Category Archives: Diet & Fitness

Why We Sometimes Eat Crap At Work

Posted on by Denise Dahl, Epiphany Planning & Development, LLC

You are what you eat.  So true, yet so hard to enforce some days.  Especially if you are not thrilled with your job, or some other element in life.  I’ll use a job one isn’t crazy about as an example in this case.

I’ve seen a lot of clients who are not crazy about their job or maybe even loathe it.  Tactics they use to cope usually include eating and drinking.  I’m not going to get all preachy on what to eat here, but I do want to share this…  If you find yourself eating a cookie the size of your head, visiting the vending machine or needing a lot of coffee or caffeine daily consider this.  Sugar and caffeine are two of the easiest, most convenient and socially acceptable delay tactics we can get our hands on and utilize at work.

Sugar and caffeine as delay tactics?  That is right, delay tactics!  How so?  Because sugar and/or caffeine empower (and I use that term loosely) us to power through.  They delay our need to address our unhappiness and/or uneasiness by making us feel better albeit temporarily.  Thus the cycle starts.

Again, I’m not hear to preach on what to eat or not eat.  I am however suggesting you take a look at what and how you eat.  See if there is a correlation with eating healthy (or not) at work.

 

 

 

Over Scheduled & Out Of Time

Posted on by Denise Dahl, Epiphany Planning & Development, LLC

Over scheduled is bad enough.  Add on top of it most of us don’t even realize we are and feel we can do even more.  Well, you could do more, but it doesn’t end well.  The good news is your body and mind are giving you signals when enough is enough.  The bad news is you may be blowing them off.  Again, it doesn’t end well if you do.

I woke up in the middle of the night recently with the mother of all headaches.  The plus was I was having a nightmare and was glad to be awake.  Okay, right there we have two indicators.  Indicators that have been repeated multiple times, and I blew them off.  Yet I had the audacity to wonder why I’m feeling overwhelmed and stressed.  Seriously?  The reality is I know why.  The further reality is I made a continuous choice to ignore it.

I work full-time, about 50+ hours four days a week for my employer, also run my own business and am starting a third business.  Oh yes, I’m also moving in about ten days.  If you asked me yesterday ‘how is that working out?’ I would have told you it was all good.  It is priceless how delusional we can all be trying to be all things to all people.

The kicker for me isn’t the actual ‘work’ that I’m doing.  I love it all.  The kicker is the unknowns and the million thoughts that are combined with it all.  The healthy habits that get shoved into the corner so the unhealthy over achieving madness can take over.  I think it is the grown up version of showing off.  Being an ‘overachiever’ isn’t special, it is stupid.  Our egos trick us into thinking somehow we will be admired and a pinnacle.  Here is a little tip from me to you my friend, you will not be a pinnacle, because it all comes at a cost.  In addition you will sacrifice what is more important…relationships, health, etc.

I love this quote from Lao Tzu, “Stop thinking, and end your problems.”  I’m going to embrace it and instead of trying to be all things to all people today, I’ll be chucking work and going for a run instead.

If you want to be happy, be balanced.  If you aren’t comfortable with serving yourself in such a manner reframe it to this, if you want those you love and those who have to be around you to be happy, be balanced.

 

In Your Face

Posted on by Denise Dahl, Epiphany Planning & Development, LLC

Want to lose weight?  Do the yoga plow pose and have a roll of fat from your gut right up in your face.

Now the example of the woman above shows you the pose part not the fat part.  I could show you the fat part, but trust me…you do not want to see it.  I don’t want to see it and it is my fat.

This is all an excellent reminder that to address any change, we must first acknowledge the need/issue is there, right in front of our face waiting to be changed.  The only thing it is waiting on is our action.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

Posted on by Denise Dahl, Epiphany Planning & Development, LLC

I saw the blog post below and thought it was lovely.  As we cruise into mid January and the excitement of the holidays dies down and we can be accosted by the feeling of too much weight, too much debt and/or too much emotion it is always a welcome reminder that one act or one step can make all the difference. 

Find your one act of kindness today, whether it is for yourself or another.

http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/pay-it-forward-how-to-make-more-of-a-difference-than-you-ever-thought-possible/

Why You Are The Coolest

Posted on by Denise Dahl, Epiphany Planning & Development, LLC

“Instead of asking what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive, and go do it, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ~Howard Thurman

I wonder how many people made New Year’s resolutions based on what they really believed and wanted compared to what they feel they ‘should’ do or want or even look like.  So many times we fold under the crush of external messages from media, family, friends, employers, etc.  We live our lives so often on the path of expectations, unfortunately, they are the expectations others have for us.

As you can imagine, and perhaps have experienced, living under the expectations of others will most likely not end happily for you.  Subsequently, it will also most likely not end up happily for those who you feel you are pleasing either.

I love the quote by Buddha, “There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.”  You were put on earth to shine and contribute in a manner only you can contribute in.  You do all, including yourself, a disservice when you ignore your own internal voice and calling for others. When you do not contribute in the manner that only you can, a void is created.

Listen to your own internal compass and let it guide you to where you will not only contribute greatly, but also enjoy doing so, further empowering others to do the same.

Nutritional Stress?

Posted on by Denise Dahl, Epiphany Planning & Development, LLC

It just seems appropriate during the holiday season to talk nutrition.  We are all aware that work, family, friends, etc. can cause us stress.  We also know that working out can cause stress do to the impact on our bodies.  Stress comes in all types of forms and formulas.  The one we often overlook though is stress based on what we eat.

Eating refined sugar, and other processed foods puts our bodies under stress.  Eating low to no nutritional items causes our body to have to work harder to process the processed food!  So just like work stress, eating poorly can produce the same negative stress related side effects.  Like all things, moderation may be the key if total conversion is not a reality :)