We have all been there.  You are on a business trip and it is 5pm.  Time to clock out.  You have a couple of options.  Go to a local sporting event?  Go out to dinner?  Perhaps a movie?  Rarely do we take the time in an new city to workout.  Most hotel exercise rooms are small, crowded, and ineffective.  Often they feel like a technicality, so the hotel can advertise they offer an exercise room.  Also, with today's bag checking policies, it is hard to checking a bag just so you can fit in an extra pair of running shoes and workout clothes.  Best just keep it light and do carry on baggage.  Bottom line: working out while traveling can be difficult.  That's why an article from LiveScience caught our eye. 

People who travel extensively for business are at a higher risk for a variety of health problems including obesity and high cholesterol.

That’s the finding of two researchers at Columbia University who found that the more often a person travels for work, the less healthy they are likely to be.

The research was conducted by comparing the health data of more than 13,000 employees from a corporate wellness program. Close to 80 percent of the employees traveled at least one night per month. Nearly 1 percent were extensive travelers -- spending as many as 20 nights a month on the road.

The researchers found that employees who did not travel at all were actually a less healthy group as compared to light travelers who travelled between one and six nights a month. Researchers think this may reflect the fact that those workers were already unhealthy and therefore, did not travel as much for work.

Otherwise, rates of “less-than-good” health increased along with nights of travel. Extensive travelers were 260 percent more likely to rate their health as either fair or poor, compared to light travelers.

Other health risk factors showed similar patterns: obesity was 33 percent more likely in nontravelers and 92 percent more likely for extensive travelers. The same two groups were also more likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.

For the whole article, visit click here.

We have to admit, we snickered a little bit when we first heard about the "treadmill desk" a couple of years ago.  But after seeing a couple close up and trying one out, they are actually pretty effective!  The push for treadmill desks comes from the belief that sitting in a chair all day is the cause for weight gain.  Makes sense, but can walking for eight hours at 1 mph really help with weight loss?  The answer is yes!  Many Americans report that the number one reason that the don't workout is that they don't have enough time.  Our caveman ancestors didn't have a gym, but they fit exercise into their everyday lifestyles by simply being active.

The treadmills are shockingly easy to use while working and over the course of an eight hour work day, provide a great workout.

This in from researchers at Purdue...

Apparently diet soda does have some dangers.  While having a drink that is "zero calorie" is good, it may still cause us to gain weight.  Scientists are finding the problem with artificial sweeteners lies in the mental effects that it has on the person consuming the sweetener or drink.  Normal sugars give a "salient orosensory stimulus" that scientists have learned is a good indicator that the subject will consume a large amount of calories at the sitting.  "Ingestive and digestive reflexes gear up for that intake but when false sweetness isn't followed by lots of calories, the system gets confused. Thus, people may eat more or expend less energy than they otherwise would."

Science Daily also noted that "the experimenters also measured changes in core body temperature, a physiological assessment. Normally when we prepare to eat, the metabolic engine revs up. However, rats that had been trained to respond using saccharin (which broke the link between sweetness and calories), relative to rats trained on glucose, showed a smaller rise in core body temperate after eating a novel, sweet-tasting, high-calorie meal. The authors think this blunted response both led to overeating and made it harder to burn off sweet-tasting calories."

Diet soda has also been strongly linked to strokes.

Read the whole article

The latest motivational success story comes from Teraflex, an amazing company right here in Salt Lake City.  They offer a whole line of products to upgrade your four-wheel vehicle this spring.  In addition to getting your truck stronger, they love helping their employees get stronger as well!  We have had the opportunity to coach Paula Vario, a hard-working Teraflex employee who has made some great changes in her life.  Here is what she said...


What motivated you to make changes?
I have wanted to lose weight for a long time.  Opportunity motivated me to get started.  Gold's came to visit us with an offer we couldn't refuse.


What changes physically/mentally/emotionally have you noticed?
I am more confident and not afraid to go to the gym.  Before I was afraid of working out in public.  Now I go with joy!  I can climb our infamous stairs without a problem.  I can walk a 5k without stopping.


What are you doing for your exercise and nutrition program?
I workout six days a week at least an hour a day.  I am doing the intermediate workout 3 days and cardio everyday.  I have cut out 90% of the junk from my diet and added more fruit and veggies.

How did the Corporate Wellness Program help you?
Corporate Wellness help with structure and support.  Having Sara visit with me helps me be accountable and makes it easier to make better choices.

What would you say to others who are considering joining the Corporate Wellness Program?
It would be the best health related decision you could make!  The wellness program makes it so easy and conveniet, and their help and support are awesome!

One of our favorite companies to work with is CLEARLINK in Salt Lake.  They have an atmosphere that is contagious and exciting.  The employees are always working hard and have great attitudes.  The executive team at CLEARLINK also love helping their employees get in shape.  Candice Copier is a great example of how you can make great changes if you put your mind to it.  We started the coaching program with Candice last year and she is looking great!  Great job Candice!


What motivated you to make changes?
Life in general and I had a wedding coming up in June 2010.  I have always been overweight but wanted and needed a change.  Plus buying new cute clothes is always good motivation!


What changes physically/mentally/emotionally have you noticed?
I have more energy and after working out I notice I'm a lot happier.  It becomes easier to exercise once you get a routine going.  I actually enjoy working out, especially when I see the number on the scale going down.

What are you doing for your exercise and diet program?
Right now I'm working out everyday I want to get in at least an hour of some kind of activity.  I've cut out junk food and have made it a priority to eat veggies with every meal, even add spinach, broccoli and cabbage to my morning smoothies.

How did the wellness program help you?
It helps me stay focused by seeing results at the end of the month.  I can also hold myself accountable for weight gain when it comes time to weigh in.  It's good to set goals and stick to them, meeting with Heidi helps me stay on track and stick to my goals.

Anything else?
Over the course of 10 years I've lost half of me at the age of 16 I was 300 pounds.  Since working with my health coach I've lost about 80 or more and have kept it off, and it feels great!

Naylor Wentworth Lund Architects are some of our favorite clients.  They work hard and play hard.  A number of their staff are enrolled in our wellness coaching program.  Included in them is Philip Wentworth  who first started our wellness program August 2009.  He grabbed a hold of it and did not let go.  It has been great to see him making changes.  After seven months, we asked him our usual questions...

What motivated you to make changes?
I always thought I was in better shape than I actually was.  Becoming more active and making the commitment to be healthier was a big step, the steps to do it were not so bad once I made that first step.  For me setting short and long term goals work.  I set a goal for when my third child was born in April and another for midyear.  I have a goal for the end of the year I am working towards, and now a lifelong goal to keep it off.

What changes physically/mentally/emotionally have you noticed?
I feel like I can do so much more now with my three kids.  I look forward to getting outside more with them, running around in the yard and making exercise an important activity for our family.

What are you doing for your exercise and diet program?
I recently purchased a road bike and make a goal to ride 65 miles for the Tour de Cure.  I accomplished that goal this summer and now get out on my bike as often as I can.  As for diet, I have just become more aware of what I am eating, and manage how much I eat.  I haven't cut out everything, I just eat in moderation.  Skipping dessert, snacking healthily, and I love York peppermint patties (put them in the fridge and for dessert or to satisfy a sweet tooth craving have one with a big glass of water).

How did the wellness program help you?
Heidi Strickland, with Corporate Wellness, helped me by being so enthusiastic each time she visited our office, specifically educating me on what I could do to watch my diets.  knowing that we had a "weigh-in" each month helped me to stay on track and push to do better each month.  The first few months were tough, especially getting through the holidays, laying out my goals at the beginning of the year and tracking them was what did it for me.

Anything else?
Ten more pounds to go by year's end!