Saturday, December 5, 2009

Upper Arm Fat-Is Your Work Causing It?

By Katherine Crawford M.S.

The surprising response is that yes, your work could be causing some degree of upper arm fat accumulation. After all, some convincing research has showed a conclusive link between workplace conditions and BMI.

We know this because of some exhaustive research done in the UK. This research demonstrated that too much stress at work is related to poor nutrition, less activity and more fat!

And here are some factors too look out for at your current job:

1. No control. If you aren't in control, or if you feel like you aren't in control, stress is going to rise too high. In fact, in many other areas of life, a lack of control is directly related to heightened stress hormones which can lead to more upper arm fat.

2. Stiffness. Do your upper back muscles get really stiff? One cause of this can be excess tension at work. If you work within a very extreme environment, those stress hormones are going to flood your system. So please seek out a different team or manager if you constantly feel affronted.

3. Poorly delineated tasks. If what you have to do is unclear, stress and tension will rise. And keep in mind that lack of clarity, more often than not, is your superiors fault. So ask for clear tasks. Tell your superiors how increased clarity will allow you to be more productive for the company.

4. Were you are on the totem pole. Unfortunately, lower ranking jobs lead to more weight gain and poorer nutrition-according to the research. So I would suggest looking for things you can do outside of work where you can assume a more dominant role. Doing so can help offset the negatives.

5. Having a mono-identity. Don't let your work define who you are. When things are going good you will feel good. But anytime something goes bad you will get flooded with all those stress hormones. Subjecting yourself to this emotional roller coaster is unnecessary.

Now keep in mind that changing your environment is much easier than changing yourself. So if you simply can no longer tolerate your job, please move on. Your body and your arms will thank you for it. And most likely, that upper arm fat will start to come off a little faster than before! - 16890

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