Yoga At Work

Open Chest Stretch 1. Sit on the end of your chair 2. Hold the sides of the chair 3. Gently stretch up and forward 4. Open up your chest and bring your head back 5. Take a deep breath through your nose and exhale slowly Hands Behind Back 1. Interlace your fingers behind your back 2. Slowly bend forward 3. Gently stretch your arms up 4. Take a deep breath through your nose and exhale slowly 5. Slowly release your arms and roll up Neck Rolls 1. Drop your head to one side 2. Roll it around in one full circle 3. Repeat in the opposite direction 4. Place your hand on your head and gently pull to one side

Arm Pulls 1. Bend each arm above and behind your head 2. Grab your elbow with your right hand and stretch up 3. Breathe in through your nose and exhale slowly, letting your shoulder relax Eye Strain Relief 1. Take breaks often from your computer screen as you work 2. Every ten minutes look out the window or around the office Slowly roll your eyes in a circle to relive tension Headache Solution 1. Place your index fingers in the middle and just above each eyebrow 2. Press with your fingers, and hold 3. Close eyes and breathe deeply through your nose and exhale slowly Office Meditation 1. Take one minute to de-stress and take a break 2. Sit quietly in your chair for two minutes 3. Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly

Having Fun!

If you’re not having fun, your healthy habits won’t last.  Make everything fun for yourself.  Pick great music for your workouts and choose activities you really enjoy.  Wear workout clothes that make you feel good.  Enjoy your meals with your family and make sitting down and eating a calm, pleasurable part of your day.  Go for walks with good company or join a sports team.  Do whatever makes eating and exercise more fulfilling to reap all the mental and emotional benefits of a healthy lifestyle as well as the physical.    

Lara Bars

By: Zach Jacobs/ Salus Member

You'll need some pitted dates and some nuts. Peanuts or cashew work great. Other dried fruit can also work for added flavor, but you'll need dates too. A simple recipe to begin:

1 cup dates
1 cup peanuts
dash salt

Blend the dates in a food processor until it forms a paste. If the dates are too dry, add in water, a teaspoon at a time. Then remove into a bowl, and pulse the peanuts until they're finely ground. Add the dates back in, and pulse together until well combined. You can also do this with your hands and knead it together. Then squish the mixture into bars and wrap in plastic wrap. I sprinkle a couple of mini chocolate chips on top of each one for a little treat.

These are calorically dense (about 200 calories for a 1" x 2.5" bar), but they're whole, raw, natural food. Gluten-free, vegan, all that jazz.

If you're allergic to peanuts, try cashews. Also, replace some of the dates with dried cherries or cranberries for different flavors, and mix in a dash of cinnamon.  Play around a little with the fruit-nut ratio to get it just right. These are a great energy bar for before a workout. They are high in fiber, though, so if you have GI issues, take that into account.

Enjoy. :)

Reasons You May Overeat

By: Denise Hall

Your body is a very particular, machine.  Everything you do and consume and feel affects your body’s chemistry.  Your body is also very strong and can handle most of the things life throws at it.  You can help by providing it with the right amounts of healthy food.  If you are overeating or eating the wrong foods, there is usually a reason. 

Some possibilities:

• Not getting enough sleep:  To make up for the lost energy, you crave foods high in sugar
• Stress.  Many of us are emotional eaters:  Finding healthier ways to handle your stress will keep you from going to the fridge for support.
• Eating a lot of junk:  Eating junk makes you crave more junk.  Try to break the cycle.
• Dehydration:  Not getting enough water causes you to eat more.  Drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Protein Shake

  Frozen Berry, Banana

1 cup water

6 ice cubes

1/2 banana

4 frozen strawberries

½ cup blueberries

1 scoops strawberry or vanilla protein

After a great workout I love to enjoy my favorite protein smoothie...

Pure Insanity!

By: Kristin Kyle

Albert Einstein defined 'insanity' as doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results. I love this! How many times do we get caught in this trap? We want change; we want to feel better, eat healthier, exercise more, and see our bodies transform. We have great intentions, and want it so badly. But, we don't really do anything differently...then we get frustrated when we don't see the results we expected or desired. Let's avoid insanity. Let's make the necessary changes, then just sit back and love the results. Instead of setting resolutions, getting frustrated, and giving up after a few weeks, let's make permanent changes. This is what we all have to do in order to get the results we want. The goals can be small...but if we want change, we have to stop repeating what isn't working! Pick one area and start there; work on it until it becomes a good habit. Then continue with that and add a new challenge. Maybe you being by substituting water for soda once a day; then cut out soda altogether; then, try to drink 96 oz of water every day. Once you've created one good habit, start working on another. Over the course of a few weeks, months or even the year, you will see change; and you'll be one step further from insanity!

My Youngest Yogi

By: Denise Hall

Not many people get to spend time with their kids during the work week, but I’m an incredibly lucky mom. My youngest is a little ‘mini-me’, and each month I have the opportunity to teach yoga at her school. It’s really pretty amazing; I work with the kids and teach them a series of poses, after which the students put them together and teach the group themselves. Last week, I challenged the group to see which child could stay in the tree pose the longest, and I was blown away at their performances! I couldn’t believe how long some of them could stay focused and in position. It’s so much fun. The kids seem to enjoy it, and I love having the ability to introduce them to good habits and health at such a young age. I work a ton, and most days get really busy for me, so I feel blessed to be able to spend time with my youngest and teach her what I love.