According to Dr. Michael Roizen (professional colleague of Dr. Oz), "We know that your genes account for only approximately 25 percent of how long and how well you live. Once you reach the late teen years, your choices determine more than 75 percent of the difference in how long and how well you live.” (Sharecare.com, “What is the role of genetics compared to environment in aging?”). Given that, I suggest that the label on our jeans is a better predictor of our health and longevity than any genetic predisposition we may have buried in our DNA. 

In most cases, concern over having to squeeze into a pair of “Relaxed Fit”, “Xtreme Relaxed Fit”, “Loose Fit” or “Stretch” jeans, should take precedent over worries about family health history. Our jean style can serve as a “warning” label. If the label fits, you must … take action to stop the expansion!

Here is how you can start today. Get up and move. Start out slow. Walk around the block, or walk a half mile - whatever is in your comfort zone. Do it every day and increase it next week, when you are comfortable with the distance. Work up to one mile every day. Add a good night’s sleep, and 32 ounces of water during the day, and you will find that you will want to eat healthy to support your efforts. Before you know it, you will be "down-sized” right out of your jeans! When shopping for that new pair, look for an appropriate label, i.e. “High Performance Genes”!

Live WELL!

M. J. 

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending time with my best buddy from high school, Maurice. Back in the day, we were both skinny kids who, despite our best efforts, could not add weight to our lean frames. Maurice was a natural athlete with springs in his legs. On the basketball court, his vertical jump always trumped my height advantage. On the running track, he seemed to float above the surface and never tire. Today, he can probably still jump higher, but due to excess weight, Maurice would probably find it difficult to keep up with me on a run.

As we shared exaggerated claims of athletic prowess from days gone by, Maurice asked what I do to keep in shape. I shared that I simply try to eat healthy and exercise every day. When he shared disappointment that he lacked the discipline to do the same, I revealed the secret to my success. For the past 17 years, I have maintained a physical activity chart where I write down how many miles I have walked or run, and how much time I spent lifting weights (the best anti-aging activity that you can do!). My physical activity, every single day for the past 17 years, is accounted for on a single piece of paper. The daily act of writing my activity down and measuring my progress makes it uncomfortable for me not to exercise. My activity chart, posted on my refrigerator, is my motivation and discipline.

As I said goodbye to Maurice, he asked me to send him a chart that he can put up on his fridge. I am sending it to him today, with the confidence that it will work for him just like it’s worked for me. I look forward to the stories that we will share - not as two former athletes sharing old stories, rather, as two older athletes sharing new stories!

Live WELL!

M. J.

P.S. I am happy to send a chart to anyone who would like one for their fridge!

A few days ago, I took my youngest child to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs play the New York Mets. She was only a year old the last time the family attended a Cubs/Mets game, so this was her turn to enjoy the Friendly Confines with dad. It would also help her understand her father’s still lingering resentment of the 1969 Amazing Mets, who, late in the season, came from behind to destroy the Cub’s National League title hopes. I was 12 years old. It was my first experience with disappointment as a Cub’s fan. 

On a hot Sunday afternoon, in August of 1987, I introduced four young children to their first Cub’s baseball game. The Mets featured stars like Keith Hernandez, Darryl Strawberry, Gary Carter and Dwight Gooden. The Cubs were starting to build a promising team with the likes of rookie pitcher Greg Maddux, Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson and Rafael Palmeiro. The game was full of action, unfortunately, most of it generated by the Mets in a 23 to 10 trouncing of the Cubbies. My kids did not seem to mind. The experience made an indelible impression on them and they all have remained die-hard Cub fans to this day.

Last week, 25 years after the Mets massacre, I took my 26 year-old daughter to her first Cubs/Mets game. I returned believing that a more competitive game would be enjoyed, and that memories of ’69 and ’87 would not be resurrected. We joined a crowd of 35,000, equally optimistic fans, who believed that the Cubs, despite having the worst record in baseball, could travail. Final Score: Mets 17 Cubs 1.

So, how can being a Cub fan improve your health and wellbeing? Certainly not from sitting in a stadium drinking beer and eating hot dogs and nachos! Rather, the simple act of being a Cub fan teaches optimism better than anything you could possibly pursue. You learn to deal with disappointment, defeat and failure in constructive ways that instill hope for a better future. The lovable “Cubbies" make us all feel better about ourselves. We don’t have to be the “best” to have value. We simply have to do the best with what we have, and believe that the future will be better.

Go Cubs!

M. J. 

Should dependents be included in corporate wellness initiatives?

Any company that offers health and wellness benefits, regardless of whether dependents are covered or not, should do all that it can to promote the same benefits in employees’ homes. Two of the main reasons why participation should be encouraged are: 1.) Most healthcare decisions are made by women for the entire family. If the woman in is not the employee, her influence on the employee’s health choices must be taken into account. 2.) The support of family members at home can go a long way toward ensuring the success of an employee’s wellness efforts. This support is magnified when family members can actively participate in the wellness activity.

Live WELL!

M. J. 

What’s the real R.O.I. from workplace wellness programs?

Worksite wellness R.O.I. (return on investment) is to business what “happiness" is to an individual - you can’t accurately measure it, but you know when it’s there. Yet, while it is difficult to measure all the benefits that result from a wellness program (like gains in productivity and improved morale), employees' belief that the employer is concerned about their health and wellbeing can transform the organization, one person at a time, and result in a workplace culture that is more positive, energetic and performs at a higher level. At that point, if an employer still needs proof of a program's financial value, it should be pretty easy to find, e.g. days absent, turnover, production levels, medical costs, etc.

Live WELL!

M. J. 

First-hand experience has taught me that a restaurant can be a challenging place for creating and/or maintaining an environment that nurtures employee health and wellbeing. With 12.9 million employees, restaurants are one of the country’s largest private-sector employers. The National Restaurant Association reports that restaurant-industry job growth has outpaced the nation’s economy for the past 12 consecutive years and estimates that 1.4 million new positions will be added in the next decade. Other industry facts include:

• 93% of the 970,000 U.S. restaurants have fewer than 50 employees.

• 70% of eating-and-drinking place establishments are single-unit operations.

• 50% of all adults have worked in the restaurant industry at some point in their lives, and one-third got their first job experience in a restaurant.

• 80% of restaurant owners said their first job in the restaurant industry was an entry-level position.

Since restaurants employ approximately 8% of the U.S. workforce, and one-half of all Americans will be employed there at some time in their lives, I suggest that the restaurant industry should be a leader in workplace health promotion. I say that while recognizing that restaurants face unique challenges, including:

Wellness programs in restaurants have been as hard to find as calorie information. However, the future promises change. Pressure is coming, from the federal government on down, to engage employees (in every industry) in healthy lifestyle behaviors. The workplace will become more and more the means for communicating the social change needed to address the obesity epidemic (and its related health consequences) that threatens our country’s financial stability. 

A recent article in Workforce.com, “Successful Wellness Programs Hinge on Emotional Well-Being” (Lisa Beyer, 4/23/12), shared how a chain of burrito restaurants in Boston promotes well-being among its 300 employees, most of whom are young and Spanish-speaking. The chain, Boloco, engages employees in developing life skills and encourages them to participate with co-workers in activities outside of work; activities that create a sense of belonging and add meaning to their lives. This kind of emotional support is vital to a creating and sustaining a healthy lifestyle. 

Boloco is an example of what can be accomplished to boost the health and well-being of employees in the restaurant industry. Boloco recognized that their most important asset, their employees, were as important to their future as the food they served. Without spending a dime, restaurants across America can follow Boloco’s example and create work environments that encourage health and well-being in all employees. 

Here are a few ideas for creating a restaurant environment where happy, healthy and productive employees can thrive:

Live WELL!

M. J.

Question: Wellness programming ideas and successes are abundant for the large self insured companies. My clients are primarily under 200, fully insured and in the manufacturing or constructiion industry. Does anyone have a valuable case study for that size and demographic?

The ideas applied and success enjoyed in large, self-insured, businesses can be realized in small, fully-insured, companies. Whether big or small, worksite wellness is about improving an “individual’s” health and wellbeing, and creating a work culture that encourages and supports it. A small company that values wellness, because of the worth it places on its greatest asset - its employees, can realize “success" more quickly than a larger organization. The example of a few employees, who embrace lifestyle behavior changes, can have a profound impact on co-workers in a small business. Instead of working through layers of management, or silos of bureaucracy, the small business lets you work on the front lines where change happens. My advice is to tailor best-practices to the real needs and interests of the people you are working with - they will give you valuable feedback that will lead to great ideas and success!

Live WELL!

M. J. 

Popular Chicago columnist, Julie Deardorff, recently shared an update on two icons of fitness, Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda.  In an article, "Pharaohs of fitness” (Tribune Newspapers, 4/18/12), Deardorff interviewed the 64 year old Simmons and 76 year old Fonda. More than 30 years after becoming the faces of aerobic exercise, both still remain committed to a very active lifestyle. Simmons’ full schedule includes: 1 ½ hour daily workouts, conducting classes in his Beverly Hills studio and numerous speaking engagements. Fonda is preparing a DVD on yoga for seniors.

I first heard of Richard Simmons in the early 80’s. He was conducting a workout session in a Michigan farm field. Out of curiosity, I joined a few hundred people who gathered to experience Simmons’ engaging approach to exercise. At the time, I was in my mid-20’s and a body-building disciple of Arnold Schwarzenegger - the antithesis of Richard Simmons!  

My introduction to Richard Simmons that day influenced the rest of my life. His positive approach and genuine encouragement was infectious, and inspired in me a desire to help others improve their physical wellbeing. 30 years later, Simmons continues to be an example worth emulating. Thank you Richard!

Live WELL!

M. J.

An article in today’s Wall Street Journal, “Pitting Employees Against Each Other … for Health”, by Anna Wilde Mathews, looks at the growing influence of digital games in the workplace to encourage healthier lifestyles.  While I believe that a gaming approach can be effective when used judiciously as part of a larger strategy, i.e. a contest that encourages heart-healthy behaviors during American Heart Month, I question the sustainability of competitive gaming to achieve improved employee health and wellbeing.  

Worksite wellness programs should help as many employees as possible to be happier, healthier and more productive. That is best encouraged by a supportive workplace culture that makes healthy choices easy and unhealthy choices difficult. “Beating the competition” seems at odds with a wellness program that wants everyone to be “winners”. When a person’s, or team’s, best effort is repeatedly not good enough, when compared to another’s performance, discouragement can set in and enthusiasm wane. I expect research to show that gaming, as a wellness motivator, has a short life span. 

When employees are truly recognized and appreciated as the most important assets of a company, individual health and wellbeing is understood in its proper context. Unlike a competitive contest, everyone wins when the collective “personal bests” of individuals contribute to a higher performing organization. 

If a competitive game can serve to heighten interest and participation in a wellness activity, consider using it on occasion. However, recognize that there are no “losers” when progress is made toward living a healthier lifestyle. 

Live WELL!

M. J.

…and Happy!  Studies show that the most optimistic people are half as likely to suffer a heart attack compared with the least optimistic. An article in USA Today, “Happy? Positive outlook may be good for your heart” (Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press, 4/18/12), suggests that being upbeat may protect against heart disease.  Julia Boehm, lead researcher on the subject at the Harvard School of Public Health, "found that people with a better sense of well-being tend to have healthier blood pressure, cholesterol and weight, and are more likely to exercise, eat healthier, get enough sleep and avoid smoking.” 

The unanswered question is what comes first, optimism or healthy behaviors? Does a sunny disposition lead to a healthy lifestyle? Or, does a healthy lifestyle contribute to a positive disposition? The leading expert on the subject is Dr. Martin Seligman. He states that “Optimism is a learned skill. Once learned, it increases achievement at work and improves physical health.” ("What You Can Change And What You Can’t - The Complete Guide to Successful Self-Improvement").  Seligman suggests that, “optimism is about changeability.” When we learn to “dispute” pessimistic thoughts that we have, we feel better about ourselves and want to keep doing it.  It can transform our moods and behaviors. How optimistic are you? Take the “Learned Optimism Test” to find out. 

A proven way to improve optimism is to simply smile. Try it today. Perform "a random act of optimism” on some unsuspecting person and spread the health!

Live WELL Today!

M. J.