{"id":84640,"date":"2014-11-19T08:00:13","date_gmt":"2014-11-19T14:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=84640"},"modified":"2014-11-19T10:35:59","modified_gmt":"2014-11-19T16:35:59","slug":"staying-healthy-in-the-stacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=84640","title":{"rendered":"Staying Healthy in the Stacks"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Amelia Zavala Vander Heide ,Senior Editor, INALJ Massachusetts<\/a>, Maryland<\/a>, and Virtual Work<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Staying Healthy in the Stacks<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"amelia_vanderheide\"<\/a>When I first started working as a professional librarian a little over a year ago, I went from\u00a0working at a job where I was on my feet 6-12 hours a day to a job where I was on my feet half\u00a0that time. I am not a very active person by nature, and as such, I have really had to learn and\u00a0adapt to a new work environment. While I wish that all libraries could afford walking desks<\/a>,\u00a0alas, that is a pipe dream. So whether you\u2019re already working or still on the look out behind a\u00a0desk, these are tips to try to help you stay healthy and motivated.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Forget to Move<\/strong><\/p>\n

The days are now shorter, the nights are longer, and it can sometimes be a daunting task to\u00a0get in physical activity each day. As librarians, we do tend to get and move during the day,\u00a0but sometimes it just isn\u2019t enough. The American Heart Association recommends<\/a> moderate\u00a0exercise for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, or vigorous activity 25 minutes a day, 3 days a\u00a0week, to make sure that you are staying healthy. With winter already here, it might appear\u00a0difficult to get that in, but try some floor exercises or short workout videos. Plus, exercise can\u00a0help you sleep better and reduce stress.<\/p>\n

Invest in a Fitness Band<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have a Fitbit<\/a>, but there are so many choices<\/a> that you can pick a device that best fits your\u00a0lifestyle. If you\u2019re not familiar with fitness bands and step counters, they are small devices that\u00a0help you keep active. The devices are usually programmed with the goal of 10,000 steps per\u00a0day, or about 5 miles, as a gauge for a healthy lifestyle. Many are also designed to work with\u00a0your smart phone or computer to keep track of calories, overall activity, and even your sleep\u00a0cycle. While they might not make you skinny, they can help to make sure you\u2019re staying active.<\/p>\n

Cook Ahead or at Least Have Healthy Options<\/strong><\/p>\n

Between commuting and long days at work, it can sometimes seem impossible to eat healthy.\u00a0Try cooking meals ahead of time, especially items that make lots of left overs such as soups,\u00a0pastas, etc. A couple of hours on a Sunday can be enough time to feed you for the rest of the\u00a0week. Also, slow cookers are a great option for the busy professional. Throw everything in\u00a0a slow cooker in the morning, set on low, and be ready to eat delicious food in the evening.\u00a0If cooking is just not in the cards for you, load up on easy, quick, pre-made dishes. Grocery\u00a0stores like Fresh and Easy or Trader Joe\u2019s usually have healthier options than some others. Also\u00a0beware of storing unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks at work. Try to fill your desk with better\u00a0options such as nuts, energy bars, and dried fruit for your sweet tooth. Invest in a good water\u00a0bottle to stay hydrated and you\u2019re on your way.<\/p>\n

What are some ways that you try to stay healthy at work? Leave tips in the comments below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Amelia Zavala Vander Heide ,Senior Editor, INALJ Massachusetts, Maryland, and Virtual Work Staying Healthy in the Stacks When I first started working as a professional librarian a little over a year ago, I went from\u00a0working at a job where I was on my feet 6-12 hours a day to a job where I was…<\/p>\n

Read more \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":84700,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[145],"tags":[5910,69,3592,4131,3659,3660,6600,5874,4389],"class_list":["post-84640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-amelia-zavala-vander-heide","tag-article","tag-blog","tag-health","tag-inalj-maryland","tag-inalj-massachusetts","tag-inalj-virtual-work","tag-rest","tag-self-care"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Amelia.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1WoMK-m1a","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84640","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=84640"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84640\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/84700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=84640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=84640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=84640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}