Category Archives: General Health
“Occupational Stress” and Overeating: Is Your Job Making you Munch?
Happy Friday! We’ve got a really interesting discussion topic on tap this morning, but first – breakfast!
Nothing revolutionary – just the Old Faithful of oatmeal.
Crazy toppings are fun, but peanut butter, cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup is always wholesome and reliable – not to mention filling!
On to the juicy stuff!
Occupational Stress and Overeating
I recently came across an article published in the April issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The article outlined an intervention trial that was designed to see how women in the workforce allowed their jobs to impact their eating habits.
The study assessed 230 female participants’ eating habits (as well as their weight and body fat percentage) at the beginning of the project and after 12 months. Throughout the year, women who were experiencing occupational burnout at the beginning of the study had “significantly higher scores in emotional eating and uncontrolled eating than did those without burnout.” Uncontrolled eating also actually decreased in the women who did not begin the study reporting feelings of burnout.
You can read the abstract of the study here.
So what does this mean for the average, everyday working woman?
Work can be stressful. There’s no way around it. I’m fortunate enough to work for a relatively low-key, laid-back company that plays just as hard as it works, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have my share of occupational stress.
Difficult coworkers, demanding clients, intimidating deadlines, ambitious quotas – welcome to the real world!
The results of the study aren’t that surprising. It’s well established that stress can be a catalyst for compensatory eating behaviors. For some of us, it’s restricting. For others, it’s stress eating. It’s also quite likely to be both. If a pie magically appears in the break room, a stressed brain has a much harder time turning it down than a happy, content one.
The key to avoiding those traps seems to be learning how to cope with occupational stressors before you reach the point of burnout. The women who were not classified in the burnt out group at the beginning of the study did not engage in the stress eating (at least not to the same degree) that the burnt out. women did. Develop calming routines to prevent the burnout rather than coping mechanisms to numb it.
On that note…
What are your favorite ways to decompress on the job? Do you notice yourself stress-eating during or after a particularly difficult day at work?
Sick Day Guilt
Does anyone else feel really guilty when they call in to work sick? Especially after my weekend vacation, I was not too happy with having to stay at home yesterday.
Foggy head + sore throat + congested head + jet lag = recipe for a disastrous day at work. Even though I felt like I needed to get back into the office, my body said otherwise.
My “hippie medicine” – Old Indian Wild Cherry Bark Syrup – did wonders for my throat and nose issues.
The syrup may taste like death, but it’s a botanical way to support your immune system, clear the sinuses and help with respiratory function. A few tablespoons of it throughout the day seemed to do the trick – all systems feel go this morning!
Comfort food didn’t hurt either.
Here’s to a healthy day – in the literal sense!
Top Five Health Trends for 2012
Yesterday’s Orlando Power Yoga class worked up a HUGE appetite! I’m usually not hungry after a hot yoga class – and last night was no exception – but this morning I woke up ready to eat my arm. I couldn’t even wait for natural lighting to hit my porch – it was an “eat now or die” situation.
Lavash wraps are the only bread product I have on hand right now, so I made a breakfast quesadilla with 2 eggs, scrambled and cooked into a patty, plus some slices of Teese non-dairy mozzarella.
Teese isn’t a bad cheese alternative, but Daiya is definitely better. I missed the melt factor!
While enjoying breakfast, I saw a rundown of the top 5 health trends for 2012. Apparently, this year, we have in store:
- Natural energy drinks (with ingredients such as dates and green tea)
- More sleep
- Flexitarian diets (consciously reducing meat consumption without making a full leap to vegetarianism)
- Digital motivation to stay healthy
- Fitness apps
While I’m amused at the oxymoron of both energy drinks and more sleep making the list of 2012 health trends, I love the direction this is going – I see a trend towards personal responsibility for our own health, as well as sensible approaches to diet and fitness {it’s nice to see that no hardcore/restrictive diet made the list}.
Let’s power through the next 8 hours – I’m hoping to make the OPY yoga “happy hour” this evening to end my work week on a fit note!
Which 2012 health trend are you most excited about? Any trends you’d like to see on the list that aren’t there?
I am the 46%
Looks like the gym is the only thing we haven’t been occupying!
A new release from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) explains that only 46 percent of American adults meet the recommendations for leisure-time aerobic activity. That means that more than half of our population spends less than 150 minutes each week moving around at a moderate level!
Let’s break this down. 150 minutes per week (which the CDC recommends is broken down into chunks of at least 10 minutes or more), divided by seven days – that’s just over 21 minutes per day. That’s a two mile jog, a bike ride to the grocery store, a long walk with your puppy…heck, that could even be a vigorous cleaning session, an impromptu dance party or a quick stroll through the mall. It really is that easy!
Last night, I joined the 46 percent who did hit the daily goal with a trip to the outlet malls. I’ve been hunting for a new pair of jeans, so I dragged my shopping buddy to the Premium Outlets. We power-walked through the shops for at least two hours – almost a full week’s leisure-time activity quota – and although I walked out jeans-less, neither of us left empty-handed!
Top: Banana Republic; Cargo crops: Theory; Shoes: Coach (already owned prior to last night)
Before making the trip, I assembled a quick dinner.
I stuffed a whole wheat pita pocket with hummus, spinach and tomatoes, and cubed a cantaloupe slice on the side.
I was craving the same combination for breakfast, but unfortunately I’d used the last pita. A yogurt bowl was the next best thing.
I topped a large scoop of soy yogurt with a starfruit, blueberries, chia seeds, kamut puffs (still don’t like them) and cinnamon for extra flavor.
Off to rock the new ‘fit. Office = catwalk?
Do you think you are part of the 46% of Americans who gets “enough” exercise? Do you make an effort to log “x” amount of minutes each day?
Cholesterol Wake Up Call
Yesterday, I popped online to check the wellness screening results from when I last donated blood.
After reviewing my blood type and future eligibility information, I clicked over to the cholesterol tab…and my jaw nearly hit the floor.
My cholesterol was 275?
How was that possible? How can a vegetarian have such high cholesterol? I don’t eat butter and rarely eat cheese or eggs, I get plenty of fiber and I exercise fairly regularly – so where’s the problem? How on earth is my cholesterol 75 full points higher than it should be?
While high cholesterol can be genetic, I am looking to naturally reduce my count through nutrition before turning to a prescription.
What I’m Going to do about my High Cholesterol
Because of my new piercing, I can’t donate blood again until six months to a year have passed. I do, however, plan to schedule a cholesterol screening within two months. Since cholesterol levels can be significantly lowered within six weeks, waiting eight weeks from my high cholesterol discovery should give my body adequate time to respond to the changes I plan to implement.
- Reduce my consumption of animal products. Shortly after becoming vegetarian, I decided to try a vegan diet. I saw a marked difference in how I felt, but although I knew I felt better with fewer animal foods in my system, I reintroduced cheese and eggs into my diet because I felt like I was missing out on things I desperately wanted to eat. For the next eight weeks, I’d like to reduce my dairy and egg consumption to a maximum of one serving a day.
- Get more omega-3’s. These can help increase the LDL’s (good fats) and for vegetarians, omega-3’s can be found in flax seeds and walnuts. While I typically place flax seeds in my smoothies, I’ll be bumping up the quantity to at least 2 daily servings, or, if necessary, investing in an omega-3 supplement.
- Increase my fiber. It seems like a no-brainer – especially considering my current whole foods-based diet, but I plan to strive for more soluble and insoluble fiber in the form of oatmeal, beans, millet, wheatberries, etc…rather than the more processed grains like toast, tortillas and pasta. That’s not to say I won’t enjoy them – they just won’t be primary components of my diet.
- Skip the afternoon snack. You know the drill – 2 pm rolls around, quarters magically appear in your hand, you wind up with butterfingers or Sunchips from the vending machine. That’s gotta stop. If necessary, I’ll bring unprocessed snacks from home to ward off the 2 p.m. munchies: apples, which are high in pectin, a cholesterol-reducing compound, or carrots, for example.
- Hit the gym 5 times a week. This one may be the hardest for me. I love the gym and I love exercising – don’t get me wrong…but making it consistent has been a major struggle for the last several months. I’ve been averaging 2-3 times a week, which is absolutely better than nothing – but in the interest of dropping my cholesterol, I’ll have to increase the frequency of my workouts.
In light of the new changes, I made a breakfast that included plenty of fiber (at least two grams of insoluble fiber), omega-3s, fruit and a small serving of healthy fats.
As I cooked 1/4 cup of steel cut oats, I dropped into the blender:
- 1 banana
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 3 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 1/2 scoop chocolate soy protein powder
It came out far more voluminous than I’d expected! I’d planned to drizzle the topping over the oats…but instead, I drowned the oats in the smoothie!
Topped the whole shebang with some berries, cinnamon and flax seed for a tasty cholesterol-lowering breakfast!
I’m hoping to see a drop of at least 15 to 20 points in my cholesterol by the time of my next test. Let’s see how this goes!
Have you ever been blindsided by the results of a medical test?
How’s your cholesterol? Ever had to lower it? When was the last time you got it checked?
How to Bounce Back From a Bad Workout
In the wise, wise words of my yoga instructor Erin, “Some days you feel like a rock star, other days you just feel like a rock.”
Last night was one of those “rock” days. Mentally, I just wasn’t focused. Physically, I was shaky and unbalanced. Goddess pose killed my quads, pigeon pose downright hurt, and holding airplane pose beyond a single breath? Forget about it.
I hesitate to call any workout “bad”. Rock star or just plain rock, you’re up, you’re active, and you’re putting effort into taking care of your body. Regardless, when your efforts just don’t line up, it’s hard to move beyond that “bad workout” feeling of letting yourself down.
It’s far too easy to wallow in the aftermath of a sub-par workout. Driving home from the hot studio, I wouldn’t have believed Kathryn Budig herself if she’d told me my self-worth wasn’t measured by the depth of my downward dog.
A workout, however, is just that. It’s not a life-or-death matter (unless a gunman is dictating your shoulder stands, in which case I suggest you find a new studio in a better part of town). It’s not a competition or a means to invoke jealousy. It’s you, working on your endurance, your strength, and your dedication. It’s a practice.
You’re not going to kill it at the gym every night. Heck, even Peyton Manning has off days. And look at it this way: your off days don’t end your season 
Just remember:
Don’t blame yourself… It’s natural to accuse yourself of poor effort, crappy balance, lack of skill, lack of speed, lack of coordination…you get the drift. None of that is true, and if it were, you wouldn’t be able to work out in the first place. An “off” night is no reflection of your overall competence, fitness, or ability as an athlete, whatever your chosen sport may be.
…But don’t make excuses. Sure, crappy playlists, unenthusiastic instructors, stressful days at work, inadequate hydration/nutrition, and lack of sleep can all throw off your workout…but blaming them for the workout doesn’t do you any good either!
Leave it in the past. It’s done. It’s over. Leave the stress on the mat/treadmill/elliptical/court. Tomorrow is a new day and a new chance to bust it out!
Remind yourself of previous successes. When you’re feeling bummed and incapable, draw back on a time when you set a PR, nailed negative splits or completed your first headstand. Reliving the endorphin rush that accompanied your accomplishment can set you back on the right track to replicate the feeling in your next workout!
Do something to put the fun back into working out. Fitness fiascos can put a huge damper on my enthusiasm to get moving. One 37 minute 5k training run resulted in a two week hiatus from running simply because I dreaded getting back into the swing of it. A few zumba classes later, I had gotten back my enthusiasm for a good heart-pounding workout and was ready to take it back to the pavement! Whether it’s setting a new goal for the same sport or looking into a unique new workout like rock-climbing or pole dancing, shaking up your routine can put some excitement back into getting moving!
Plan to BEAST your next gym sesh. Positive thinking, Little Miss (or Mister) athlete! Need I really say more?
What do you do to recover from a less-than-stellar workout?
Next Big Workout
I’m sore; gloriously, gloriously sore.
You know, that sore that hurts so good after an epic workout? That sore that makes you wince but makes you smile every time you lower yourself into a chair or lift anything heavier than the t.v. remote? Yup, I’m that sort of sore.
The maintenance man was the only soul in the building when I arrived…
Naturally, I documented my dorkiness (and my mad balance ball skillz) before a few stretches to get in the zone.
Having the gym to myself was pretty much the best thing I could have asked for – I’m always afraid that I’ll use a machine wrong and look like an absolute moron, so being the only person there was the perfect opportunity to jump in, learn the moves, and test the various settings to best suit my (newbie) ability level! Not having to wait for/readjust machines between sets rocked too 
| Machine/Move | Weight | # of Reps (x3 sets of each) |
| Horizontal Leg Curl | 50 | 15 |
| Leg Extension | 50 | 15 |
| Seated Leg Press | 90 | 15 |
| Lat Pull Down | 40 | 15 |
| Shoulder Press | 10 | 15 |
| Seated Row | 20 | 15 |
| Chest Press | 20 | 15 |
| Chest Fly | 30 | 15 |
| Captain’s Chair | N/A | 15 |
I followed that up with a 5 minute warmup and then a 5k run:
| Distance | Incline | Speed |
| .25 mile | 5% | 3.5 mph |
| 1 mile | 2% | 5 mph |
| 1 mile | 1% | 5.4 mph |
| 1 mile | 0% | 6.0 mph |
| .10 mile | 0% | 7.5 mph |
Negative splits – hells yes!
Faith’s Best of Next Big Thing 2010 Playlist
With a perfect alternative rock playlist to sing along with, it’s no wonder I was able to bust out such an inclusive workout! After last weekend’s trip to Next Big Thing, I downloaded a ridiculous amount of new music and have been rocking out nonstop to my faves from the NBT artists!
Prepare to have your world rocked.
Let the downloading and the sweating commence!
Smorgasbord
Good afternoon!
Want to know something funny? Bosses don’t like calling their employees an hour after they’re supposed to arrive and finding out that they are still in bed because their alarms never told them to wake up. Lo ciento!
In my defense, I was up late working on my new header. If you’re in reader, click through and let me know what you think!
After a rough start to the day, I was more than ready for a good lunch. The only problem was that I had no idea what I wanted!
When in doubt, have a little of everything!
Part-skim mozzerella, Nature’s Pride whole wheat toast, sugar free all natural apple sauce, baby carrots, and almonds.
Down the hatch!
Cheese, please!
I know that in the past, I’ve talked about keeping a vegan kitchen. I chose to cook without animal products but allowed myself to enjoy the occasional ice cream or slice of pizza at a restaurant. My claim has been that I feel better without loading down my system with animal products, which I still stand by.
The other day, however, all I wanted was some smooth, gooey fresh mozzarella to melt onto my flatbread. A quick stop at Publix and voila – one of the most delicious things I’d eaten.
I then began to ask myself why I was depriving myself of dairy. I can honestly that I don’t enjoy meat, yet ice cream and cheese were foods I genuinely liked. While I fully support ethical eating, my decision to eat primarily vegan was not one driven by an animal rights standpoint. Instead, I realized that it was coming from a restrictionist mindset. After finally letting go of my deprivational habits from my eating disorder, denying myself of a group of foods became a condoned way to keep some control over my food intake. I was not eating vegan foods in the name of health, just in the name of taking on another label more acceptable than “anorexic”.
I’m not trying to say that those who eat a vegan diet are doing so in a disordered eating fashion. There are many who have a genuine conviction for animal rights and choose to eat as such. In my own personal case, though, that was not where I was coming from. I have a great deal of respect for those who have committed to a vegan diet and lifestyle, but my reasons for doing so are not ones that I can fully stand behind.
I’m still planning to create a number of vegan recipes. My diet isn’t going to change drastically, nor will the content of the blog. I feel my best fueling myself with clean and plant-based meals, but I don’t see the need to deprive myself of ethically sourced foods that I genuinely enjoy. And with that, I have a cheese cube to finish 
How do you feel about food labels? Where do you personally fall on the spectrum? Have you ever made the choice to break out from a specific dietary label, and what prompted you to do so?
Kid at Heart
Hello blogettes! Staying busy? I know I sure am!
My students went skating and every time one asked if I would join them, I told them “Sweetie, I can’t. Miss Faith is on injured reserve today”. About the fourth child to ask me this looked me blank in the face and deadpanned: “I thought you didn’t believe in I can’t?”
The first time my group went to the rink, this particular child adamantly refused to even put on skates. “I can’t, I can’t” is all she would say. Now, this student is considerably overweight and clumsy, and I knew that she was afraid of being embarrassed. However, I looked her in the eye and said: “Tia, I don’t believe in I can’t. You say ‘I can’t', and what you really mean is ‘I won’t’. If you won’t even try, just tell me that, but own up to it and don’t give me any of this ‘I can’t’ business.”
She reluctantly laced up a pair of skates and made two laps by clutching at the handrails and pulling herself by, but I was so incredibly proud that she made the choice to give it an effort.
When she put my words back in my face this afternoon, I wondered if I was copping out. Was it just easier to rely on a barely-there injury to relax for a few hours on the bench?
I ended up putting on a pair of skates and gingerly stepping onto the rink…painlessly! I hardly felt a thing for the next two hours, except for when I was stepping on and off the raised platform for the benches and bathrooms. I also decided to give my usual 3 mile run a go as well since nothing seemed to be exacerbated, and it went fairly smoothly. I feel like there may be a bit of fluid on the joint, but it’s very minor, and as long as it’s not causing any major discomfort, I’ll just let it be.
Sometimes the wisest words really do come from children.
I’m so thankful for my students, who daily remind me to never be satisfied with face value when thousands of questions are forming in your mind, that playing really is good for the heart and soul, and above all, not to take myself too seriously.
I actually just took a friend up on a spur-of-the-moment invitation to hit the town tonight, so dinner needed to be quick and easy. In keeping with my little-kiddish-ness, I pulled out a box of organic and vegan macaroni and cheeze from my pantry.
I know not all premade foods marketed as “healthy” are really healthy (I’m talkin’ to you, organic PopTarts), but this truly isn’t all that bad.
Mac & Cheese used to be my favorite food as a kid! I honestly haven’t had it in ages.
I rehydrated some TVP to bump up the protein power…
I also threw a dash of paprika and ground mustard on top for some zip. I love macaroni with a kick!
And since dinner doesn’t seem like dinner without veggies…a few steamed carrots with a drizzle of balsamic vinagrette.
And now, since balance is key, it’s time to get ready to go be an adult for a few hours! Maybe there are a few perks to this whole growing up thing after all…
What do you miss most about childhood? For me, it’s got to be the nonstop clowning around! I’m not very serious very often, and I’m always cracking jokes. I have to consciously tone down the silliness at times, even though I don’t want to!
Upping the Ante and Downing the C
Did you know that I have mischievous little urchins that live in my closet and run out in the middle of the night to perform alterations on my jeans? They’re especially fond of nipping them in at the waist.
Well…that, or I’ve been having a few too many condolence cookies this week.
Since it’s a safer bet that my jeans aren’t actually being tailored by denim-hungry closet-dwellers, I’m trying to cut back on all the little treats that I’ve been sneaking. All those little bites of student lunches, all the Land Sharks after work, all the slices of pie…I’m calling a temporary hiatus on the extra nibbles. I need to get this sweet tooth of mine back in check!
Am I trying to lose weight? Well, yes and no. While I do know my current weight, I don’t have a specific goal in mind. I’m not setting out to lose x amount of pounds, but I do feel like I’m currently hovering a bit above an ideal weight for me. I’d like to ditch the bloat and see where it goes from there.
Will I follow a specific diet? Not a chance in hell. I’ll never go back to a restriction-based plan. I’m just cutting out the unnecessary (and typically over-processed) things that I’ve been taking bites of here and there. While I’m all for small indulgences on an occasional basis, I’ve been doing it daily, and I can definitely tell the difference. I’m more or less cutting out the sweets, salty munchies, and drinks outside of water, tea, and coffee. Not a huge deal, and not a huge sacrifice.
So, what did that leave me with for breakfast? A nice, cleansing, energizing Green Monster! I “cleaned up” my favorite Java Chip Sludgeaccino recipe.
Dare I say that I like this version better?
Into the mix went 1 cup of spinach, 3/4 cup of brewed Starbucks Serena Blend coffee, 3/4 cup of original Almond Milk, 1 humongous banana, 1 tablespoon of flax seeds, a little over a tablespoon of dark chocolate cacao nibs, and a teaspoon of wheat bran.
Lahvely, just lahvely.
I have to run out for an oil change (dreadful, I know), but I have big plans to come home and curl back up in bed. I’m starting to feel a cold coming on, and I want to nip it in the bud! There’s no time to get sick!
Do you have any tried-and-true tricks for when you’re under the weather? I always pop lots of vitamin C tablets and up my fluid intake.
Have a stellar Saturday!
