Physicians Sports and Injury Center Recommends Proper Nutrition, Exercise While at Work
Westmont, IL, March 19, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Your job can be a hard taskmaster, especially on the body.
Think for a moment about what most work day schedules require of us, particularly sedentary vocations: For several hours a day, you remain in a seated position, refraining from full flexion of motion or stretching of muscles, joints and tendons, and your busy schedule often prevents you from preparing and consuming healthy foods and beverages - if you even have enough time to eat or snack.
"The consequences can be obvious and not-so-apparent," said by Cara VanWormer, DC, with Physicians Sports and Injury Center in Westmont. "It's easy to gain noticeable weight, weaken your immune system and feel run down or moody when you don't eat the right foods or increase your cardiovascular activity. But even if these signs aren't evident, you may be doing long-term damage to your physical health that can lead to heart disease, diabetes, cancer or other serious conditions down the road."
Just because you may be stuck behind a desk or wheel most of the day, however, doesn't mean your body has to be neglected. There are simple ways you can incorporate proper nutritional practices and exercise habits into your daily work routine, without necessarily having to radically alter your schedule. Remember, any amount of exercise helps, and the benefits are cumulative. Just 20 minutes a day, five days a week amounts to 100 minutes a week, leading to almost 87 hours a year of exercise.
"First, give pause to everything you put in your mouth while on the job. You can even try keeping a diet diary for a week to closely monitor what you're eating," Dr. VanWormer said. "Instead of coffee loaded with fattening cream and sugar, try to drink more water. Bring a container from home that you can fill up with H2O at work and sip on throughout the day. If you need that energy boost, replace the expensive java with green tea - a much healthier alternative loaded with antioxidants but without the additives and preservatives. Better yet, consider brewing Wu Long tea, which can reduce blood pressure, improve immunocompetence, provide anti-aging and heart healing benefits and more. Substitute refined sweeteners and cream with all-natural honey, lemon, or rice or almond drink, each of which can be found at specialty health food stores. In warmer months, drink the tea on ice as a cooling, refreshing beverage."
Regarding work-time meals, don't skip them - just be careful to monitor your caloric and simple carbohydrate intake. It's a bad idea to skip breakfast especially, as this is an important early source of energy your body relies on for fuel to get you going in the morning. What's more, cutting out breakfast or lunch may cause your body to slow its metabolic rate and retain calories to sustain you to the next meal. There's research that shows that breakfast eaters are less likely to be overweight/obese, too.
When it comes to work-time fitness, it's understood that these two words don't naturally go hand-in-hand. But there are some healthy practices you can follow while on the clock to get your heart and blood moving, limber up taxed bones and muscles, and even work off a few of those calories you've consumed.
"Park a bit further away from the office building to encourage extra walking. Instead of taking the elevator or escalator, use the stairs," said Dr. VanWormer. "Make time for stand-up-and-stretch breaks twice an hour. If you have any extra time during your lunch/break period, go for a brisk walk outside, visit a nearby gym or take advantage of any in-building workout facilities available to you."
It's important to combine a regimen of healthy nutrition and adequate exercise into your work day if you want to lose pounds and maintain a healthy, consistent weight, feel better, improve focus and disposition, and avoid fatigue, injury and illness. It may not be easy to get into the swing of things with these new habits, but once established and followed regularly, they can become routine practices that smoothly incorporate into your work schedule.
To learn more, contact Dr. VanWormer, e-mail cara@physicianssports.com or visit PhysiciansSports.com.
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Think for a moment about what most work day schedules require of us, particularly sedentary vocations: For several hours a day, you remain in a seated position, refraining from full flexion of motion or stretching of muscles, joints and tendons, and your busy schedule often prevents you from preparing and consuming healthy foods and beverages - if you even have enough time to eat or snack.
"The consequences can be obvious and not-so-apparent," said by Cara VanWormer, DC, with Physicians Sports and Injury Center in Westmont. "It's easy to gain noticeable weight, weaken your immune system and feel run down or moody when you don't eat the right foods or increase your cardiovascular activity. But even if these signs aren't evident, you may be doing long-term damage to your physical health that can lead to heart disease, diabetes, cancer or other serious conditions down the road."
Just because you may be stuck behind a desk or wheel most of the day, however, doesn't mean your body has to be neglected. There are simple ways you can incorporate proper nutritional practices and exercise habits into your daily work routine, without necessarily having to radically alter your schedule. Remember, any amount of exercise helps, and the benefits are cumulative. Just 20 minutes a day, five days a week amounts to 100 minutes a week, leading to almost 87 hours a year of exercise.
"First, give pause to everything you put in your mouth while on the job. You can even try keeping a diet diary for a week to closely monitor what you're eating," Dr. VanWormer said. "Instead of coffee loaded with fattening cream and sugar, try to drink more water. Bring a container from home that you can fill up with H2O at work and sip on throughout the day. If you need that energy boost, replace the expensive java with green tea - a much healthier alternative loaded with antioxidants but without the additives and preservatives. Better yet, consider brewing Wu Long tea, which can reduce blood pressure, improve immunocompetence, provide anti-aging and heart healing benefits and more. Substitute refined sweeteners and cream with all-natural honey, lemon, or rice or almond drink, each of which can be found at specialty health food stores. In warmer months, drink the tea on ice as a cooling, refreshing beverage."
Regarding work-time meals, don't skip them - just be careful to monitor your caloric and simple carbohydrate intake. It's a bad idea to skip breakfast especially, as this is an important early source of energy your body relies on for fuel to get you going in the morning. What's more, cutting out breakfast or lunch may cause your body to slow its metabolic rate and retain calories to sustain you to the next meal. There's research that shows that breakfast eaters are less likely to be overweight/obese, too.
When it comes to work-time fitness, it's understood that these two words don't naturally go hand-in-hand. But there are some healthy practices you can follow while on the clock to get your heart and blood moving, limber up taxed bones and muscles, and even work off a few of those calories you've consumed.
"Park a bit further away from the office building to encourage extra walking. Instead of taking the elevator or escalator, use the stairs," said Dr. VanWormer. "Make time for stand-up-and-stretch breaks twice an hour. If you have any extra time during your lunch/break period, go for a brisk walk outside, visit a nearby gym or take advantage of any in-building workout facilities available to you."
It's important to combine a regimen of healthy nutrition and adequate exercise into your work day if you want to lose pounds and maintain a healthy, consistent weight, feel better, improve focus and disposition, and avoid fatigue, injury and illness. It may not be easy to get into the swing of things with these new habits, but once established and followed regularly, they can become routine practices that smoothly incorporate into your work schedule.
To learn more, contact Dr. VanWormer, e-mail cara@physicianssports.com or visit PhysiciansSports.com.
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Physicians Sports and Injury Center
Erik Martin
630-516-0606 x203
Erik Martin
630-516-0606 x203
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