Corporate Wellness

 

Achieve Fitness Oklahoma is now offering on of the top corporate wellness programs in the US.  This program is for businesses both large and small.  We will be posting more details very soon.  Please contact Gary at AchieveFitnessOK@yahoo.com for more information. 

This is a great article by a friend and colleague, Lisa Orton:

 

How Fitness Helps With Corporate Wellness

Businesses all over the country are engaging with the concept of corporate wellness as means of keeping their workforce happy and healthy. The idea is simple enough – healthier employees tend to be happier in their work and more productive. Corporate wellness programs, of course, need to be tailored to suit the needs of the business and often to individual employee as well. However, if you have the idea that a company that adopts a corporate wellness strategy is just getting its staff to work out for five minutes before a day’s work, think again. High quality corporate wellness schemes are much more varied and involve varied approaches including customizable nutritional programs, weight loss tips and bespoke exercise regimes. Given the right approach, staff can start to feel the benefits of corporate wellness surprisingly quickly with changes to fitness levels becoming apparent even after a few sessions. For the employer, the benefits can more marked and longer lasting than, at first, you might expect.

What Is In It For The Employer?

For corporations and organizations that adopt a wellness program, the advantages can become apparent rapidly. It is not just Oklahoma City based enterprises that promote healthy workplaces in order to mitigate for the cost of employer health insurance costs, but companies right across America. Commitment to a corporate wellness program can be a cost related strategy, but the real dividend is with fitter workers. According to the US Chamber of Commerce’s paper Healthy Workforce 2010 and Beyond, it is improved productivity that is the beneficial outcome for a healthier workforce. This, it should be said, is not simply a reduction in the number of sick days an average employee will take over the course of year. Healthier workers simply work more productively when they are at work. So called presenteeism, where employees turn up to work but perform in an impaired way due to illness, is often vastly reduced. Another important factor that employers should remember is that corporate wellness programs tend to offer specialist advice for all-round well-being including nutrition. After all, myths about weight loss and dieting, such as those discussed by Licensed Prescriptions, tend to spread around workplace environments and many have no basis in fact. Lastly, many programs are offered at low cost, or even free, at start up so employers can get an idea of the return with very little up front cost.

What Is In It For The Employee?

Staff that work for a company with a corporate wellness program tend to feel better about their work. Sure, sometimes a morning work-out video can feel like an interruption to the work ahead, but more often than not it promotes an active approach to later tasks. A motivated employee, who has warmed up with some physical activity, is more likely to prioritize their workload effectively, become more target oriented and more productive for longer periods during the day. The health benefits of a corporate wellness program mean that staff can expect, on average, to be less obese and more nutritionally aware. Although no one could claim that corporate wellness programs prevent illness, the health benefits of weight loss and cardio-vascular exercise mean that those who do take part are less likely to suffer from the health complications associated with a sedentary lifestyle. For employees who do not have an exercise regime outside of a corporate wellness program, there are mental health benefits to consider. For example mild, but regular exertion can help with conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress.

What To Look Out For

Not all corporate wellness program providers are the same, so if you are considering introducing one into your organization there are certain things to look out for. Depending on the nature of your business and employee make up you might not need all of these. Nevertheless, the following questions are good ones to ask for most regular businesses.

• Does the provider help with all round health advice, not just provide a work out program?

• Can the provider help the employer link their scheme to Employee Assistance Programs?

• Can the provider integrate their services within your organization’s corporate structure, for isntance over several sites?

• How does the provider evaluate improvements in employee health and the associated upturn in productivity?

• Can health screening programs be brought in at a later date to support the wellness program?

by Lisa Orton

Achieve Fitness Oklahoma now has a nutrition division.  Tom Hays is the President and Owner of Achieve Nutrition USA. Tom is a former professional chef who has prepared food for numerous world class entertainers and world leaders. His culinary training has taken him from Colorado to Switzerland, Italy and the Bahamas. Several years ago Tom returned to college and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition and is board certified through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners as a Holistic Health Practitioner. Since that time, Tom has also received his certification as a Personal Trainer from the American Council on Exercise as well as Master Trainer certification with KFit USA. For the previous 9 years Tom has been the Wellness Specialist for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company`s Spa Division. Pairing his nutritional knowledge and food preparation skills with an intelligent exercise regime has given Tom the perfect platform from which to assist those striving for optimal health while maintaining everyday functionality. Tom`s health philosophy is one of balance. He believes that one must have the proper ratio of nutrition, exercise and pleasure to be truly healthy and happy.
We are committed to offering the very best to our clients in order to achieve maximum fitness, health, and wellness through exercise, nutrition, and supplementation.  Contact us today to get professional nutrition counseling at great rate!

Three ways to lose weight during the holidays!

1. Plan – In order to lose weight during the holidays you must plan. Plan your workout schedule and stick to it. Plan what you will and will not eat! Plan on how you will burn off the extra calories from that cake you ate!

2. Introduce a protein shake into your daily routine. Use the protein shake to not only get rid of those cravings for sweets but to reduce the number of calories that you consume during the day.

3. Increase your cardio workout time. This is a simple step. Just take the stairs instead of the elevator or park your car at the very end of the parking lot. Increasing your cardiac workout will burn more calories and continue to build lean muscle.

Have a happy, healthy holiday and if you want us to help you lose the weight or build a personal plan just call at: 405-795-9030

Can Starbucks make you gain weight?

Absolutely, consuming a nonfat Tazo Green Tea Latte five times per week will increase your caloric intake by 750 calories and if you happen to drink a nonfat Caffe Mocha without whip cream it will add 850 calories per week. Now this does not seem like much but when you add up the calories week after week it ends up on your waistline.

So should you stop drinking Starbucks? No! Starbucks is not evil nor is ice cream or cheese cake. One must simply understand that each of these treats add additional calories to your overall count and those calories must be dealt with each day. If you are going to drink Starbucks then walk an extra mile or climb 20 more flights of stairs. Do something each day to reduce your calories if you are planning on adding a special treat. One simple way to reduce calories is replace a meal with a protein shake.

Most of all do not fret if you had a few too many treats. Just plan on working out a little more or eating a little less. This will provide you with the ability to enjoy life and food and maintain a healthy weight. So next time you are in Starbucks go ahead and tell them to add the whip cream with a smile.

Reference:

http://www.starbucks.com/menu/nutrition/20-under-200

In-Home Personal Training

We have had great success in building our Achieve Fitness business by offering In Home Personal Training to our clients.  We currently offer service throughout the Oklahoma City metro area and have recently expanded into Tulsa.  Some of my clients are very busy professionals and just do not have time to run to the gym with their busy schedules.  Others have not worked out in years and would rather do so in the comfort and privacy of their own home.  Regardless of the reason, we see great results with our in home training clients.  Contrary to what most people think, you don't need expensive equipment or a gym membership to reach your fitness goals.  We use minimal to no equipment and are able to help people lose weight, gain strength and endurance, increase flexibility, and improve their overall health.  Contact us today for a consultation!

Protandim Report

I've been taking Protandim for three months and want to report what my experience has been. I had no obvious health issues before starting and have most of the time done what I can to stay fit and healthy. Obviously, I haven't always achieved my goal of eating correctly and exercising regularly. But, I have good energy levels, no joint pain, no major illnesses, etc.

At the age of 50, I began working out more intensely and have continued to push myself toward better fitness. Aside from overuse symptoms in my left knee and an occasional minor muscle strain here or there, I have been able to increase my fitness and strength levels. I am now 53 and feel just a good and almost as strong as I did in my 20's.

I purposely quit taking other supplements when I started taking Protandim in order to better evaluate its effects. I can honestly say my sleep has improved, my energy levels are better, and my cardio has improved dramatically. I've been doing a lot of plyo and intense cardio since I started on Protandim. I haven't been lifting weights as much I as have in the past. I plan on picking up the resistance training over the next couple of months to see what differences I notice.

I don't see a lot of reports of fitness experts or athletes using Protandim...yet. I believe the athletic and fitness world will soon recognize the importance of using Protandim for quicker recovery, more endurance, and to reduce oxidative stress that comes with intense exercise.

Order Protandim Now!

Here are a couple of informative videos on the superiority of Protandim vs. Direct Anti-oxidents:

Protandim Review Lecture (2/2)

Protandim Review Lecture (1/2)

Protandim - Super Anitoxidant

Not Your Average Antioxidant

Direct dietary antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E, while beneficial, are limited in their ability to neutralize free radicals, the scavengers that cause damage to the 50 to 75 trillion cells that make up your body. This destructive process called oxidative stress is associated with over 200 disease and conditions.

Typical dietary antioxidants neutralize free radicals one at a time. For example, one molecule of vitamin C kills one free radical. Then its job is over. While this may be helpful in reducing cellular damage, it is an inefficient process.

Why? Because your cells produce 300 sextillion free radicals daily. That’s 300 with 21 zeros behind it!

To neutralize that many free radicals, you would have to consume 375 oranges or 87 glasses of red wine or 120 vitamin C tablets (500mg)!

Flip the Switch!

A well-kept secret is the fact that your cells can produce their own antioxidant enzymes like glutathione (the master antioxidant and detoxifier). These enzymes neutralize free radicals at a rate of up to one million per second!

As you age, your production of these protective enzymes diminishes, making you more vulnerable to disease.

The combination of 5 natural ingredients in Protandim wake up your sleeping cells by activating a protein called NRF2, which sends a message to your genes to produce more antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic enzymes.

How important is NRF2 activation? Well, according to renowned anti-aging expert Dr. Nicholas Perricone,

“Finding substances that can turn on the highly-protective transcription factor NRF2 holds the key to preventing a host of diseases.”

That’s exactly what Protandim does! It flips the switch on your good protective genes and turns off the bad age- and disease-accelerating genes.

After just 30 days, Protandim will reduce your oxidative stress by 40%, bringing your levels down to that of a 20-year-old!

View the ABC Primetime Report!

Click Here to Order!!

The Current Research

Seven studies at pubmed.gov. Harvard. LSU. VCU. Ohio State University. Journal of the American Heart Association. Skin Cancer. Muscular Dystrophy. Heart Failure. Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting. A 300% Increase in Glutathione!

There are currently 27 ongoing independently funded studies on various disease processes underway around the globe.

Achieve Fit Camp

We have officially kicked off Achieve Fit Camp, a boot camp program for all fitness levels. Lance Overdorff is our boot camp manager and has started our first Achieve Fit Camp in the Lake Hefner area of Oklahoma City. This is an energetic, fun-filled program that will challenge even the most fit clients. All the workouts can be modified, however, to meet you were you're at.

Boot camps are a great way to kick your fitness into high gear. Boot campers experience a greater weight loss and a much better increase in fitness than those that just go to a gym to run on a treadmill and use the machines. Body weight exercises than involve multiple muscle groups have been proven to burn more calories and increase strength and endurance.

Check out our website for details and sign up today!

We just returned from the annual conference of Achieve Fitness USA. Each year almost doubles in attendance as trainers realize the importance of operating as a business and having several streams of income. This year we were in the pilot group of Leslee Bender's master trainer program and were personally trained by Leslee. The Bender Method of training emphasizes core strength and the proper alignment of the whole body. It is a great method to use for post rehab clients and injury rehabilitation/prevention.

Also at the conference was Peter Twist of Twist Sport Conditioning. Peter was named this year's Trainer of the Year at the IDEA Conference. I am currently a Bronze Level Coach with Twist Sport Conditioning and working toward becoming a Master Level Coach. Peter Twist has personally trained over 700 professional athletes. His methods can be use to increase the performance of youth to pro athletes. Adults will benefit from this training also to increase strength, endurance, balance and agility that will bring a durability in anything they undertake from everyday living to a triathlon.

Achieve Fitness Oklahoma is bringing together all of these training methods to customize programs for our clients. We do in-home training in Oklahoma City, Edmond, Moore, and Norman and also currently train clients at AnyTime Fitness in Moore and Four Star Fitness in north Oklahoma City. Our specialties include weight loss, muscle gain, flexibility training, core strength, balance training, endurance, post rehab and injury rehabilitation/recovery. Our training will get you in the best shape of your life and make you more durable and less vulnerable in everything you do.

Ten Steps to Wellness

Many people believe fitness or wellness is a certain look or a low number on the scale or even a low percentage of fat. All of these things could be the result of complete health but overall wellness inside and out is much more. Below are ten steps to wellness as presented by the owner of TriVita, a cutting edge wellness and supplement company.

1. Breathe Deeply
2. Drink Water
3. Sleep Peacefully
4. Eat Nutritiously
5. Enjoy Activity
6. Give and Receive Love
7. Be Forgiving
8. Practice Gratitude
9. Develop Acceptance
10. Develop a Relationship with God

For more information on each of these steps and to check out TriVita's great new product, Nopalea go to www.sonoranbloom.com/13287636

Simple Tip on Weight Loss

I read an article by Scott Colby, Achieve Fitness Coach, with a very simple, healthy tip on losing weight. Scott's expertise is getting six-pack abs. That may not be your goal right now but this tip will help you lose weight the right way and is an extremely healthly eating plan.

Here it is: Don't count calories...count ingredients! Try to eat single ingredient foods or foods with as few ingredients as possible. Foods like eggs, oatmeal, nuts, berries, apples, spinach, chicken, salmon, sweet potatoes, etc.

If you eat mainly these foods, you will stay fuller and there won't be a need to count calories. Plus, you get the added benefit of eating a more natural, healthy diet.

Simple Tips to Get Started on Weight Loss

When asked what they need to do to improve their health, most people have the response, "I need to lose weight". We are surrounded by ads that promise rapid weight loss without exercise. There is always a new diet with a promise of losing weight easily and fast. The danger is - what are you losing? Weight loss comes from loss of body mass (water, fat, muscle and bone). The only way to permanently lose weight is to target fat stores while increasing muscle mass and bone density. Proper exercise, diet and nutrition is the only way to accomplish this goal.



Rapid weight loss by starving yourself is like slowly committing suicide. Rapid weight loss through starvation results in dehydration, loss of muscle mass, and loss of bone. We see all of these symptoms in the elderly and dying. We can slow down the aging process by keeping our bodies lean, strong and well-fed.



The key is getting started! Here are a few tips to get started on a lifetime of fitness and health:


1. Move - do something at least 30 minutes per day! Walk, ride a bike, workout, swim, etc.


2. Sleep - get 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. The majority of HGH (human growth hormone) is released during sleep.


3. Eat well - don't skip breakfast. Eat 5-6 small nutritious meals per day. Get plenty of fruits and vegetable and don't eat at least 3 -4 hours before bedtime.


This is a basic guide for healthy weight loss and fitness. I will share more in depth in later blogs. The main thing to do right now is get started!