This blog we are taking a look at some exercises you can do while at the office.

Just because you work at a desk doesn’t mean you can’t work on your fitness too, nor keep those extra kilos off. You might think that the office is a place for work and work alone, and personal health and wellbeing is reserved for before and after hours. This kind of thinking can be dangerous to your health, wellbeing and productivity at work as fatigue, soreness and injury become likely outcomes of bad posturing and health choices. So here’s how to keep your fitness and health up at your desk.

Lose the office chair

Lose your chair and replace it with an exercise ball. By eliminating the back support provided by a chair you force your body to support itself, eliminating bad posture habits caused by laziness and fatigue. Your back and spine will set itself naturally and encourage you to sit tall and straight. A fit ball can also encourage your lower back stabiliser muscles to activate and strengthen. Your core muscles will follow suit, as sitting tall will keep your abs activated and build strength and tone.

Stretch!

Constantly stretch throughout the day. Sitting for long periods of time will cause muscle stiffness and promote bad circulation in your legs and lower back. Every time you stand up to get a coffee, have a quick stretch, paying particular attention to your lower body.

Ankle and calf stretches can be particularly effective at relieving lower limb lethargy, and can even be done whilst sitting. Lift one foot off the ground and alternate between pointing your toes up and down. Then move your foot in small circles, making sure to change directions, and legs.

Keep yourself moving

Chances are you spend a decent amount of time each day standing still and waiting – Waiting for a lift, or a printer, or a coffee order to come. This is a perfect time to sneak in a little health and wellbeing kick for your body and mind. Whilst leaning at the photocopier stretch a calf or a hamstring, do some glute kickbacks or practise some calf raises to promote blood flow to the legs.

Stretch out at your desk

If you are prone to spending most of your day at your desk, take advantage of the space and time to keep your legs moving. Often the biggest muscle group in the body, keeping your legs moving can burn a large amount of energy, keep your metabolism high and stave off ergonomic related musculoskeletal injuries.

Practice hip raises by sitting tall, activating your abdominal muscles and raising one leg until it is parallel with the floor. Hold it for 10 seconds at full height, before lowering and repeating with the other. Another great toning exercise is the double leg raise. Again, activate your abdominals, then cross one leg over the other and raise both. Keep doing it until your muscles start to fatigue, and you’ll feel the burn in your core and legs.

Don’t lose your health and wellbeing to the office life

With just a few simple life changes you can maintain your fitness and health whilst at your desk. Contact Active Health Promotion today for the best advice and structured programmes to keep you and your employees injury free and healthy.

Thanks for reading.
Adam & The Active Health Promotion Team

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Did you know that over ten million Australian workers spend an average of eight hours per day at work? We wake up, hop in our cars, step into the office, sit down, barely take a break all day, hop back in the car and head home again. The ease of this type of day can quickly lead to health problems and complacency. Chances are you are sitting down right now looking at your computer screen or down at your mobile phone.

A recent study by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that sitting for long periods of time can lead to an earlier death in women. In particular from causes such as cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The study looked at over 92,000 women, and followed up respondents after 12 years. The study concluded that women that had recorded a more sedentary lifestyle had a greater morality rate.

The study also found that even women who were working out moderately but still sitting for long periods of time had an increased morality rate. So where does this finding put the humble office worker? “Each of these behaviours is important and has an independent effect on cardiovascular disease and mortality.” Says Dr. JoAnn Manson chief of preventive medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Meaning if you exercise and still sit down for long periods of time, you’re still likely to have a higher chance of dying earlier than someone that moves around during the day.

As sitting down is an independent action, there a couple of reasons why it may lead to an increase in morality. Dr Mason says “many times when people are sitting, what are they doing? They’re often watching TV and snacking”. Or they are sitting slouching at their desks, not taking breaks, and not moving from the same position all day. This means that our activities at our desks or on our couches could also be affecting the morality rate found.

So what can we do to help?

The Heart Foundation suggests that workplaces conduct effective health programs and health assessments to help improve the health and wellbeing of their employees. They are encouraged to make changes in the workplace which have also been found to decrease absenteeism and increase productivity in the business.

A health assessment can help to determine where an employee’s nutrition, fitness levels, and health concerns are at. They can also help keep employees accountable and see the true results of a workplace fitness program once implemented. Measurements, statistics, goals, concerns, food intake and other necessary information is all recorded during the assessment. Then a workplace fitness program is implemented to help improve staff health and wellbeing.

Providing a health assessment for employees can also serve as a lending hand to help change a sedentary lifestyle. It is important to take breaks during the day, get up, walk around, take a fitness class during the work day, do stretches, and sit correctly when you do.

A good corporate health company will be able to provide a thorough health assessment and make recommendations moving forward. Although the study mentioned was American we can learn from the statistics. If we get more Australian businesses coming on board with promoting a healthy and active workplace we can help to decrease premature morality rates. If you require a health assessment or any health and fitness program for your Perth business, contact Active Health Promotion today.

Thanks for reading,

Adam Kelly & Active Health Promotion Team

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Our first blog of 2015, this blog we are looking at what direction the fitness industry may be heading in. I hope you enjoy

What direction can we see fitness going in 2015?

This year fitness is not going to be all about getting a set of abs and doing extensive cardio to lose weight rapidly. It’s not going to be all about extreme makeovers and fast results. 2015 is the year of health and well-being, and making sure that you are getting fit and healthy the right way not the fast way. Active Health Promotion has been focused on improving your silhouettes and encouraging healthy weight loss for a long time now and we believe 2015 is the year for this technique to really shine.

Two trends in particular, also picked up by the Daily News are zoning in on improved posture, a more balanced lifestyle, and body equilibrium. These can be achieved with steady body weight training, functional training, and ergonomic assessments of the workplace.

Weight training

Many align weight training with that of body builders and fitness fanatics. However weight training is a great exercise technique for people of all ages and all fitness levels. Weight training covers use of one’s own body as resistance, and also includes light and heavy weights to lift. It can also involve simply lifting weights using the correct posture and technique, to utilising resistance bands, and different exercises such as lunges or squats. The possible moves and exercises are endless.

Weight training is coming into its own in 2015 as it can help with strengthening the back, posture, and balance of the body. This is especially important for those working in an office environment as sitting for long periods of time can impact negatively on posture and lumbar support. And of course, there is the adage that building muscle helps to sculpt the body better than cardio alone, and also burns more energy for longer.

Many businesses signing up their employees for personal training or group fitness classes in 2015 will find that weight training will become an integral part of the exercise regime. As well as a variety of other exercises focused on posture and balance in order to create a stronger and more aligned body.

Functional training

Functional training is a term coming into the spotlight, it focuses less on strength or cardio and fitness levels, and more on creating balance between muscles and joints. The aim of functional training is to develop better posture, correct bad habits, and increase ones flexibility and balance. And this of course flows back into ergonomics in the office, to help employees correct how they perform their work, in turn reducing injury, sickness, days off, and increasing productivity.

These types of exercises flow back into the workspace, with short breaks, stretching, and ongoing posture techniques encouraged.

Ergonomic assessment

A thorough ergonomic assessment of your workspace can help to create a much more productive result for your office. Ailments such as back pain and wrist cramps can be reduced just by making a few subtle changes for your employees. A few tweaks can help reduce days off, compensation claims, sickness, and long term damage to employees.

Elements such as seating, chairs, screen positions, screen heights, breaks, and keyboards should be inspected by a professional regularly to ensure your employees are not at risk. When employees are taken care of, the overall effect and atmosphere in the office is always positive.

If you are interested in an ergonomic assessment, fitness program, or health assessment for yourself or your workplace don’t hesitate to contact Active Health Promotion today. Call us on 1300ACTIV or complete our quick online form on our website. We hope to hear from you soon!

Thanks for reading,

Adam Kelly

The post What direction will fitness be heading in 2015 appeared first on Active Health Promotion.

Good nutrition

Good nutrition is you and your employees’ biggest ally for staying lean and healthy at your desk. A structured and complete diet will keep your immune system functioning, energy levels naturally high and sustained, and promote general wellbeing in your life.

So plan your meals for the week and promote healthy eating in the workplace. Provide a fridge or two and fill it with lean meats, leafy greens and fresh fruit and veg. Network with your local health stores and supplement shops and arrange a discount for your staff.

Hold the sugar

Cutting sugar out of your life is one of the best changes you can make to protect your health and wellbeing. It’s a leading cause in the obesity epidemic hitting modern Australian society, and dangerous for your productivity and energy levels as they become turbulent and unsustainable. Instead, rely on good nutrition and clean eating to build stable energy levels. You’ll go through a few days of withdrawal before you start to appreciate the true taste of unsweetened things. And if you learn to drink unsweetened coffee, and you’ll learn to drink good coffee.

Lunchtime workouts

Your lunch break is the perfect time for a little exercise to keep you feeling fit and healthy. A 20 minute high intensity interval workout during your lunch break will keep you burning calories for the rest of the afternoon. Follow it up with a big protein hit for muscle recovery and you will feel awake and energised for the rest of your work day.

Lose the car

Encourage your office to leave the car at home and find a more active way of getting to work. Dust off the bike and hit the cycle path, or start walking or running. You’ll arrive feeling fresh, healthy and more ready to face the day, and you’ll save in fuel and parking costs too.

Water is your friend

Sipping water all day will keep you hydrated and healthy, and it will keep you feeling full. Even mild dehydration will dampen your mood and negatively affect your ability to concentrate. You’ll also suffer an increase in your perception of task difficulty and be more prone to headaches.

Keep a bottle on your desk and drink all day – keeping it full will give you a reason to leave your desk for a quick break. And make sure it’s a glass bottle too, as plastic bottles are estrogenic and can interfere with the male endocrine system.

Don’t let your workplace be unhealthy

Call Active Health Promotion today on  1300 1 Activ (1300 122 848) for a workplace health check and keep your office in good shape or use our contact form by clicking here. You’ll love the increase in productivity from a healthy workplace.

Thanks for reading,
Adam Kelly

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The paper found that an unbelievable 75% of office workdays were spent sitting, including multiple unbroken periods of at least 30 minutes. Excessive “occupational sitting” can have serious health effects including heart disease, obesity, cancer and diabetes and is estimated to account for 5.9% of premature deaths.

The researchers said workplace environments in contemporary offices carried a “high likelihood of excessive sitting” and the evidence of the substantial harm it carried was now well known.

The paper says simple changes, including “sit-stand work stations”, could be introduced to reduce sedentary behaviour. “Some risk-reduction strategies, such as standing meetings, are costless,” the researchers found.

National Heart Foundation WA cardiovascular health director Trevor Shilton said, standing was better than sitting from a health perspective and walking was better than standing. “It’s all about movement,” he continues.

“Our chair might be our new risk factor, “says Shilton. While currently it is unlikely employers would face legal action for overseeing excessive sitting, he noted smoke-free workplaces and sunscreen had become standard.

Another study, published in 2012 in the journal Circulation, looked at 8800 Australians over several years and found those who sat and watched more television were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death, and suggested chronic disease prevention strategies could focus on reducing sitting time.

Implementing a wellness strategy is the best way to ensure that your employees remain happy and healthy.

Active Health Promotions offers tailor made plans for your business which cater not only to your employee’s physical health but also their mental wellbeing. Your company will reap the benefits of having an active and supportive workplace as your workers will be more productive and creative.

Taking innovative approaches to improve the workplace environment can make all the difference to ensure that your employees remain inspired and motivated.

For more information on how Active Health Promotion can help your business with tailored fitness plans click here.

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Ergonomic work station solutions create a more efficient work station by providing:
•    Tips for good posture
•    Less exertion for the employee
•    Fewer motions necessary to perform tasks
•    Better heights and reaches for comfort and efficiency

Employees will feel less frustrated and fatigued from their work environments as they will require less exertion to achieve results.  Less discomfort at the work station means better staff retention, decreased sick days, improved morale and job satisfaction.

All of this translates to reduced risks associated with medical injuries in the workplace and saving your business money in the long run.  For example if your employee works at a computer screen all day long, and the height of the screen is too high or low, this can strain the neck of the employee. This employee will likely complain of headaches, neck, back and shoulder pain.  They may call in to work sick and need to see a specialist regarding their pain and attend physiotherapy to help their problem.

This clearly reduces their productivity, as well as costs your business in sick days and time off work for appointments.  Whilst this employee is at work, they may also be working at a slower pace due to the pain they are experiencing.

Getting a specialist in to attend to the ergonomics of the work station means that your employee will be less likely to suffer from neck pain and headaches, attend work more often, and of course work more efficiently.

For more serious work place injuries, if you are found at fault of negligence, you may be liable to pay for medical expenses, rehabilitation of the employee, or loss of income. Having someone come in to assess your workplace shows you are taking care to ensure spaces are well designed and comfortable.  Your employees will above all see that you have their best interest in mind and this creates a good repour with upper management.

Once you begin to create a good safety culture in the workplace, it can begin to spread from the workstation to other areas of the business and become a core workplace value.

An ergonomics specialist can check, adjust, and advise on:
•    How to sit correctly on the chair, chair heights and angles, arm rests
•    Computer screen distances and heights
•    Desk heights, sizes, and shapes
•    Keyboard location and types of keyboards and mouses
•    Holding the phone and distance away from the employee
•    Where the documents are kept at the desk
•    Taking breaks, when and for how long is necessary

There may also be other elements of your business which you were not aware of that could potentially injure or effect the efficiency of your employees.  An ergonomics specialist has the experience and knowledge to spot these and advise the best course of action.

Something so small such as a change in height for your employees screen or chair can affect your business on such a large scale.  By starting with the small things you can make big differences to your employees’ health, happiness, and productivity levels.  If you require advice on the ergonomics of your office space do not hesitate to contact Active Health Promotion today for assistance or click here for more information.

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Managers and owners review and recognise if and when their office needs a health makeover. A stress and wellbeing survey released by the Australian Psychological Society in November, revealed 75 per cent of Australian workers believed stress was negatively impacting their physical health, while 68 per cent reported stress affected their mental health.

An arising new problem is sitting for long periods of time, which is now widely regarded as the new smoking. A study, published in 2012 in the journal Circulation, looked at 8800 Australians over several years and found those who sat and watched more television were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death, and suggested chronic disease prevention strategies could focus on reducing sitting time.

Excessive sitting, set at nine hours a day, was said to be a lethal activity. It’s a warning for white-collar workers, and it’s having an impact on the bottom line. Absenteeism, much of which is due to health and stress issues, is estimated to cost the economy $28 billion in lost wages and productivity each year.

Ken Buckley, chief executive of workplace health and fitness group Healthworks, says the key challenge for companies is making a business case for the health makeover. “What drives a business is dollars,” states Buckley. “The makeover has to be driven by the fact that it’s impacting on productivity, performance and morale, and the evidence is that if you put these programs in, it does have an effect.”

A lot of it is not only driven by the bottom line. Many companies are now realising it’s a way of attracting young talent. “The younger generation coming through is not prepared to work 50 to 60 hours a week,” Buckley said. “They want some kind of balance where their health and well-being is taken into account and where they do offer those kinds of programs.”

Management plays a crucial role, he continues, “If you have a toxic workplace, you can have the best wellness program in the world, but if people are expected to come in and work unrealistic hours and achieve unrealistic goals that will have an impact on mental health.”

“We will tell a company we will help with the wellness program, but they also have to look at the culture. You can’t put a wellness program into a toxic culture or a culture that doesn’t support this kind of thing. It needs to be supported by management, not just dollars-wise, but also participation,” says Buckley.

There are many different strategies on offer depending on the budget of your business. Low budget measures include flexible work hours, supporting physical activity breaks during the work day and promoting walk routes close to the workplace. Other effective low cost ideas include posting signs at the lifts encouraging people to use stairs, providing bike racks and liaising with local fitness centres to get people discount memberships.

For something a little more extensive and a larger budget, activities include providing onsite fitness classes, setting up a gym or exercise facility, bringing in an exercise physiologist to perform simple fitness tests, classes or give regular motivational fitness talks onsite. Other methods might include promoting frequent breaks. Stepping away from a difficult problem or project for a moment can clear the mind and allow the employee to refocus.

Alternatively, companies can also consider cutting back on long hours or introducing more flexible working times, increasing ventilation (because air quality has a big impact on concentration, disposition and overall health), running stress management classes or investing in ergonomic chairs.

In today’s busy world, health cannot be put on the back burner and companies must be more aware than ever of their employees well-being needs. Managers and owners need to review their current strategies to see if absenteeism, productivity levels and stress are affecting their business’ success. Implementing a wellness plan, will not only improve the quality of life for your workers but also boost workplace moral and motivation. It’s really an investment in your company’s future as you are ensuring your employees will be happy and healthy in their work environment.

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The benefits of having fit and healthy employees include monetary savings, increased employee morale, and increased employee wellness.

Save money by providing fitness for your employees

The benefits of engaging your employees in a corporate fitness program far outweigh leaving them to continue living a sedentary lifestyle at their desks.  Pulling them away for just half an hour can truly impact on their lives as well as your profit levels.

The monetary savings you will encounter with having fit and healthy employees include:
•    A decrease in sick days
•    An increase in productivity
•    Less injuries and claims for associated medical expenses
•    Higher staff retention rates
•    An improved corporate image to attract staff

According to Healthy Workplace WA an unhealthy worker will take nine more sick days per year than a healthy worker. These nine days cost you in sick-leave and productivity.  The estimated figure for lost productivity due to obesity per year in Australia is a whopping $6.4billion.  The savings you can make just by providing a fitness program for your employees will put you ahead of the game.

A study by Pricewaterhouse Coopers found that businesses can decrease injuries and associated claims by 50% if their workers are involved in corporate wellness programs.  By keeping your employees fit and healthy, they will have the strength and stamina to go about their daily work.  A good corporate fitness program will also be able to provide education and advice about desk ergonomics and posture.

Providing a corporate fitness program can in addition help you attract and retain staff too, improving your overall corporate image.  Fitness programs are a great drawcard for attracting new hires and are seen as a great perk of the job.

Healthy employees are happy employees

Exercise releases endorphins which directly increase happiness in participants.  Your employees will be leaving fitness classes in a better mood and with a better attitude towards work.  It will also help to better the relationships that employees have with upper management and see this part of the business in a more positive light as they are being provided with a reward.

Overall, happy employees will have an increased job satisfaction and decrease in stress.  The same study by Healthy Workplace WA also reveals that a total of three days per year are lost per worker on sick days due to stress.  Exercise can guarantee less stress in your employees, and therefore reflect on these sick days taken.

Employee participation in fitness together also reinforces staff cohesion and unity in the workplace.  Working together as a team allows employees to get to know each other and bond and hence reflecting positively in the workplace.

Studies from all around the world show that businesses promoting a healthy lifestyle see higher staff retention rates than those that do not.

Employee wellness reflects on the job

The physical benefits of exercise are well documented.  Participating in corporate fitness programs boosts energy, drives focus at work, and promotes effective goal setting to cross over into the workplace.

Healthy workers are three times more productive than unhealthy workers according to a study by Medibank Private. Unhealthy lifestyle risk factors such as obesity, excess weight gain, and physical inactivity impact negatively on worker productivity.

So what is the bottom line?

The overall impact of corporate fitness activities in the workplace results in an increase in job satisfaction, health of employees, productivity, and profits for the business.

The right corporate fitness program will provide education, motivation, and consideration to your employees fitness levels. This education will cross over into their personal lives and improve a quality of lifestyle which they will surely appreciate their employer for.  If you require advice on what kind of corporate fitness program will suit your business, contact Active Health Promotion today and we will be happy to assess your business.

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In a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association,researchers asked healthy young men to significantly reduce the number of steps they took each day (dropping from an average of 6,203 to 1,344 steps a day). Within two weeks, the subjects’ insulin levels rose by nearly 60 percent — putting them at risk for diabetes — and their amounts of abdominal fat increased by 7 percent even though they hadn’t gained any overall weight.

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Meeting goals is satisfying, and fitness experts say it helps build momentum. Just pay close attention to the “attainable” part of this equation because an unrealistic goal only sets you up to fail. Instead of challenging yourself to exercise daily for 30 minutes when on some days you can’t even get in 15, look at your schedule, and find two days that you can realistically boost your workout time to 30 minutes. It all adds up to get you toward your goal of 150 for the week.

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