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Working Overtime Increases Risk of Depression
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Workers clocking in more than the traditional seven- or eight-hour day are more likely to suffer from depression, according to a new study in the journal PLoS ONE.
Researchers from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and University College London analyzed data from 2,000 British workers over nearly six years. They found that those who worked more than 11 hours per day were more than twice as likely to suffer from depression.
Can't cut back on burning the midnight oil? Try breaking up your day with healthy activities. Click here for ideas.
The Best Fruits and Veggies for Winter
Eating fresh, seasonal fruits and veggies doesn't have to end when the weather gets cold. You can expand the range of colorful fruits and veggies in your diet year-round. There are tons of fruits and veggies that you can find at your local farmer's market (many still open in the winter) or at a neighborhood grocery store. Click on the slideshow above to see the best winter fruits and veggies.
How to Reinvigorate Your Resolution
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Are you finding yourself fully committed to your healthy resolution this year, or beginning to slip back into old habits already? Here's a tip: Support your larger resolution with small, simple, action-based resolutions. The seven resolutions below will help reinvigorate your commitment to be healthier and fitter in 2012. The best part: Each resolution takes no more than 10 minutes.
Develop healthier eating habits with seven days of healthy breakfasts.
Find out how taking a brisk walk every day can boost your energy and help control your weight.
Stretch for 5 Minutes Twice a Day
Reap the benefits of flexibility with 10 minutes of stretching each day.
Take Two Trips to the Water Cooler
Keep your body hydrated throughout the day to improve focus and performance.
Eat a Snack Before and After Your Workout
Resolve to get the most out of every workout with a simple pre- and post-workout snack
Give your brain a mental break by stepping away from your desk for a few minutes each day.
How to use a weight vest to keep your workouts fast and efficient.
Super Bowl Workout Special
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Train like the pros and get rewarded for it. From now until Super Bowl Sunday, we're sweetening the deal on our online training and nutrition programs designed by the trainers at Athletes’ Performance (the same trainers who worked with several players in this year's big game).
Sign up for a new annual membership ($89 a year) by Super Bowl Sunday, and we'll throw in an additional two months of personalized training for free! Your premium membership also includes a free 10-day trial.
To get started, sign in to your account (or join for free if you're not already a member) and choose a program. Once your free trial ends, we'll automatically apply your 2 bonus months and extend your program for you.
Bone Health: It’s Not Just for Seniors
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When it comes to health and performance, bone health does not draw nearly the attention it deserves. That’s unfortunate says Diane Schneider, the author of The Complete Book of Bone Health, since paying attention to bone health early in life can pay dramatic dividends down the road. Schneider, an expert on bone health and a former professor of clinical medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, says our genes determine 60 to 80 percent of our bone health.
By the age of 18, nearly 95 percent of bone mass is in place, which speaks volumes about the need for children to consume adequate calcium and Vitamin D. We reach peak bone mass in our late 20s and early 30s before starting upon a gradual decline that can result in fractures and osteoporosis. Schneider likens bone loss to termite damage since it’s a gradual erosion over many years that’s often not evident until there’s major structural issues. But there’s much we can do to make the most of our framework well into our senior years.
1. Do high-impact activities.Training not only improves mobility and stability, thus making you able to endure and avoid falls and fractures, it also strengthens bones. Schneider says high-impact sports like basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics are actually good for the bones, stimulating the growth of new bone cells, though of course the tradeoff can be strain on the joints. Solution? Interval training. “The bones like repetitive bursts of high-intensity work,” Schneider says. “You want to have some high strain followed by rest rather than the continuous stress you get from long-distance running.”
2. Keep up the calcium.Kids don’t drink milk as routinely as they did a generation ago, and Schneider says that’s a concern because they might not be receiving enough calcium. Kids 9 to 18 need to have four eight-ounce glasses of milk a day. One glass provides 300 mg of calcium—as opposed to 100 mg from a serving of green leafy vegetables such as kale, turnip greens, and collard greens, none of which tend to be kids favorites. Dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, and even ice cream can provide some calcium, which also can be found in calcium-fortified cereals, orange juice, and bread. “It’s tough for kids to get adequate calcium without some of it coming through milk,” Schneider says.
3. Don’t forget your vitamin D.Vitamin D, the so-called sunshine vitamin, is also important for healthy bones. It occurs naturally in few foods, a group that includes oily fish such as wild salmon, halibut, and sardines. “As far as supplements go, vitamin D is one of the best in terms of getting something that’s not always readily available in food,” Schneider says.
5 Stretches to Refresh Your Warm-Up
Dave Cruz
Here’s a simple way to keep your workouts fresh: Mix in some new moves. Try incorporating any of the stretches below into your dynamic warm-up to help avoid injury, improve flexibility, and get more out of your workout.
Lateral Lunge to Drop Lunge
This move stretches the outside of your hips and your inner thighs.
This essential warm-up movement prepares your shoulders, torso, and hamstrings for a great training session.
A favorite of Core Performance members, this stretch prepares your glutes, calves, hamstrings, groin, and hip flexors for an intense workout.
This move stretches your hip flexors, groin, and torso.
Use this stretch to loosen the often-tight hamstrings and challenge your balance at the same time.
For more innovative warm-up moves, visit our section on Movement Prep >
Core Performance is on Pinterest and Tumblr!
We've got exciting news! In addition to staying connected with Core Performance on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, you can now get even more great health and fitness tips by following us on Pinterest and Tumblr.
Check out our boards where we pin lots of healthy (and delicious!) recipes, the latest health news from around the web, gear we love, workouts, work-related tips, and more. Follow us on Pinterest >
TumblrWe're posting on all things healthy, including inspirational pics and tips for living well and performing your best at work. Follow us on Tumblr >
10-Minute Resolution: Fit in a Quick Workout
Trying to go from very little exercise to hour-long workouts can be overwhelming, and it’s one reason many people fail to adhere to their ambitious fitness resolutions. Another resolution wrecker: overcrowded gyms—they, too, can make your workouts longer than necessary. Here’s a solution to both.
10-Minute Weight Vest Workout
If you're struggling to stick with your New Year's workout program, make a new resolution to streamline your workouts. Start with two or three 10-minute sessions a week to form an exercise habit. And keep exercise equipment to a minimum. This way you can train at home or use just a couple pieces of gym equipment.
To get started, try this ultra-efficient 10-minute workout, designed by performance specialist Kevin Elsey. You can perform the exercises below using just your bodyweight as resistance, or increase the challenge by wearing a weight vest, like this one from our partner SKLZ.
“Weight vests are great for dialing up the intensity of almost any training session,” says Elsey. The weight vest provides resistance, so as opposed to searching for dumbbells between exercises or working in on machines in a busy gym, you can keep moving quickly from one exercise to the next. No waiting. “This allows you to maximize your time while increasing the amount of work you’re able to do in a training session,” says Elsey.
Perform all six movements consecutively, keeping your rest between moves to a minimum. Rather than counting reps, do each move for 30 seconds. When you complete all six exercises, rest for about a minute, and then repeat the series of moves. (Exercises shown below without a weight vest; wear a weight vest throughout the workout to increase the challenge.)
Reverse Lunge – Moving
TRX Row or Inverted Row
Handwalks
Inverted Hamstring
Push-Up (place your hands on a bench if the weighted pushup is too hard)
Walking Lunge
Don’t Let a Mean Boss Make You Miserable
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It’s tough enough to succeed in business without feeling like your manager is an adversary. So when you’re exposed to an abusive boss, your career can become significantly sidetracked. To make matters worse, a new study in the journal Personnel Psychology concluded that mean managers can actually harm the marriages of their subordinates. The finding came from surveys of 280 full-time employees and their partners, which also confirmed the expected rise in personal stress and tension that can result from such a workplace scenario.
“It may be that as supervisor abuse heightens tension in the relationship, the employee is less motivated or able to engage in positive interactions with the partner and other family members,” study co-author Merideth Ferguson, an assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship at Baylor University, said in a news release that accompanied the published research.
The fallout from a bad boss even extended to parent-child relationships, although more children at home meant greater family satisfaction for the employee, and the longer the partner’s relationship, the less impact the abusive boss had on the family.
While no employee should have to cope with tantrums and rudeness in the office, such characteristics aren’t uncommon. So seek out any available employee assistance programs, such as counseling or stress-management workshops. In addition, remember this tip from a recent Stanford study, which found that you can better swallow stings by repeatedly telling yourself, “It’s not me; it’s you.” This approach is called “reappraisal” and it has been found to significantly lessen the psychological impact when being confronted by an angry person.
Click here for more tips to stay healthy on the job >
Get started on your company's journey to better health >
Is Your Workout Caffeinated?
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Q: I've always followed standard workout nutrition guidelines, but will adding caffeine to my routine improve my performance?
A: Studies have shown that drinking caffeine about an hour before working out can help boost endurance, energy, and performance, but the findings are mixed as to whether caffeine has an effect on power or strength.
Some studies have shown that drinking 150-200 mg of caffeine (similar to a Starbucks grande vanilla latte), may boost performance, while others recommend increasing it to 2.5-5 mg per kg of bodyweight (about 200-400 mg of caffeine for a 180-pound guy). But people react differently to caffeine. For some, it’s a performance enhancer; for others, it can over-stimulate them and decrease performance. You may want to experiment with different amounts of caffeine during practice runs and workouts to see if it’s helpful to you.
Having caffeine on days when you feel tired or need an extra boost is a good strategy, but don’t rely on it as your main energy source. If you feel tired all the time, you’re probably not getting enough energy from real food. Also, caffeine shouldn’t replace your normal pre-workout snack (see “20 Simple Workout Snacks” for ideas), but should complement it. Stay away from energy drinks that have chemicals, colors, or high citric acid content. Stick to coffee or tea.
Bottom line: Caffeine can be helpful for some people, but you need to see what works for you.
10-Minute Resolution: Take an Afternoon Break
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It’s easy to spend hours at your desk laboring over paperwork and projects without realizing that you haven’t eaten, had a drink, or taken a break. We challenge you to unchain yourself from your desk for 10 minutes each day. This mental break will allow you to clear your mind, give your brain a break, and refocus. Below are a few simple things you can do during your 10-minute aftenoon break.
- Take a walk.
- Drink a cup of tea.
- Use the bathroom.
- Get a snack.
- Chat with a friend.
- Fill up your water bottle.
- Stretch your body.
For more on the importance of working rest and relaxation into your daily routine, click here.
Q&A: When is the Best Time of Day to Run?
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Q: Is it better for me to run before lunch or before dinner?
A: The best time of day to run is the time of day that you will actually do it. That being said, running in the morning before work may be the ideal time to run fast and burn fat.
After you exercise, your body enters a state of “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption,” or EPOC. Your metabolism is soaring during EPOC, especially if you’ve just performed high-intensity intervals (like the ones in this workout). So you’ll burn more calories throughout the day.
What’s more, research shows that your heart rate may be lower in the morning, which would allow you to run at a higher intensity with a lower perceived effort compared to other times when your heart rate is higher. So hitting the road early might be the ideal time to set a new personal best.
No matter what time of day you choose to run, always fuel up first. Eating and hydrating helps you feel energized so you can perform your best. Try a healthy snack with combination of carbohydrates and protein, like a glass of chocolate milk or toast with peanut butter.
Study: Sleeplessness Costs U.S. Businesses $63.2 Billion in Lost Productivity Annually
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Insomnia isn’t just an overnight concern. A study in the journal Sleep concluded that people who have a sleep debt are far less productive during daytime work hours. “Insomnia is associated with substantial workplace costs,” states the study, based around a two-year national survey of over 7,000 Americans.
For the almost 25 percent of Americans who suffer with significant sleeplessness, they can expect to see an individual drop-off in production equaling over 11 days worth of idle work days each year. That's a cost of almost $2,300 worth of productivity per person, or $63.2 billion as a nation.
“Without sleep, your brain’s energy potential not only becomes depleted, but it doesn’t get a chance to shut down for repair,” says Amanda Carlson-Phillips, vice president of nutrition and research at Core Performance. Meaning, insomnia drains your body of energy and efficiency, both mentally and physically. What’s more, “sleep debt will make you feel hungrier, less full and actually decrease the calories you need each day,” adds Carlson-Phillips. So it can lead to weight gain.
The good news: You can recover your productivity at work by following these proven pro-sleep tips. And make sure to see a doctor if your sleep problems continue or you’re constantly tired during the day. That might signal a more serious sleep disorder such as sleep apnea.
- Pass on the spirits. Alcohol can prevent you from reaching a deep sleep due to its effects on hormones.
- Keep a strict schedule. The National Sleep Foundation suggests going to bed and rising at the same times each night and morning in order to train your body for sleep. Weekends included.
- Break a sweat. Since exercise causes your body temperature to rise, you can expect a subsequent drop, which can help induce sleep. Aim to train in the late afternoon, 5 to 6 hours before going to bed.
- Don’t lie awake. Read, listen to music; just do something other than waiting for the Sandman to come. Anxiety will contribute to insomnia.
- Avoid late-day caffeine, all energy drinks. “They’re like Band-Aids on wounds,” says Carlson-Phillips of the popular beverages. “The root of the problem is the sleep deprivation, and sleep debt cannot be fixed with caffeine or stimulants—they’ll only cause more stress to the body.” A little morning pick-me-up is not a problem, but that should be it. “If you do not reverse your sleep debt, your brain, hormones, hunger, metabolism, mood, and productivity are going to be impacted.”
Click here for more tips to stay healthy on the job >
Get started on your company's journey to better health >
Can You Limit Sitting and Sleeping to 23 ½ Hours a Day?
We love this question, posed in the video above by Dr. Mike Evans, an associate professor of family medicine and public health at the University of Toronto. The video’s a bit long, but educational and entertaining. Plus: whiteboard illustrations! If you’re a sucker for whiteboard illos like we are, after watching this you may be compelled to 1) walk more, and 2) start using UPS for your international shipping.
Whiteboard aside, Dr. Evans makes a convincing case for walking at least 30 minutes a day and staying active. He cites a plethora of studies that show walking as nature’s best medicine. For instance, he says Japanese researchers found that for every increase of 10 minutes of your walk to work there is a 12 percent reduction in the likelihood of developing high blood pressure. If you can’t walk or bike to work, try parking your car farther away from your office building and make a resolution with a co-worker to walk together at lunch.
Physically Demanding Work: Fatal for the Unfit
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Turns out, dirty jobs can be deadly jobs for those who aren’t in shape, according to a new analysis of over 7,000 men in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Danish researchers found that unfit men with physically-demanding occupations were nearly three times more likely to die from heart disease when compared to those who did light physical work.
What’s more, fit men who perform heavy work (a.k.a. “industrial athletes”) were about 40 percent less likely to die from heart disease than their unfit coworkers.
An interesting side note: the researchers concluded that socioeconomic factors didn’t influence their findings, placing the worker’s fitness levels firmly in the crosshairs.
“Like many athletes, the industrial athlete’s performance and longevity is directly related to the condition of their body,” says Luke Manson, a performance specialist at Core Performance. “Improving your fitness level will not only protect your health, it may also translate into an improvement in productivity.”
So if you’re working a blue-collar job, don’t rely on your “9 to 5” for exercise. Start training your body for your career and you might just become a top performer on the job and in life.
Click here for tips to stay healthy on the job >
Get started on your company's journey to better health >
10-Minute Resolution: Eat a Snack Before and After Your Workout
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This week, focus on optimizing your workout with proper nutrition. Two of your most important meals, or snacks, of the day are just before and after your workout. Eating a snack before and after you exercise boosts energy levels to help you push harder at the gym and recover faster afterwards. Eat a snack 30 minutes before and within 30 minutes after your workout.
Sample our list of 20 workout snacks to power your workout.
For more on the importance of workout nutrition, read “The Science of Workout Nutrition” or watch this video.
How to Stay Healthy in Long Meetings
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A long meeting can derail a training and nutrition plan, especially when it takes place out of town. Sitting in a room for hours listening to presentations, even at the home office, can be even more mentally and physically taxing than dealing with airports, taxis, and hotels. Meetings need not be distractions from your healthy lifestyle. In fact, it’s possible to stay on track using a few simple strategies.
1. Stay hydrated
Meetings are a great excuse to stay hydrated. You’re stuck in one place, there usually are pitchers of water available, and drinking gives you something to do. Staying hydrated will help you maintain energy levels—always a challenge in long meetings—and also eliminate some hunger pangs that really are more the result of being thirsty. Make it a point to come to the meeting with a large bottle of water. Drinking plenty of water has another benefit: It provides a built-in excuse to take a bathroom break.
2. Take snack breaksIdeally, your meeting will be with like-minded people who know the importance of mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacking. If so, no one will mind when you break out nuts, beef jerky, meal replacement bars, or apple slices—especially when you offer to share. If, however, this is a three-meals-a-day kind of group that’s forging ahead until the (late) lunch hour, it’s time to the take action. Excuse yourself for a bathroom break and duck somewhere for a fueling with snacks stashed in your pocket or purse.
3. Stand and deliverEven if you’re not making a presentation, there’s no reason to sit the entire time. Offer to refill waters or distribute handouts. If it’s a more casual meeting with co-workers or well-known clients, walk to the other side of the room and stand for a moment. If someone is writing notes on a whiteboard, you’ll look contemplative, as if you’re pondering the discussion from another angle and not just keeping your hips from locking up.
4. Reaffirm your trainingThese days, it’s expected that people come to meetings with laptops and iPads. When the presentation drones on, take a quick moment to peruse your upcoming training schedule or, if you’re so inclined, log your nutrition, including those healthy snacks you just consumed. You’ll feel great that you’ve stayed on top of your performance, especially on the road, and aren’t just enduring another day of marathon meetings.
5. Wake up your musclesA marathon meeting will likely cut into your workout time, but there’s no reason you can’t activate your muscles while enduring the PowerPoint from hell. Start with your glutes, which are taking a beating from you sitting on them. Alternate between activating (squeezing) your left and right cheeks. There’s no limit to how many of these you can do, but think in terms of doing a set of 10 every 30 minutes. Next let's move to the core region. Draw your belly button in away from your belt buckle. This is not the same as sucking in your gut and holding your breath. Simply pull your belly button in. Do a set of 10 every 30 minutes.
6. Reset your postureIt’s unlikely anyone will notice you activating your glutes or core. It takes a little more discretion to activate your shoulders, which probably have slumped forward from sitting so long. Reset your posture every 15 minutes, and when you do so, squeeze the shoulder blades back and down as if trying to draw them into your back pockets. By activating the glutes, core, and shoulders, you’ll counteract the forces pushing your body into a hunched over position. It will also prepare you for another few hours of sitting in the event you have a flight after the meeting.
Click here for more tips to stay healthy on the job >
Get started on your company's journey to better health >
Q&A: What's a Good Recipe for Quinoa?
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Q: I like quinoa, but I'm not sure how to make it more interesting. Any good recipes?
A: Quinoa is often used as a replacement for grains like rice because it cooks in just 15 minutes on the stove and it can be used in casseroles, soups, stews, stir-fries, and salads. For a simple meal, try this recipe for veggie quinoa salad.
Ingredients:- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
- 1/4 cup minced parsley
- 2 sliced green onions
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 ½ tbsp tamari soy sauce
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tsp Tabasco
Rinse the quinoa and drain. Put drained quinoa in a pot and put it over high heat until a few grains begin to pop. Add 1 ½ cups of water, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork and let it cool.
Mix carrot, red pepper, parsley, and green onion in large bowl. Add cooled quinoa and toss to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon and lime juices, tamari, garlic, and Tabasco sauce. Pour over salad and combine well. Chill until serving time. Add variety to this recipe with fresh peas, corn, green beans, and other veggies.
Check out our healthy recipe section for delicious breakfasts, snacks, lunches, dinners, and treats.
How to Train for an Obstacle Mud Run
RockOnAdventures.com
Obstacle mud runs exploded in popularity in 2011. Races like the Tough Mudder, Spartan Race, and Warrior Dash require athletes to display both strength and endurance as they navigate obstacles spread out over courses ranging from 3 to 12 miles. That combination can be a challenge for many athletes. Most runners have no problem completing the distance, but often lack the strength to handle the challenges. Many anaerobic athletes breeze through the challenges, but struggle with distance running. Here are some strategies for not just surviving but thriving in an obstacle mud run:
1. Train Like You Will Race
One of the attractions of obstacle mud runs is the unexpected. Athletes never know what kind of challenge waits at the next turn. But chances are it’s something that will require an effort of pushing or pulling after running between a half-mile and two miles. That’s why Darcy Norman, a performance specialist at Athletes’ Performance, recommends beginning with a circuit that could include 400 meters of running, 10 pull-ups, and 20 push-ups. “See how many circuits you can perform in 15 minutes,” Norman says. “Just make sure you’re not sacrificing quality for quantity.”
2. Work Up to Race DistanceAnyone who has trained for a marathon knows the importance of working up to where you can do a run of 18-to-20 miles, if not longer. With obstacle mud runs, the challenge is to simulate the race with training sessions that last as long as the race itself. A 3-mile obstacle mud run takes many athletes just 40 minutes to an hour. A longer version of the circuits described above can be sufficient for training. But a race like the 13-mile Tough Mudder requires a longer regimen. Eric Stratman, owner of The Next Level training center in Tampa, prepared athletes for the Tough Mudder by putting them through progressively longer sessions. One 75-minute circuit included a 2-mile run followed by rope climbs, another 800-meter run, pushing a “Prowler” weight sled 200 meters, another 800-meter run, various 200- and 400- meter runs (backward, lateral shuffle), tire tossing, a 200-meter “farmer’s carry” of 45-pound weight plates, and a whopping 50 Burpees. “Tough Mudder is not a race your average athlete can show up to and hope to complete,” Stratman says. “The obstacles will be too much. You have to train accordingly.”
3. Don't Forget DistanceMany athletes accustomed to the high-intensity, anaerobic training of CrossFit and similar programs lack the aerobic base of distance runners. That’s why distance running should be part of the training equation. “You need that aerobic base to be able to repeat this effort over and over,” Norman says. “Some endurance runners go long and slow so much that they need to do more intervals, whereas your anaerobic athletes need to do some long and slow stuff. You need both.” Check out miCoach.com for cardio plans for various race distances.
4. Get UncomfortableObstacle mud runs are known for making athletes uncomfortable, whether it’s crawling commando-style under barbwire through mud or navigating through icy water obstacles. Laurel Blackburn, who trains athletes for the notorious Spartan Death Race, the annual Vermont event that can go on for days, will have clients pull heavy rocks up from the bottom of her cold swimming pool. She’s also had them crawl on their bellies across a field and then hosed them with cold water. “People have an aversion to being cold and dirty but you have to get over it,” Blackburn says. “The more you can simulate actual race conditions, the better prepared you’re going to be.”
Q&A: What's the Best Blender?
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Q: What's the best blender for making juices and smoothies?
A: Check out the Vitamix line of blenders. They’re powerful, versatile, and developed with raw foods in mind. Starting at around $449, Vitamix blenders are pricey but valuable for making healthy soups, juices, and smoothies. They can also blend cereals and knead dough for homemade breads.
If a high-end blender isn’t in your budget, you can still make healthy smoothies and juices with less expensive blenders. Just be sure that you have enough liquid in your mixes and don’t pack it with too much ice.
