APRIL
Most people in the office/administration industry sit at a computer for
the majority of their day, and many do not have an ergonomically
correct chair or desk. However, there are certain things you can do to
make sure that you are limiting your chance of strains, aches and
pains. First, make sure that your monitor is eye level with your head
looking straight ahead (neck straight). Next, you should be sitting up-
right with your back supported. It’s a good idea to place a pillow or
rolled up towel behind you to make sure you have lumbar support.
Third, the forearms should be parallel to the key board, or slightly above it. Fourth, feet
should be flat on the ground, if you can not reach, use a step stool. Also, the thighs should be
parallel to the ground. Lastly, the monitor should be 18-30 inches from you and in a place
where there is no glare from nearby or overhead lighting.
It’s also a good idea to take an eye break every hour. To do this look away from your monitor
for about 30 seconds and then stare straight ahead and trace around your monitor with your
eyes moving from corner to corner on the outer edge of the monitor. Do this for about 10
revolutions in each direction without moving your head.
If you can, get up from your desk every hour or so, whether it’s to use the restroom, refill your
water bottle, or talk to a co worker. Limit your use of instant messaging when possible and
get up to go speak with them face to face. When you do get up, do a couple of marches and
arm circles to get your blood flowing.
Workout challenge: Inner thigh igniter
You will need a large rolled towel or bouncy playground ball, a Pilates ring, or anything that you can squeeze between your knees. You’ll be doing all the exercises with your object between your knees. All
exercises are done for 1 minute 2-3 times. Exercises include: Squats with an overhead
press, wall sit with a biceps curl, wall sit with a straight arm press back for the triceps, standing biceps curls, crunches on the physioball, bridges with your upper body on the ball, bent
over rows while seated on the ball, chest press on the exercise ball, straight arm pull over on
the exercise ball, skull crushers on the exercise ball and narrow/close grip dumbbell chest
press with palms facing each other on the exercise ball. Once you have gone through all the
exercises 2 to 3 times, hit one of the cardio machines of your liking for 20 minutes to get the blood flowing to your
lower body. Finish with reverse crunches with the object between your knees as well as hollow body hold (body is
stretched out with feet and upper body lifted off the floor, abs tight and low back near the floor). Your inner thighs
should be screaming by the end of this workout! Have fun!
Page 1 April ‘12
Calcium, Vitamin D and Ab Fat
Abdominal fat turns over rapidly and is linked to an
increased risk of heart disease compared to fat that
accumulates on the butt, thighs and arms. A Massachusetts General Hospital study showed that overweight and obese adults fed a reduced calorie diet and
orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D lost
more abdominal fat (fat inside the abdominal cavity)
than people following an identical diet without the
supplements. The majority of Americans don’t meet
the minimum dietary requirements for
calcium and vitamin D. Drinking fortified juice is an easy way to lose weight,
keeping in mind serving size.
—American Journal Clinical
Nutrition 95: 101-108, 2012
Caffeine and Performance
A group of scientists from around the world
discussed the effects of caffeine on aerobic
and high-intensity exercise performance.
They concluded that caffeine improves endurance in events lasting as long as several hours
and improves strength and power in events lasting
less than a minute. Caffeine doesn’t work for everyone. It is more effective in people who do not
often consume a lot of it. In addition there are individual differences in its effectiveness—it works
in some people but not in others. Currently, caffeine is not banned in Olympic and professional
sports but is banned by the NCAA when urinary
levels reach a minimum threshold.
—Journal of Caffeine Research, 1: 145-151, 2011
6 ways to make time for exercise
1. Schedule it in your calendar like you would a work meeting or a doctor
appointment that you can’t miss.
2. Try to work out at lunchtime. If you can’t get to a gym try to fit in a 30minute walk. This will help with the afternoon slump by giving you a boost
of energy.
3. Skip one TV show a night. One less show can give you an extra 30-60 minutes to get your
workout in. DVR the show if you absolutely must watch!
4. When watching TV, do crunches, push-ups, jumping jacks, squats and
lunges in place during the commercial breaks.
5. Take your dog (or other half) out for a walk.
6. Find something you enjoy doing. You will be far more likely to stick to it
for the long haul and it won’t seem like another chore you HAVE to do.
Do interval training to increase your fat burning potential!
It’s simple and can be done on any piece of equipment!
Warm up for 2 minutes before beginning.
Workout 1:
Work to rest ratio 1:2
3 times per week
Total Time: 22 minutes
Interval 1: 60 seconds
Active Rest: 2 minutes
Workout 2: Intermediate/Advanced
Work to rest ratio 3:1
3 times per week
Total Time 22 minutes
Interval 1: 90 seconds
Active Rest: 30 seconds
Page 2 April ‘12