Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

‘’I am so stiff”. This is a statement heard quite often. More than likely, that stiffness or any type of unknown muscle pain may be result due to the lack of muscular flexibility. Flexibility is crucial in preventing muscle shortening while maintaining muscle length. Some additional benefits of flexibility are improved posture, physical performance, and strength. Stretching does not have to be done before or after an intense work out but should be incorporated within our everyday routine. If our muscles are warm, stretching can be done. I’d suggest immediately after a warm shower. Be sure to be grab a chair also. Yes, you can obtain the same results without being in a standing position.

Here are 6 basic seated stretches that can be done daily to improve flexibility:

1. Sit and Reach: This stretch is designed to target your hamstrings which are on the back of your thigh. Tight hamstrings are one of the most common areas of stiffness seen in seniors due to the shortening of the muscle group. To begin slide to the edge of your seat. Starting with one leg out straight and the other at a 90-degree angle, take your hand on the same side of the leg that is out and reach for your foot. You want to make sure that your leg is completely straightened. Your knee should be locked. You may not be able to touch your foot in the beginning, but with practice and consistency that will eventually be your result.
2. Torso Twist: This stretch targets your mid-section/torso. Sitting with great posture at the edge of your seat, take your left hand and place it on the outside of your right knee. If you have an arm rest place your right hand on the arm rest. If an arm rest is not available, place your right hand behind you. You’ll then want to twist at your torso as if you were looking over your shoulder. Repeat these instructions upon twisting to the left.
3. Seated Cat Cow: Cat Cow is a stretch that targets your midsection and your back. Sitting up nice and tall, place your hands on your knees. You will alternate slowly between rounding your back and arching your back. Repeat at least five times.
4. Upper Back Stretch: This stretch focuses on your upper back and shoulders. Wrap both hands around yourself as if you were giving yourself a big hug. You’ll then want to take your hands a pull your shoulders forward and hold.
5. Triceps Stretch: Our triceps are often neglected when exercising, as well as stretching. Start by placing your hand behind your shoulder. You will then take your other hand and place it on the back of your arm, pushing your arm back as far as that muscle allows.
6. Head Tilts: This stretch will target the sides of your neck. By leaning your head to either the right or left, you will begin to feel a stretch down the side of your neck. Try your best to keep your shoulders relaxed. Lifting your shoulders will defeat the purpose of this stretch.

Now that you have this take-home list of stretches, how will you incorporate stretching into your everyday routine?

Click below to learn more about our senior fitness programs and how we elevate the wellbeing of residents with our engaging approach. 

Goal setting can sometimes be easier said than done. There are a lot of ambiguous health goals out there like, “I want to lose weight,” “I want to eat more greens,” or “I want to sleep better.” Honestly, those ambiguous health goals are a good place to start! Breaking these goals down to determine your “why” will help get you started. Utilizing the SMART goal technique will allow you to determine what you specifically want to work on and how you can successfully achieve it.

Let’s start with the “I want to lose weight” goal example. Asking the question, “why do I want to lose weight?” is a good starting point. Do you want to lose weight to improve your cholesterol numbers? Will improved cholesterol numbers result in not taking your medication anymore? Will it help improve your self-esteem? Do you want to lose weight to keep up with your kids? There are so many options, so determining your reasoning is key and remember, you can have more than one reason.

Once you determine your “why” you want to use that to help set your SMART goal and create your plan. The SMART goal technique can be used in many aspects of life, from fitness goals to work goals to even relationship goals. It helps to determine your long-term goal along with smaller short-term goals to achieve along the way. Think of these goals as stepping stones towards the success of your long-term goal. They should be built into your plan and will help keep you accountable along the way.

What is a SMART goal? 

S- Specific; you want your goal to be as specific as possible.

M-Measurable; your goal should have a way to measure your success.

A- Achievable; your goal should provide a challenge, but well defined enough to be achieved.

R- Realistic; given the time and resources, your goal can be accomplished.

T- Timely; your goal should have a start and finish date.

Continuing with the “I want to lose weight” goal example, let’s break it down to determine our “why” and create our SMART goals.

Fitness Goal Example:

Long-term goal: I am hopeful that by January 2023, my cholesterol will be in the normal range, and I will be off my cholesterol medication.

Short-term goal: Improve my cholesterol numbers by my next doctor appointment on August 5. I will re-evaluate my goals after this doctor appointment.

Short-term goal: Starting next week, April 4, I will complete a 30-minute cardio group fitness class on Monday and Wednesday from 4-4:30 PM. On Fridays, I will join the 30-minute strength training class from 11:30-12 PM. I will block these times on my Outlook calendar and will add 10 minutes so I have time to change and make it over to the gym.

Short-term goal: Starting next week, April 4, I will improve my step count from 5,000 steps per day to 8,000 steps per day. I will accomplish this by taking 15-minute walking breaks every 2 hours while I am at work. I will do a lap on my floor and walk up/down 2 flights of stairs.

Short-term goal: By next Friday, I will set up a consult with our dietician to review my eating habits and how to make changes to see success.

At some point in our busy lives we eat a quick meal, or get so busy we forget to eat.  Our jobs can leave us working while eating lunch, not truly taking the time to sit for the meal.  Check out these four "not-so-healthy" habits and how you can work to fix them to avoid overeating during your meals. 

Not-So-Healthy Habit #1: Eating too quickly. You may have heard that it takes approximately 20 minutes for your body to send a signal to your brain that it is full. While the exact amount of time likely varies from person to person and the amount of food consumed, it is typically true that satiety doesn’t occur immediately after consuming something and therefore, if you’re still hungry right after eating something, you should allow yourself a few minutes to see if satiety kicks in, or if you truly are still hungry. Additionally, eating too quickly can cause you to swallow air, which may result in GI discomfort such as gas and/or bloating, and poses a risk for choking.

THE FIX: To help slow down the rate at which you eat, try taking smaller bites, chewing more slowly and thoroughly, putting your utensil down between bites, including sips of water between bites, and making conversation throughout the meal if eating with others.

Not-So-Healthy Habit #2: Skipping meals. Overeating can also result from skipping meals or following irregular eating patterns. For example, some individuals may use compensatory thinking after skipping meals, such as, “I didn’t eat anything all day, so it is OK for me to eat whatever I want tonight.” Similarly, skipping meals may lower your inhibitions, making it more likely for you to choose unhealthier food options. Additionally, skipping meals can disrupt your metabolism, blood sugar levels, and mental and physical performance.

THE FIX: To prevent skipping meals, it is important to establish a regular eating schedule. There is no “one-size-fits-all” eating regimen: three meals a day may suffice for some, while others prefer 5-6 “mini meals” or snacks. If an irregular appetite is the issue causing you to skip meals, try eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. If you find that time is the problem, plan your meals/snacks in advance (i.e., the night before) and keep plenty of portable snacks on hand (ex. granola bars, apples, oranges, trail mix).

Not-So-Healthy Habit #3: Eating while distracted. Similarly, to when an individual eats too quickly, eating while distracted may interfere with the body’s ability to signal satiety to the brain, thus increasing the odds of overeating. If you aren’t focusing on what you are eating and how you feel while you are eating, you may not recognize when you’ve had enough.

THE FIX: The next time you’re eating a snack or meal, be sure to sit down in a quiet, comfortable setting and unplug from all distractions such as your cell phone, computer, or TV.

Not-So-Healthy Habit #4: Over-restricting intake. Over restricting your intake can also lead to overeating. For many people, the idea of not being able to have something only makes them want it more. The same is true with food. Restricting certain food groups can also restrict certain nutrients that your body needs to function properly. For example, when an individual aims to restrict all carbohydrates, they are also restricting the good components of carbohydrates, such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

THE FIX: Rather than banishing the foods you love and depriving yourself of them, try allowing yourself to have them more frequently - just in moderation. For example, if you’re someone who finds yourself swearing to never eat ice cream again at the top of every week, only to find yourself indulging in an entire pint by Friday, try allowing yourself a small bowl or serving of ice cream several times each week to satisfy your cravings.

Take the time to enjoy your meal using these tips to avoid overeating at lunch today! What tips did you find to be helpful?

Did you know? An ongoing lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep increases your risk of health problems such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and obesity.
Are you finding yourself…to be irritable? Having memory problems or being forgetful? Feeling depressed? Having more falls or accidents? Then you may not be getting a good night’s sleep.

Despite popular (false) belief, older adults need about the same amount of sleep as all adults, 7 to 9 hours each night. Unfortunately, many older adults often get less sleep than they need. One reason is that they often have more trouble falling asleep. A study of adults over 65 found that 13 percent of men and 36 percent of women take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep.

Here are some ideas and tips for helping get a good night sleep:

• Follow a regular sleep schedule. (Go to bed and wake up at the same times every day)
• Avoid napping in the late afternoon or evening. (Try limiting your day naps to 15-45 minutes)
• Develop a routine for bedtime. (Try to develop soothing bedtime rituals such as taking a bath, playing music or practicing relaxation techniques)
• Avoid electronics, as their lights may make it difficult for you to fall asleep.
• Keep your home at a comfortable temperature. (That is not too hot or too cold)
• Make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark and use low lighting in the evenings.
• Avoid eating large meals close to bedtime. (May lead to indigestion)
• Stay away from caffeine (coffee, tea, soda, chocolate) late in the day.
• Participate in regular exercise [150 minutes total a week]. (A study at Northwestern University found that aerobic exercise resulted in the most dramatic improvement in quality of sleep, including sleep duration, for middle-aged and older adults with a diagnosis of insomnia.)

Sleep problems not related to age**

At any age, it’s common to experience occasional sleep problems. However, if you experience any of the following symptoms on a regular basis, you may be dealing with a sleep disorder:

• Have trouble falling asleep even though you feel tired.
• Have trouble getting back to sleep when awakened.
• Don’t feel refreshed after a night’s sleep.
• Feel irritable or sleepy during the day.
• Have difficulty staying awake when sitting still, watching television, or driving.
• Have difficulty concentrating during the day.
• Rely on sleeping pills or alcohol to fall asleep.
• Have trouble controlling your emotions.

Evaluate your habits and implement some of the tips above into your routine to see if you can improve the quality of sleep. If you still experience problems with sleeping, speak with your doctor about your difficulties and share with them what lifestyle changes you have attempted to make improvements. Quality sleep is essential for optimal health and should be an open part of dialogue with your doctor!

Are you hoping to start meal prepping to allow for more time during the weeknights? Meal-prepping is a great way to ensure you are eating a well-balanced diet, even when you are on a time crunch throughout the week. It can be a daunting and time-consuming task at first, so here are a few tips to get you started.

Organize your meal plans ahead of time and go grocery shopping ONCE.

First things first, decide what you want to prepare. Search through cookbooks or Pinterest for healthy meals that will reheat well. Write all of the required ingredients on your grocery list so that you only need to go shopping once. Once prepared, store your food in glass storage containers, if possible. Your food will reheat more evenly, and your hormones will thank you later!

Start small.

Instead of trying to prep EVERY meal for your entire week, start with just a few meals! If there are a few days of the week that you know will be busier than the rest, prioritize having meals ready-to-go for those specific days. As you get comfortable doing a few meals a week, you can decide whether you want to prep a little more at a time. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing!

Prioritize protein and vegetables.

Protein is key both for weight loss AND for gains. Choose proteins such as chicken breast or thighs, ground turkey, salmon, tuna, cod, beef, or even plant-based options such as quinoa, chickpeas, and beans. Incorporate plenty of colorful vegetables and healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds, and cooking oils such as grass-fed butter, avocado oil (for high-heat) and olive oil (for dressings and low-heat). Sprinkle in complex carbohydrates full of fiber such as brown rice, quinoa, white or sweet potatoes with the peel, or orzo.

Keep lots of spices on-hand!

When you prep meals ahead of time, it may not take very long to get tired of eating the same foods. If you have a variety of spices in your kitchen ready to go, it can be a fun way to keep your meals new and exciting. This is a great time to experiment with seasonings such as curry, sazón, chimichurri, and more!

Prep your pantry with healthy snacks, too.

While pre-packaged foods are easy-to-grab, they often don’t provide many nutrients. Cut up some fruits and vegetables at the start of the week for grab-and-go snack options. Do the same with nuts and seeds – and put them all in easy, one-portion storage containers.

Eating out at restaurants or on the go doesn’t have to break the calorie bank or bust your diet. Here are some tips and tricks for keeping your order healthy when eating out:

• Pass on the breadbasket or limit your intake to just one slice.
• For pastas and pizzas, choose a tomato sauce, rather than a cream-based sauce, for fewer total calories and grams of fat.
• Top pastas and pizzas with plenty of vegetables - green and red peppers, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, and onions are all great options!
• Order a side of seasonal vegetables or side salad with your entree.
• Request a “to-go” box before your order arrives. When it gets there, place half of the entree in the box to take home with you.

• Stick with a single patty, rather than ordering a double or triple burger.
• Choose grilled chicken rather than chicken that is breaded or fried.
• Skip the soda and opt for a healthier alternative such as water, low fat or fat-free milk, or unsweetened tea!
• Go easy on special sauces, which are often high in calories, fat, sugar and sodium!
• Order a salad, baked potato or a fruit cup as a side in place of French fries, which are often high in calories, fat and sodium.

• Pass on the chips and queso as a starter, or have salsa or guacamole in queso’s place, for fewer calories and less saturated fat.
• Choose brown rice over white rice, as it is higher in fiber which will help keep you fuller for longer!
• Skip the sour cream and opt for lighter and healthier toppings such as tomato or corn salsas, or avocado!
• Select lean proteins such as fish or chicken, rather than beef or steak.

• Load up on the vegetables - tomato, green and red peppers, lettuce and spinach to name a few.
• Choose whole grain or whole wheat bread when possible. Or forgo the bread completely and ask that your usual sandwich toppings be served over a bed of greens.
• Ask them to go easy on the high calorie toppings, like cheese, mayonnaise and other condiments.
• Skip the potato chips and opt for a healthier side.

• Skip deep fried sides and starters, such as wontons, crab rangoon, and egg rolls.
• Choose brown or steamed white rice, rather than fried rice or noodles.
• Avoid entrees with heavy sauces, such as those with “General Tsos”, “Sweet and Sour” or “Kung Pao” in the name.
• Select lean proteins, such as shrimp, fish or chicken, rather than beef or pork entrees.

When you live with chronic pain, the only one who can know how much it hurts is you. Pain can be hard to describe because it’s both invisible and personal. If you can’t put into words how much pain you’re in or how it affects your life, your doctor, physical therapist or fitness trainer can’t prescribe the right treatment or exercises for you. Go through these questions to help you get the relief you need.  

What Does the Pain Feel Like?  

Be as specific as possible about how your pain feels to help your doctor figure out what is wrong.  Here are a few words you can use to describe the way your pain feels, and how your doctor might interpret them:  

• Aching, dull: muscle strains, arthritis pain  
• Shooting, electric, tingling, burning, pins-and-needles: nerve pain  
• Sharp, stabbing: injuries such as a broken bone, muscle or ligament tear, or penetrating wound 
• Throbbing: headache, abscess, gout  
• Tightness: muscle spasm

Where do you have Pain? Describe exactly where you hurt. 

Here are a few examples:   

• Deep in my shoulder joint or in the muscles near the surface. 
• Under the kneecap or in the back of the knee. 
• The outside of my hip or in my groin.  
• Is the pain in only one spot, or does it travel?  
• Does the pain remain steady, come and go, or only flare up when you move in a certain way? 

How Much Does it Hurt?  

Explain the intensity of your pain. That’s where the pain scale comes in. Your doctor will likely ask you to “rate” your pain on a scale of 0 to 10 – where 0 is pain-free and 10 is unimaginable pain. The doctor can use your score to help determine what type of treatment you may need.  

How Does the Pain Affect Your Life?  

Tell your doctor which activities you’ve had to adjust, and which ones you now avoid entirely because of your pain. The impact the pain has on your life is just as important as the pain itself.  

Examples of life changes:   

• Have you been skipping your morning walk because of the pain?  
• Are you missing out on normal activities?  
• Can you barely get out of bed in the morning?  
• Does the pain leave you so drained and depressed that you don’t want to be around people?  

When Do You Hurt?  

Try keeping a journal to help you track when in the day your pain is at its worst. The timing of pain can help your doctor fine-tune your treatment. For example, if you tell your doctor you have higher pain in the morning versus the evening, they can adjust your treatment. 

What Helps/Worsens Your Pain?  

Make note in your journal what you’ve tried to relieve the pain (rest, ice, heat, over-the-counter pain medicine). Did they ease the pain, have no effect or make it more intense?  

With a good description of your pain, your doctor will have a better chance of getting you the relief you need. But even when your doctor knows the cause of your pain, treatment might not be a quick fix. It a trial-and-error process that takes time. Be patient, but persistent.  

It’s Random Acts of Kindness Day!!! The “pay it forward” movement stems from this day of kindness helping to incorporate it into our schools, workplaces, homes, and communities. A random act is not premeditated and an action to offer kindness to the outside world. Choosing to perform acts of has many benefits to our health – emotional, mental, and physical. Let’s take a closer look at how choosing kindness benefits our health.

Emotional Benefits:

• Makes people feel helpful and optimistic
• Boosts self-esteem
• Increases oxytocin, a hormone making us feel connected to each other
• Creates a sense of belonging therefore reduces feelings of isolation
• Releases positivity – we feel better and those that we are kind to feel better leading them to pay it forward

Mental Benefits:

• Reduces levels of the stress hormone, cortisol
• Decreases overall anxiety
• Helps improve feelings of depression
• Reduces negative emotions such as anger

Physical Benefits:

• Lowers blood pressure
• Boosts immune system
• Improves cardiovascular health
• Provides a positive outlook on life which can help you live longer
• Decreases health problems due to the increase of oxytocin which reduces inflammation

Practicing random acts of kindness is not just about how we treat others, but also how we practice these behaviors on ourselves. We are sometimes so quick to be negative and hard on ourselves. If we change our mindset to being more positive, we can be kinder to ourselves. Act and choose kindness today: Don’t overthink it, kindness is a simple act. Check out these options as simple ways to allow someone to feel kindness.

• Put other’s needs before your own
• Leave an inspirational message for a friend or co-worker
• Send a card to someone
• Give someone a compliment
• Hold the door open for someone
• Practice gratitude
• Be kind to yourself
• Send someone flowers
• Volunteer in your local community
• Donate to a charity
• Run an errand for somebody
• Be kind to a stranger
• Help an elderly person
• Make someone laugh
• Leave an extra tip
• Donate food to the food pantry

Practicing random acts of kindness increases a person’s sense of happiness. Kindness is contagious and something we should all want to spread to others.  What act of kindness will you perform today?

Improving balance can be tricky. Where do we start? What even is balance training? Standing on one leg? Walking more? It seems like everyone has their own idea of balance. What we do know, is that it becomes more important for active older adults to build and maintain balance with each passing year.

All of these can certainly help our balance! But a method that has seen success is building strength, endurance, and balance from the ground up. It makes sense after all. Our feet are the only part of our bodies in direct contact with the ground as we walk. It stands to reason that strengthening the foot, ankle, and muscles of the lower legs would be helpful.

We have been incorporating lower leg and foot/ankle exercises for the past year but two of the most practical ones (in my experience) have been the short foot drill (invented by Dr. Vladimir Janda) and the tibialis raise (popularized by Ben Patrick the “knees over toes guy”).

The short foot drill can be complicated to learn and teach but I have found it to be highly beneficial for seniors. It might take a few extra minutes to explain the nuances of the drill but once they have their “lightbulb moment” this drill can be beneficial for essentially any standing movement one encounters. The idea is to spread the toes wide to widen the base of the foot. Try and find the “foot tripod”. This means the 1^st metatarsal (by the big toe), the 5^th metatarsal (by the pinky toe) and the heel. Then gently (think 20% effort) press the tips of the toes into the ground until the 1^st metatarsal head lifts up.

This movement can be further complicated, but I find that this is a good starting point for most people. This movement trains the intrinsic foot muscles which are responsible for building and maintaining the arch of the foot. For those who have flat feet or collapsed arches, this can be an essential movement.

While some residents are still in the process of learning the short foot drill, the ones who have “got it” speak about the benefits. They have noted that it applies to standing exercises as well as balance and stability while walking and standing throughout the days. Some have said it has lessened their knee pain. My personal favorite bit of feedback was from one of our most consistent class attendees who said the short foot drill felt like it was “waking up” her feet and legs. I think it is a very important drill to put time into learning and teaching.

The tibialis raise is (fortunately) a good deal easier to teach and explain. While the typical version is performed standing, I almost always use a modified seated version with our senior fitness classes.

The basic concept behind tibialis raises is to strengthen the often neglected and underdeveloped anterior tibialis muscle. This muscle is responsible for “dorsiflexing” the foot which is a technical term for saying “this muscle lifts the foot up”. When practicing this exercise, I instruct our residents to put their fingers on the tibialis anterior muscle so they can feel it contract as they lift the front of their feet upwards. This has been the most useful method for allowing them to feel the muscle contract. Activating and strengthening this muscle seems to have a positive effect on knee and ankle healthy. The tibialis anterior can be thought of as one of the “braking” muscles of the lower body. When one is walking or changing direction, some of the forces from the ground should be absorbed by the tibialis anterior. When this muscle is weak or inactive that can lead to extra forces irritating the knees or ankles. Having strong and healthy tibialis anterior muscles can protect the legs and increase balance.

As for results, well it depends. There isn’t an exact way to track how effective these exercises are. As mentioned, I have heard great feedback from my residents. When it comes to balance, I think incorporating these two exercises to strengthen and activate the feet and lower legs as part of a comprehensive exercise plan can be highly beneficial to almost anyone.

If you’ve ever worked with older adults you likely know about this love/hate relationship everyone has with any program labeled “Fall Prevention”. Residents are certainly interested in learning about how to prevent falls. They have a healthy fear of falling. But often times, they don’t want to move outside of their comfort zone to practice the things that will actually improve balance and fall prevention.

So what better way to face a fear than head on, right?

That’s what NIFS fitness managers did during Fall Prevention Week. With an average of 50 program participants at each site, there was certainly interest in the topic! Here are some tips for the basics of planning a robust Fall Prevention Week:

Get other departments involved

The week may have been okay without any other staff support, but I think you have a better investment from the community and from the residents when other departments get involved. The first department that comes to mind for this topic is Physical Therapy. Many PT departments were happy to work with NIFS staff in bringing presentations, device checks, and even home safety checks to residents. I think it goes without saying that partnering with Food & Beverage is always fun because who doesn’t like to have snacks? Fortunately, many of our communities also have a dietitian on-site and are able to take it one step further with an event centered on balancing nutrition along with balancing the body. The possibilities are really endless.

Have a mix of interactive and educational events

One of the most popular events across the board was the Fall Prevention Presentation with the Getting Up From a Fall Workshop. During this presentation, NIFS staff members discussed ways to avoid falls in the first place, but they also took the time to demonstrate how to safely fall and (where appropriate) how to get back up off the floor. Participants then had the option to work one-on-one with staff and learn how to safely get themselves onto the floor and back up into a chair without falling. Residents appreciated the chance to learn and then to try things themselves.

Follow up with participants

A key element to Fall Prevention Week is tracking who participated so we know who to reach out to afterwards. There’s always a “next step” available so it’s nice to be able to personalize that according to the needs of the specific participant. For some people, it’s a balance evaluation, for others it might be a 1-on-1 exercise prescription, and for others it’s simply going to be a class recommendation. No matter what the recommendation is, just following up with each individual makes the week more personal and gives them more buy-in to continue working on their own fall prevention skills.