Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

Water is necessary for the digestion and absorption of food. In other words, it’s essential to life. But does everybody require the same amount of water? You always read that we need to drink eight glasses of water a day. So I did a little more research to figure out under what circumstances you would need more than that.

According to corporate fitness program consultants, you should drink more water when you

• Are on a high-protein or high-fiber diet
• Have an illness that causes vomiting or diarrhea
• Are more physically active
• Are exposed to hot weather conditions

Many worksite wellness centers have handouts for more information on how much water you personally need based on several circumstances. The Mayo Clinic's website also offers some helpful guidelines.

Most people choose beverages that dehydrate them instead of drinking water. Coffee, tea, alcohol, soda, and other sugary drinks are all examples of beverages that dehydrate your body. Not only do sugary drinks cause dehydration, but they also cause you to pack on the pounds. Then you will need to spend your lunchtime going for walks or in the corporate fitness center trying to work off the extra weight.

Water is a great natural resource and it’s involved in all bodily functions, so drink up! Try to drink more water on a daily basis starting today.

Some will argue that muscle confusion is no good for building muscle mass. But I have to admit, the P90X workouts are no joke! I would like to consider myself somewhat in shape, but when I did the videos I was extremely sore. After doing the biceps video, I couldn’t straighten my arms all the way for two days. I liked the videos so much, I’m going to put a copy in my corporate fitness center for employees to use on their lunch breaks.

Mix It Up in Corporate Fitness Programs

I feel that mixing up your workouts and adding variety will help increase strength, endurance, speed, and agility. You increase in all of those areas by keeping your muscles guessing and challenged. After years of always running and lifting the same weight and exercises, I finally discovered it is okay to not have a routine. This might seem difficult to those of you who hate change, but the results are worth it.

Now I change up all my workouts, especially in the classes I teach at the onsite corporate fitness facility. This helps the employees who won’t change their workouts on their own. As a result, our bodies can handle more basic daily movements (unloading the groceries, cleaning out the garage, and so on) and we are stronger for those not-so-graceful falls.

P90X Is Not for Beginners

In my opinion, P90X is not for beginners. Like I said, I work out on a regular basis and teach at a corporate facility, and for two days I couldn’t wash my hair because I couldn’t get my arms up that high. So, please take it slow and do only half the video at first if you are a true beginner or if it’s been years since you have worked out.

We always hear that fiber is an important part of our diet. You probably know that it helps to keep bowel movements regular. But are there other reasons you should pay attention to your daily fiber intake?

I read in my worksite wellness newsletter that fiber can also lower cholesterol and help control blood sugar levels. But, most importantly, I read that it can aid in weight loss! This caught my eye and made me want to find out more information.

How Does Fiber Help with Weight Loss?

Fiber helps you to feel full for a longer period of time, which will help you to eat less. To lose weight, you need to take in fewer calories than you burn. Because the body does not break down fiber, it can grab some dietary fat and carry it out of the body.

Which Foods Contain Fiber?

Some good sources of fiber include

• Whole-grain products
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Beans
• Peas
• Nuts
• Seeds

Several brands now have fiber bars on the market. Kellogg’s has some high-fiber cereals and snacks. You can also add a fiber supplement called Benefiber to many hot or cold beverages.

Make sure you gradually add fiber to your diet. Contact an onsite fitness center staff member to get a nutrition consultation and exercise prescription. Choose your diet carefully and don’t forget your fiber!

Why do women have a more difficult time losing weight than men? We all know that women are different from men in several ways, but it just doesn’t seem fair. It’s complicated, but it has to do with women’s physiology, brain chemistry, hormones, and other issues.

In corporate fitness management, I work with all types of people. I have to admit, the men I design programs for end up having more success stories than the women. Here are some reasons behind the difference:

• Women have 20 percent more fat and larger fat cells to help support the possibility of pregnancy. It’s not that pregnancy makes you fat, because I have seen some in-shape women around the corporate fitness center who have had children. But it can make it harder to lose weight.
• Most women tend to shy away from strength training. Strength training helps increase the amount of lean body mass you have, which in turn speeds up your metabolism. This helps you burn more calories overall.
• Women stress more than men, which causes them to not sleep as well. Sleep and nutrition go hand in hand; if you don’t sleep well, you tend to eat worse throughout the day. You will also feel more stressed because you didn’t sleep well. It's a vicious cycle that we need to stop! Most corporate wellness centers offer a stress resilience program that you should look into.

So, grab a coworker, neighbor, friend, or your spouse and start working a little harder on your physical fitness. Just because we are women doesn’t mean we can’t be healthy and in great shape!

TRX is billed as "the original bodyweight Suspension Training system consisting of 12 feet of nylon-webbed straps, handles, and various anchors that can be attached to any sturdy weight-bearing base." Here are some ideas for using it in your corporate fitness program.

1. TRX adds a new and fun way to take workouts to the next level. At my corporate fitness center, we just bought a TRX for our members, and it’s created quite a buzz both for members and my staff. In fact, the first time I ever used it I couldn’t walk very well the next day due to muscle soreness. I had worked my muscles in a new way and it was a great feeling (at least to me!).
2. TRX doesn’t take up much space. It can be placed around a secure post or pole, or you can purchase door anchors for the unit. You can put it up and take it down easily. You really only need enough space to complete the exercises. If you have available meeting room space or a storage closet, the TRX is a great way to convert that space into a worksite fitness center.
3. TRX is great for cardio and strength. For example, you can do a one-leg burpee followed by a pushup, and then go into a knee tuck for an abdominal exercise. These unique upper- and lower-body exercises will help keep your body from reaching a plateau.

If you don't exercise on a regular basis, a hot and humid summer day is not the time to start. Don’t get me wrong; I think you should start exercising as soon as you have the motivation. But maybe you should do it inside if it’s extremely humid outside. Exercising in the humidity intensifies everything and can also be dangerous.

Humidity's Effects on Your Body

You need to be careful because if your body is not used to exercise, the humidity can put you at risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Your body produces heat during exercise which, combined with the heat outside, can inable your body to cool itself down.

I have experienced humidity first hand living in Indiana all my life. I run outside a lot. Just when I think I’m improving with speed or distance, I go out and run on a humid day and that puts me back in my place. This past summer it was extremely hard for me to run outside. Each try was a struggle, which took away my motivation.

I spent a week in South Carolina over the summer and if I didn’t get up to run by 8 am, I couldn’t because of the humidity. Humidity breaks down your body, causes difficulty with breathing and makes you sweat profusely. That is why it’s important to drink plenty of water prior to, during, and after your exercise.

Consider Your Worksite Health Options on Humid Days

Your worksite exercise staff should have a temperature chart to determine the degree of danger for outdoor exercise. If it’s dangerously hot, check out your worksite health options. Take it inside on the elliptical or treadmill at your onsite fitness center or even in your living room with a DVD. Check with your corporate fitness center staff for other indoor options. Get a schedule of the classes they offer or new equipment that will keep you safe and out of the heat and humidity.

I have always wondered how people can exercise without music. Music is one of the main reasons I exercise! When I get a break at work or on a Saturday morning, I look forward to listening to my music while I burn a few calories.

Working in onsite corporate fitness management, I see a lot of different types of people on a daily basis. While some members want only the TV on for noise, most have their own iPods and headphones so they can hear whatever type of music motivates them. Sometimes, while I’m looking out the window in my office watching people work out, I try to imagine what type of music they are listening to. I think it’s entertaining because I’m sure most of the time I’m way off.

Music Can Help Your Workout

I personally find music very motivating. It helps to take my mind off the sweat running in my eyes and my lower-body muscles fatiguing out. I can also play mind games with myself using my music as motivation. For example, I will speed up the treadmill or increase the resistance on the elliptical for the length of the song. This helps me to work harder and in turn burn more calories.

Music Tempo Can Affect Your Workout

I have discovered that I need to have mostly upbeat music because I move to the tempo of the song. For example, on the stair climber I find myself slowing down or speeding up according to the beat of the music. That’s why most group fitness CDs have warm-up and cool-down songs. This helps to get the body and brain in the mode to exercise and then to relax afterward.

Your Music Challenge

Discover tunes that motivate you and make a playlist that includes slower tempos for warm up and cool down and faster tempos for working hard and burning calories. (Add links to some sample playlists).

Some people associate smoking with being thin, but thin doesn’t always mean healthy. Smoking does suppress your appetite, which helps to keep weight off. But do the health risks of smoking outweigh the negatives of being overweight?

Negative Effects of Smoking on Employee Health

Smoking affects heart health and increases an individual's heart rate. It puts employees at a greater risk for stroke and almost any type of cancer that comes to mind. Smoking doesn't just affect their heart. It impacts every other part of your employee's circulatory system, too.

Although smoking a few cigarettes a day might not keep employees from being able to run a mile every day, if they quit smoking they would see how much faster they could run the mile. Employees that smoke and exercise might not even be aware of how much more their body can do until they quit.

Get Employees Help to Quit Smoking

Offer ways to help employees quit smoking. Quiting isn't easy, but there are programs out there to support them.

Encourage employees to schedule an appointment with a fitness trainer or consultant to get baseline numbers. Once they quit smoking they can reasses those numbers a few months later. They will be amazed at how their health and fitness level will improve!

We all know smoking is bad for an individual's body in several different ways. And yes, employees may be able to exercise intensely every day and smoke, but eventually the negative effects will catch up to them, their body and your company's finances. Helping employees now can pay dividends in the future.