We get LOTS of questions from our office workers about what the best office exercises are to keep them from kinking up at their desk! These are our top seated stretches that let you stay in your chair but get some great stretching benefits at the same time.

Seated Hip Stretch

This move helps open up the hips and stretch the complex series of muscles in the hips and glutes.

Do it right: While seated, cross the right ankle over the left knee and sit up nice and tall. Gently lean forward, keeping the back straight and reaching out with the torso until you feel a stretch in the right glute and hip. You can also press down on the right knee to deepen the stretch. Hold for 10-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Shoulder Shrugs

The shoulders and neck hold a lot of stress and tension from typing, clicking and scrunching. Shoulder shrugs are a great way to relax the shoulders and get a little circulation going.

Do it right: Seated or standing, lift the shoulders up towards the ears, squeezing them as hard as you can. Hold for 1-2 seconds and roll them back as you relax down. Repeat for 8-10 reps.

Spinal Twist

Sitting for prolonged periods of time can also affect the lower back, leaving it tight and achy. This stretch will help gently work out some of that tension.

Do it right: In a seated position with the feet flat on the floor, contract the abs and gently twist the torso towards the right, using your hands to help deepen the stretch. Only twist as far as you comfortably can and keep the back straight while keeping the hips square. Hold for 10-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Upper Back Stretch

The upper back can also become tense and tight from hunched shoulders, especially if you hold the phone against your shoulder or use your mouse a lot. The shoulder rolls above may help loosen you up for this upper back stretch.

Do it right: Seated or standing, stretch the arms straight out and rotate the hands so that the palms face away from each other. Cross the arms so that the palms are pressed together, contract the abs and round the back, reaching away as you relax the head. Don’t collapse but instead imagine you’re curving up and over an imaginary ball. Hold the stretch for 10-30 seconds. If twisting the arms doesn’t feel good, simply lace the fingers together.

Neck Stretch

Holding tension in the neck can lead to headaches and upper back tension as well. Many of us drop the head forward when working on the computer, which can put extra stress on the neck muscles. This stretch feels great on the neck and shoulders.

Do it right: Sitting in your chair, reach down and grab the side of the chair with the right hand and gently pull while tilting your head to the left, feeling a stretch down the right side of the neck and shoulder. Hold for 10-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Thanks to About.com for the great info! For more office exercises please visit http://exercise.about.com/od/flexibilityworkouts/tp/officestretches.htm

Being huge proponents of corporate wellness programs, we felt we HAD to address the American Sitting Epidemic starting with the fact that the average American sits 12 hours per day.

If you read all the studies, then you know that extended sitting will likely shave years off your life in some of the most unpleasant ways. The American Cancer Society conducted a 14-year study that found that women who sit for more than six hours a day were about 40% more likely to die during the course of the study than those who sat fewer than three hours per day. Men were about 20% more likely to die.

The American Journal of Epidemiology published a study finding that those who work a sedentary job have almost twice the risk of a specific type of colon cancer. Other studies have focused on specific conditions affecting the most Americans, things such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes and depression. In those studies, too, extended periods of sitting increased risks of illness.

Researching Corporate Wellness Programs?

The FitNuts are in the field RIGHT NOW helping companies develop and increase participation in their corporate wellness programs.

Using a comprehensive planning formula, we make sure that your employees have effective options for exercise, eating and mindset! If you would like to find out more, check out our Corporate Wellness Evaluation offer!

What’s particularly interesting about recent research is the revelation that sitting for extended periods of time does significant damage to human health that cannot be undone by exercising. That creates a bit of a problem in all those industries that require people to be chained to a desk, phone, and/or computer. Alas, there are some simple solutions.

Stand Up Workstations

Sitting is a big part of our culture, in fact, we’re practically addicted to it. Standing desks have been around for decades, if not centuries, believed by some of the worlds smartest minds to stimulate creative juices.

In addition to avoiding that increased risk of death, standing desks offer a few other health benefits.

• You burn more calories standing
• Standing posture reduces aches and pains caused by excessive sitting
• Standing increases focus
• Increased physical demand lends to better sleep than just ending the day with mental exhaustion

60:3 Policy

Whether it is an rule at work, or you own personal agenda, the 60:3 policy breaks up those extended sit-ins. For every 60 minutes of sitting you get up and move around for 3. You do not have to leave the building, get off the phone, or stop working for an extended period of time. Get up, stretch, move your joints, hop up and down, walk around, … whatever. It is pretty simple, and it feels great! Let’s change the American sitting epidemic to the America is fit epidemic.

Find out more about other Corporate Wellness Program Ideas from the FitNuts!

We are often asked about the cost justification for corporate wellness programs. Many companies know they are necessary, but have to have data to back up the anecdotal evidence that helping their employees stay healthier is good for the bottom line.

The history of wellness has many roots and spans throughout generations and cultures. Although it is difficult to pinpoint an exact beginning, we can identify the beginnings of a significant push towards wellness in the workplace dating around the mid-1970’s and into the early 1980’s with the works of Dr.s Halbert Dunn and Bill Hettler. Hettler reports that by 1980, major corporations were beginning to realize the benefits of a healthy lifestyle on employees.

In the late 1990’s, the National Compensation Survey determined that a wellness program consisted of two or more of the designated programs–smoking cessation, exercise and physical fitness, weight control, nutrition education, hypertension testing, periodic physical examinations, stress management and back care. Nearly 90 percent of the businesses in the United States offered an employee health promotion or wellness program under this definition.

In 2003, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reports a significant return on investment in work-site-based health promotion and disease prevention programs with a median benefit-to-cost ratio of $3.14 for every dollar spent on the wellness program. HHS further identifies major corporate program successes as follows:

• Motorola’s wellness program, which saved the company $3.93 for every $1 invested.
• Northeast Utilities WellAware Program, which in its first 24 months reduced lifestyle and behavioral claims by $1,400,000.
• Caterpillar’s Healthy Balance program, which is projected to result in long term savings of $700 million by 2015.
• Johnson & Johnson’s Health and Wellness Program, which has produced average annual health care savings of $224.66 per employee. (Prevention Makes Common Cents” Us Department of Health and Human Services, 2003)

US Corporate Wellness identifies health care, disability, sick leave, and employee retention as the four foremost issues presenting as the most significant expense line items for large and small business. When cross-referencing the workman’s compensation costs with employee BMI (body mass index) in a study conducted by Duke University , an eye-opening trend appeared. Compared with employees with normal BMI, the Workman’s Compensation costs were significantly increased with each step up the BMI scale, as demonstrated in the following Table 1.

Hitti, Miranda. Obesity Costly In Workers’ Comp. CBSNews.com (in reference to Duke University study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine). April 27, 2007.

While the stated goal of workplace wellness programs is to improve employee health, many U.S. employers have turned to them to help alleviate the impact of enormous increases in health insurance premiums experienced over the last decade with justifiable predictions that premiums will continue to rise sharply.

Table 1: Workmen’s Compensation Costs Cross-referenced with Body Mass Index

source US Corporate Wellness, ROI-based Analysis of Corporate Wellness Programs, 2010

With more recent work by the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA), we benefit from cost calculators and health indexes that shed meaningful light on the cost of health related risk factors in the workplace. In the 2012 case study of the Meredith Corporation, WELCOA outlines an exceptional wellness program success that starts in 2006 with incoming CEO Steve Lacy .

As one of the nation’s leading media and marketing companies, Meredith boasted nearly 1,700 employees housed in their two primary locations. Launched as a pilot program, Lacy introduced a wellness program at the headquarter location. Within a year, the program was expanded company wide to all 21 locations.

Health care costs were identified at $7.1 million with projected costs at $10 million by 2015. Health care expenditures included delineation between modifiable and non-modifiable expenses whereby modifiable expenses are the costs associated with behaviors that can be changed or improved. In this study, non-modifiable costs accounted for 64% of the overall current cost, and modifiable costs accounted for 36%: $2.5 million. This study becomes even more enlightening when we look at the figures associated with lost productivity (see Table 2).

This study expands the idea of identified costs associated with health care into additional expenses associated with productivity. In the Meredith case study, productivity losses exceed medical care costs in excess of 240%. The risk factors noted in this study are specific to the Meredith Corporation, as are the total expenses. Regardless, costs associated with the treatment of a given risk factor are well understood. As we expand our analysis into industry specific metrics, the risk level distribution can utilize these same risk factor calculations. Where we can reasonably classify the general cost of  health care and insurance premiums as non-modifiable, lifestyle behavior and physical activity readiness can significantly impact overall cost of health related expenses within occupation specific industries.

Table 2: Risk Factor Ranking and Costs in Meredith Case Study with WELCOA

The Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness-Fitness-Initiative (WFI) exemplifies the positive return on investment (ROI) and benefit-to-cost ratio afforded by a well-designed wellness program.  In a study of eight participating fire stations distributed across the United States, fourteen years of data are compiled whereby the first seven years (1991- 1997) are expenses incurred prior to the implementation of the wellness program and the subsequent seven years (1998 – 2004) are the composite of test data.  In this program, four of the eight participating fire stations participate in the wellness program, and the other four serve as the control group.

The Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness-Fitness-Initiative findings against four target metrics are noted in Figure 3.  In each of these graphs we see a distinct point of program initiation and varying degrees of differentiation over the three years of program implementation.  Figure 4 provides a strong visual argument for the overall success of the WF- Initiative where we see substantially lower numbers of on-duty injury claims, and significantly lower incurred costs increases against those claims.  In the cases of lost workdays and average cost per claim, the WFI participating fire stations actualized a substantial reduction in those expenses from the initial seven years.  This study recognizes potential savings of nearly $2.0 million annually per WFI department against its occupational claims alone.

Table 3: WFI Occupational Injuries Occurring On-Duty: 1991-2004

Recognizing the limitations of the WFI study, we can reference our WELCOA study of the Meredith Corporation.  In the case of Meredith, we can assume that fewer of the claims are directly work related.  Complications associated with modifiable health expenses are amplified under stressful conditions, as would be experienced by fire service personnel.  These complications carry over into off-duty time.  Here is where we anticipate coincidence between the two populations. By addressing modifiable health care expenses, Meredith Corporation was able to achieve the similarly impressive outcomes from its wellness efforts:

1. Change in Claims

• From 2006 – 2011, Meredith reduced its annual health care cost per employee to a 0.9% increase (improvement over 18.5% increase in 2004 – 2006)

2. Health Improvements and Risk Reduction

• Meredith saw a major reduction in health risk, moving from 13% to 4% of employees in a high-risk category.
• Reducing employee tobacco use from 11% to 4%

3. Participation and Impact on Culture

• 92% of employees participated in annual wellness screenings (an improvement over 64% in 2007)
• 90% completion rate in tobacco cessation program, with 80% of those staying tobacco-free for more than six months.
• Meredith employees have lost 21,000 pounds since 2006

In summary, FitNut sees cost justification as a combination of tools and methodologies utilized in the two case studies: Wellness-Fitness Initiative (WFI) as presented by the IAFF Department of Occupational Health and Safety, and WELCOA’s case study on the Meredith Corporation.

The Wellness-Fitness Initiative makes a solid case for cost improvements relating to occupational injuries and claims incurred on-duty for all uniformed personnel. This comprehensive program is well structured on a balance of (1) medical evaluations and assessments (2) fitness activities, assessments, and policies (3) injury and medical rehabilitation, and (4) behavior health. In spite of the overwhelming success of the WFI program, the outcome is mitigated by its limitations to on-duty incidence. This is where FitNut sees an opportunity in the Meredith Corporation model. Risk factor rankings and associated cost, break-even analysis of those risk factors, risk level distribution, and risk factor prevalence all provide a demographic upon which to design a more comprehensive wellness program and measure Return On Investment (ROI).

Cost justification around wellness programs extend well beyond insurance premiums, and this is where we see the true value of wellness programs within the small business arena.
Program development around modifiable expenses offers the greatest return overall.

FitNut is a corporate wellness solutions company built on the principles of project management, and is well suited to program design based on metrics and outcome measures. FitNut is a WELCOA certified company. Our corporate wellness packages are designed to meet the needs of the largest employee population, drive engagement, and meet target outcome measures. True wellness is a sustainable model with far-reaching benefits.

One question arises often over here, does Organic food REALLY cost that much more than some of the highly processed foods on the grocery shelves today?

We certainly cannot talk about the cost of healthy food without some mention of organic food and its costs. Without going into the debate, the following information extracted from a recent study performed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers some good food for thought.

The USDA estimates that organically produced food can cost anywhere from 10 to 30 percent more than conventionally mass-produced food. For the sake of clarity, lets review the definition of organic.

The USDA has established three basic organic standards:

• 100 Percent Organic (made using all organic materials and practices)
• USDA Organic (made with 95 percent organic materials)
• Made with Organic Ingredients (products in this last category contain 70 percent organic ingredients or more, and although they can claim organic status, goods carrying this designation cannot display the official organic seal)

Typically, the products that are listed as 100% organic are higher in price, and those “Made with Organic Ingredients” are lower.

This photograph depicts a chart of research conducted by Rutgers University (Dr. Firman E. Bear) published in the Natural Gardener’s Catalog. This research argues that organic food contains an average of TWELVE TIMES more nutrient density across all of the listed minerals.

In this case/scenario, an argument can be made that – based on nutrient content alone – although you pay roughly 1/3 the cost for processed foods, you effectively would need to pay approximately FOUR TIMES MORE for all the food required to make up the nutritional difference.

Unfortunately, when we look at all the studies around organic vs. conventional foods, the data is inconclusive. There are just as many findings to debunk the value of organic as there are to support it. This presents a strong suggestion that when it comes to the nutritional quality of food, we are asking the wrong questions.

Mineral depletion is strongly tied to the health and balance of the soil. Overall, mineral composition is affected by geography, climate, and fertilizing practices. There are many environmental and cultural factors that influence the nutritional composition of produce, and these may ultimately play a greater role in food quality than simple organic versus conventional logic. (… and we’re not even beginning to address the concept of picking fruits and vegetables before they are ripe for the purposes of global distribution.)

“The alarming fact is that foods — fruits and vegetables and grains — now being raised on million acres of land that no longer contains enough of certain needed minerals, are starving us, no matter how much of them we eat.”

While it is common knowledge that soil microorganisms influence plant nutrition by virtue of their role in decomposition and mineralization of organic matter, the view that microorganisms stimulate plant metabolism and enhance plant nutrition is certainly more holistic in nature than the quantitative-mechanical view that soil microbes merely breakdown organic matter and release mineral ions into the soil solution.

Since the industry is not regulating soil quality in this way, it is really difficult to target higher quality foods in either camp.

Summary

The fewer nutrients found in food necessitates larger quantities of food to meet all the metabolic requirements to support life. This is pretty simple math. Whether you pick organic foods or conventional, it is safe to say that we do receive the most nutrient content in less processed foods. Processing includes everything from baking, broiling, and boiling, to extrusion, homogenization, pasteurization, and isolation … just to name a few.

The real solution comes in a different understanding of food, and not in the arduously overwhelming burden of these ridiculous shopping excursions with a calculator. Nutrition is so much more complex than grams of sodium.

Check out tlc.com/frugal for their short videos, “Saving Big on Groceries: Part 1” and “Saving Big on Groceries: Part 2” for some simple tips on thrifty shopping.

Want less hype and more common sense, check out our post, Adding Complexity is Not the Solution: Basic Economics of a Healthy Diet to find out more!

Researching Corporate Wellness Programs?

The FitNuts are in the field RIGHT NOW helping companies develop and increase participation in their corporate wellness programs.

Using a comprehensive planning formula, we make sure that your employees have effective options for exercise, eating and mindset! If you would like to find out more, check out our FREE 2 Hour Corporate Wellness Evaluation offer!

The economics of eating healthy is a topic that has been around for a very long time. Back in the 1970’s, my mother was a budget-master when it came to feeding a family of four.

Sales, coupons, and planning out our menu a month at a time made it possible for her to stretch the food dollar in exceptional ways. Both of my parents were wage earners, and we grew up on processed foods.

In today’s tough economic times, the cost of food remains on the hot plate. Yet at the same time, the relationship between the foods we eat and the epidemic of degenerative disease creates a whole new climate of complexity riddled with opinions and opportunity. The last thing we need is more complexity. Eating is one of the most basic functions in life: it should be pretty simple.

On March 5, 2012, The Denver Post published an article in the “$mart” section titled, “How to stretch your food budget while boosting nutrition”. The focus of this economic ‘tip’ revolves around calculating the overall value of nutrition contained within any given food item using food labels and a calculator. Shopping counselors within a local non-profit organization, teach low-income adults how to find the best nutrition for the best price by comparing ingredients between brands and weighing that information against the cost. *Ufff*

When folks are budgeting money, chances are pretty good that time is also in short supply. I also believe that you almost need a PhD in chemistry with an emphasis in food industry science in order to truly understand food labels. Putting together the right equation that will provide a nutrition-to-cost ratio you can rely on is a lot more complicated than comparing sodium. If you compare two, three, or four of the listed ingredients on any one box or can, your equation quickly gets out of control. OMG, grocery shopping just became “Rocket Science”!

Lets look at this situation another way.

Whole Foods vs. Processed Foods

Although this can get complicated, we are going to keep it as simple as possible. We define whole foods as follows:

Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible before being consumed. Whole foods typically do not contain added ingredients, such as sugar, salt, or fat.

That might clear up some confusion, but we go a little farther here with examples.

Of course, all raw fruits and vegetables are whole foods. Since most of us are not following a raw-foods diet, lets look as some other common foods.

Take potatoes for starters. A baked potato is closer to its original form as it was uprooted on the farm than a potato chip. A kettle chip is simply sliced and dropped into a deep fat fryer, and possibly coated with various flavors. A baked potato would be considered a whole food: a potato chip would not.

Things can get a little gray from here, as many of the foods that we do not consider as junk foods may still not be considered as whole foods. Milk is a perfect example. Pasteurization and homogenization strip milk of nutrients and enzymes that are normally contained in raw milk. Add to that the practice of reducing fats, fortifying with vitamins and mineral, and in some cases, adding artificial flavors such as strawberry and it becomes more clear that the milk you get in the grocery (unless you live in California) is no longer a whole food. It does not matter if you use that milk to make fermented foods such as yogurt or kefir – it is no longer a whole food. Raw milk cheese would be a different story.

When we start looking at a cost-to-nutrient ratio, the interesting story comes from evaluating processed foods against whole foods. The bad news here is there isn’t going to be a handy label on your apple that you can conveniently compare to the label on the gallon of apple juice. This is where education comes in handy.

A ripe apple still sitting in its skin is known to have 500 nutrients. When we convert that apple into juice, nutrients are either stripped or destroyed in the process of making it last longer on the shelves, safer from bacteria and contaminants, and otherwise marketable as juice. Consequently, we have considerably fewer than 500 nutrients. Although it is virtually impossible to know how many natural nutrients are resident in all the different foods in your diet, and concurrently understand ‘how much’ of ‘what’ is destroyed through all the different processing methods, rest assured that whole foods will always have more nutrition than a processed food.

The second stage comes from understanding what goes into making your favorite entrees and menu items.

Let’s consider macaroni and cheese. If I were to make it from scratch, I would need cheese, milk, and egg noodles of some sort.

Cheese is little more than a variety of milk – typically cows milk – and enzymes. Egg noodles are mostly made from white flour, eggs, and water. You can speculate that your baked macaroni and cheese will have a composite nutrient content of the nutrition in each of the three ingredients.

Now consider that box of Velveeta (or any other processed Mac-n-Cheese). The cheese is a squeeze pouch or a powdered composite of dairy, colors, artificial and natural flavors, noodles are relatively similar to your homemade variety, and you add your own milk and butter in the powdered case. There is a handy nutrition label that identifies a bunch of ingredients and additives necessary to create and preserve a macaroni-and-cheese-like flavor. These ingredients are not always qualified as nutrients and can sometimes be noted as toxins or anti-nutrients, depending on whom you are talking to. Nonetheless, we can see that it is no longer the same nutrient equation.

This leads us into the next trick in weighing the economy of healthy food.

Long Lists of Ingredients

This is an easy target for picking the best food. The longer the list of ingredients, the less desirable it is for nutrition. We just gave an example with macaroni and cheese, but the rule applies to everything you buy ‘ready made’. Bread, crackers, ice cream, sauces, and so many other foods on the grocery shelves present examples of better or worse choices.

Rather than becoming a chemistry genius, all you have to do is look at the length of the list! Although, we can argue that the more chemicals and additives we have in a food product, the cheaper it tends to be, the above example is a counter-example. Finding staple food items like the rolled oats can be a key tactic in keeping food bills at bay. The addition of nuts, raisins and other oatmeal favorites does add cost to the bowl of cereal, but it is easy to understand the nutritional benefits of those compared to high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors!

Stay tuned for next week’s post for the rest of the story…How organics really effect the cost of food!

The benefits of physical exercise are clear, and years of research provide the scientific evidence. Regular activity controls weight, fights disease, improves mood, boosts energy, provides fun, promotes sleep, and sparks sexual activity.

What is good for the general population is good for cancer patients, too. In fact, one British cancer charity called exercise a “wonder drug” for cancer. Unfortunately, it is one “miracle” that often gets overlooked by the healthcare community.

Macmillan Cancer Support Findings

Based in London, Macmillan Cancer Support provides medical, financial and practical support for people with cancer. In an August 2011 report, the charity revealed new evidence pointing to the importance of exercise to cancer recovery and long-term health.

The report revealed several key findings. Breast, bowel, and prostate cancer patients who followed the recommended exercise guidelines experienced a significant reduction in cancer recurrence risk and a higher survival rate. The same exercise levels also reduced the risk of treatment side effects such as nausea, fatigue, depression, heart disease and osteoporosis.

Macmillan Cancer Support also discovered that many health care professionals were unaware of the strong benefits of exercise for cancer patients. In fact, more than half of the country’s general practitioners (GPs), oncologists and nurses do not advise patients of the benefits of exercise during and after treatment.

National Exercise Recommendations

In years past, standard medical advice recommended rest and inactivity during and after chemotherapy and other treatments. New research suggests this advice is outdated and could put some cancer patients at an even greater risk.

Doctors now recognize exercise as a “wonder drug.” While physical activity cannot cure cancer, it helps patients cope with the myriad of symptoms and side effects of cancer treatment. Many patients say it gives them strength, energy and confidence to fight their disease and move beyond it.

Like the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) recommends 150 minutes of physical activity every week. Exercise can reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases by nearly fifty percent. It is free, easy to take, works immediately, and does not require a GP prescription, says the NHS.

Best Activities for Cancer Patients

The weekly 150 minutes of exercise recommended by the ACS and the NHS applies to moderately-intense aerobic activity. National guidelines also recommend stretching and flexibility exercises and resistance training, such as light weight-lifting.

Some cancer patients cannot exercise due to breathing difficulties and heart problems. People with asbestos-related mesothelioma, for example, are unable to do much in the way of exercise. However, mesothelioma patients can benefit from gentle movements, therapeutic massage, and physical therapy.

Brisk walking, water aerobics, bicycle riding, tennis, and even pushing a lawnmower are good aerobic activities for cancer patients who are able to exercise. Fitness classes and exercise buddies provide additional motivation and support.

Tailor-Made Exercise Plans

Despite its “miracle drug” reputation, exercise cannot cure cancer. A growing body of evidence shows that it can prevent and treat some cancers. Cancer mortality and survival rates are also linked to physical activity.

Cancer patients should talk to their GP or other healthcare professional before starting an exercise program. Doctors and fitness professionals can work closely with patients to design a tailor-made regimen that is right for them.

guest post courtesy of David Haas

Which foods should be purchased organic is one of the big questions I hear A LOT!

I will be the first to admit that making the best choices for my own health and the health of my family seems overwhelming at times. In many ways, nothing has changed with respect to the marketing undertow masked as health fact. Additionally, there is just so much ‘sacrifice’ I can make on behalf of those ‘better’ choices. It is a daily battle of choosing between the lesser of evils.

Although the question of which foods should be purchased organic is still very important, I find that it fails to address the bigger picture. In the end, it all boils down to the quality and cost of food. Additionally, convenience factors into the equation especially given that we no longer have a dedicated member of the family tasked with cooking and cleaning. Depending on where any given individual is at with any of the variables of life, dictates how much weight issues around food factor into the equation.

Regardless, knowledge (not marketing hype) helps us all make the best choices in the balance of evils. The following is my “Big Four” list that came out in response to a request for “5 – 10 foods that should always be purchased organic”. If you want a convenient list of which foods should be purchased organic, do a Google search on the “Dirty Dozen”. It’s been around for a while. The following information takes the question a step farther.

Meat: Inorganic vs Grass-fed

If you are going to take the time and effort to go organic on your animal products, take it one more step and purchase grass-fed. Corn-fed animals produce meats that are high in inflammation promoting fats called omega-6. Granted, losing the antibiotics, pesticides and hormones are a significant move in the right direction, but healthy fats are no less important. Grass-fed livestock are almost always raised more naturally, so you actually address both concerns in this case.

Corn and Corn by-products

Corn was the first crop introduced as a genetically modified organism in the early 1990’s. It is also true that roughly 1/3rd of the processed food products found on the grocery shelves contains at least one byproduct of corn processing. This also includes foodstuffs obtained through most fast food chains. Consuming corn in such large quantities is a problem in itself, but compound that issue with the corn products derived from GMO crops and we have a whole new host of issues and concerns. Organic foods that are processed into convenient foodstuffs still contain highly processed ingredients, but we can eliminate the factor of ‘foreign’ proteins. ‘Foreign’ proteins are believed in some circles to potentially predispose mankind to a host of health pitfalls.

Researching Corporate Wellness Programs?

The FitNuts are in the field RIGHT NOW helping companies develop and increase participation in their corporate wellness programs.

Using a comprehensive planning formula, we make sure that your employees have effective options for exercise, eating and mindset! If you would like to find out more, check out our FREE 2 Hour Corporate Wellness Evaluation offer!

Soy

Soy and soy byproducts are present in roughly 2/3rds of all processed foods we eat. Like corn, it is a genetically modified organism and presently ranks second to corn in the total volume as a crop. Additionally, we need to be aware of the processing agents used to separate soy into its constituent byproducts. Hexane is an industrial solvent used to extract oil from the soybean so that it can become soy oil and soy protein. Hexane is a neurotoxin, and in spite of many government claims to the safety in it’s use, watchdog organizations such as the Cornucopia Institute have shown that hexane is present in soy oils and protein products that are labeled as “natural” as well as any non-organic product.

Sweeteners

You will find a lot of debate around sugars and sugar alternatives. The critical breakdown in this arena comes down to those that are feasibly metabolized through our ‘god-given’ pathways. In this paradigm, ‘mono’-sugars and ‘di’-sugars delivered to the body in naturally occurring ratios are aptly metabolized. When those ratios are radically thrown out of those natural ratios we see the same physiological mayhem that we also see when someone consumes too much cheesecake and no vegetables. The situation gets really hairy when we introduce artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners
currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are:

• Acesulfame potassium (Sunett, Sweet One)
• Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)
• Neotame
• Saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet’N Low)
• Sucralose (Splenda)

The debate around artificial sweeteners dates from the 1970’s and continues as new sweeteners are introduced into the market. The bottom line is that artificial sweeteners are at minimum an ultra-processed byproduct of a chemistry laboratory. Whether you agree with the other claims around artificial sweeteners causing cancer, behavioral abnormalities, central nervous system dysfunction, or a myriad of other degenerative disease is almost secondary. Organic sweeteners are by far a safer means of satisfying the sweet-gene.

I am reasonably certain that life on Earth evolved in a manner that is self-sustaining. For that very reason, it seems intuitive that everything our bodies need in the way of nourishment is widely available in our food chain. That would include animals, plants, herbs (yes, those are plants), water, minerals, and air.

In our culture, we typically look for solutions through the treatment of symptoms. The problem with that approach is that symptoms can manifest through many different pathways. Nonetheless, this approach can be an affordable means to manage health and wellness – especially when we continue to acquire these nutrients through natural sources.

Recently, I was reviewing a client’s food journal and noticed a deficiency in her potassium intake. Interestingly, symptoms of potassium deficiency correlate with some of her health hurdles. Increasing her potassium through whole foods is much more enjoyable than treating with pills, and wonderfully effective!

Mangia!!!

What events can indicate a need for more high-potassium foods?

• Muscle weakness
• Confusion
• • Irritability
• Fatigue
• Heart problems
• Chronic diarrhea
• Regular, intense exercise
• Use of certain diuretics

Potassium is found abundantly in many foods, and is especially easy to obtain in fruits
and vegetables. Excellent sources of potassium include chard, crimini mushrooms, and
spinach.

How do cooking, storage, or processing affect potassium?

Potassium losses from cooking of high-potassium foods can be significant. In the case of
spinach for example, potassium levels have been shown to drop from 6.9 to 3.0 grams in
3 and 1/2 ounces of spinach after blanching for several minutes (a loss of about 56%).

Researching Corporate Wellness Programs?

The FitNuts are in the field RIGHT NOW helping companies develop and increase participation in their corporate wellness programs.

Using a comprehensive planning formula, we make sure that your employees have effective options for exercise, eating and mindset! If you would like to find out more, check out our FREE 2 Hour Corporate Wellness Evaluation offer!

Sometimes this passage of potassium out of foods can be nutritionally beneficial. For example, parsley tea often contains significant amounts of potassium because this mineral is leached out of the parsley leaves and into the hot tea water.

You can also take advantage of potassium leaching with homemade soups!

Working out in the zone may be just words to some people, but if you utilize the power of Evolution training, working out in the zone can mean more effective, productive exercise.

For someone new to exercise one of the biggest questions is how hard do I need to work to get the biggest bang for my buck? Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a very common way used by almost every gym in America. The problem with RPE is it’s subjective and it can change from person to person or even day to day. A person new to exercise stands a very real chance of either working too hard or not working hard enough. The best way to know how hard you need to work is to use a heart rate monitor and to know the right Zones to work in. Training in the right Zone and can produce great results. The study done by our FitNut partner speaks for itself.

The information for this article was provided during a 15-week training program for cycling. The program was based on Zoning and periodization principles. A training plan with specific time in each Heart Zone was given to each of the participants. The participants tracked their time per week in each zone according to the plan. Each week the training load was increased up to 10%.

The data included in each of the charts is aggregated for the 16 participants. The data was gathered through New Leaf Metabolic tests at the beginning of the program and at the end of the program 15 weeks later. Out of the 16 participants 14 of them lost weight even though weight loss was not the goal and there was no emphasis in the program on diet or weight control.

The zones are divided into the following categories:

Blue – Is categorized below Threshold or T1. Threshold in Zoning and Evolution is the
physiological marker where breathing begins to become labored. If conducting a field
assessment T1 is when the client can no longer work out and speak easily. T1 is lower in unfit individuals and gets higher as fitness increases.

Yellow – Is between T1 and Threshold 2 or T2. T2 is a hard effort that would be difficult to sustain for any length of time. In metabolic tests T2 maps to V02 Max. It can increase with training. In a fit individual the gap between T1 and T2 will get smaller.

Red- Is above T2 and is an effort that can only be sustained for short periods of time.

The following chart represents the change in calories burned per minute in each of the three zones:

Data Analysis

These charts demonstrate a couple of different things:

1) You really see the power of the yellow zone in calorie burning. At the start of the test the yellow zone burns double the amount of calories of the blue zone and almost four times that of the red zone.

2) Training using the Zones helps further improves calorie burning. Training in all of the zones shows the most improvement in the yellow zone. In each of the groups we see calorie numbers almost double after the 15-week program.

3) Most cardio machines have what they call the ‘Fat Burning’ zone. On most machines the fat burning zone corresponds to our blue zone. When you look at the chart above you can see that the blue zone is not the most effective zone for weight loss. The table below demonstrates the calorie difference in a ½ hour workout.

Working out in the Zones is clearly effective. There are a couple of considerations:

1) It is important that weight loss clients have a reliable way to monitor when they are working out in the proper zone. The Blue, Yellow and Red Zoning system allows even new exercisers to moderate their efforts.

2) The benefits realized in the study were the result of a structured program. It is important that weight loss clients participate in a program like Evolution that creates an appropriate amount of training load.

3) Training across all three zones is important however the Red zone is utilized primarily for performance gains. Weight loss clients will be more successful in meeting their goals by working out in the blue and yellow zones.

If you want to know more about how to find your Zones and train more effectively join us for our Get in the Zones – Basic Cardio Training Workshop!

It can be nearly impossible to maintain an objective perspective when evaluating self, and the opinions of loving friends and teammates can be hampered by various subjective considerations. Knowing this limitation, I have a list of three “Must Have” tools that give you the honest feedback to keep you on track to achieving health and fitness goals.

“Must Have” #1: Omron Bioelectric Impedance Device

The Omron is a hand-held body fat calculator. It does the same thing as the calipers used in the pinch test at your local gym – except without the pinching and without the trainer AND without making an appointment! This handy little device not only tells you how much your body fat composition is changing throughout your weight loss or training routine, but simple math can tell you so much more!

One of the biggest problems with calorie restriction diets is that you are typically not restricting fat generating nutrients. It is almost always true that you are depleting your body of all types of nutrients to some degree. Here, we are talking about trace minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, (probably) fats, and so forth. What typically happens as a result is that weight losses on the bathroom scale are more often than not associated with lean tissue catabolism. Lean tissue is everything in your body that is not fat (such as muscles, bones, vital organ tissue, etc.). Catabolism is a fancy word for degeneration.

Your body is full of nutrient storage facilities. Most of all minerals in your body are stored in your bones. Sugar, in the form of glucose, is stored in your liver and muscles. Proteins are stored as muscle fibers, and larger sources of energy are stored as fat. Although most people have no issues with depleting fat stores, weight loss is seldom isolated to fats. To make matters worse, when you lose vital nutrient stores during a calorie restricted diet, returning to a “Normal” diet quickly serves the purpose of restoring those nutrients in whatever way possible – which inevitably means re-gaining back all the weight you just lost. So here is where this handy little device can fix the problem!

Lets say I am a 5’4” female who turned 35 years old this year. Most of my day is sedentary because I work in front of a computer. I hopped on the bathroom scale and weighed in at 140#. After plugging all this information in to the Omron, it spits out that I have 23% body fat.

140# x .23 = 32.2# of fat in my body
140# – 32.2# = 107.8# of lean tissue

Now I’m going to change my routine: start a new diet, get some exercise; and I’m going to stick with it for a month. At the end of that month, I repeat my assessment. I’m still 5’4”, female, and 35, but I am weighing in on the bathroom scale at 138. I plug this all into my Omron and this time it tells me that my body fat is 19.5%. Okay, that is change, but where did it come from?

135# x .195 = 26.33# of fat
135# – 26.33 = 108.6# of lean tissue

I would be pretty excited as this scenario confirms that I lost 5.8# of body fat and actually gained almost a pound of muscle! But what if the Omron had reported my re-test body fat at 21.5%?

135# x .215 = 29.03# of fat
135# – 29.03 = 105.97 of lean

Even though we lost weight on the scale, and still lost a little over three pounds of fat, we also lost 2 pounds of lean tissue. Although many women will gladly sacrifice bulging biceps, back muscles, and legs for life in the skinny lane, the idea of sacrificing bone health is another story all together. This is your first clue that your diet is not well matched with your level of physical activity!

The Omron can be found online for under $50.

“Must Have” #2: Blink Heart Rate Monitor

Heart rate monitors have been around for a quite a few years. Many elite endurance athletes use them to calculate their optimal performance in races such as marathons, ultra-marathons, bike races, and triathlons. This latest entry into the pool of heart rate monitors is a must have for everybody else.

The Blink is based on a three-zone color system and a patented training system called Zoning. A simple test that you can do yourself to identify your heart-rate thresholds dials the blink into your exact fitness zones. Blue, Yellow, and Red then help you to reach your fitness goals by taking the guesswork out of how hard you are working. Whether your goal is weight loss, speed, or just getting started off the couch, this little tool gives you an objective value that tells you exactly what is going on with your heart. With that information, you can tailor your exercise and activity to help achieve your goals faster.

Did you know that your calorie burning potential is highest in your yellow zone?

Sign up for our upcoming class, Get in the Zones – Basic Cardio Training Workshop – Arvada CO and receive a free Blink!

“Must Have” #3: Foam Roller

This is another unsung hero in the personal wellness arena. The foam roller will work every muscle in your body as an on-demand masseuse, physical therapist, flexibility partner, and strength coach. I frequently introduce clients to the foam roller when knee pain becomes a problem.

I always start my clients out on the 36” long foam roller with 6” diameter like the one to the right, but you can also find them in 12” long “travel” sizes as well as 4” diameter. They range in density from the relatively soft white foam rollers to the extra-firm high density black. You can even find the 12” long rollers cut in half length-wise for calf and forearm exercises. Beware of the soft foam as they lose their shape relatively quickly and are difficult to roll.

You can find the best selections of foam rollers online and range in price from $12 up to $40 on average. I have also found a good selection at my local Better Back Store.