fitness

Five Rules of Wellness When It’s Just Spring

Don Grier1 Comment

In Just-

Spring   when the lame

middle-aged man

runs far and    wee!

And the ground-beneath

is puddle-painful

From too-much running too soon,

As the hobbled, middle-aged man

limps slow—ly far and wee!

The above is my take on e.e. cummings’ classic  “In Just Spring” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47247/in-just after my first run in Spring. Everyone wants to get out and lose those 10 pounds of insulation gained during the Winter months. But before you go out and become the little lame woman or man, here are five rules to follow In Just Spring.

1. Take it Slow—Walking that extra mile or two is always tempting when the weather gets warm and the bluebonnets are out. That is precisely what my wife and our dog Boots attempted to do on the trails on Brushy Creek. Even stopping at a sandwich shop for a quick bite, we struggled to make it back to our car. We dragged our 70-lb., huffing Bernese Mountain dog the last few yards. We are still recovering!

The lesson learned is simple. Do not overdo it with the first flowers of Spring. In the winter, it is a struggle to get out and about (read how so in this blog: https://weightlossleadership.com/2018/12/09/baby-its-cold-outside-but-exercise-anyway/ ). Now that the weather is more conducive to exercise don’t try to catch up all in one day. Take your time to slowly build up your miles, so you, too, don’t become the little lame woman or man (or dog!).

2. Do the essential – A corollary to the first rule is to focus on the essential. In his book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Greg Mckeown says that the key to success in health and life is to do “less but better”. When waking up after our winter fog, it is tempting to try everything at once to get fit. Understandably, we are excited to get swimsuits ready for the summer. So we take up the latest diet, try many fitness fads, and buy the newest exercise equipment from Amazon. But it is better to focus on the essentials. Track the food you eat diligently, get plenty of sleep, and focus on the now. Don’t do everything! Do the essential well to enjoy the Spring and the new you.

3. Stretch! – I know we all want to take off with the first hint of the Bluebonnets in Texas. But doing any exercise, even walking, without first stretching is a recipe for becoming the little lame middle-aged man or woman in my earlier poem. Take time to stretch even if you are similar to me and do not like stretching. And when you have the flexibility of the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz, such as myself, you need to lubricate the joints as you follow the Yellow Flowered Road.

4. Drink Water – The temperature rise during the day can sneak up on you, especially when you live in Texas. So it is important to bring your water bottle to avoid becoming dehydrated just as you are about to take a photo of that beautiful cardinal or frolicking bunny that happened on your path. Make sure you also scope out the bathroom situation ahead of time. I don’t know about you, but I avoid drinking water when I do not know where my next bathroom break is.

5. Be in the Moment – The flowers are in bloom, and the sun is out. It is time to focus on the now and enjoy the new life of Spring. One way to take it slow is to take in nature. Sit on a bench. Take a picture. Lie in the bluebonnets like Boots the dog! Clear your mind of anxiety and enjoy the blooming beauty all around you.

Dog in Bluebonnets

Follow these rules to avoid becoming the little lame, middle-aged woman or man. Spring into the season and a new you!

Three Key Reasons Your Organization Should Be Wellness-Led

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Today, we begin the first of a four-part series on why your organization should lead with wellness and fitness, followed by subsequent blogs with tips and tricks to get you there!

I was fortunate to be in the Army in my early adult life.  One of the perks of the Army is that you are paid to work out every day and keep fitness top of mind.  Likewise, the Army has weight standards that each soldier needs to meet.  It was part of your role description and responsibility.  An unfit soldier will put himself and his unit at risk.   I, therefore, had the pleasure and pain to exercise regularly.  Sometimes, it was exhilarating, like singing cadence at the top of your lungs while on a battalion run.  Other times brutal, such as the yearly Obstacle Course administered by the Department with a Heart at West Point.  Exercise and maintaining your weight standard were good, necessary, and part of your job description!  While the Army has other wellness areas that continue to improve, they had the fitness component down. 

My life changed when I left the military and joined the corporate well in the early 90’s.   Early morning calls replaced morning PT.  Long hours on planes and in front of a computer slinging code affected my health.  At the time, it seemed that fitness and taking care of myself was no longer part of my job description or even opposed to it. 

Companies and I at that time did not yet see the impact of wellness on work.   The drive for more billable hours and seemingly higher productivity dominated.   This corporate culture (or my take on it) resulted in weight gain, loss of my health, and a decline in productivity over time.

Luckily, the corporate culture and my thought processes changed around 2010.  Corporate wellness programs, such as those at Google, Microsoft, GE, Salesforce, and Accenture, to name some of the top ones, are now focused on fitness and the human aspects of work.  I greatly advocate for these programs and credit the wellness programs of my prior company as instrumental in turning my life around.  It is why my wife and I started our company, Wellness Leadership, LLC.  To read about the five corporate programs that helped restore my health, click the link in the show notes titled Five Corporate Wellness Programs that Saved My Life.  

Before jumping into my three top reasons for investing in the wellness of your employees, let me give you a few statistics.  I got this from a compilation of several sources on the Gapin Institute website. 

  • Companies with highly effective health and wellness programs report 11% higher revenue per employee, 1.8 fewer days absent per employee per year, and 28% greater shareholder returns.

In companies that provide health and wellness support:

  • 91 percent of their employees say they feel motivated to do their best (vs. 38 percent of those without)
  • 89 percent of their employees are more likely to recommend their company as a good place to work ( vs. 17 percent)
  • 91 percent of their employees have a positive relationship with supervisors (vs. 54 percent)

Expanding upon these facts, let me give you my take on why I think a focus on the wellness of the members of an organization improves an organization’s outcomes. 

Here are my top three reasons why:

  •  Improves Decision Making.  The enemy of all good decisions is stress.  Exercise and fitness help relieve stress and keep away fatigue. A simple 20-minute walk will provide a few minutes to clear your mind, allowing you to focus on the problem.  Better yet, get up and walk around the office during a phone meeting when things get heated. The simple step of standing up will shake off the cobwebs that tend to collect during back-to-back calls. 
  • Builds Comradery.   The best thing about the Army was the camaraderie.  One way it was built was through morning PT.  While I am not advocating that each company go on a company run each morning, I recommend a common fitness program to build spirit de corps.   Such a common fitness program helped me to know my colleagues better through fitness events (MS 150, Annual Veterans Walk, etc.) and programs (active rewards programs, Fitbit competition).  One simple example was a random competition I and some colleagues engaged in one Saturday.  One of my friends started a Fitbit weekend competition, and although we were all in different states, we kept apprised of the others’ progress.   We all engaged in friendly and sometimes hilarious banter through the Fitbit app as we each surpassed 10 miles.
  • Reduces  Sick Days.  Staying fit helps to keep you out of the doctor’s office and in yours during working hours.  Research conducted at Brigham Young University, the Center for Health Research at Healthways, and the Health Enhancement Research Organization suggests unhealthy eating is linked with a 66% increased risk of loss of productivity. In comparison, lack of exercise is associated with a 50% increased risk of low productivity. My experience bears this out.  Before returning to fitness, I was habitually hit with bronchitis and, at least twice a year, pneumonia.  Both resulted in sick days and loss of productivity when I worked through it.  Since returning to my target weight and improved fitness, I have had neither bronchitis nor pneumonia.  I’m not sure how many days have been saved, but approximately a week a year.  There was an increase in productivity on those days when I should have been recovering, and I drove through and worked despite my illness.

These are the top three reasons an organization should focus on member wellness.  Increased productivity, esprit de corps and better decisions are just three reasons wellness is imperative in the work world.  In blogs over the next few weeks, I will further discuss 15 guidelines for the Well Led organization. Until then,  lead through wellness!

Ten Amazing Weight Loss Tips for the Road Warrior

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Some people say losing weight and traveling are diametrically opposed.  I beg to differ!  I lost over 170 lbs. in a year and a half while traveling weekly.  I got on a plane each week at 5 am and left for home on Friday after five.   That year, I lost 3 lbs. or more a week, despite traveling weekly and getting stuck several times over the weekend due to plane delays or twice because of blizzards!  Channeling my inner David Letterman, here are my top ten weight-loss travel tricks!

  • Get a refrigerator when registering!  When registering and later checking in to a hotel, I always ensure I have a fridge.  I can shop for healthy snacks or meals or get some from the breakfast buffet or the concierge lounge spread.  That way, I have a healthy snack if I’m working late. You may already have a refrigerator in an extended-stay hotel like a Residence Inn.  But other business hotels may not have them in the room unless you request them. Get one and get healthy!
  • Check-in with the Concierge Lounge.  While traveling for work, I had access to a concierge lounge back due to my status as a frequent traveler.  I would hit the concierge lounge and load up on vegetables before going to a restaurant for dinner.  I even would skip dinner and eat in the concierge lounge.  The approach still applies even with limited or no travel.  Eat some vegetables or small appetizers at home before ordering or eating out.  Fill up on veggies instead of filling out on steak and burgers!  When you travel often, you usually get access to a concierge lounge.  You can use this access to your advantage if you make the correct choices.  Here is the approach.  For breakfast, fill up on lean protein (hard-boiled eggs, nonfat Greek yogurt, etc.), oatmeal, and fruit.  Also, grab at least two bananas and two apples for your snacks throughout the day.  Lastly, stay hydrated by taking a few bottles of water.  Nine times out of ten, when you are hungry, it is just a substitution for being thirsty!
  • Walk to Work. No Uber for me!  I walk to work unless it is pouring or ten below (sometimes in the Midwest).  I also picked a hotel about a mile away, so you get 2 miles in no matter what.  This at least gets you up and going.  Remember to bring a book on tape (Podcasts and Libby, which, if you are a library member, is free!)  or time your walk with a work call.   It gets you outside, and you barely notice the activity.
  • Coffee Cups are not just for Coffee.  I have a secret weight loss weapon when traveling the road – coffee cups.  This remarkable tool is ubiquitous at hotels.  Here are three simple weight loss hacks related to coffee cups:
    • The first is the obvious one – use it for coffee. Nothing gets the constitution working better than coffee. I drink one cup, and you are ready for the restroom. But stop at one or two, or you will have the opposite result since coffee is a diuretic. Also, if you are walking to the office, you may not make it in time for the restroom!
    • They are the perfect hard-boiled egg container.  Hard-boiled eggs are almost as ubiquitous as coffee cups at the hotel breakfast counter.  They are an ideal source of protein and a great way to satisfy a mid-morning snack or lunch.  A standard coffee cup can hold three large, hard-boiled eggs.  Place a lid on it and label it, and now you have a ready-made free lunch to stick in the office refrigerator!  Coffee cups can also serve as containers for the fresh fruit often set up on the breakfast buffet (don’t forget bananas and apples in your backpack).  You could also use coffee cups for oatmeal.  All three are wholesome snacks or lunch on the run.  You can also save money if not on an expense account.
    • Larger cups for infused water.  I love that many hotels are now providing fruit-infused water at the hotel.  But I do not love the little dinky plastic cups with no lids.  Answer – use coffee cups with lids and get 16 ounces of delicious water (to wipe away the effects of the second coffee).
  • Box it and Bring it To Boots. Portion control is the key to keeping your weight down and your friends happy.  In my case, my friend is a bear/dog named Boots, as shown below. I always think of my buddy Boots when craving a big steak.  I then make a conscious choice.  I eat 5 oz. Instead of 10 oz of a steak, I cut my calories in half and make my dog leap in delight!  This trick also works for a later meal in your trusty fridge but is more fun to give to your dog. Half your plate and make your friend feel great!
  • Eat like a plebe. The faster you eat, the more you repeat (think Buffet).  When I eat out, I return to my training at West Point and eat like a Plebe!  We learned to eat slowly at West Pont by squaring our meals so we would not wolf down food. Here is how you square a meal.  You lift your fork straight, bend your fork at 90 degrees to your mouth, straighten your arm back out, and then bring your fork entirely down.  You do not return your fork until you have thoroughly chewed your food.  On top of this, you needed to take small bites to recite knowledge to senior cadets without your mouth full.  All served to slow how fast we ate and cut down on food intake while practicing good manners.  Over thirty-five years later, I still eat like a Plebe, especially when traveling.
  • Don’t stress; catch up on your rest! If you let it, missing your flight home due to the weather can be stressful.  But it also can be an opportunity to catch up on your rest.  If you can’t leave your hotel, catch up on your snooze time.  Most of us are sleep-deprived anyway, and a few extra hours of rest can do wonders for your metabolism.  On the flip side, overly worrying can lead to stress eating.
  • When late, Meditate. You do not have to get caught up in the noise and bustle when stuck in an airport.  Most airports have a chapel, lounge, or quiet space where you can meditate or pray according to your practice to clear your head.  Here is a guide that can help you out.  https://www.sleepinginairports.net/. One of my favorite places is the chapel at DFW.  But you can also find one of the gates that does not have a flight for an hour.  I keep meditation applications Headspace, Calm, or Hallow for these delays on my iPhone. A plane delay or cancellation does not need to be a reason to go off the wagon. 
  • When it Snows, Find a Skywalk. Getting stuck overnight in a hotel because of a blizzard can curtail your weekend exercise routine.  I do not know about you, but walking on a treadmill does not get it.  I like my walks with some scenery and adventure.  One way to switch it up if you can’t get outside is to find a mall or indoor Skywalk.  Once, I was stuck in Des Moines, Iowa, when my plane was canceled.  Luckily, I did not have to miss my Saturday Morning walk.  I found an entry to the downtown Skywalk about a block away.  After a brief bout with the sub-zero wind chill, I soon walked and got lost in the Skywalk.    It was quite an adventure trying to find my way back through the maze of corridors.  Also, it felt a bit like Maxwell Smart with all the automatic opening doors.  When I was finally done, I had five miles in while braving the cold for only a few minutes.
  • Remember, Three out of Five Ain’t Bad. I cannot claim this last rule since I learned it from a colleague.   Every meal at a restaurant usually includes five options:  bread, appetizer, entrée, dessert, and alcohol.  The simple rule is to keep it to three!  Either Bread, Drink, and an Entrée or some other combination.  Remember, scrap two and keep 3!  While I can’t claim this idea, I can confirm it works and claim the below song parody to emphasize it.  Make like Meatloaf and remember.
I want you,
But I don’t need you,
And there ain’t no way I am ever going to eat you,
Now, don’t be sad,
Because 3 out of 5 ain’t bad!

Because 3 out of 5 ain’t bad! In closing, you can lose weight while traveling.  These are ten, but you may have others.  If so, please feel free to comment. To listen to this and other content on our Change Well podcast, click this link.

Five Habit Combos for Body and Soul

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Today at our Weight Watchers meeting we talked about the idea of piggybacking to establish beneficial habits more quickly. Here is a simple example. You need to take medication each day which is an established habit. However, you want to also institute the beneficial habit of drinking sixty-four ounces of water. A way to establish the new habit it to place a water bottle next to your pill container. Presto! Now you have a ready-made container with the right amount of water next to your pill box. You need to wash down the pills and in so doing start on drinking the water you need for the day!

I established these habits in losing 150 pounds in just over a year. You can read more about that journey and the Power of Habit in this previous blog Fat to Fit Again! The Power of Habit. Now with the weight off my body, I turned to heal my soul. My physical transformation healed my body, but my soul was still suffering. I was still at times a curmudgeon and my peace of mind though better could still get rattled. So, I decided to piggyback some new soul habits with some of my firmly established body habits. Here are five of the body and soul habit combos that I do on a daily and weekly basis. My habits will have a Catholic Christian flavor, but you can adopt for your own faith practice.

  1.  New Saturday Texas Three Step. I wrote about my initial Texas two-step habit in this blog.The Saturday Texas Two Step! Two years ago, my parish established Saturday morning prayers (called Lauds in the Liturgy of the Hours) combined with Adoration on Saturday in the early morning. This led to my new and improved Texas three-step Saturday ritual. I get up on Saturday at 5 AM and exercise to get as close to my weight target as possible. I then go to my Church and pray for an hour to clear the weight off my soul. After praying (and sometimes Mass), I head to my WW meeting to share wellness ideas with my friends at the 9:30 WW Meeting. And in one fell swoop, I shed weight on body and soul and share fellowship to start the weekend off right!
  2. Mike and Bike. I documented my love of cycling in these previous blogs. Peloton Pandemic Pandemonium, Don’t Stop Believing: A Weight Loss Journey in Three Intervals. Right up there with this love is my respect and admiration of Father Mike Schmitz. He was instrumental in my wellness journey both and body and soul. I started listening to his homilies after a Lenten retreat at our parish retreat and would exercise to his homilies while using the elliptical training. With the launch pf the Bible in the Year podcast, I have taken it to a whole new level with Mike and Bike. At least three times weekly, I put on a 20-minute scenic ride on the Peloton and turn off the sound. I then turn on the daily Bible in the Year podcast and listen to the Lord’s word while circumventing the pathways of Rome, Paris, or the Alps. With each Mike and Bike, I grow in the knowledge of the Lord’s plan for me and build my quads to boot! You can download the Bible in the Year podcast here Bible in a Year if you want to try it.
  3. Marching with Mary. During the month of May, I participated in a fundraiser to raise money for the mental wellness of veterans and soldiers. The StopSoldierSuicide.org fundraiser called for me to March 50 miles during the month of May while carrying a 50 lbs. ruck. My 50+ year old body does not march fast with a 50 lbs. on his back. It was seriously cutting down on my prayer time. I therefore decided to add reciting a silent Rosary while marching. This Marching with Mary practice allowed me to add fifty prayers on each ruck march. In this way, I not only was able to raise money for Veterans, I could pray for them also.
  4. Hinge and Hallow. One of the reasons I walked slow while marching with is weakness in one of my knees. To help this issue, I use a physical therapy application called Hinge Health https://www.hingehealth.com/. This application has a set of tailor-made exercises to help strengthen my knee. While I am doing my Hinge exercises, I listen to the Hallow mindfulness application https://hallow.com/ . This application is an excellent resource for all Catholics and includes everything from The Daily Miracle meditation to Gregorian Chants to books from doctors of the Church. This combination helps me fix my knee and my disposition all at the same time! Here is links to both of them
  5. Exodus for soul (and body). The last body/soul combination is the one that launched it all. Two years ago, I participated with a group of men in my church in Exodus 90. This program is a is a ninety-day spiritual exercise for men based on three pillars: prayer, asceticism, and fraternity . Part of the ascetism practice is daily rigorous exercise, exclusion of alcohol and sweets, and days of fasting. It also includes daily prayer practice. It gave me the idea for the other four practices previously stated. I highly recommend it for all Catholic Men that need a wakeup call for both body and soul. Here is a link to there website https://exodus90.com/.

This fast-paced world can wear the body and the soul. Use the art of habit piggybacking to fight back and build a better you!