Archive for the ‘Fitness’ Category

Juliet Glassroth
Juliet
Glassroth

Blaming the Victim: Food vs. Fat Folly

Friday, August 3rd, 2012

I recently took to Spectrum’s blog to vent a bit about the confusing nutritional landscape. I asked the question “with all the great nutritional research available, why are so many of us still fat?”

Personally, I think it’s a little more complicated than people just making poor nutritional choices and not exercising enough. I sometimes feel that we blame the victim with regards to obesity.

Now, I am not denying that there are significant behavior changes that can, should and yet often are not made. I don’t want to be critical of Paula Deen, but she did open herself up to a backlash when she talked about her diabetes diagnosis. And kudos to her for altering her diet and adding in exercise. I hope a lot of people learn and benefit from her example and the changes she’s made.

But I don’t drink a ton of sweet tea, eat fried chicken or wrap hamburgers in donuts. And I bet a lot of other people with weight problems don’t do any of those things either. So what gives? (more…)

Posted in Fitness, Food and Nutrition, obesity
By | 1 Comment »

Tags: ,

 
mlustig
Megan
Lustig

Staying in Shape, One Step at a Time

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

We communicate about health every day. So in all transparency, we want to embody the healthy lifestyle that we read, write and strategize about day in and day out. With that simple, yet at times very overwhelming idea in mind, we launched the Spectrum Fitness Challenge to kick off National Physical Fitness and Sports Month.

Running from May 7 – July 6, it is both an individual and team challenge to bring out the competitor in each of us. At the end of the Challenge, the individuals and team with the most points will be named the overall winners, along with a few other award categories like most improved and most consistent. From yoga classes to a running club, as a company we’re working together to stay in shape, one step at a time. What will help us succeed in the Challenge are some of the same qualities needed when you work in PR – the qualities that contribute to Spectrum’s success. Here are a few:

(more…)

Posted in Company Culture, Fitness, Food and Nutrition
By | Comments Off

Tags: ,

 
mlustig
Megan
Lustig

Put Some ‘Spring’ In Your Step, We Are

Thursday, April 12th, 2012

At Spectrum, as a company focused on health and science, we need to practice what we preach. But we’re busy – busy with families, clients, social engagements, the list goes on and on. Many of us manage to work exercise into our schedules, but it may not be as often as we like or we need a new challenge. According to the CDC, two out of three Americans (60 percent) are not active at recommended levels. Why? Because for many of us, it’s not a priority and we lack motivation, don’t enjoy it or don’t see results. So I ask: what can we do to motivate ourselves and each other to reach the recommended level of weekly physical activity?

About six months ago, working at a firm focused on health, I felt like a hypocrite because I was exercising maybe two times a week. So I changed my routine, and now that I work out in the mornings, I’m more energized and feel better throughout the day. And it’s not just me – regular exercise is one of the best things we can do for our health with benefits ranging from weight control to reducing risk of cancer to improving activities we do every day. According to WebMD, a study of long-term exercisers found that they were, “not as concerned with powerful pecs and awesome abs as they were with feeling good and being healthy.” Study participants ranked fitness, feelings of well-being, pep and energy, and enjoyment of the exercise as the top motivators. Yes – I agree! This is why I love to exercise (and I had absolutely nothing to do with that study.)

And we can’t forget nutrition. Eating healthy is an integral part of maximizing physical activity. The Mayo Clinic provides 5 great tips to keep in mind: healthy breakfast, size matters, snack well, eat after you exercise and drink up (water that is). Using the CDC fruits and vegetables calculator and other similar tools, you can customize a meal plan that is healthy and works for you.

So, with all this said, what are we doing here at Spectrum to motivate ourselves and each other? For starters, we’ve begun a Spectrum running club and we’re hosting a yoga class right here in the office. Also, several Spectrumites walk or ride bicycles to work and others are training to run a half marathon.

(more…)

Posted in Employee Wellness, Fitness, Food and Nutrition, PR Industry, Running
By | Comments Off

Tags: , ,

 
Juliet Glassroth
Juliet
Glassroth

Your Feet Are Made for Walking…And That’s Just What They’ll Do?

Wednesday, April 4th, 2012

Recently, I was bemoaning the fact that I couldn’t find enough time to exercise. I work a lot (and often use work as an excuse not to work out. Sound familiar?) and commute by train 40 minutes each day. In response to my whining, a colleague made a very simple suggestion: why not get off the metro one stop early and walk the remainder of the way to the office?  Doing the same thing on the way home would get me very close to the goal of 10,000 steps per day.

Today is National Walking Day, and it has me considering the many virtues of this activity. Walking is such a simple fitness solution. So simple, in fact, that most of us overlook it. But the reality is we can’t afford to overlook any possible offset to the obesity epidemic. It’s no secret that obesity contributes to and even leads to disease. And those of us working at office jobs are at significant risk. As noted in a recent Washington Post article, “People plopped on their behinds for eight to 11 hours daily had about a 15 percent increase in risk of death.” This fuels the notion that walking during the day isn’t just a suggestion for better health, it’s a necessity.

I am a sucker for all the fitness fads – from the Tracy Anderson Method to Insanity to Zumba – if it’s new, I have to know if it’s a silver bullet to getting in shape. I have trouble even counting the number of gyms of which I have been a member over the years. Estimating the amount of dollars wasted is downright depressing. Apparently, a monthly payment doesn’t necessarily equate to assured workouts – at least not for me.  And I don’t think I am alone in allowing all manner of things to get in the way of exercising. It’s easy for me to feel overwhelmed when contemplating having to get to the gym, get changed and get on the treadmill. It just feels like too many steps (no pun intended).

(more…)

Posted in Community Involvement, Company Culture, Fitness, Heart Disease
By | Comments Off

Tags: , , ,

 
jseng
John
Seng

Employers Everywhere: Are You Serious about Employee Wellness?

Monday, March 19th, 2012

Each day, Spectrum employees strategize how best to communicate health messages on behalf of our clients. But we also noodle a bit on how we apply these health messages to our own lives.

Perhaps because of what I do for a living, I feel particularly strongly about fostering a healthier workforce. And as the person in charge around here, I know doing so can also make a positive impact on the bottom line.

Spectrum rides in the Tour de Cure

It helps any business when employees are smart about health risks, eating well and the importance of exercise. A healthier workforce more than likely makes a more efficient and productive workforce. According to EmployeeWellnessUSA, every dollar spent on employee health programs saves between $2.30 and $10.10! Google News listed 104 articles relating to employee wellness in the past week alone.

I try to take a holistic approach to employee and organizational wellness, considering it from four different but complementary values:

1. Client health. It is one thing to believe in the cause or client, but another to live the message in our day-to-day lives. One client of Spectrum’s, Onlife Health, creates individual programs to embrace positive living and obtain good health for their corporate customers. We believe in Onlife Health and its mission and try to practice what we preach on their behalf. By fusing our values with our clients’ values, we’ve become living, breathing testimonials for our clients and their work.

Posted in Fitness, Food and Nutrition, Human Resources, PR Industry
By | Comments Off

 
Juliet Glassroth
Juliet
Glassroth

It’s National Nutrition Month: So, What’s for Dinner (that Won’t Hurt Me)?

Thursday, March 15th, 2012

March is National Nutrition Month. And, while I tend to be pretty focused on food throughout the entire year, it seems somehow morenutrition appropriate to be preoccupied with it as part of a recognized awareness effort.

The food and nutrition landscape is complicated. Words like natural, organic, healthy, whole grains and low fat are used so frequently in so many ways that often messages are either confusing or simply tuned out. Add to that reports on topics as far ranging as the connection between red meat and mortality to the hypothesis that a diet high in soy may lead to a lower risk of prostate cancer. And that was only this week!

These days, the simple act of deciding what to eat for dinner can be exhausting. How much protein do I really need? Should I or shouldn’t I eat soy? What exactly is a “nightshade food”? Am I alkaline enough or too acidic (and what does that even mean, anyway)?!

(more…)

Posted in Fitness, Food and Nutrition
By | Comments Off

Tags: , , , ,

 
« Older Entries