Continuum Performance

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Get up and move!
Eric Belliveau • February 27, 2018

Get up and move! We have all seen the commercials and advertisements put out by fitness trackers, the NFL 60 program as well as many other organizations inspiring individuals to get up and move. Well do it! The truth is Americans are becoming more and more sedentary in their lifestyles and for a lack of better words becoming couch potatoes.

Being sedentary or sitting for long periods of time either at your desk at work, in front of a computer, the television, playing video games or just simply sitting on your couch can lead to a list of health issues as time goes on. Working in the colligate setting, I constantly hear students talking about playing video games all night or working on a paper for hours at a time and then they complain about how their neck hurts or their shoulders and or backs are bothering them. Research performed by the American College of Physicians, 40% of people who suffer from back issues tend to spend more time seated in front of a screen. The problem with this is that as technology continues to advance, more and more jobs are becoming computerized, placing more employees behind a screen all day.

What can we do to aid in this epidemic? There are many ways to get up and move each day that will leave you feeling better and reduce the effects from being behind a desk all day. If possible, take a 10-minute walk during your lunch break. Powerlifter Mark Bell has been encouraging individuals to take a 10-minute walk each day through his Instagram posts every day. If you have a lunch break and can take advantage of the time away from your desk do it! Hold walking meetings if a meeting does not require a desk, computer or other technology. Coworkers might think you are crazy, but they will thank you later. Another way to become more conscientious about sitting too long is to limit your screen time after work. Too many people leave work to go home to just sit back down in front of their personal computer or television and do not move until they go to bed. Other simple ways to get moving are making your desk at work a stand up desk, parking further away in the parking lot from a store, taking the stairs when possible, or simply standing at the counter with family and or friends instead of slouching in a chair.

Most importantly being active can improve ones mood and that is contagious to others.

Parents this is one example you should be setting for your children. Childhood obesity remains an American epidemic. One main cause of this is that children are not as active and “playing” as often as they used to and should be. They are parked in front of their video game screen, tablet or the worst their cell phone that they probably shouldn’t have (I won’t get into that topic). If children see their parents lounging all day long they are more likely to do the same. Parents, if you are active and encourage your children to get up and move with you, you can kill two birds with one stone. You will be up and moving yourself as well as having a positive impact on your child’s health and well-being.

Being active has a long list of benefits for the human body. It can aid in reducing the risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. It also aids in improving muscle and bone health, energy levels as well as improving sleep. Most importantly being active can improve ones mood and that is contagious to others. Many institutions have been using the quote “exercise as medicine” and it’s true! Get up, get outside and move. Your body will thank you!

The Meat Hangover

By Eric Belliveau • October 7, 2020
When it comes to taking meat out of your diet, some people have the idea that they will only see positive changes immediately following this choice. While those positive changes are definitely part of the deal, so is an adjustment period for your body.

We're Trying

By Eric Belliveau • September 23, 2020
We were all thrown on this crazy ride together. Emotions were running high but so were patience, empathy, inclusion, and respect. Most of us could rally behind the #WeAreInThisTogether manta. We wanted to do right by each other - donate to charities, lend a hand, check-in on one another. Do our part. As the days turn to weeks and the weeks into months these dispositions decayed rapidly. I know that this Quarantine order has been going on for a long time. I know that a great number of us do not agree on the why. I know an even greater number of us are “over it”. I am painfully aware of the difference of opinions surrounding the pandemic. It is impossible to NOT be aware of this. This leads us all to frustration, anger, resentment, and the feeling that you are not being heard. Very real and very human emotions! It is okay to feel this way. I am not only writing this from the perspective of a fellow struggling human. I do find myself struggling with everything I mentioned above. Not just daily but multiple times a day. My ability to focus has been challenged by my worry. My ability to create time for myself and focus on self-care has been derailed for fear of other things becoming more pressing. I work on this every day. I am not only writing this from the perspective of one of the business owners who were never given a playbook for this. For weeks on end I thought WTF happened to the business and how would our model need to change and remain viable, how each business owner had to either weather a period in which we were completely shut down or allowed to operate under capacity restrictions, etc. The unknown of what the timeline would bring and whether we would be able to continue our dreams or make an extremely difficult decision of not continuing. This still haunts every one of us daily. I AM very much writing this as a service provider! I am writing this as an impassioned human who genuinely loves what I do for a living. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to have built a career surrounding something I get excited about every day. I am making a stand for all of us that make their living in the service industry. To the receptionist, hostess, waiter, cook, dry cleaner, teacher, technician, barista, utility worker, automobile service technician… It is truly impossible to be inclusive of everyone here.  No one human mentioned above asked for this ‘situation’ we are in. We are sure as hell trying to provide a level of normalcy, service, care, and happiness to the lives in which we choose to serve. With added restrictions, added expense decreased capacity and the fear of being fined or shut down for doing it incorrectly, everyday.

The Meat Hangover

By Eric Belliveau • October 7, 2020
When it comes to taking meat out of your diet, some people have the idea that they will only see positive changes immediately following this choice. While those positive changes are definitely part of the deal, so is an adjustment period for your body.

We're Trying

By Eric Belliveau • September 23, 2020
We were all thrown on this crazy ride together. Emotions were running high but so were patience, empathy, inclusion, and respect. Most of us could rally behind the #WeAreInThisTogether manta. We wanted to do right by each other - donate to charities, lend a hand, check-in on one another. Do our part. As the days turn to weeks and the weeks into months these dispositions decayed rapidly. I know that this Quarantine order has been going on for a long time. I know that a great number of us do not agree on the why. I know an even greater number of us are “over it”. I am painfully aware of the difference of opinions surrounding the pandemic. It is impossible to NOT be aware of this. This leads us all to frustration, anger, resentment, and the feeling that you are not being heard. Very real and very human emotions! It is okay to feel this way. I am not only writing this from the perspective of a fellow struggling human. I do find myself struggling with everything I mentioned above. Not just daily but multiple times a day. My ability to focus has been challenged by my worry. My ability to create time for myself and focus on self-care has been derailed for fear of other things becoming more pressing. I work on this every day. I am not only writing this from the perspective of one of the business owners who were never given a playbook for this. For weeks on end I thought WTF happened to the business and how would our model need to change and remain viable, how each business owner had to either weather a period in which we were completely shut down or allowed to operate under capacity restrictions, etc. The unknown of what the timeline would bring and whether we would be able to continue our dreams or make an extremely difficult decision of not continuing. This still haunts every one of us daily. I AM very much writing this as a service provider! I am writing this as an impassioned human who genuinely loves what I do for a living. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to have built a career surrounding something I get excited about every day. I am making a stand for all of us that make their living in the service industry. To the receptionist, hostess, waiter, cook, dry cleaner, teacher, technician, barista, utility worker, automobile service technician… It is truly impossible to be inclusive of everyone here.  No one human mentioned above asked for this ‘situation’ we are in. We are sure as hell trying to provide a level of normalcy, service, care, and happiness to the lives in which we choose to serve. With added restrictions, added expense decreased capacity and the fear of being fined or shut down for doing it incorrectly, everyday.
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