though it can be a challenge, it’s never too late to start guiding our kids to a lifelong habit of being active.

According to researchers at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, young children who do not get much exercise have a greater chance of heart problems. Symptoms might even show up as early as their teen years. Childhood obesity is also on the rise. This can lead to being obese as an adult, a risk factor that goes hand-in-hand with developing many other health issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

So, how can we get kids to be active? First of all, parents and families need to set a good example. You need to walk the walk and not just “talk” activity. Take a family bike ride or take a walk after dinner. You should also teach kids that being active is a way to take care of their bodies and it should not be a chore or punishment. You can track their goals and reward their progress. Secondly, increase your kid’s activity level by setting a limit on screen time. Set aside only one or two hours for TV and video games during the day. Also, try to encourage video games that require physical movement. Thirdly, let your children pick the activity. Organized sports are a great way to stay fit but they are not the only option and not for everyone. If they like to read, bike to the library. If they like nature, plan a hike and explore the natural world. If your kids like to dance, crank up the radio!

When kids are active it does more than promote a healthy weight. It develops strong muscles and bones, it results in better sleep, and it gives them confidence and a better outlook on life. How much activity do our kids need? According to the Department of Health and Human Services, children and adolescents age 6 and older need at least an hour a day of physical activity. When it comes to physical activity every little bit counts. This time can be accumulated throughout the day in shorter bursts of activity rather than one full hour.  It’s time to incorporate activity into your daily routine, make it a family affair, and get moving!

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Let’s Get Moving in May

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Have you heard of the new “norm” in America? It is called OBESITY. If you take a look around your office or the general public, what do you see? Does it seem that most of the people are overweight and out of shape? There is a good chance that many of them are. The obesity epidemic is growing due to sedentary jobs, easy access to vending machines, office celebrations and no movement. If you are an employee of a company or the CEO of one, what can you do?

The answer is simple: promote physical fitness and healthy choices in the workplace. There are many health benefits to the employees and employers by incorporating a worksite wellness program. Employers will benefit from lowered health care costs, increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, and decreased rates of illness. Employees will see lower stress levels, better self image and more energy.

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. The goal of this month long initiative is to generate awareness of a healthy lifestyle and encourage everyone to become active in their everyday lives throughout the workplace and our communities.

If you have been meaning to jumpstart your own employee wellness program or get back on track with your own fitness routine, mark May 18th on your calendars. May 18th is National Employee Health and Fitness Day. On this day, employers are invited to participate and challenge their employees to get active. You can easily join the movement by having a companywide walk during your lunch break.

Join this initiative and continue long term with some of these other inexpensive ideas.

  • Provide healthy breakfast or snack items for employees
  • Post fliers around the office with healthy tips
  • Start a weight loss campaign for your office
  • Promote taking the stairs and parking further away
  • Offer healthy options in vending machines

We have heard over and over again what the benefits of being active are. Now we need to create awareness and market the idea. “America has more bats, balls, playgrounds, trainers and coaches than any other country in the civilized world.” says James M Liston, Jr., executive director of The National Association of Governor’s Councils on Physical Fitness and Sports (NAGCPFS). “Yet, we still lead the world in preventable disease. Something’s not right.”

Taking interest in employee health makes good sense and is a win-win situation for all. It does not take hours a day to gain the benefits of being active. It only takes 30 minutes a day, which can be broken up in 10-15 minutes increments, to see an improvement in one’s health. So let’s challenge ourselves and create a new norm in America.

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Fun and Healthy Tailgate Party

Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

Hut, Hut, Hike! That’s right, it is the end of summer and that means one thing: FOOTBALL. Ready or not football season is here. If you are a football fan, game time means food time. Before, during, and after the game we tailgate and attend social gatherings to cheer on our favorite team.

Typically, when tailgating, we are bombarded with pizza, wings, burgers, chili, and brownies. Oh yeah, maybe a cocktail or two (if you are over 21 of course). Weekend after weekend of tailgates and parties these game day favorites can really add up when it comes to calories and pounds. While your team is making a tackle against their opponent these food choices are tackling your waistline. According to eatingwell.com an average fan can take in an estimated 1,200 calories in one sitting.

You can enjoy these foods if you eat them in moderation. But with a 4 hour football game, talking with friends and being drawn in by the excitement we tend to overeat and not even think about it. That is, until we go home and head for the Tums!

From dips to potato salad to cupcakes and cookies, you can still enjoy football season with healthy options for your tailgate or party. You may even score some points of your own with your friends!

Tips to enjoy your favorites:

  • Use smaller plates
  • Make your plate and sit down to eat rather than grazing at the table
  • Stick to one serving
  • Wait at least 15 minutes before going for seconds-odds are you will not even be hungry
  • Drink a bottle of water in between alcoholic beverages

Foods swap options:

  • Turkey brat for a pork brat- 160 calories vs. 540 calories
  • Chicken sandwich for burger- 281 calories vs. 500 calories
  • Salsa for cheese dip- 15 calories vs. 40 calories
  • Light beer for regular beer
  • Fruit for brownies

If you take the time and plan ahead you can find healthy options for your tailgate. There are many websites like- cookinglight.com and eatingwell.com that have healthy football snacks and ways to make your wings a good option. So as the time counts down and your team brings home a victory you will be bringing home a few less calories and energy to maybe go play a game of football yourself!

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Posted in General, Lifestyle, Nutrition | 2 Comments »

Eat Healthy at Work

Monday, March 8th, 2010

At some point in time we have all said there is never enough time in the workday, right? So we try to save time by having a cup of coffee for breakfast while we are on the go, a quick bite for lunch at your desk, or snack in between meetings and emails. You may feel like you are saving time and being more productive, but you may be negatively affecting your company’s health along with your own.

A survey of workplace eating habits conducted by the American Dietetic Association and the ConAgra Foods Foundation showed that as work hours increasingly extend past the standard dinner hour, many employees hunger for after-hour meal solutions. Thirty-percent of workers said they head for office vending machines for snacks, and 20 percent say they wander the office looking for foods left over from meetings or office celebrations. Whether you eat left over cake form your co-worker John’s birthday or something from E11 of the vending machine, these options are mostly high-sugar, high-fat snacks with little nutritional value.

Conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol are related to diet and can lead to more serious illnesses such as heart disease. A recent survey showed that employees with high blood pressure miss 67 percent more work than their healthier colleagues. Eating habits are influenced by personal choice, but they are also influenced by our surroundings. So maybe we can learn something from our co-workers other than how to format a word document.

There are many strategies employers can use to promote healthy eating in the work place:

  • Raise Awareness: provide information needed to make healthy choices such as health fairs, display booths with pamphlets, healthy newsletters, or offer on-site health professionals to conduct lunch-n- learn sessions
  • Skill Building: monthly potlucks that encourage heart healthy recipes, set goals to eat healthy
  • Environmental Support: healthy food and beverage options in cafeteria and vending machines, provide a microwave and refrigerator to encourage employees to bring their own food, provide healthy food options at staff meetings

It is common for employees to eat one or more meals or snacks at work. At little or no cost to the employer, it makes sense to promote healthy eating in the workplace. More and more research is starting to show that work place nutrition programs can reduce employee healthcare costs, disability and turnover.

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Creating a Heart Healthy Workplace

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

If you are like most workers you work a nine to five type of job. That is at least 40% of your waking hours at the worksite. Since you invest so much time in your career, wouldn’t it be great if some of that time not only benefited your employer, but also your health?

Before we understand how important it is to create a heart-healthy workplace, we need to face the facts. Heart disease, stroke, heart rhythm disorders, peripheral artery disease, heart failure, and others are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. The American Heart Association estimates that up to 30% of medical costs paid by businesses each year are spent on employees with risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as cigarette smoking, excess weight, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Let’s take a closer look at home:

  • Heart disease was the leading cause of death for Ohio residents in 2004-2006
  • 27.6% of Ohio adult residents reported having high blood pressure
  • In Ohio, 36.2% of adults are overweight and 26.5% are obese
  • In Ohio 37.9% of adult residents have been told by their doctor that they have high cholesterol

Creating a heart-healthy workplace will not only help the company’s return on investment but wellness programs will help the employees get healthy and stay healthy.  A heart-healthy program does not need to be complex or expensive. Here are some tips for employers to start a healthy work environment.

  • Information to employees: Newsletters, healthy email tips
  • Health policies: no tobacco use
  • Healthy eating habits: change vending machines, offer nutrition information, adding more fruits and vegetables to the cafeteria
  • Exercise: walking paths, on-site fitness programs, encourage fitness during breaks
  • Offer health screenings

There is not a one-size-fits-all approach but the efforts should focus on: smoking cessation, increasing physical activity, reducing stress, healthy eating, weight management, and education.  There are many ways to incorporate a heart-healthy work environment and many models to follow. If your company doesn’t have a program, create one that fits your needs. The Rite Bite can help!

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Employee Wellness Programs: Fitness

Monday, January 18th, 2010

Wellness programs take care of the health and well-being of employees within a company. Employee wellness programs vary from health screenings, education, nutrition advice, and fitness programs. All of these lead to a reduction in sick time, medical costs and make for a happy and productive workplace. Let’s explore the benefits of fitness and how you can apply it to the worksite and your own life.

Employees are the most important assets to any company. Encouraging your employees to incorporate fitness in their lifestyle will pay off in numerous ways. Fitness programs will lead to weight loss, lower blood pressure, reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes, and a more positive mood at the workplace.

There are many ways to integrate employee fitness programs for employees. You can take small steps by encouraging your employees to park farther away from the building, ride their bikes to work, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and walk on their breaks and provide them with a map of an on-site trail.

Once you get your employees on board you can offer bigger and better incentives. Become partners with a local gym and allow access for the employees. Bring in a fitness trainer to teach group fitness classes such as yoga, kickboxing, total strength, or dance. Instead of having meetings in your board room host a walk and talk meeting. Have your place of business host community wide walks for charity.

People spend more awake hours at work than anywhere else. Why not make the most of those hours by being productive and in good spirits. It does not take much time or money to incorporate employee wellness programs. But the company’s returns on investment will be greater than expected.

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Why is Physical Fitness Important?

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Would you like to have more energy throughout the day?   Would you like to feel better about yourself? Would you like to eat a cookie and not feel guilty? If these are questions you ask yourself every day, we have the answer; exercise! Yes, just a few minutes a day could lead you to a better quality of life.

Every day, you hear how important physical fitness is for you, but why is it important? And how much exercise do you need to do to see the benefits? There are numerous ways you can be physically active including walking the dog, dancing, biking and even doing household chores. According to the American Heart Association, 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week will show benefits.

Many of us use physical fitness as a method for weight management. No matter what your weight, regular exercise aids in weight loss and maintenance of a healthy weight. And, routine exercise reduces your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and several types of cancer, not to mention it may help reduce lower back pain. Sounds like you will be able to make that round of golf on Saturday!

Want more reasons why exercise is important? How about sleep? People who exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep longer compared to those who do not exercise regularly. Being well rested will boost your immune system and you will not have to worry about sick days anymore. Oh yeah, and if you are stressed and in a bad mood, get on the treadmill. Thanks to the chemicals released in the brain during exercise, feelings of depression, stress and anger are thrown by the wayside.

The bottom line is that many problems associated with aging such as disease, increased body fat, and loss of bone mass and strength are due to a sedentary lifestyle. There is no “magic pill” but improving your physical fitness level is the next best thing.

So are you convinced? The first step to any physical fitness plan is to consult with your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough to begin exercising. Next, find an activity you enjoy doing and make exercise a joy and not a burden. We all have one life, why not make the most of it and let exercise help you live a longer and healthier one.

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