MAY 2016 POWERED BY QUOTE OF THE MONTH Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness. - EDWARD STANLEY Physical Fitness & Sports Month Spring is in the air and with it comes the desire to get outdoors. Use physical fitness and sports month as an excuse to get out and get some fresh air. Learn more by visiting us online at www.magellanhealth.com/member. FEATURED ARTICLE How to Fit Exercise into Your Routine Busy is no excuse! Learn how to fit exercise into your daily routine no matter how busy you are. Learn more on page 24 FEATURED ACTIVITY Make it F.I.T.T.E. Use this acronym to help evaluate your physical activity choices. Read more on page 44 VIDEO COACHING SESSION Five Minutes to a Toned Tush! Strong glutes not only look good, but offer health benefits as well. Learn more on page 54 [ 1 ]
FEATURED ARTICLE How to Fit Exercise into Your Routine No Matter How Busy You Are We all know by now that maintaining an active lifestyle should be one of our top priorities. Only by taking care of ourselves do we stand a chance of being the kind of person we strive to be on the job, at home with our loved ones, and in our communities. But that doesn t mean it s easy. Work, in particular, can get in the way of working out in fact, there is a big paradox going on, and it becomes more obvious the more challenging (and exciting!) a job gets: On one hand, we struggle to find time to work out; on the other, we can t afford to not exercise because it is integral to sustained success. How to Stay Fit Despite a Demanding Job 1. Work Out Efficiently Pick a workout form that you can do almost anywhere, whether you re traveling or getting home from the office late. Ideally, this will be a form of exercise that doesn t require much preparation (save the wind surfing for the weekend) and that accomplishes significant physical gains in a short period of time (sorry, golfers). High-intensity interval training, Tabata training, bodyweight exercises, and running are all great choices. [ 2 ]
2. Cater to Your Own Likes and Dislikes By now you might be thinking, I hate running! (or Tabata, or what have you) and that s okay. We each need to be realistic and to know ourselves. One person s running is another person s yoga, weight training, or dance. Flexing your self-discipline muscles is often necessary when it comes to exercise, but make it easier on yourself by choosing a form of exercise that fits your lifestyle, personality, and taste. Not sure what you love to do? Don t be afraid to experiment with different forms of exercise until you find what works best for you. 3. Use Competitions as Motivation When it comes to being successful at work, collaboration is key. But when we re trying to motivate ourselves to exercise on a regular basis (and with enough intensity for it to really matter), competition has its merits. Today, it s possible to find a competition suitable to your skill level in almost any sport. Whether you re elite, beginner, or somewhere in between, there s something for all of us. Sign up, set a goal, and notice what it does to you odds are good it might be the push you need to keep yourself in the game. 4. Make a Schedule and Commit to It One of the most cited reasons to skip a workout goes something like this: I am just too busy at work today; I can t make my yoga class. I call foul! If you unexpectedly had to pick up your child from school and had no back-up plan, how would you deal with the situation? Cancel an internal meeting? Take some work home with you? Do some hard prioritizing? The truth is that when we really need to, we get out of the office at the time that is necessary. Make a schedule (write it down if it helps!), stick to it, and remind yourself that working out is a priority worth keeping. 5. Track Your Activity Levels If you don t measure it, it doesn t exist. It s a slight exaggeration, yes, but this old saying really has some truth to it, especially when it comes to exercise. Make a note in your calendar every time you work out, and add up your workout sessions at the end of each week, month, and year so you can monitor your progress and identify areas for improvement. Measuring your activity levels (and ideally keeping notes on your progress) can help you to stay on track and realize when you re slipping before you ve completely lost the habit. 6. Choose Something Over Nothing You don t need an hour or even 30 minutes to get a complete, effective workout. And some exercise is virtually always better than none. Heck, even seven minutes can make a difference! We can always find a few free minutes in our day (yes, we can!). With an effective program, done frequently enough, short and speedy workouts can do wonders to both the body and mind. Squeeze in fitness wherever you are and no matter how much time you have, with bodyweight exercises or with the help of apps with pre-programmed short workouts you can even do some exercises at your desk! Used with permission from Greatist. [ 3 ]
FEATURED ACTIVITY Make it F.I.T.T.E. What is F.I.T.T.E.? It s an acronym that can help you evaluate your activities to make sure they fit into your daily life in the long run. CaféWell s Coach Jake encourages users to include fitness and activity as a normal part of their typical routine. In order to make this goal a reality, the activity needs to meet the F.I.T.T.E. qualifications on a number of different levels. Here s an example to use to help define your own physical activity: Frequency: 6 days per week Intensity: Moderate intensity (intense enough to your increase heart rate) Time: 30 minutes per day (can be done continuously or in 10 or 15 minute increments) Type: Walking Enjoyment: I thoroughly enjoy walking (especially with my pup)! Choose a form of exercise that you plan to use in order to stay active. Evaluate it using the acronym F.I.T.T.E., and record every day you practice it. [ 4 ]
FEATURED VIDEO COACHING SESSION Five Minutes to a Toned Tush! Join Coach Liz for a five-minute glute workout you can do to help keep your body balanced and injury-free, while toning your backside just in time for summer! Five Minutes to a Toned Tush coaching sessions will be presented live on: Monday, May 16, 2016 9:00 a.m. (MST) Tuesday, May 17, 2016 12:30 p.m. (MST) Wednesday, May 18, 2016 12:00 p.m. (MST) Reserve your space now at www.magellanhealth.com/member. [ 5 ]