• Drink plenty of water on hot summer days. 
• If possible, avoid outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
• If you feel light headed, take a break and find a cool shady place to rest. 
• If you exercise in the heat, slow your pace and take more time to complete a similar distance completed in cooler weather. 
• Rehydrate after your activity by drinking a sports drink. Also include a banana, apple, or other healthy snack to replenish the lost nutrients your body needs to recover. 
• If exercising alone bring your cell phone in case you get into trouble. Let a friend or family member know where you are going and when they should expect you to return home. 

Be safe and enjoy your fun summer activities!

Don’t Forget Cardio!
Cardio activities help burn the fat that covers your muscles, especially in the belly area. Combining aerobic exercise with strength training can give you a more slimming look.  Even 20 minutes a day can make the difference!  Walk around the hospital or outside the parking lot during your break or jump on the treadmill at your housing property for a half hour. It will pay off!  Persistence is key.

Never Skip Meals.
I know…easier said than done, right?  When you’re working a 12 hour shift and struggling to find a break, this can be difficult.  However, experts say that eating six small meals a day can help you avoid blood sugar “spikes” and help curb your desire to binge.  If you feed yourself well throughout the day, you’ll learn to understand when your body really needs food.  If you starve yourself, you will not make good choices for your next meal.  Make time to snack on healthy items throughout the day.

Sleep Tight….
It’s important to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night.  A recent study from Case Western Reserve University found that, on average, women who sleep for 5 hours or less per night are 32% more likely to gain weight than those that get at least 7 hours of sleep.  If you work nights, do whatever it takes to maximize your sleep time.  Cover the windows with blankets, wear ear plugs, have some “white noise” going on the background…whatever it takes, don’t deprive yourself of much needed sleep!

Drink More Water!
Studies show that drinking 16 ounces of water at a time can increase your metabolic rate by 30%, burning an extra 24 calories.  Cool water is recommended because the body uses more calories warming it up to your body temperature.  If you aren’t a big fan of water, spice it up a little!  There are plenty of products on the market now that are flavored and contain hardly any calories or sodium at all. 

Control what you can Control.
Take time out for yourself, manage your free time wisely, and only commit to those events that you can.  It’s okay to say no sometimes!  This will help you keep your stress levels down, if you only take on only what you can handle. Many studies have found a link between high stress levels and weight gain.  We are more prone to eating more when we are stressed out.  There are plenty of de-stress exercises out there that do not take up a lot of time.  And remember……BREATHE!!

I found this article from World Gym 24, which talks about one of the most common problems we face when it comes to weight loss – the belly bulge! The most eye-opening part of this article for me is that crunches and core exercises are not the secret to flatter abs! Here is an excerpt from the article:

The belly is the most commonly cited trouble zone. A slimmer waistline can be hard-to-get because excess calories that you eat, or fail to burn off by being active, tend to get stored as fat in your midsection. The flab can accumulate underneath your skin or deep in the torso surrounding your organs. Not only can a spare tire keep your waistband tight, but a belly bulge is associated with higher cholesterol and blood pressure, insulin resistance and a greater risk of heart disease and diabetes.

But you can’t fight the flab sitting (or lying) down. Study after study shows that burning more calories by moving your whole body is the secret to flatter abs. So, to burn belly fat nix the crunches, bicycle moves and core exercises and do more cardio. Specifically, walk, run and jump as much as you can to get in a total of 60 minutes or more of moderate- or vigorous-intensity cardio into your day. You can meet the quota by being active throughout the day, doing such things as walking the dog, playing with your kids ands hopping on a cardio machine.

Good luck and get moving!

Steve Stamm, Branch Manager - Rehab Therapy

Steve Stamm has been working for Aureus Medical since December 2005. He started working in the Imaging Division as an Account Manager where he learned the craft and skill of being an effective recruiter. From there became a team lead in the Imaging Division, and then promoted to a Branch Manager position in the Nursing Division. As supply and demand have changed, he moved to his current position as a Rehab Therapy Branch Manager. What he enjoys the most about his job is the relationships that he’s made while recruiting. He says its amazing how close of a relationship you can develop over the phone with employees. In his free time, he likes to golf, run and workout. He has a background in professional baseball which has always kept the fire alive to stay in shape…just in case he gets that call up to the majors!

In addition to poor eating habits, we may also get out of our exercise routine while on an exciting vacation. This may also be an unfortunate side effect of working in a new city. Because you may not be familiar with the area you may not be comfortable getting outside to exercise or taking the time to join a gym.

It can be very easy to fall out of a routine of both healthy eating habits and physical fitness.  After just a few days it can be very difficult to get back to those habits.  Soon, days turn into weeks and before you know it, you are moving on to the next location. With a little extra planning and self control you may be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle while maximizing your travel experience.

Here are some tips to maintaining a healthy lifestyle while enjoying your time on a great travel assignment:

• Make sure the housing provided for you is equipped with a suitable kitchen so you can prepare meals.
• Select the healthy food options at the hospital’s cafeteria.
• Research the area for a good grocery store with reasonable prices.
• Prepare your healthy lunches at home to ensure you know what is in the food you are eating.
• Request a housing option with a fitness center or indoor pool so you can exercise right at home.
• Research the area for walking or jogging trails. This can be both good for you and give you the opportunity to see more of the area.
• Lack of sleep can also contribute to weight gain. Make sure you get plenty of rest.

• Have your bedroom light turn on a half hour before your alarm clock.  Plugging a bright, fluorescent lamp into a timer and having it turn on before you are supposed to get up will help simulate an artificial dawn.
• Get up early, open the curtains or go outside.  Maximize your exposure to sunlight.
• Exercise!  One hour of exercise outside can be extremely therapeutic. It will raise your serotonin levels, which tend to get low in the winter.
• Control your cravings.  Your body tends to crave foods high in carbohydrates when your serotonin levels get low. Don’t let those cravings go straight to your hips!
• Take a multivitamin with vitamin D-3 daily.  This will help increase your energy level if you are feeling sluggish.
• Embrace winter! Take up a winter activity – cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, hockey, sledding, or winter photography. These are all great ways to enjoy winter. 

Hopefully soon, the cold and snow will be a distant memory. The end of the long winter is in sight and spring is just around the corner!