I first started attending a yoga class to rehab a tag rugby knee injury, the range of movement returned to my knee and my interest in yoga deepened, leading me eventually to a 200 hour yoga teacher training course in India.
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Davina McCall’s yummy seeded soda bread from her ‘Sugar-Free In A Hurry’ book.
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Healthy Hearty Minestrone Stewp - chunky, tasty and full of goodness-y!
Read moreThe Benefits of Working Out at Work
The buzz around Corporate Health & Wellness Programmes has been growing steadily. At the January launch of the government’s ‘Healthy Ireland 2018’ campaign, Leo Varadkar flagged upcoming tax incentives for employers to install showering facilities and equipment into the workplace indicating the government’s strong support for workplace wellness.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), workplace health programmes are one of the most effective ways to prevent and control chronic disease and to support mental health, so it’s fair to say that workplace wellness / fitness is not a passing fad. Although relatively new to Ireland, corporate wellness programmes originated in the US in the 90s, growing steadily to the point where they are now more of a need to have than a nice to have. Some companies in Sweden including sportswear retailer ‘Bjorn Borg’ have gone as far as making on-the-job exercise compulsory with a weekly workout at a nearby gym.
I have taught corporate classes for over two years and put the question to some of my clients, asking how they saw the classes benefitting them. Roisín, who has been attending classes for over a year, mentioned several points including better back health, improved sleep, increased productivity and convenience.
As a busy Mum of three girls with chronic back pain who has a long commute, she finds it impossible to fit in exercise outside the workplace; “With lunchtime Pilates at work, I can fit exercise into my daily schedule. I have seen a noticeable improvement in my back while doing the Pilates classes, which has helped to considerably reduce the pain and as a result improve my quality of sleep. I also find on the days where I have that break to do Pilates at lunchtime, my afternoons are even more productive as I come back to my desk rejuvenated and ready to go.”
Mental wellness is now recognised as a major component in our overall health. One of the greatest challenges to our mental health is stress, all too often caused by what’s going on in the workplace. While physical exercise is a known mood enhancer, many companies are offering a more direct approach to mental health with meditation / mindfulness classes.
Treacy O'Connor, team lead for meditation, mindfulness and team building with Corporate Wellness Ireland, says "We are receiving an ever increasing amount of corporate enquiries. Every session has been full to date with up to 60 people at a time. Giving the workforce access to very simple techniques they can use at any time of the day is proving to be of great benefit. One employee shared with me, that before the sessions, she suffered a lot from anxiety. She has been able to greatly reduce her symptoms (actually they’re nearly gone) and she now feels much more confident in herself.”
As well as the physical and mental health benefits, corporate classes have been shown to foster camaraderie between work colleagues. Never mind discussing last night’s Game of Thrones episode around the water cooler – how about comparing aches after yesterday’s exercise class? As head of the TII sports and social committee, Mary Deevy reported “An unexpected bonus, as a recently merged organisation, is that the Pilates classes which are attended by a great mix of staff have facilitated staff to get to know each other better”.
Let’s face it, business is business and companies are not going to invest in an initiative long term unless there are benefits to be had for the organization. Healthy and more energised employees mean better productivity and less sick days. In addition, a good corporate wellness program can make a company more attractive to potential employees and can help to retain existing ones thanks to workplace satisfaction.
Whether fully, partially or not subsidised by the boss, more often than not wellness programmes work out cheaper for employees than the gym or regular fitness classes. Furthermore the convenience of working out at work is clear. Workplace wellness programmes don’t have to be complicated or expensive or limited to large businesses or urban centres. There’s a broad menu of activities to choose from and if you want to keep costs to zero, walking or running groups are an easy to organise option with a wide array of training apps to choose from.
The benefits are far-reaching, from individual employees to the companies they work for, with the end goal being that a healthier workforce impacts positively on families, communities and the nation as a whole, from an economic to a quality of life perspective.
© Grá For Fitness 2018
Feast the eyes and tastebuds with this Crunch Carrot, Apple & Beetroot Salad
I had a few veggies rattling around the bottom of my fridge that were on the verge of getting wobbly so I put them to work in this lovely salad. Super easy, full of colour, crunch, fibre, vits and mins! Also some toasted seeds thrown in for extra crunch.
2 x carrots, 1 x large cooking apple, 4 x small beetroots
Wash everything, peel the carrots & beetroots. Leave the skin of the apple on.
Grate all of these bad boys.
2 x sticks of celery chopped - chuck 'em in.
Toast sunflower and pumpkins seeds on a dry pan and add in a good old sprinkle of tamari sauce when they're toasted - let them dry for ten mins or so.
When they're cool and crunchy add them to the salad.
For the dressing - half teaspoon of whole grain mustard, juice of half a lemon, dessertspoon of apple cider vinegar and 3-4 dessert spoons of olive oil. Add to the salad. Mix it all up and chuck your seeds on. Crunch and taste-tastic!
Suggestions for a Dirty Weekend in January
In Ireland one of the downsides (albeit a very small downside) to a glorious Saturday or Sunday is we feel morally obliged to make the most of it with outdoor activities or suffer the guilt of being inside and ‘wasting the day’. So let’s look at how we can make the most of a dirty weekend. Yes I’m talking weather-wise – apologies to anyone who feels they’ve been mislead by the title.
Read moreYour Secret Weapon for Healthy Bones
October 20, 2017 is World Osteoporosis Day. While calcium and vitamin D are well known for their bone benefits, did you know prunes contain nutrients which make them an osteoporosis fighting fruit?
Read moreTo Coffee Or Not To Coffee?
Coffee? What's the skinny?
Read moreSkip, Hop and Happening.
Remember skipping? It’s a simple, convenient and a cheap way of exercising. You don’t have to leave home and don’t need loads of time, just your rope and a little bit of space and the benefits are plenty!
Read moreBuen Camino
For many the Camino is a spiritual journey, a chance to escape from the pressure cooker that is everyday life and just focus on putting one foot in front of the other for a week or two or more. I’m not saying I’m a complete spiritual Philistine but I found myself on the Camino because 1) Grace, a friend of mine was organising a group of 24 women, 2) I fancied a walking holiday, 3) I wanted to know what all the fuss was about.
After an initial group briefing with the ever efficient Grace - who is as the name would suggest, amazing, we had clear direction as to requirements starting with Compeed, good walking shoes and socks and finishing with an intense training schedule. I’ll admit I was all over the Compeed and footwear but my training fell more than a little short of Grace’s recommendations.
On April 20th our group of merry women and Dave, (Grace’s husband), stepped onto the flight for Santiago and subsequently onto the bus for Sarria a further 120km away and our starting point. The thought of four days of walking fairly solidly was a little daunting, but that paled compared to my anxiety about sharing hostel rooms with twenty three mostly strangers – I had however given myself a stern talking to about going with the flow and the first night of sleep while fitful was aided by earplugs, an eye mask and a few glasses of the local brew. Having been determined for months to carry my own rucksack all the way I changed my mind after walking out of the hostel on the first morning where I found Dave ready to take it with him to be transported in the hire car…along with everyone else’s.
Over the next four days, powered by café con leche and hefty boccadillos we made our way through the stunning Galician countryside bathed constantly in glorious sunshine. Dave – a fireman and paramedic with the patience of a saint – drove along the route and kept check on us all attending to everything from blisters and muscle strains to recovering lost items like sunglasses…and pilgrims. Grace was the sweeper each day walking at the back of the group providing support, encouragement and entertainment along the way.
The fourth and final walking day was a humdinger of 39km to get to Santiago. We staggered the last few kilometres into Santiago’ old town which is beautiful as is the cathedral, breathtaking in fact, if we’d had any breath left to take.
All in all it was a fantastic experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the walking, the sunshine, the countryside, the pristine and well run cafes at every kilometer but most of all the chats along the way, getting to know existing friends better and making new ones. I loved the fact that everyone could take their walk each day at their own pace, completely non-competitive whether you wanted to power through, take a brisk stroll or just lop along as part of a group, with a friend or with yourself. I do believe whether you share a coffee, a walk, a bunk or something more along your journey, the Camino experience is a personal one and to each their own.
Oatily Delicious Bread Recipe
Oatily delicious wheat free brown bread...the easiest thing you'll ever bake!
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