Tag: balance

Society seems to believe that if you sleep more than eight hours you are lazy. However, there are many of us who simply wouldn’t survive on just eight hours a night. I am one of those. I typically sleep 10 or more hours a night, and I’m usually in bed for about 12 hours or more a night.
I’ve always needed more sleep. Growing up I could sleep late even after going to bed early. Mornings were never my friend, but I wasn’t really a night owl either. If I did stay up really late I would sleep into the afternoon. I’m still that way. I can force myself to wake up with less than 10 hours of sleep but it’s not easy and I don’t perform particularly well when I do so.

Why do some of us need more sleep?

Why do I need so much sleep? I sleep longer for the same reason that some people can be perfectly alert and chipper on just four hours of sleep a night. It’s genetic.
Ying-Hui Fu, PhD, isolated the gene mutation that she believes is responsible for those who can easily get by on just four hours of sleep a night. While they haven’t isolated exactly why some of us need 10 or more hours of sleep, there is a name for it. The term is “long sleepers,” and we make up approximately 2 percent of the population. Although it’s referred to as a disorder, there are no negative side effects, unless we don’t get the 10 to 12 hours of sleep our bodies crave. Who knows, maybe one day they’ll isolate a gene mutation that explains my excessive need to sleep.
Long sleeping has been correlated to the introverted personality type. Introverts are easily tired out by interacting with others; so, it’s possible that we just need more sleep to handle those interactions. The American Sleep Association advises that we not fight our need for sleep as doing so may cause more issues. Rather we should do our best to live with it.

What can we do about it?

There’s not much we can do about our need for more sleep since it is hardwired. however, you do have control over your sleep schedule. By going to bed at the same time each night and having a set wake time each morning you can help your body learn to expect the pattern. Our biological clocks (yes, there are more than one) work on patterns and when we go to bed or get up at different times we are messing with those patterns.
The best thing you can do is have a set bedtime ritual and go to bed at the same time, and use an alarm to wake you up at the same time. Your body learns these patterns and even if you struggle to fall asleep and lay in bed reading for a while it helps your body learn and adjust to the pattern.
Speaking of reading, if you must read in bed get a tablet and set the brightness to low, with white text on a black background. This not only reduces the lighting in your bedroom, it reduces the flicker associated with electronic devices making it easier to fall asleep.
You may also want to try taking melatonin two hours before your set bedtime to help your brain send the proper “it’s time to go to sleep” signals to your body.
If you haven’t always had a need for long sleep, but developed it later in life you should talk to your doctor so that they can check you for other sleep disorders. Long sleep isn’t typically found with other sleep disorders, but the need for excessive sleep developed later in life may be a sign of other problems.
Don’t feel bad about needing more sleep than average. There’s a reason they call it average, our need for long sleep just balances out those folks who can get by on four hours. We simply have to work with what we are given and make the best use of the time when we are awake.

If you’re a woman who has been dating for a while you might be feeling discouraged about the prospects out there. You may even be struggling with self-trust and your own ability to have good judgment. Maybe your wondering if you’re “too picky” or losing hope that there are any “good ones” still out there. It only takes a few false starts or bad dates to wonder whether you’re doing something wrong as you search for your Mr. Right.

From the time we’re little girls we’re taught to be pretty, pleasant and pleasing. We have also been culturally convinced that we be more accommodating of our own needs, and within the context of relationships we learn that we shouldn’t be too demanding or place our expectations too high. We’re so hyper-focused on approval and acceptance that we sometimes forget that we have the ability to make empowered and conscious choices about the men we let into our lives.

Searching for your right partner requires a blend of your gut instinct and your higher consciousness. This becomes easier the more you know yourself and what you need to thrive as a woman in the world, but there are actually some universal qualities in men that you can keep your eyes peeled for when you’re out there dating. Learning to read between the lines while keeping your wits about you when meeting men will reduce your chances of heartbreak and making a bad choice of partner.

To make things a bit easier I have broken down some of the things you want to watch out for by categorizing them into Red Flags and White Flags. When you experience a Red Flag you’ll want to abort the mission because they suggest qualities that may be very problematic down the road regardless of compatibility. A White Flag is more negotiable and includes issues that are either negotiable or changeable depending on the person. With these you’ll want take note, but you don’t necessarily need to run for the hills.

Here are some examples:

He says he had a “perfect” childhood. – Red

No one has a perfect childhood so this implies a sense of denial and an inability to see his life through a bigger perspective. He probably needs things to be perfect, and has a low tolerance for challenging or difficult feelings. People who refer to their past in this way almost always have a need to protect themselves from the bad which means he will not welcome your negative feelings. This is a big issue and he would need a lot of help to address this conditioning.

He doesn’t talk about his past relationship or marriage – White

You might be someone who needs full disclosure, but it’s actually healthy to not inundate a new relationship with old baggage. This is probably more a sign of resolution with his past than avoidance. If there are skeletons in the closet you’ll uncover those soon enough, but not vomiting his past and sharing all of the details are signs of good boundaries and the ability to find closure.

He’s really “good friends” with his Ex(s) – Red

Many men brag about this like it’s some badge of honor. This is a big red flag because it only means that his Ex(s) will be around and in his life. While he may think this shows that he ends things well, it actually implies that he hasn’t ended it at all. Ex’s only have a place in one’s life if there is co-parenting involved or some other shared logistic that requires contact. Being amicable and remaining friends are not the same thing.

He waits a couple days to follow up after the date – White

While this may be upsetting or generate a feeling of anxiety most men are encouraged to wait a bit before making contact after a first date. Immediate contact is also a white flag because many men don’t play games when they meet someone they like. If the pattern of delayed response continues beyond the first few encounters you are probably bordering on a red flag situation, but playing a little hard to get isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

His last girlfriend was “crazy” – Red

Any man that refers to a woman as “crazy” has a high probability of being sexist, and won’t understand the feminine. This is a guy who will find you irrational, tell you to calm down when you’re upset and will not be empathic with your moods. Don’t think that you won’t be considered to be “crazy” too at some point so remain aware of any derogatory language that implies a lack of respect for the female gender.

He’s never been married – White

If you’re dating older men you might find that the one’s who have never been married are not dateable. While this could be something to take note of, sometimes men (like women) spend a large part of their time focusing on career, travel and other personal opportunities more than marriage. Later marriages are becoming more and more common so this doesn’t always mean he’s commitment phobic.

Remember that no matter how long you’ve been searching for the right partner you should never settle or compromise your values or needs. Be mindful of rationalizing negative qualities to make something work because your honesty with yourself in the beginning will protect you from heartbreak in the end.

It’s hard to believe that the first online dating site Match.com launched 20 years ago. Meeting a partner online has become as much a part of our culture as hamburgers and fries, and it’s often responded to with the same feelings of love and hate. Still, it’s a big part of our culture and it offers a unique opportunity for meeting that someone special.

Everyone wants to find love and in todays super busy (albeit disconnected) world making online dating a viable option for many relationship seekers. Nearly nine-in-ten Americans are online, and dating on the Web has grown in both popularity and acceptance according to the Pew Research Center. The use of online dating is both an act of convenience and desperation. It has become harder and harder to meet a significant other in the modern day culture due to busy schedules and the natural reduction in socialization since the onset of the internet. As a society we are either working or behind our computers making it less likely that a random personal connection will be made.

The stigma has lifted from online dating, and it has become a bit of a pop-culture phenomenon with sites like Tinder and Ashley Madison coming on board. However, there are still many people who feel that dating online is only something people do when they have no other viable options. As a matter of fact, the Pew Research Center also reported that 21% of Americans agree with the statement that “people who use online dating sites are desperate”.

I had a friend once tell me that if you’re not online dating you’re not dating. While this sounds like a reasonable assumption the vast majority of relationships still begin offline, and it’s been found that only 5% of Americans who are in a marriage or committed relationship say they met their significant other online. Even the people who are dating don’t seem to be as lucky (or maybe it’s lazy) as you would think because one-third of online daters have not yet met up in real life with someone they initially found on an online dating site. Even though the stigma of online dating has subsided it would appear that many people are still finding a partner through more traditional means.

Pros and Cons

Online dating expands the market for daters, and it’s also less intimidating for people who might be shy or who are socially anxious. The risk of rejection is equally as high with online dating as it would be approaching someone in person yet the sting is less when shielded by a computer. This makes online dating a viable option for the daters who feel insecure or less confident in their chances of making a connection. It’s also a good option for people who don’t get the opportunity to socialize due to work schedules, being new to a city or being recently divorced with few single friends.

The downside of online dating comes into play around follow through and etiquette. There are no hard and fast rules for manners online so people tend to behave badly by failing to respond to emails or making lewd comments they would never make in person. Online daters end up experiencing multiple incidents of rejection simply because a lack of response is equally as hard as hearing no. Another downside to online dating is that it can be time consuming turning it into a “job”. It could take hours to search and sift through all of the sites members to find just one or two viable options. Time is definitely a big factor for many people who use online dating as a means of meeting a partner.

Fit or Flop

Online dating is a fit mainly because it increases the chances and creates a greater opportunity to meet that someone special. Love is a numbers game so the greater the pool of people, the bigger the chances of success. It’s particularly a good fit for the people that would be considered to be in a “thin dating market”. Many individuals have a limited number of available partners within their immediate social circles including people who are older, divorced or have other unique qualities that might be marginalizing.

Online dating, while being a good viable option should not discourage or diminish a person’s efforts to meet someone in real time. Daters need to be mindful of not relegating their dating option to the internet while neglecting to utilize their social time for the same purposes. Every situation offers the chance for connection if the intention and openness is there.

Resource:

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/20/5-facts-about-online-dating/

Practicing assertive communication (or expressing needs, wants, and feelings in a way that is respectful, honest, and forthright) is not always easy. It takes courage to speak up and be heard, especially because doing so could potentially threaten a relationship. This can become even more difficult when the person with whom you’re interacting intimidates you. Perhaps this person seems emotionally unapproachable, is in a position of power and authority, or otherwise makes you feel uncomfortable.

Here are some ways to be assertive with an intimidating person:

It’s crucial to first be in the mindset that you matter. You are important. What you have to share is meaningful.

One of my friends has a great saying: “everyone counts as one point.” I love this idea, and remembering it helps me be assertive with difficult people when there’s a need. By first valuing and respecting yourself, you’ll be more successful in sharing your feelings and needs with others, and you can also increase the likelihood that what you say will be received well. Remind yourself that you are not “less than” anyone else.

The next step is to clarify your values and determine exactly what it is that you want or need. Maybe your relationship with this person leaves you feeling neglected, resentful, or in pain. What signals is your body giving you about something that bothers you or needs to change?

Tune in to what you’re feeling, then use these emotional cues to guide you in being assertive.

When approaching an intimidating person in an assertive way, it’s often good to start small. Bring up one or two issues that need to be addressed to begin. This doesn’t mean you’re being weak or kowtowing; it instead means you’re being smart by “testing the waters” and having realistic expectations. Starting small can help you gain confidence and practice in speaking up when there are concerns.

It’s important to understand that expressing your feelings to someone may force you to leave your comfort zone, and the truth is that the other person may not respond as you would wish. Still, part of self-respect is to communicate your inner experience, so try not to let the risk of not being heard or being misinterpreted to deter you.

If someone is particularly off-putting to the point where you find yourself avoiding him/ her, it might help to reframe the situation and consider where he/ she is coming from.

For example, when I’m dealing with a person who is negative, rude, or unkind, I often imagine a story in my head that would give context to the behavior. Maybe he is stressed out from having a sick child at home, or maybe she had a really rough week. After twenty years of work as a therapist I have learned that people make sense once you know their story, and what’s really going on in their life. Of course I’ll never know if I’m right or not in creating these stories, but it really is true that we’re all carrying our own unique burdens and fighting our battles.

Viewing intimidating people this way can make interacting with them less daunting.

Assertive communication is a skill that takes practice and experience. I invite you to consider situations and relationships in your life where you’d do well to take a stand and let yourself be heard. If you’re feeling nervous about approaching difficult conversations, know that you’ll get better at it with time. I promise you that assertiveness really can change your life and improve your relationships.

It seems there are two types of people in the world of social media:

1) Those who like to update us on every single minute of their day, no matter how personal, intimate, or mundane the details may be.

2) Everyone else.

It’s the first category that often makes the second category hesitant to share anything at all. We don’t want to be person #1; we don’t want to bore or annoy our friends with information that is of no use to them. We certainly don’t want to brag or sound obnoxious. And because of this, we sometimes hesitate to share updates or accomplishments because even though they may be important to us, we fear they are not at all important to our friends, family, and acquaintances.

And we don’t want to be THAT social media person.

For example: You just finished a super hard workout. Truth be told, you didn’t even want to go to the gym in the first place, because you had a bad day at work and have a boatload of housework you should be doing instead of working out. But you went to the gym anyway, and you managed to not only have a great workout, but set a deadlift PR that you’ve been struggling for months to overcome. Months! And you want to scream it from the rooftops…or the 21st-century version of screaming from the rooftops: post a status update declaring your accomplishment to the world. But you fear that your friends and family care just as much about your gym session as they care about what brand of wheat bread you used to make your turkey sandwich that afternoon.

Or worse, you fear that someone will take your post as–gasp!–bragging.

Listen, I can understand your hesitations. I too have rolled my eyes at more “here’s the 100th update telling you I’m at work and I’m bored” status updates than I care to admit. But when it comes to sharing your workouts on social media, my opinion is always “go for it,” regardless of what others might think. And here’s why:

1) Accountability. Yes, this one is self-serving. But it is your social media page after all. Why not use it to benefit you? Getting into a regular routine of posting your workouts will help hold you accountable for what you’ve done (or haven’t done) to improve your training. This is especially true when other people start taking notice of when you do, or do not, post your workouts. Further, posting that you plan to go for a run, then sharing your post-run stats might be just the motivation you need to get out the door and get your workout done on a day when you might otherwise feel like staying home on the couch. 

2) You never know who you might encourage. People are watching you, probably closer than you realize. This fact is equal parts cool and creepy. A friend you might not have talked to in years may see your daily workout updates and think to herself “if she can do it…I can find the time to do it as well!” Let’s face it: a large majority of our society is overweight and inactive. If your workout posts encourage just one person to change their sedentary lifestyle and improve their health, then sharing is totally worth it. It sounds cheesy and perhaps trite, but your post may turn into motivation that could literally save a life. For me, knowing that I could motivate someone to change their life far outweighs the risk of annoying my friends. 

3) You deserve to brag. Call me boastful, but I truly believe this. Training for a half marathon or a marathon is no joke. Actually, training for any sort of race that is farther/faster/harder than you’ve done before is no joke. It takes dedication and hard work. Further, as I mentioned above, inactivity is a huge problem in our society. Good for you for taking a stance against it and trying to better your health. 

The point is, you should be proud of what you’ve done, and those who truly care about you will be proud of you as well. Those who feel you are shamelessly bragging by posting your accomplishments are likely the same people who feel their own shame and insecurities for not trying to pursue their own dreams.

Don’t let those types of people bring you down or negate your hard work. 

OK, let me be honest for a minute: Yes, you probably are annoying some of your friends by posting your workout and racing updates. But the great thing about social media and technology is that those people have the ability to block those “annoying” posts from their view. Just like you have the ability to block game requests or that one friend who posts fifteen pictures a day of her cat sleeping in various positions. But for every friend who is annoyed by your workout posts, there are twice as many friends cheering you on through their keyboards and behind their computer screens. So be proud of your hard work, hold your head high, and run hard. 

Then be sure to let us know about it on Facebook.

Employers are increasingly offering incentives to their employees to live healthier lives. It’s a good thing because the obesity rates in America still remain high.
The Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released their 2015 report on obesity. The report stated that all 50 states have obesity rates over 20 percent, three states have obesity rates of 35 percent, and overall obesity rates held steady across America at about 30 percent. Part of the obesity problem lies in the fact that Americans do not exercise enough, eat too many calories, and sit for long periods.
Employee incentive programs at work are a terrific way for employers to help employees get started losing weight, increase their fitness level, and improve employee productivity.
I have worked with several companies who wanted to improve employee health. Here are five awesome ways employers can make it easier for their employees to live healthier lives.

1. Monthly Lunch and Learn Programs

Hold monthly lunch and learn meetings in each of your locations. I have spoken at many of these events throughout the country and find that the employers who offer them get a high level of engagement from their employees.
Offer engaging topics such as:
Healthy Eating 101
Why Exercise Cannot Replace a Healthy Diet
The How’s and Whys of Weight Management
Preventing Diabetes
Easy Lunch and Snack Ideas to Bring to Work
Encourage employees to bring a healthy lunch or a nutritious dish for everyone to share.

2. On-Site Gym

If your facility has an empty room or office suite, consider putting down exercise mats, installing some mirrors, and setting up a small gym. Offer incentives to employees who workout a certain number of days a month. Ideas that appeal to employees include a free company t-shirt or other swag, the opportunity to wear jeans on a certain day, or coupons to a local health food store.

3. Lowered Health Insurance Costs

Some health insurance programs offer incentives in the form of reduced costs or deposits into a health savings account for quitting smoking, staying within a certain weight range, or logging exercise minutes.
Usually employees must agree to a health screening arranged by the employer to be eligible for the discount or health savings account incentive. Check with your company health insurance provider and explore what options are available.

4. Free Access to Wellness Professionals

With the obesity rates so high, it is likely that many of your employees don’t really understand how to eat a healthy diet or get started losing weight. I know I sure didn’t. I spent a lot of time perusing the vending machine offerings instead of taking advantage of the salad bar.
Combat the lack of knowledge among your employees by finding a local nutritionist who specializes in wellness and weight loss. Arrange for him to come to your office once a month to meet with employees who have signed up for a free 30 minute session.

5. Weight Loss Challenges

Weight loss challenges are popular in all parts of the country. Run a weight loss challenge once or twice a year as a way to help employees lose weight. You can put the employees who want to lose weight in teams or allow individual entries. Make the contest more fun by offering prizes along the way for the most exercise minutes, most healthy recipes submitted, or best weight loss slogan.
Implementing these ideas can make a lasting difference in the health of you and your employees. If you are not sure which ideas your employees will respond to, put together a survey or employee health committee to explore your options.

One of the most difficult conversations you can have with your long-term marital partner is about sex. It’s hard enough to talk about the quality of sex, but even harder to discuss quantity. As a result many couples suffer silently in sexless marriages, and wonder if the amount of sex they’re having is “normal” or something to worry about.

If you’ve been living in the camp of worry you can feel a bit relieved by a recent research study from The Austin Institute for the Study of Family and Culture which showed that married Americans reported having sex an average of 1.2 times per week, or just about five times a month. Even if this sounds like more than you’re currently having in your own marriage, it’s very clear that most couples are not ravaging each other on a regular basis even though they may want you to think that. In fact an earlier study revealed that about 15 percent of married couples have not had sex with their spouse in the last six months to one year.

We of course can contribute the lack of sex to many factors including, age, length of marriage, whether there are children involved, and even cultural factors. It’s also fairly common knowledge that the amount of sexual engagement in a marriage ebbs and flows throughout the life of the relationship with the average going way down during childbearing years and way up in the beginning when lust is the driving force.

As human beings we are driven to procreate, and thus have sex. Even if that sex doesn’t produce a child, we are evolutionarily wired to seek a mate and work toward that end goal. Once a baby is conceived the purpose for sex (at least in the primitive brain) shifts and is dependent on desire not procreation. For childless couples the drive will be the same even though a baby is never produced. However, research has shown that couples who don’t have children tend to be happier overall with their marriages, which could be due to a continued drive for sexual intimacy or the lack of stress that children at to a marriage.

It’s clear from the research and from what we know about normal human behavior that a reduced amount of sex is pretty standard, but is a marriage without sex healthy?

It may seem obvious that more sex would always be better for a marriage, but that’s not necessarily true. There are many forms of intimacy and sex is just one. It’s also true that sexual intimacy can serve as a replacement for emotional intimacy, which is equally if not more important.

Pros and Cons

Consistent sex in a marriage ensures a sense of connection and closeness, and a feeling of satisfaction. Being sexually fulfilled is a natural human necessity and when there is a lack in this form of intimacy it opens up space for other outlets leading to infidelity or other sexual encounters. Research has shown that both men and women report greater sexual satisfaction and higher levels of overall relationship happiness when they have more sex.

However sex in marriage is often more about quality than quantity. A lot of disconnected and unsatisfying sex is probably less healthy than infrequent but fulfilling sex. If a partner is satisfied sexually it doesn’t mean they are feeling satisfied overall with the marriage. However satisfaction is a key element because satisfied couples have sex more often and frequent sex leads to increases in sexual satisfaction. It’s also possible that a highly sexual marriage could be too much of a good thing. If the marriage is solely based on this type of connection, and it disappears or can’t be sustained, then the couple may have trouble finding other ways to connect. Many couples base their relationships on sexual chemistry only to find that this was the only common denominator.

Less sex in a marriage can ultimately lead to divorce, but a research shows that even when couples are unhappy, and are having less sex as a result, they are likely to stay together because of social expectations, or because they had children they were raising.

Fit or Flop

Consistent and satisfying sex in a marriage is definitely a fit. Having a sufficient amount of sex is a basic human need, and research confirms that sex in marriage is essential for a person’s health and wellbeing. It’s also an important factor in each partner’s level of overall happiness. Regular sexual activity in marriage is correlated to personal satisfaction, and both men and women report higher levels of overall relationship happiness when they have more sex.

Couples who have more sex live longer, have improved immune systems and lower their risk for many diseases, including cancer. The act of sex itself has also been shown to improve sleep and mood.

The amount of sex is completely negotiable however. As long as both couples agree that the amount of sex is satisfactory then there shouldn’t be a problem. When one partner becomes dissatisfied or frustrated with the lack of sex than the issue should be addressed for the marriage to remain on track.

Resources

http://relationshipsinamerica.com/relationships-and-sex/how-common-are-sexually-inactive-marriages

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/13/childless-couples-happier

http://www.scienceofrelationships.com/home/2011/5/26/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-sex-theres-an-app-for-that-s.html

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/when-sex-leaves-the-marriage/?

There have been many mornings that I’ve awakened to find my brain alert but my body unable (or was it unwilling?) to move. I always attributed it to a slow waking process and I wasn’t far from the truth. Those mornings never really bothered me, even though there have been a few over the years when that slow waking process took what felt like hours.

There was one instance, however, that really freaked me out. A few years back I was having a lot of trouble sleeping and also suffering from fatigue during the day. One of my doctors had me try a new sleep medication to see if it would help. I slipped this little pill under my tongue and let it dissolve and I soon dissolved away into dreamland. The problem was when I woke up about two hours later feeling as if someone had mummified me. It literally felt like someone had tied ropes or cloth around my entire body. I laid there in a panic, because even though I was fairly sure it was a side effect of the medication I had no idea how long it would last. Needless to say that was the last night I took that medication.

Whether it’s the slow waking or the sense that you are tied up, have an elephant on your stomach, or that you are being attacked. Sleep paralysis isn’t uncommon and it’s closely related to night terrors.

Past theories about sleep paralysis have covered everything from hallucinations to evil spirts stealing your soul. But, don’t worry the truth about sleep paralysis is that it’s nothing to worry about and a completely normal part of waking up. Chances are that it occurs to some degree every morning but that most of the time it is over before you can even acknowledge it.

When you sleep the pons (the part of your brain that controls movement) sends out signals shutting down movement. This is to protect you and those around you. Can you imagine if you acted out all those crazy dreams you have? You’d likely wake up covered in bruises (and so would anyone around you). A few of us have problems with those signals being sent properly and that can result in sleep walking, eating, driving, or even punching and kicking in your sleep.

When you wake up it takes a bit of time for your brain to send signals out to all the nerves and muscles in your body letting them know that they should also wake up. The conscious part of your brain wakes up first, then it sends signals to your spinal cord telling it to wake up. It’s during that interval between the two that you will likely experience sleep paralysis. Once those messages are delivered to the spinal cord and it wakes up, you can move normally and all is, once again, right with the world.

So, the next time you wake up and start freaking out that you can’t move a muscle, don’t worry. You won’t be paralyzed forever. Chances are that by the time you’ve even fully processed that you can’t move your toes will already be wiggling and your body will be as alert as your mind.

Standing desks are the ultimate divider between coveted jobs and those that are just…bleh. I’m obviously being facetious, but it does ring fairly true. Standing desks will (hopefully) be a norm in the future. Americans are incredibly sedentary, and sitting for at least an eight-hour workday is doing nothing to help combat the ever-increasing obesity problem. 

But what is the appropriate amount of standing time that you should be getting in per day?

A few months ago I came across an article on Facebook; I’ve since attempted to go back and find it but to no avail. Basically, it was a witty piece of prose where a man decided he was going to stand for 30 days to be healthier. Obviously he would lie down for sleep and sit while driving, but otherwise he was pretty consistent in his standing. His story was fairly humorous, but it made my back hurt just thinking about it. The first few days started off well enough, but soon his feet began to suffer. The maladies just kept piling up until he ultimately had to go to his physician’s office for all of his pain, which leads me to my point. There is a line between being healthy and standing up at work and just being in overkill mode.

Why Prolonged Sitting Is Bad News 

After a long bout in bed or on the couch, I feel mildly guilty, mostly because I just wasted time, but partially because I was being so sedentary. Since entering the workforce, I’ve made sure to consistently keep up with exercising and using my standing desk. However, on those days that I don’t feel motivated to stand I feel pretty gross leaving the office. It’s amazing what sitting down for most of the day can do to you. It decreases my energy level trifold and makes me rather unproductive for the rest of the day. This feeling I have isn’t just my imagination; widespread studies have indicated this type of feeling is the social norm for those in the workforce.

Just look at the wide range of negative health issues that stem from sitting during the entire workday:

Organ damage Heart damage and an overproductive pancreas have been attributed to sedentary lifestyles. When you’re sitting at your desk and then proceed to come home and rest, your blood flow becomes sluggish, which results in fatty acids clogging the heart. This leads to higher cholesterol and overall cardiovascular issues. 

Muscle deterioration When you slouch in your chair your abs are not being engaged in any way, therefore they begin to deteriorate and become rather nonexistent. Hips also become stiff, and your glutes are not engaged at all so your stride will suffer, causing overall bodily aches and pains.

Bad back This is a rather common problem because most of us aren’t sitting properly. Many of us will slouch forward, which ultimately gives us back problems and causes herniated disks. It also causes stiff, painful necks and chronic shoulder pain. 

Restless legs When your legs are not regularly engaged, circulation problems ensue, especially as you grow older. Your bones have a higher chance of breaking because they are not being used. 

If you have to sit, experts recommend sitting with upright posture, relaxing your shoulders, and not leaning forward. Keeping your elbows bent to a comfortable 90 degrees with your arms in tight to your body will reduce problems as well. Also, make sure that you’re doing activities outside of work instead of just going home to continue your daily sitting routine. However, some researchers have even claimed that exercising before or after work may not reverse the effects of extended sitting in the workplace (Washington Post).

Tips To Properly Standing

If your goal is to start standing up at work, you need to do this gradually. Aim for roughly two hours a day with little breaks in between until your body gets used to it. Next, attempt to move up to four hours; this should be your maximum amount of standing time. Try switching up your posture every 30 minutes, as this helps rev up your metabolism.

“It’s all about mixing it up,” said Gavin Bradley, director of Active Working, an international group aimed at reducing excessive sitting. “Metabolism slows down 90 percent after 30 minutes of sitting. The enzymes that move the bad fat from your arteries to your muscles, where it can get burned off, slow down. The muscles in your lower body are turned off. And after two hours, good cholesterol drops 20 percent. Just getting up for five minutes is going to get things going again. These things are so simple they’re almost stupid.”

Health experts say that this four-hour standing time is just a starting point and will evolve with time and more study. Many people and workplaces want to know the scientific viewpoint on what is an appropriate amount of standing time, but more specific recommendations will come in the future. Nutritionists are hopeful that standing in the workplace will combat the growing health risks that many adults are beginning to incur with near-constant sitting. It appears that sedentary workers have more than twice the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease and a 13 percent increased risk of cancer. These are startling numbers that are only increasing (Washinton Post).

People who have begun suffering from these diseases and have started implementing more standing into their daily routine have found positive effects that are essentially reversing their disease, which is an even more persuasive reason for introducing standing desks nationwide. Ikea is now selling an office-friendly standing desk that is quite affordable. 

Even if you don’t have a standing desk yet, there are other alternatives for getting up at the office: Take business calls standing up, walk down the block to get some fresh air during a bathroom break, or even stand in the back of meetings. 

The health benefits of standing are undisputable, so it’s best to start switching up your work routine sooner rather than later. 

Disclaimer: Causes for being overweight vary for every individual. This means no individual result should be seen as typical, and results may vary for every person who tries a diet or weight loss program.
A quick search on Amazon for diet books returns over 180,000 options. Some focus on metabolism, others on emotions, and many on food choices. One popular book, The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom, by authors Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, is their most recent book. If you have heard of the diet but are wondering whether it works for weight loss, here are the basics of the plan.
The Whole30 diet is not for the faint of heart. There are rules.
Lots of them. And they are strict.
Now, that’s not a bad thing, but it is something to consider. If your personality rebels against rules or you do not like, or know how to cook, this diet may be hard for you to follow.
According to the Whole30 website, the basic rules of the diet are as follows:

1. No added sugars at all. That includes honey, Sugar in the Raw, brown sugar, artificial sweeteners, and maple syrup.
2. No grains are allowed.
3. No soy products or legumes other than certain peas and green beans. The ban on legumes also includes peanut butter.
4. You must abstain from alcohol completely.
5. Dairy products are not allowed with the exception of clarified butter or ghee.
6. Avoid food additives such as MSG, carrageenan, and sulfites.
7. No “recreating” your past favorite desserts or junk foods with ingredients on the Whole30 list.
8. The authors indicate you are not to weigh or measure yourself while you are on the Whole30 program.

The Good Things for Weight Loss

The program is restrictive, but there are some good things in the program for weight loss. When you follow this type of program, you will likely find your cravings for sugar reduced, you will eat a diet focused on real foods rather than processed foods, and you may be able to break the cycle of carb and sugar cravings.
All those can work in your favor in terms of losing weight. Eating a diet filled with fruits, vegetables, nuts, high protein meats, low calorie seafood, small servings of nuts and seeds, and eggs is a healthy way to eat. This type of diet may result in weight loss if your calories are kept at an appropriate level.
The authors of the diet indicate that weight loss is not the primary goal of the Whole30 program. Instead, they encourage followers of the diet to focus on their health, energy levels, and learning to eat in a completely natural manner.

The Difficulties for Weight Loss

The good is sometimes also the bad when it comes to diets and the Whole30 is no exception.
The restrictive nature of the diet makes it hard to follow 100 percent. I have worked with people who have tried it and lasted a few days or weeks before giving up. It is difficult to cut out entire food groups and make a drastic change in your eating habits all at once.
If you struggle with your weight, there are often emotional issues behind your struggles. The Whole30 does not directly address the emotions driving weight problems. Without dealing with the emotions that cause you to eat, an “eat this, not that” type of diet will seldom result in lasting weight loss.
Because there are no restrictions on portions or calories, it is possible to gain weight on the Whole30 diet.

If You Try the Whole30

If you want to try the Whole30 diet program, I’d recommend borrowing or purchasing the book to understand the entire program. Plan your meals carefully and monitor your calorie intake.
Be mindful of the calorie-dense foods on the program such as red meat, nuts and seeds, and oils. Eating too much of these foods can cause you to consume more calories than you need to lose weight.
Decide for yourself whether you will skip weighing yourself for the 30-day program. Personally, I would be hesitant to skip a weekly weigh-in for fear you could easily gain weight without realizing it.