Quick update: I recently stumbled upon the One-Year Tightrope, which is a must for any small business owner that wants to focus on “balancing living with life.”
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Four Weeks to a Better Body
Just a quick update while I’m away: Marie Claire has a fairly in-depth and reasonable article that’s very detailed with exercises to do on a day-by-day basis called 4 Weeks to a Better Body (That’s printer-friendly, by the way. Hint, hint.). I plan on trying it out when I have more time. Seems to me that they space things out so your body can heal itself pretty well.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Spotting Depression
Even if you've somehow managed to avoid or defeat depression, others around you may not have been so fortunate. Generally, women are meant to be caregivers and helpers. The best way to help is to first know what you are dealing with.
If you have little experience with mental health or have not felt depressed in the past, and for some reason have not seen one of the thousands of pamphlets decorating the walls of every high school guidance counselor's office in America, this is for you.
The first and most complicating quality to depression is that it is different for everybody. As such, it can be difficult to tell exactly what a person is experiencing. Another key point is that you aren't looking for specific signs, but rather a general sign of change. If a person is lazy or quiet to begin with, slightly reduced speaking is not reason to be alarmed.
A withdrawal in activity can be a huge warning sign. For example, an end to a daily running routine, dropping out of all leadership and group activities, eating less, or other lack of interest in old favorites. Additionally, limits can be formed in the sense of showing emotion, such as speaking closer to monotone than using a full range, or otherwise lacking a display of affect.
Poor grades or performance at work may also be a sign of depression. This is rarely initially due to a lack of understanding, but rather is often due to a lack of motivation, especially if this person has become suicidal. A grim, nihilist outlook is common, which leads to failing to do much of anything. Eventually, confusion and misunderstanding will set in, if he or she has not kept up with any new material. This is a dangerous situation, as it is often much more daunting to return to work later, which could further fuel depression.
Additional signs of depression are as follows:
If you have little experience with mental health or have not felt depressed in the past, and for some reason have not seen one of the thousands of pamphlets decorating the walls of every high school guidance counselor's office in America, this is for you.
The first and most complicating quality to depression is that it is different for everybody. As such, it can be difficult to tell exactly what a person is experiencing. Another key point is that you aren't looking for specific signs, but rather a general sign of change. If a person is lazy or quiet to begin with, slightly reduced speaking is not reason to be alarmed.
A withdrawal in activity can be a huge warning sign. For example, an end to a daily running routine, dropping out of all leadership and group activities, eating less, or other lack of interest in old favorites. Additionally, limits can be formed in the sense of showing emotion, such as speaking closer to monotone than using a full range, or otherwise lacking a display of affect.
Poor grades or performance at work may also be a sign of depression. This is rarely initially due to a lack of understanding, but rather is often due to a lack of motivation, especially if this person has become suicidal. A grim, nihilist outlook is common, which leads to failing to do much of anything. Eventually, confusion and misunderstanding will set in, if he or she has not kept up with any new material. This is a dangerous situation, as it is often much more daunting to return to work later, which could further fuel depression.
Additional signs of depression are as follows:
- Distant or "confused" demeanor
- Irritability
- Sleeping much less, or much more
- Eating much less, or much more
- Loss of sexual interest
- Overall loss of energy
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Easy Ways To Cut Calories
Most people think that dieting and cutting calories means giving up a lot of the foods you love. But there are ways to cut out some of the calories in those foods that you just do not think you can do without. Here are some of the things you can do to cut out some of the calories.
1. Layered cakes and Pies: Cut off the bottom layer or the crust. This will not decrease the calorie count a ton, but it will shave off more than 100 calories. Better yet, eat only half of it.
2. Tuna or other canned meat: Your taste buds probably will not notice the difference between the oil packed and the water packed, so go for the water.
3. Salads: Limit or do not use croutons or cheese. And instead of having the dressing on your salad, get it on the side and try dipping it, you will use a lot less dressing.
4. Snacks: Portion things like popcorn and chips in individual bags instead of just eating it from the bag, that way you will not end up eating the entire bag in one sitting.
5. Sandwiches and Pizza: When ordering a sandwich, throw out either the top or bottom bread. with pizza, always order a thin crust.
And you should always drink at least a glass of water before eating. It will help you fill fuller and avoid overeating too much.
Also, a good snack that can take away that craving for sweets, try Jello. It only has 10 calories per serving.
These are just a few things you can do to cut back on calories.
Another important thing to remember... Stop eating when you are satisfied, not when your plate is empty.
1. Layered cakes and Pies: Cut off the bottom layer or the crust. This will not decrease the calorie count a ton, but it will shave off more than 100 calories. Better yet, eat only half of it.
2. Tuna or other canned meat: Your taste buds probably will not notice the difference between the oil packed and the water packed, so go for the water.
3. Salads: Limit or do not use croutons or cheese. And instead of having the dressing on your salad, get it on the side and try dipping it, you will use a lot less dressing.
4. Snacks: Portion things like popcorn and chips in individual bags instead of just eating it from the bag, that way you will not end up eating the entire bag in one sitting.
5. Sandwiches and Pizza: When ordering a sandwich, throw out either the top or bottom bread. with pizza, always order a thin crust.
And you should always drink at least a glass of water before eating. It will help you fill fuller and avoid overeating too much.
Also, a good snack that can take away that craving for sweets, try Jello. It only has 10 calories per serving.
These are just a few things you can do to cut back on calories.
Another important thing to remember... Stop eating when you are satisfied, not when your plate is empty.
The Mythos and Logos of Antioxidants
If you've watched, read, or heard news over the last few years, you've probably heard a few words of these words: Antioxidants. Free radicals. Cancer. Green tea.
What does any of this mean, though?
It's time for you to enroll in Biology 101.
Cancer is a somewhat incurable disease which is diagnosed by the presence of cancerous cells. Cancerous cells are typically cells which interfere with the functioning of other cells in the body, and whose expiration dates have, for lack of a better term, expired. When a carcinogen enters the body, it can disrupt the natural life cycle of cells it encounters. These cells then effectively stop, or change, their duties. One of the changes is that they won't die naturally, so they continue to reproduce and function regardless of how long they are alive. They also discontinue a respect for normal tissue boundaries, which allows cancer to spread in a process called metastasis through the blood or the lymph system. You can read a short explanation of what cancer is on Wikipedia.
Now for free radicals. According to common scientific law, radicals are ions, molecules, or atoms with unpaired electrons. As chemists have taught us, radicals are usually highly reactive. Radicals can be produced by oxidation, which is simply the loss of an electron. These radicals, in theory, can damage cells - which has the potential of turning them cancerous.
Antioxidants help to prevent oxidation by removing free radicals, or by becoming oxidized themselves.
Now, oxidation is not this crazy new thing we need to be worried about. As a matter of fact, it's a normal (and requisite) process for life. With the potential for damage, however, it is important to keep it in check.
But for now, antioxidants as a preventative measure for health remains largely unstudied and inconclusive. While there are many claims of the cancer-preventing properties of green tea, for example, the bad news is that there is no well-tested evidence for this which is reproducible in all cases.
The good news, though, is that fruits and vegetables are proven to be rich in compounds that are essential for good health and that they are wonderfully helpful for losing and maintaining weight.
The trick here is not to excuse your behaviors with other behaviors. If you smoke cigarettes, stop. It is not okay to assume drinking a cup of green tea and eating a handful of blueberries will prevent any danger of cancer.
The other trick is to accept that there is currently no completely-effective preventative measure against cancer - or anything else (barring genetic disorders such as autism or sickle-cell anemia, of course). There are ways to cut down your chances, but there will always be a chance.
But for now, there's also a much larger chance you won't. At this point, the best defense is knowledge. For a full range of information, try Free Radicals in Biology and Medicine.
What does any of this mean, though?
It's time for you to enroll in Biology 101.
Cancer is a somewhat incurable disease which is diagnosed by the presence of cancerous cells. Cancerous cells are typically cells which interfere with the functioning of other cells in the body, and whose expiration dates have, for lack of a better term, expired. When a carcinogen enters the body, it can disrupt the natural life cycle of cells it encounters. These cells then effectively stop, or change, their duties. One of the changes is that they won't die naturally, so they continue to reproduce and function regardless of how long they are alive. They also discontinue a respect for normal tissue boundaries, which allows cancer to spread in a process called metastasis through the blood or the lymph system. You can read a short explanation of what cancer is on Wikipedia.
Now for free radicals. According to common scientific law, radicals are ions, molecules, or atoms with unpaired electrons. As chemists have taught us, radicals are usually highly reactive. Radicals can be produced by oxidation, which is simply the loss of an electron. These radicals, in theory, can damage cells - which has the potential of turning them cancerous.
Antioxidants help to prevent oxidation by removing free radicals, or by becoming oxidized themselves.
Now, oxidation is not this crazy new thing we need to be worried about. As a matter of fact, it's a normal (and requisite) process for life. With the potential for damage, however, it is important to keep it in check.
But for now, antioxidants as a preventative measure for health remains largely unstudied and inconclusive. While there are many claims of the cancer-preventing properties of green tea, for example, the bad news is that there is no well-tested evidence for this which is reproducible in all cases.
The good news, though, is that fruits and vegetables are proven to be rich in compounds that are essential for good health and that they are wonderfully helpful for losing and maintaining weight.
The trick here is not to excuse your behaviors with other behaviors. If you smoke cigarettes, stop. It is not okay to assume drinking a cup of green tea and eating a handful of blueberries will prevent any danger of cancer.
The other trick is to accept that there is currently no completely-effective preventative measure against cancer - or anything else (barring genetic disorders such as autism or sickle-cell anemia, of course). There are ways to cut down your chances, but there will always be a chance.
But for now, there's also a much larger chance you won't. At this point, the best defense is knowledge. For a full range of information, try Free Radicals in Biology and Medicine.
Friday, March 27, 2009
17 Exercises You Can Do at Your Desk
In corporate America, we all seem to be losing our minds trying to find time to do everything on our lists from conferences to data entry, and in the chaos, we tend to completely forget to find time to exercise. If you're trying to slim down for summer, it tends to take hours of schedule manipulation just to fit in a couple minutes of yoga at the beginning of the day. One of the best ways to find time to exercise is to wake up earlier or go to bed later, but most people don't have this luxury, already sleeping six hours (or less!) per day. What are you to do?
I've assembled a list of exercises perfect for a work space, including cubicles and private offices, which will keep your body in tip-top shape. While you won't be Arnold, you can surely be a thinner version of you!
Intense, Short Aerobics for your "Alone time"
If your boss is giving you hell for this, try some invisible exercises. Clench your butt cheeks together, hold, hold, and hold some more. Relax. Repeat. Or suck in your gut as far as you can (think belly button to your spine). Again, hold as long as you can, relax. Raise your chest by contracting your rib cage (like a belly dancer -- don't use your breath to control it). Relax it and try to make it bounce.
If you're still aching to get out and play, simply be sure to exercise every chance you get. Walk around instead of sitting. Try to walk at lunch. If it's boring to you, buy a camera and take pictures. See if you can get other people to try some of your exercises, for example!
I've assembled a list of exercises perfect for a work space, including cubicles and private offices, which will keep your body in tip-top shape. While you won't be Arnold, you can surely be a thinner version of you!
Intense, Short Aerobics for your "Alone time"
- Start with a simple pseudo-run. Pump your arms above your head for 30 seconds, then run in place (Get those knees up!) as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Repeat a few times.
- Pretend to jump rope. Swing your wrists in circles while you bounce in place, or alternate legs for an easier version.
- Do jumping jacks! Either modified or standard, these are a great exercise to get your heart pounding.
- Do some walking lunges in an empty conference room (Or down the hallway, if you'd like to amuse your co-workers). Tone up that bum while you get your lungs going.
- Take the stairs 5 to 7 times per day.
- Do some one-(or two)-legged squats while you wait for the Internet to load or the copy machine.
- Sitting down, lift one leg off the seat,straight up, hold, extend to the floor (Don't actually touch the floor!), hold, and then repeat. Do this 15 times on each leg.
- Place both your hands on the arms of your chair. Slowly lift your buttocks into the air. Lower (but don't touch the chair). Repeat.
- Put your hands on your desk. Walk backwards. Lower your chest to the desk (like a push-up). Repeat.
- This one may look like you're about to be sick: push yourself away from your desk with your arms, and look down. Then pull yourself back. Repeat. This is a great stretch for your back.
- Let your head fall over and nearly touch your shoulder. Gently tug it closer with your arm. Repeat. Slowly.
- Turn your head to one side and your torso to the other. Hold. Repeat.
- Put your hands on your hips with your fingers pointing towards the floor. Try to push your elbows together behind your back.
- Stand up. Reach your hands above your head. Sway one hip outwards while you extend the opposite hand higher. Alternate. Repeat.
If your boss is giving you hell for this, try some invisible exercises. Clench your butt cheeks together, hold, hold, and hold some more. Relax. Repeat. Or suck in your gut as far as you can (think belly button to your spine). Again, hold as long as you can, relax. Raise your chest by contracting your rib cage (like a belly dancer -- don't use your breath to control it). Relax it and try to make it bounce.
If you're still aching to get out and play, simply be sure to exercise every chance you get. Walk around instead of sitting. Try to walk at lunch. If it's boring to you, buy a camera and take pictures. See if you can get other people to try some of your exercises, for example!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Go On a Diet With Three Fat Chicks
Forum and advice website 3FatChicks is definitely not new in town. A proven community of dieters and exercisers alike, it has seen rough and good times, and is not going anywhere anytime soon.
They provide articles, tips, and book reviews pertaining to dieting, fitness, and general health, as well as weight loss-friendly recipes and even a forum section of the website which provides an outlet to seek and give advice, vent frustrations, keep track of yourself, and meet others who are experiencing the same things as you.
Whether you plan to diet for weight loss or are just looking for some friends who are getting healthier, 3FatChicks is a great website for connecting with not only some great facts, but also other people.
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