NIFS Healthy Living Blog

Do Stretching Exercises

To maintain flexibility, stretching through dynamic movement patterns is ideal and can be done in a small area. Inch Worms, Knee Ups, and Jumping Jacks are all good examples of dynamic movement patterns.

Perform Simple Exercises That Use Multiple Muscle Groups

To simplify your workout, you can focus on a few great exercises that work multiple muscle groups. These exercises can range from beginner to advanced, with the functionally basic movement of sit and stand at a chair to the more challenging Burpees (add a pushup and squat jump for even more workload). The Plank exercise is also one of the best exercises for building endurance in the abs, back, core, glutes and hip flexor. To make the Plank easier add an incline or lower knees to the floor. For a greater challenge increase the period of time you hold the plank or add movement such as leg lifts or arm extensions.

Cardio Exercises at the Hotel

There are other “tools” you can use while on the go that you may not realize. For a cardio option, most hotels have a staircase. Use it! Avoid the elevator and take the stairs instead. For a challenge, run the stairs for ten minutes (and because most people use the elevator, it should be mostly empty for your use). Suitably known as a suitcase carry, your suitcase can be used for a one-sided farmer's carry walk that pinpoints your oblique (like a side plank), and a bathroom towel can be used to create an isometric static hold for countless upper-body exercises.

Whether or not you are on the go for the holidays, be sure to exercise the next time you travel; it’s easier than you think. See a health fitness specialist or personal trainer to help design a workout plan that is right for you.

With NIFS being located on the campus of IUPUI, it is hard not to notice the campus’s schedule and all of the students bustling between classes. Several students stop into our fitness center for advice so they can avoid the “freshman 15” or get their healthy habits back on track.

Now that school is in full swing and you have your classes and routine figured out, it is a good time to take a look at your healthy habits or areas that could use a little tweaking in the health department. I know how tough being in college can be, but it doesn’t mean that all healthy decisions have to fall to the wayside. This is a crucial time in your life when new routines are developed, so why not develop healthy habits that you will have for life?

College is a time when you go through many changes all at once, so it’s important to not only focus on putting healthy foods in your body, but also to be healthy physically, mentally, and socially, too! Not to worry; it may be challenging at times dealing with so many new things all at once, but I promise you will make it through.

You may be a new college student, in your third or fourth year of college, preparing to go to college, or helping a loved one get ready for his or her college experience. Whatever the case, these tips will help keep anyone college-bound healthy, balanced, and happy!

1. Create a Routine

Every person functions differently. Some people are planners and some people thrive on spontaneity. Whatever the case, your body needs a little bit of routine. Make sure that you are orderly with things you do each day. For example, keeping your keys, ID cards, and notebooks in the same place each day will save you the stress of searching and scrambling last minute to find these items before each class. This extra time will also allow for more “free time” when you can do spontaneous and fun things to keep your mental and social health balanced.

2. Begin with Breakfast

Breakfast is the meal that boosts your blood sugar and metabolism, and can set the tone for the entire day. Skipping breakfast can lead to moodiness, low blood sugar, and overeating later in the day. Remember that you don't have to eat "breakfast" for breakfast. If you want leftovers from the night before, go for it! The important thing is to include complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fat to increase your focus, metabolism, and energy. If you don’t want to eat in the dining hall, an easy dorm room breakfast is hot oats cooked in the community microwave topped with a dollop of nut butter and a side of fruit that you grabbed from the dining hall the night before.

3. Hydrate

Keep in mind that the calories in your drinks count toward your daily calories, too. If you are feeling thirsty, you are already dehydrated, and often thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Choose water when you can, and keep a fun water bottle or cup with you at all times to encourage drinking throughout the entire day.

4. Schedule Physical Activity and Make it FUN!

Don’t like going to the gym? You don’t have to! Since I work at NIFS you probably think I am crazy for saying that! The thing is, your body doesn’t know whether you are running inside on a treadmill or playing a game of soccer. What your body does know is it was meant to move, so schedule some fun active time in your day just like a class or appointment. Sign up for an intramural sport, try a group fitness class, join a running group, volunteer at the animal shelter to walk dogs, sign up for a dance class, and get creative! Find something you love and do it.

5. Be Prepared

Although it may be hard to pack an entire healthy meal when living in a dorm, packing a snack can be easy! Some fruits and vegetables require little to no preparation (such as apples, oranges, peaches, cherry tomatoes, and snap peas) and can be thrown into your school bag for an easy energy booster. This can lift your mood and sharpen your focus to help prevent the afternoon blues and help increase your productivity while studying. Having water and emergency snacks on hand will also make it less likely for you to reach for fast food as a regular option.

6. Indulge!

In moderation, it's okay to eat your favorite treat every once in a while. Things like ice cream, fast food, chocolate, or a special coffee drink are perfectly fine to enjoy...sometimes. It's not what you do every once in a while, it's what you do every day that makes a difference.

At NIFS we are here to help, and we couldn’t be more conveniently located for students in central Indianapolis.

We offer fun group fitness classes that are included in your membership. We have a Registered Dietitian on staff who can help you create a meal plan that will work with your campus lifestyle. And our Health and Fitness Specialists will create a workout plan for you for free.

If you have questions about student membership or any of the programs that we have available to help you live a healthy campus lifestyle please e-mail membership at membership@nifs.org.

This blog was written by Tara Deal Rochford, NIFS Membership Manager and a group fitness instructor. Author of Treble in the Kitchen.Meet our other NIFS bloggers.

Eating healthy in the workplace is an obstacle that most of us face. There are constantly birthdays, going-away parties, welcome lunches, you name it! Often, these events include desserts and special treats, so it can seem as if cookies, cupcakes, and sweet treats are a staple of your office environment. This doesn’t even account for the candy bowl that is always left sitting out.

Even at NIFS you can find us gathering for an ice cream social to welcome a new employee, bringing our favorite treat to welcome or say goodbye to our interns, and indulging in foods that you wouldn’t expect to find in a fitness center.

Simply because sweet temptation is there doesn’t mean you have to overdo it. The occasional cookie or brownie is fine, but when it seems as if these “special treats” become a daily occurrence, or you find yourself frequenting that candy bowl several times a day, it can be hard to cut those sweet temptations from your routine.

Here are five tips for handling those indulgent treats in your office setting

1. Prepare ahead of time.

Get used to packing your lunch and bringing it with you to work. This will allow you to control what you eat during your midday meal, and it will save you money by eliminating the cost of going out to lunch on a daily basis. Packing your lunch the night before while cooking dinner will save you time and enable you to sharpen those multitasking skills. If you know that there is a potluck or special lunch at work the next day, bring in part of your lunch (maybe just the sides or a healthy salad) and supplement your packed lunch with some indulgent office treats.

2. Pack healthy snacks.

Having snacks on hand will prevent you from getting overly hungry with only unhealthy foods as an option. Packing things like low-fat cheese sticks, nuts, apples, bananas, homemade trail mix, and Greek yogurt will allow you to be prepared and stay satisfied throughout the day. This may increase your work productivity, too!

3. Drink lots of water.

Not only is it important to stay properly hydrated throughout the day, but water helps you feel fuller longer. It can be hard to remember to drink water even if you have your favorite bottle with you, so set a reminder on your calendar telling you to drink! Emptying your water bottle will cause you to have to refill and use the restroom, which are both great excuses for getting up and out of your seat during the workday.

4. Bring a healthy dish to share.

If you know that your office is holding a gathering with food, offer to bring a healthy dish! That way, you know that there will be at least one nutritious option available. Veggies and whole-wheat pita with hummus, fruit trays, or homemade granola bars are always popular options.

5. Indulge responsibly.

Have a cookie, bowl of ice cream, or donut and enjoy every bite of it! If you never have any of the office treats, this may leave you feeling deprived and craving sweet treats all day, which could lead to overindulgence later. Just remember that it is a treat, and treats are a rare occasion!

Written by Tara Deal, NIFS Membership Manager, Group Fitness Instructor, and author of Treble in the Kitchen.

Can you find two and a half hours in your weekly schedule to devote to exercise? Most adults would say NO WAY! Not with my job, running the kids around, taking care of the house, and taking care of my parents. We are all busy, but the truth is, it only takes two-and-a-half hours a week of your time to lower your risk for diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Type-2 Diabetes, and some cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Health Benefits of Even a Little Activity

Would you be able to complete your list of to-dos if you were dealing with a serious health condition? The same amount of activity will also help you to control your weight, improve your mental health, and increase the strength of your bones and muscles. Wouldn’t it be great to feel stronger physically and emotionally and to have more energy throughout the day? It is possible!

Take one of my clients who has a very hectic schedule himself that changes constantly, making it difficult to make it in to NIFS every day. To combat this, he has purchased a foot peddler that he keeps at his desk to sneak in some extra physical activity when he is working to keep him on track with his fitness goals.

Fitting in Small Bouts of Exercise at Work

Think about what works for your situation and how you can find the time. Another option is to take a few minutes to complete a few exercises at your desk such as an incline push-up or body-weight squat followed by a quick walk around your office space or up and down the stairwell. Other quick-fix options include parking farther away from the front door of the store or at work, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. You can do similar activities pretty much anywhere when you have a few minutes of downtime!

Finding the time is easier than you think! Even small bouts of exercise of only 10 minutes can contribute to your weekly total. First try to find time twice a day every day to walk for just 10 minutes. You only need to find 15 times a week (twice a day plus one extra) where you have 10 minutes to spare to reach your two-and-a-half hours! You could do this on your lunch break, while you are watching your kids practice, or by waking up 10 minutes earlier. Gradually, start adding more bouts of ten-minute activities into your day where you see fit. Making this positive change will make a huge difference in your health and you will be thanking yourself later in life for your lifestyle changes today!

Take that first step towards a more active lifestyle. Put down that mouse or smart phone right now and go for a 10-minute walk!

This blog was written by Stephanie Greer, NIFS certified Health Fitness Specialist. Meet our blogging fitness specialists at the NIFS website.

A Heart Attack Can Begin a Vicious Cycle of Depression and a Sedentary Lifestyle

A heart attack is a life-changing event that oftentimes occurs unexpectedly and can turn someone’s life upside-down. According to the American Heart Association, individuals are three times more likely to develop depression after a heart attack. Depression, being over cautious, or fear of another complication often leads these individuals to become sedentary. A sedentary lifestyle is dangerous because it can contribute to other health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and obesity, to name a few. Have you or someone you know become a victim of this reoccurring trend?

Talk to Your Doctor

Ask your doctor questions about physical activity following a heart attack. Your doctor can tell you how to safely add exercise back into your daily routine. They typically recommend starting slowly with low-impact activities such as swimming, walking, or biking, and exercising for only a few minutes at a time in the beginning before building up to longer durations.

So what are you waiting for? Go talk to your doctor about rebooting your activity level! If you have been cleared to begin an exercise routine check out the NIFS Lifestyle Rx Program, which serves individuals who have been dealing with chronic health conditions. This program provides individuals with monitoring and the appropriate tools needed to be successful with their fitness goals based on their fitness level and medical conditions.

This blog was written by Stephanie Greer, HFS at NIFS and Lifestyle Rx Program Coordinator. Contact Stephanie by email.

Although carrots are delicious and nutritious, we can often prepare them in ways that smother their nutritional benefits (carrot cake, anyone?). These Carrot Spice Muffins not only taste amazing, but they are relatively healthy due to three star ingredients:

• 1 can chickpeas
• ¾ cup coconut oil instead of butter
• 1 cup shredded carrots

Chickpeas provide an extra fiber boost and add in a touch of extra protein (and I swear you cannot taste them!). The coconut oil is very heart-healthy, and the carrots are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants such as Vitamin A and beta-carotene.

I promise, these muffins are soft and delicious, and you will not even know that the chickpeas are there! These muffins are just bursting with the flavors of carrot, cinnamon, and ginger.

Carrot Spice Muffins

Yields: about 20 medium sized muffins

Cook time: 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick entered in the center of the muffin comes out clean

Ingredients:

• 1 16-oz. can of rinsed and drained chickpeas
• ¼ cup agave nectar
• 1 cup white flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ginger
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¾ cup coconut oil, softened but not melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup walnuts

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line muffin tins with muffin liners and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Place the chickpeas and agave in the food processor and process until smooth. Set aside.
4. Combine the flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a large bowl and set aside.
5. Combine the coconut oil and sugars until creamy, then add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract.
6. Add in the chickpea mixture and the applesauce.
7. Slowly add in the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
8. Mix the carrots and walnuts into the batter.
9. Fill the muffin tins about three-fourths of the way full. Place in the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.
10. Cool and enjoy!!

This blog was written by Tara Rochford, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist. Visit her website.

Each year, The National Sleep Foundation ­provides helpful information on the correlation between sleep and exercise. Along with that information, it also points out how proper sleep is important to the equation of exercise and weight loss. Here is the latest information from them in 2024.

The key points of the article are as follows:

• Exercisers say they sleep better
• Vigorous exercisers report the best sleep
• Non-exercisers are the sleepiest and have the highest risk for sleep apnea
• Less time sitting is associated with better sleep and health
• Exercise at any time of day appears to be good for sleep

NIFS wrote about this same connection that stemmed from a research study on the topic. Below is an excerpt from that article written by NIFS Fitness Center Director, Melanie Roberts. We hope it will give you some added z's from it's insights!

The Sleep and Exercise Connection

The Sleep and Exercise Connection Researcher Karla Ann Kubitz published findings of a large meta-analysis covering more than 10 years of sleep and exercise studies. The review shows that exercise significantly increases total sleep time and aerobic exercise decreases REM sleep. Kubitz also noted that those who exercise regularly, as well as those taking up a single bout of exercise, both experienced an increase in NREM and total sleep time. The result: those exercising went to sleep more quickly, slept longer, and had a more restful sleep than those not exercising.

The Sleep and Weight Loss Connection

While some researchers feel the link between sleep loss and weight gain is weak, others continue to investigate what happens in the body when it doesn’t receive the 7 to ­9 hours of recommended rejuvenation time. “Sleep loss is associated with striking alterations in hormone levels that regulate the appetite and may be a contributing factor to obesity,” says Michael Thorpy, MD, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. Joyce Walsleben, PhD, past director of the Sleep Disorder Center at the New York University School of Medicine, agrees. “When you disrupt sleep, you disrupt your hormones. You become glucose intolerant, you want to eat more, and you don’t metabolize what you eat as well.” Not only can this hormonal disruption lead to weight gain, Walsleben warns, but also to an increased risk of developing diabetes. Even mild sleep deprivation can lead to a disruption of these hormone levels that regulate appetite which operate on a 24-hour rhythm.

Need another reason to choose sleep over late night web surfing or TV watching? Based on findings from Pennsylvania State University, lack of sleep causes chronic low-grade inflammation and predisposes you to cardiovascular events and a shorter life span.

Sleep On This

So whether you've been exercising regularly or have just started with a single session, you can expect a more restful sleep than someone who does not exercise. And since sleep plays an instrumental role in the body’s metabolic equation, consider starting a fitness program today.