Transcript Document

Wellness Seminars
CIGNA Behavioral Health
Personal Fitness
Julie Johnson, LPC
Seminar Goals
• Understand the physical and mental health benefits
of regular exercise and healthy eating
• Learn the type and frequency of exercise that will
lead to health benefits
• Learn weight management techniques and healthy
eating guidelines
• Identify barriers to success and ways to overcome
them
• Develop a personal fitness action plan
• Know the benefits of your EAP
Physical Activity Statistics
• Lack of physical activity is a risk factor for heart
disease
• Up to 12% of deaths in the U.S. (250,000 per year )
are due to a lack of physical activity
• Less active people have a 30-50% greater risk of
developing high blood pressure
• Only 22% of American adults get enough exercise to
achieve cardiovascular results
• Even low-to-moderate intensity activities can bring
benefits
American Heart Association
Physical Benefits of
Exercise
• Reduced risk of heart disease
• Weight control
• Improved cholesterol levels
• Increased energy
• Prevention of bone loss
continued
Physical Benefits of
Exercise (cont’d)
• Improved strength, endurance and flexibility
• Diabetes prevention/control
• Increased immunity to minor illnesses
• Ensures that stored fat is used for energy
Emotional Benefits of
Exercise
• Stress and tension release
• Improved self image
• Decreased anxiety, depression
• Increased enthusiasm and optimism
• Increased motivation to make other positive
lifestyle changes
The Physics of Exercise
• Any kind of physical movement requires energy
(calories)
• The more you move, the more energy you need and
the more calories you use
• Using more calories than you take in causes weight
loss and vice versa
• Aerobic exercise uses the most energy
• Exercise helps ensure that stored fat, rather than
muscle tissue is used to meet energy needs
Kinds of Exercise
• Aerobic (any exercise that uses the large
muscle groups in a continuous, sustained
movement)
• Muscle strengthening (calisthenics, weights
or machines)
• Stretching (warm up)
How Much Exercise?
• At least 20-30 minutes of moderate aerobic
activity (2 or 3 ten minute sessions are good,
too)
• At least 3 times a week
• Lower intensity activities have benefits, too
Overcoming Barriers to
Success
• Choose something you like
• Get a partner, if possible
• Exercise shouldn’t hurt
• Make it enjoyable
• Remember that doing anything is better than
nothing
• Do a cost/benefit analysis
Nutrition Matters
• Diet is a significant factor in the risk of coronary
heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, and stroke
(four of the 10 leading causes of death in U.S.)
• Diet is also a contributing factor in the risk for
hypertension, osteoporosis, and obesity.
• Improving your diet can have a significant impact on
your overall health, both short and long term.
US Department of Agriculture
Weight Management vs.
Weight Loss
• 1 in 3 Americans are trying to lose weight
• Studies have shown that 95% of dieters regain their
lost weight
• Failures result from a short term focus on weight
loss as opposed to lifestyle changes than can be
maintained for a lifetime
• Weight management focuses on overall physical
health, self esteem, and personal control, as
opposed to weight loss, which focuses on a number
on a scale
Weight Management
Guidelines
• Make health your priority
• Focus on healthy eating, not a “diet”
• Eating for good health is the same as eating
to control weight
• Including physical activity is the key to weight
management
“Yo Yo” Diet Dangers
• Weight cycling results from quick fixes, fad
diets, gimmicks and/or starvation
• Without exercise, the weight that is lost
quickly is made up of fat and muscle tissue
• When you regain the weight quickly, you
regain fat, not muscle.
• With less muscle tissue and more fat, our
body burns fewer calories, so it gets harder
and harder to lose weight
What is Your Healthy
Weight?
•
A healthy weight takes your height into
consideration, not a dress size.
•
Actors and models set an unrealistic standard for
the average man and woman
•
What is healthy for you is not necessarily going to
reflect what you see in the media
•
The best way to measure your weight is by
calculating your “Body Mass Index” or BMI score
Healthy Eating Habits
• The Food Pyramid is the best guideline*
• Know what a serving size is
• If you exercise less than 3x’s a week, adhere to the
lowest number of servings on the pyramid
• If you exercise 3 times a week, adhere to the midrange of servings
• If you exercise more than 3x’s a week, the higher
numbers in the range are okay, if you want to
maintain your weight.
American Dietetic Association
What Worked for Those
Who Succeeded…
• Choosing low-glycemic foods
• Engaging in regular exercise
• Not skimping on protein
• Avoiding “dense” foods
• Having a little fat
• Keeping at it
Consumer Reports, June 2002
Overcoming Weight
Management Barriers
• Make your goal a healthy weight vs. your
“dream” weight
• Focus on the health benefits you want
• Focus on the emotional benefits you want
Benefits of the EAP
• Confidential
• Prepaid
• Available 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week
• Appointment Offered Within 48 Hours
• Telephonic consultation available
• Household Benefit
• Child care, elder care, and legal concerns