Winter Weather Exercising Tips

It's the end of January, which means we are well into the long winter months.  We have certainly had our fair share of cold weather so far this winter season! During the winter months it seems difficult, or even impossible, to motivate ourselves to exercise.  Who really wants to go outside in this cold weather to exercise for a long period of time? I really don't even want to go get the mail let alone spend an hour or more outside! 

If you can't get to the gym or another indoor facility to exercise then take a look at this link to help motivate yourself to exercise and this link for ways to exercise outside safely during the winter months.  

~ Janae Leaman, Human Resources

p.s. Only 48 days until Spring! 

Fruits & Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are good for us. There’s no arguing that fact. But if they are so good for us, why do we have problems eating enough of them? It is suggested that we should eat at least nine servings (4 ½ cups) of fruits and vegetables each day. Check out these suggestions from the Harvard School of Public Health for 5 Quick Tips on including fruits and veggies into your daily diet.

Here’s a tip that I found worked for my 18-month old son. He hates eating vegetables, so my wife and I make a smoothie for him. In every smoothie we blend a banana with spinach (which contains more nutrients per calorie than any other food on the planet), and then we add other fruits for flavor. He loves it!

Adam Burns

Accounting Assistant

The Truth About Eggnog

Eggnog is a Holiday favorite but do you know that one cup can actually contain more then a days worth of sugar?  This is just one of many Holiday favorites that, when eaten in excess, can add a few extra pounds to your waistline.  For more information on eggnog and other Holiday favorites, take a look at this article from health.com entitled 50 Holiday Foods You Shouldn't Eat. 

Have a Healthy Holiday!

Tips to Avoid Overeating During the Holidays

It's here - the holiday season! With the holiday season comes many gatherings with friends and family

which, almost always, includes food.  The turkey, mashed potatoes, pies, cookies, etc. sometimes leaves you in a food coma! Overeating is very common and, at times, feels unavoidable.  Take a look at this article for a few tips to help you overcome overeating during the holidays.

The BRT, Inc. Wellness Team wishes you all a Happy Thanksgiving! 

Finding Time to Exercise

Are you having problems finding time to exercise? Even if we have time in the evening, most of us just want to relax after working all day. However, a recent study found that working out intensely for just 2 ½ minutes can spur a calorie burn of up to an extra 200 calories per day, even if you just sit behind the wheel of a truck or at a desk the rest of the day.

All it takes is doing each of these 5 exercises for 30 seconds each. Be sure to take necessary breaks if you are not used to intense exercise.

•  Jumping jacks
•  Mountain climbers - learn how to do mountain climbers here
•   Burpees – learn how to do burpees here
•  Running up the stairs
• Walking lunges – learn how to do a correct walking lunge here

~ Adam Burns, Accounting Assistant 

Tips for Drinking the Recommended Amounts of Water

• Drink 2 cups (16 oz) of water before every meal: Science has proven that drinking 2 cups of water before every meal helps you to eat less during meal time and lose weight. If you do this three times daily – at breakfast, lunch, and dinner – you have already consumed 48 ounces of water.
• Morning and Night: Get into the habit of drinking one glass (16 oz) of water when you wake up and another 8 oz glass before you go to sleep every night. This will add another 24 ounces of water to your daily intake. The easiest way to do this is to keep a glass or container of water at your bedside, that way as soon as you wake up and start your day, you can begin drinking water.
• Keep Track By Your Container: One thing that has proven to help people consume enough water daily is to buy a special container for their water, like this one or this one, and set a goal of how many times they will fill a finish the container. For example, if you buy a 16 oz container and need to drink 80 ounces of water a day, your goal would be to drink 5 of those daily. Need to drink more water? Try a larger container.
• Infuse Your Water With Flavor: Water doesn't have to be boring and infusing your water with fruit, herbs, and other flavors can make it much easier to reach your daily goal. Try adding cucumber, strawberries, lemons, limes, and fresh herbs to create flavorful water. This fruit infusion water pitcher is a great way to always have great tasting water on hand.

~Christina Aaron

Tips for Eating Healthy When Eating Out

Most of us enjoy going out to eat once in awhile; however, eating at restaurants can be difficult if you are trying to eat healthy.  Sure, most restaurants offer "healthy" choices but how do you know if they really are healthy? One way to find out is by checking on the restaurant's website - most chain restaurants post the nutritional facts of their dishes on their website.  However, if the restaurant you want to go to does not offer this service, try following these tips from the USDA to help you eat healthy while still enjoying a nice meal at a restaurant. Bon Appétit!