Healthy Tips from the Experts
WVU’s Division of Human Resources Employee Wellness Program solicited health and wellness tips from employee worksite coordinators and others. Here’s a sampling of responses:
Kimberly Zaph, Division of Human Resources
If you are thinking of purchasing a dietary or exercise product, consider the following:
- Has the product been researched and published in a reputable medical journal? Was the study randomized and double-blind? How large was the study? Was the result duplicated in other studies? Who funded the study?
- Be suspicious of products that haven’t been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. If there is no assurance of standardization, then there is no guarantee of what ingredients you may be ingesting.
- Be skeptical of testimonials and overblown marketing claims that guarantee results with little or no effort on your part.
- Ask experts such as dietitians, exercise physiologists and certified personal trainers for their opinion of the product. And, be sure to ask your physician if the product is appropriate for you.
Jim Rye, Human Resources and Education
The Burn:
Replace “seat time” with walking.
How many additional calories do you burn by walking a mile (about 2,000 steps) instead of sitting for the same length of time? You can estimate the number of additional calories burned by dividing your body weight by 3. Example: A 210-pound person who replaces sitting with walking 1 mile will burn about 70 more calories.
Think long range.
If done daily for one year, this would burn about 25,600 more calories! This amount of calories is the equivalent of about 7 pounds of body weight (as adipose tissue), 244 medium-sized bananas or 171 ounces (over 10 pounds) of milk chocolate. So, replacing seat time with walking can help an individual who needs to lose weight to accomplish this task. For individuals who are at a healthy weight, they can enjoy a little more food.
Chris Green, participant in NRCCE’s “Biggest Loser” Competition
My weight loss tip is simple. Stop worrying about weight loss. Instead develop the correct lifestyle and let the weight loss take care of itself. Counting calories, fad diets, punishing yourself for food “failures” may work in the very short run, if at all, but is not sustainable for the vast number of people. The last thing you want to do is make food the center of your existence.
Instead develop a healthy lifestyle—one that you can live with for years to come and will be a part of life not its focus. For me that meant: drinking a glass of water after every meal; eating smaller (more normal) portions; cutting back (but not swearing off) sodas and most candy; eating a light breakfast, lunch and dinner while adding a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack; getting good enjoyable exercise; and getting to bed on time.
My blood pressure and heart rate are both down. I’m fitting in pants that I haven’t worn in a few years. I’m sleeping better, and I feel better. And best of all, I haven’t worried about the weight. I don’t punish or reward myself. Occasionally I’ll have something fattening, but that’s not often and—when I do—I enjoy it and move on. It’s not, however, a regular part of my diet. I find that I enjoy the treats much more now that they are few and far between.
Finally, with all the food choices we have in this country, it’s a shame that people can’t find something healthy that tastes good. I eat a big pan full of popcorn everyday for my mid-afternoon snack. I take a 1/3 cup of plain popcorn kernels and dump into a big teflon saucepan…put in just enough extra virgin olive oil to make sure all the kernels are covered…Ã?¦sprinkle in a pinch of sugar (and/or cinnamon)...cover the pan with an oversized lid and put on medium heat. Once everything is popped, I sprinkle in a bit of salt and eat. This tastes better than any popcorn you can buy in a ready pop bag or at the theater. It’s also cheaper and far healthier. It does take an extra minute in preparation and two extra in clean-up.
Terry Polce, participant in NRCCE’s ?Biggest Loser” Competition
- When I don’t walk, I don’t lose! I began at 20 minutes and am now at 40-50 minutes per walk.
- Drink cold water when you feel hungry. The body absorbs cold water faster and your body may just be telling you that you are thirsty.
Nancy Naternicola, School of Physical Education
Fitness Program Adherence Tip for the Holidays: Make a plan of action by specifying days/times you will exercise and put them on your schedule as “appointments.”
New Mom Tip: Don’t try to do lengthy, difficult workouts when you are pushed for time. Involve the baby with daily stroller walks, and focus on one or two muscle group per day.
Healthy Eating: Instead of do or die, replace one bad behavior at a time, with a good behavior. Example, instead of visiting the vending machine for a high fat snack during your break, drink a bottled water and eat a healthy alternative that you’ve brought from home.
Flexibility: You should stretch 10-30 seconds after each exercise…if you hold the stretch and take 3 deep breaths it averages about 15 seconds.
Hydration: You should drink about 4 ounces of water about every 15 minutes during exercise…each “gulp” of water is about an ounce.
Eric Jordan, NRCCE Employee
My Diet and Training Tips:
- Scheduled eating on time (make sure I don’t miss a meal).
- Making sure food I prepare has a good source of fiber.
- Stop eating late; if you eat on time you won’t be hungry.
- Schedule 30-minute workouts a day for at least 4 days out of the week (one day might be eliptical, one day might be basketball).
- Drink a lot of water.
- These are things I cut out of my diet: white pastas, white bread (replaced with wheat), sugar, soda (a diet soda is a treat every once in awhile). NOTE: I do reward myself over the weekends with buffalo wings (but only once a week).
- Having food prepared for work is HUGE!
If you have a timely tip, please e-mail it Kimberly Zaph at employeewellness@mail.wvu.edu
Nettie Puglisi Freshour MS, RD, LD Dietitian/Program Coordinator, WVU Dining Services
My Diet and Training Tips:
- What is the difference between a Registered Dietitian and a Nutritionist?
I’m sure you have heard the term before….”nutritionist”. It’s very important for one to know that anyone with an interest in nutrition can call themselves a “nutritionist”. A Registered Dietitian has gone through four years of college and has earned a degree in nutrition, followed by an internship or an internship with a master’s degree at an accredited university. This entails more that 1200 clinical hours, research and passing of a national board exam. So the next time someone introduces themselves as a “nutritionist”, make sure they have the proper credentials to give you information. - How many calories do I need to maintain my wieght, loose weight, or gain weight?
This information is different for everyone. Consulting a registered dietitian is the best way to know how many calories you need.
If you are wishing to lose weight it’s best to do it slowly, this way you can give your metabolism time to adjust to the weight loss. Losing 1 pound per week is a very healthy way to loose weight. If you subtract 500 calories per day for 7 days, you will lose 1 pound per week. (1 pound of fat weighs 3500 calories) This does not have to be done through food or exercise alone. You can subtract 250 calories from your normal diet, and expend 250 calories through increased physical activity.
The same can go for gaining weight. If you want to maintain weight, you simply need to consume the same amount of calories that you expend on a daily basis. Calories in vs. calories out. - What is the best supplement for me to take? (vitamins and minerals)
There are so many supplements on the market today that it can be very confusing selecting the right one. It is very important to know that the FDA does not regulate supplements, so the label does not need to reflect what is actually in the pill (please refer to consumer labs study on “Unexpected nutrient levels, contamination). This can be very dangerous. If you are consuming a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables then there is no need to take a supplement. Taking a simple multi-vitamin would be the safest way to ensure that you are receiving all of the nutrients that you need. Be careful of vitamins/supplements that contain more than 100% of the RDA for each vitamin/mineral. Those that are water soluble will just be eliminated from the body, however those that are fat soluble will not and can negatively affect your system.
Health Digest, Mayo Clinic
Want a quick snack? Try almonds. Why eat almonds? These tear-shaped nuts are packed with healthy nutrients such as fiber, riboflavin, magnesium and iron. Almonds have more calcium than does any other nut, and one serving (about 23 almonds) provides half of your body’s Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin E. Almonds are one of the best plant sources of protein, and they’re good for your heart. Need more convincing? Most of the fat in almonds is the heart-healthy monounsaturated variety.