Men’s Health at Work

Men’s Health at work and reducing your stress levels

UK Outdoor Fitness top tips for men to reduce stress and improve there overall health whilst coping with the everyday health pressures

Take a break a work

If you have a lunch hour, take your lunch hour or your allotted time, go for a walk, and make sure you leave your computer and desk

Taking regular, short breaks at work is good for your physical health. It can help with your eye health and preventing tense muscles. Concentration can be improved and can also give you chance to stretch as muscles in your back and hip complex can become tight with prolong times sat at the desk.

Hit the gym or go for a run – exercise can reduce stress

Endorphins are produced during exercise which help you feel great after a workout. There is increasing evidence that regular exercise, at the right intensity, can help with reducing stress levels.

Exercise and health Quote:

“It’s the miracle cure we’ve all been waiting for. It can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer, by up to 50%. It can lower your risk of early death by up to 30%. It’s free, easy to take, has an immediate effect and you don’t need a GP to get some.

Its name? Exercise.” NHS : 11/12/2013

Bodyweight Training – Back to basics

No frills body weight exercise is one of the biggest growing trends, thanks to CrossFit, Bootcamp and obstacle racing cultures for bringing back the basic, train anywhere, drop-and-do-it, full-body strengthening regime. This year, for the first time ever, bodyweight training appeared on the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual survey of 3,815 health and fitness professionals predicting fitness trends for the upcoming year.

“Body weight training uses minimal equipment making it more affordable. Not limited to just push-ups and pull-ups, this trend allows people to get ‘back to the basics’ with fitness,” ACSM wrote. No gym – No excuse.

Energy Drinks

Energy drinks can be high in caffeine and Taurine. These drinks can give you sugar imbalances (Sugar highs and lows – meaning you will feel high then tired, high then tired). Energy drinks could be more likely to cause a caffeine overdose because they can be drunk quickly, unlike hot drinks like tea or coffee, they contain large amounts of caffeine which can cause heart palpitations, fits as well as raising the risk of Type 2 diabetes. These are extreme example but too higher consumption of these energy drinks are not good for your health. Energy drinks can also affect your sleeping pattern which in turn can also effect stress at work as well as lower concentration levels.

Water, fruit and nuts can give you a longer lasting level of energy without the sugar highs and lows.

Snacking at work

Replace refine sugar and unhealthy snacks with healthier options.

Here are a few examples of healthier snacks. Please look out for our healthy snack and lunch blogs coming very soon.

• Carrot, cucumber, and hummus
• Almond, Walnuts and Macedonia nuts (in Moderations)
• Fruit (again to be consumed in moderation because fruit can be high in fructose. It is also advisable drink water afterwards to help neutralize the acid in your mouth)
• Naked bars
• Ryvita and cottage cheese
• For Higher Energy and more active users (Peanut butter and banana)
• Dark Chocolate (aim for above 70% cocoa levels) over normal chocolate
• Boiled Eggs / Egg Salads, add Avocado into your salad and food

An excellent website for nutrition, recipes and snack please check out http://nicsnutrition.com/ Nichola is a registered dietitian

Better posture at work

Set your work e-mail to alert you every 15 minutes to remind you to sit up straight with your shoulders back

Try use a stability ball to sit on at work. This will help you posture and strengthen you core

Last but most important, strengthen your back so it’s as strong as your chest. These exercises can fix an imbalance.

At the gym train your back not just your arms and chest (A better back = better chest). Overtraining your chest can tighten your frontal plane of your body, increasing the hunching and poor posture which we see every day in office desk based workers.

Drink peppermint or green tea

It is suggested that Green tea is the healthiest beverage on the planet. It is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body. Benefits can includes improved brain function, fat loss, a lower risk of cancer and many other incredible benefits. From personal experience peppermint tea has really helped with overall general health with a big favorite Pukka Tea (Licorice and Peppermint). Try these instead of coffee.

Enter a mud run / Obstacle race course (ORC)

Having a goal and focus is a great for starting up or continuing your fitness regime. It also brings camaraderie with all your work colleagues, and definitely creates a good vibe and positive chat. Some of the better races to enter – Total Warrior, Yorkshire Warrior, Yorkshire Mud Run, Spartan, Pain Barrier and Tough Mudder . These races are all held locally, bringing you lots of mud, obstacles and fun.

General Hints

Think positive and don’t- be drawn into negative conversions. If you think and visualise positive this will affect your mood and generate positive results

PMA Positive Mental Attitude (Think this daily)

Good links to check out

Extra Top ten tips from Mens Health Magazine http://www.menshealth.co.uk/healthy/stress/10-work-stress-busters

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2792690/sales-sugar-caffeine-laden-energy-drinks-restricted.html

http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/3-ways-stop-slouching

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/Whybeactive.aspx