Happy April to all! This month brings lots of exciting news so let me jump right in....
In the February edition of Stop the Weight!, I introduced you to a highly recommended book called, "Am I Hungry?" by Dr. Michelle May. I had the privilege of speaking to Dr. May in late February and decided to attend her Am I Hungry? Facilitator Training in Phoenix late last month. I am now a Licensed Am I Hungry? Facilitator and have set a date for my first group workshop! If you are ready to give up dieting and emotional eating for good and want to join our group (all from the comfort of your own home, by telephone!) you can register here. I will have more information on the website very soon about the program, and you can also email or call me anytime to get more details.
I'm also excited to let you know that I will be speaking at the upcoming Online International Virtual Assistants Convention. My presentation is "Grow Your Business, Not Your Waistline", and you business owners don't want to miss it! And even if you don't attend the presentations, you can browse the online exhibitor hall at no charge. Be sure to stop by my booth and say hi!
Until next month...
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If you follow either of my blogs, Fit for Business or the Healthier Outcomes blog, you have met Sharon Williams, Chairperson of the Alliance for Virtual Businesses and OIVAC, and president of The 24 Hour Secretary. The OIVAC is the Online International Virtual Assistants Convention, happening May 17 - 20, and I will be speaking on the 20th! Sharon has undertaken the huge task of a 45-day blog tour to promote the convention, and she visited both of my blogs last week.
I asked her about virtual assistants and the types of injuries they deal with from sitting at a computer all day. Sharon's information and advice was so good I decided to highlight part of her post here. It's really relevant for all of you entrepreneurs who often find yourself glued to your desk and computer.
Sharon, it sounds like virtual assistants, like many other professionals, probably spend a lot of time at the desk, most likely in front of the computer. What kind of health issues and physical problems are prevalent in your industry?
Causes of Repetitive Motion Health Symptoms & Illnesses
Repetitive motion health symptoms and illnesses are primarily caused by the speed and the type of one's work. In addition, poor work organization procedures and poorly designed computer and workstation equipment may also contribute to the onset of worker health symptoms.
The physical features that may contribute to repetitive motion musculoskeletal problems involve the position of the computer operator relative to the computer keyboard, mouse (or other input device), and screen and the manner in which the work is performed. Thus, issues such as the design of the computer and workstation equipment, the workplace, work load, work pace, the type and nature of the task, repetitiveness of the job, and work and rest break schedules must be addressed to effectively deal with repetitive motion illnesses.
Ways to alleviate the problems
- Visual feedback of the muscle and breathing patterns
- Learning to relax the neck and shoulders
- Practicing lower breathing during computer work
- Incorporating "microbreaks" and larger movement breaks
- Ergonomic and work style changes
Source: SOURCES: Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, June 2003. News release, Health Behavior News Service.
Proper Equipment Use to Alleviate Repetitive Motion Illness Problems
- Computer - equipped with separate or separable keyboard and screen units
- Detachable keyboards - are generally believed to be one of the most important characteristics of a well-designed computer workstation. Keyboards should be thin and the angle should be designed to be between 5 to 15 degrees measured from the horizontal and preferably adjustable.
- Mouse - the mouse unit should be detachable and moveable so that it can be positioned to best suit the posture and work requirements of the individual operator. The mouse should be designed to fit comfortably into the hand and positioned with the click buttons level with the keyboard.
- Screens - should be equipped with anti-reflection coatings. Such coatings cause a change in the way light is reflected from the screen, reducing the luminance of reflected images and therefore the need for operators to adopt uncomfortable postures.
Factors important to workstation design and repetitive motion health symptoms and illnesses include the computer table, chair, lighting, document holder, foot rests, and wrist and arm rests.
- Computer tables or desks should be vertically adjustable to allow for operator adjustment. This is especially important for short (5"2" and below) and tall (5"10" and above) operators to maintain comfortable postures.
- Chairs - Poor chair design can also be one of the most significant causes of repetitive motion musculoskeletal stresses and strains. Proper chair height and back support are critical factors contributing to worker musculoskeletal complaints.
- Back rest - should provide for support of the lower, middle, and upper portions of the back. The back rest should provide proper back support and allow for adequate relaxing of muscle tension while the operator temporarily leans back in the chair.
- Armrests -well-designed cushioned armrests can provide appropriate support for the arms.
- Document holders - should be provided at computer workstations involving data input or where hard copy is used.
- Foot Rests - In some cases, a chair may be so high it cannot be adjusted low enough causing the operator's feet to dangle.
- Wrist and arm rests - to avoid strain and pressure on the wrists, hand, and arm muscles, tendons, and nerves, should be provided to requesting employees. In addition, palm rests may be necessary when using certain computers.
- Eye strain - Working at a computer for a long length of time can put a strain on you and your eyes. Besides for using eye drops to ease the strain if your eyes become dry from looking at the monitor, there are some massages you can do to relieve the tension and relax the face.
Source: © 2005 Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, CLC.
How can my readers find out more about VAs and your upcoming conference?
Readers may visit OIVAC for convention details including distinguished speaker and VA expert presenter schedules, attendance fees, open-to-the-public events, exhibitor halls and of course, the Podcast and Blog Hopping VA Tour. For more information on upcoming blog stops, visit the OIVAC Blog Hopping VA Tour.
About Sharon Williams
Sharon is the Chairperson of the Alliance for Virtual Businesses and OIVAC, and president of The 24 Hour Secretary an administrative, secretarial and internet-based marketing support services company. She is the 2006 recipient of the Thomas Leonard International Virtual Assistant of Distinction Award and co-founder of Virtual Business University an e-learning environment for entrepreneurs willing to step towards their greatness.
To read the full post visit the Healthier Outcomes Blog.
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April 2007
Many of you know that I work with a lot of female entrepreneurs on health and fitness and overcoming emotional overeating. Most of these women tell me they want to have a healthy, thriving business where they are successful and respected by their peers. Yet they tell me they aren't to that point because of one thing or another, and often this excuse is their weight.
A while ago I was working with a client who told me she knew she would feel better about herself, be a better speaker, and therefore be as successful as she says she wants to be when she loses weight. She is already a very successful businesswoman, a sought-after speaker and gets most of her clients from her speaking. But she says she still lacks confidence and doesn't think she is at her best while speaking. So I asked her what more was she expecting to happen if she lost weight. After thinking about it, she decided if she lost weight, she could take her business to the "next level", meaning bigger speaking opportunities, growing her business more, etc.
So I wanted to know why she couldn't do that now, without losing weight. She didn't have an answer, she realized that she could do it now, but the truth was that she feared becoming that successful, for various reasons. Once understanding this, she was able to remove her obsession with losing weight, get rid of the excuse, and work on what the fear was about so she can move forward.
This is a really common scenario. Many people, especially women, hide behind their weight, using it as an excuse for not fully living life. We will go on vacation when we lose weight, we will do more networking, become a speaker, etc., all when the weight is gone.
I would like to challenge you to consider the following: are you allowing the way you look or your weight get in the way of being successful? If so, are you ready to look at what is really going on? A word of warning - be careful with this, you may just get what you want!
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Clients tell me all the time they just want to "eat normally". When I ask them what normal means, they usually laugh and tell me they have no idea. With all the information and misinformation out there about nutrition, health and weight loss, it's near impossible to give a definition of normal eating.
Sometimes chronic dieters or other people frustrated with their weight will assume that a thin person is a normal eater. This is not always the case. Just as you can't tell what someone's cholesterol level is by looking at him or her, you can't tell if a thin person is a normal eater. A thin person may have a hidden eating disorder, a medical disorder (such as hyperthyroidism) or may be on a diet and has lost weight (and of course is about to enter diet deprivation backlash and weight gain). Dieting is not normal eating, despite the fact that maybe most people you know are on a diet.
From an Intuitive Eating perspective, a normal eater eats when she is physically hungry (as opposed to emotionally or mentally hungry) and stops when she is satisfied. She is so in tune with her body that it tells her when to eat and when to stop. It also tells her what it wants, which may be anything from fresh fruit to even chocolate! A normal eater doesn't clean her plate, and she doesn't worry about the starving children in whatever country your mom told you about. When she is satisfied, she stops eating. Think about an infant. They eat intuitively, or normally. When a baby is hungry, she screams and cries until she gets the bottle or is fed. When she is satisfied, that's it, no amount of "airplane landing in the hanger" tricks are going to make her eat anymore. Babies are a great example of eating normally and we were all born with this innate ability.
See if you can find a role model for normal eating. Look for someone who maintains their natural body weight consistently, eats what she wants, but only when she is hungry and stops when she is satisfied. You will also find that this person does not constantly talk about food, diet, exercise, or body weight.
One last important characteristic of normal eaters - they will on occasion eat beyond satisfied, eat when they aren't hungry, or eat for emotional reasons. The difference is that it is not a consistent eating pattern, and most importantly, they do not feel guilt, shame or spend time beating themselves up. An occasional emotional eating episode doesn't turn into days or weeks of more overeating, or a reason to punish yourself with exercise or restrictive eating. Normal eaters just move on with their day and eat again when they are hungry.
Be on the lookout for a Normal Eating role model, you will be amazed at the difference between their habits and those of chronic dieters. As you apply some of these principles into your eating, you will discover the freedom that comes with becoming a normal eater.
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I frequently hear conflicting opinions about walking, ranging from "it is the best exercise" to "it is not enough." Which is true? Both statements are true and false - it all depends on you, your goals, your fitness level, and your interest in the activity.
If you do not currently exercise, walking is a good way to start: you know how to do it (no training required), all you have to do is walk out your front door, and you can go at a pace that suits your beginning fitness level. Walking is a great way to get going for someone at this level.
And, because of its low-impact and low-intensity nature, walking is a good option for someone coming back from an injury or illness.
In the beginning, depending on how often and how long you walk, you will notice changes in your body shape and endurance. After some time though, if walking is your only form of exercise, you may notice that your body stops making changes - you plateau. At this point, to continue making improvements, you need to cross train (add another activity) and train by heart rate (monitoring your exercise intensity to make sure it is appropriate to meet your goals). This will sufficiently challenge your body to continue making improvements.
Even for someone at a higher level of fitness, walking can be helpful. For example, it provides athletes (from amateur on up) an exercise that is easy on the body - a way to cross train and provide the body with rest from its usual routine. For someone whose exercise program consists mostly of biking or swimming (both of which are non-weight-bearing exercises) it offers a weight-bearing alternative - another way to cross train as each type of exercise has its pros and cons. Whatever exercises you choose to do, do them well and, most importantly, do them consistently!
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