"To achieve all that is possible, we must attempt the impossible. To be as much as we can be, we must dream of being more."

Karen Ravn

The Office Issue

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in." —Michael Corleone, The Godfather, Part III

You worked like a dog for your new body. Every solid, toned inch is 100% you. But those Jabbas at the office, they just don't get it. They ooze from cubicle to cubicle, pizza-stained ties and pasty, unhealthy skin, happy to slurp sticky sodas and lead a life less extraordinary while you strive for more.

And they want you to come back into the fold! They want you to eat junk and spend leisure hours doing a whole lot of nothing. Don't do it! Unlike poor Michael Corleone, you don't have to be sucked back in. We've come up with a few tips to keep you fit at the office, despite the bad element lurking about you.

1. Head 'em off at the pass. The thing is, if someone brings in a box of bear claws, they're going to seem a lot more attractive if you're hungry. So eat that balanced breakfast and have those healthy snacks on hand for the time between meals.
2. Find food that stays fresh. The frustrating thing about healthy food is that it doesn't keep; so, unlike Oreos, which would keep in your desk well into the next eon, a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, yogurt, and cottage cheese go bad quickly if not refrigerated. And if you do have a fridge at work, going there to get your healthy eats can be quite an ordeal when you have to walk past a caravan of crud sitting on the kitchen counter. So here are a few things you can keep at your desk that might last a little longer at room temperature: Uncut fresh fruit A handful of raw nuts (be careful with this one—less is more) A tub of protein powder (just add water!) A handful of whole grain cereal That may not seem like much, but there are hundreds of variations of at least three of those.
3. Get the heck out of Dodge. It's 11 AM. You're sweating bullets. It's "Pizza Friday" and, in about one hour, the walking dead will be shuffling to the kitchen for multiple slices of gooey cheese and sausage on Chicago-style crust. Even if you stay in your cubicle, the savory scent will find you. How will you resist? Well, when the going gets tough, the tough scram. At 11:50 AM, grab your good walking shoes and go for a stroll, have a picnic, go shopping, whatever. Just get out. That way you're avoiding the horror and getting a little cardio and vitamin D all in one fell swoop.
4. Hook up to a slow drip. You have the lunch and two snack times sorted out, but you never know when some supposed good Samaritan is going to swing by your office with a bowl of bite-sized Snickers, tempting you when you still have two hours until your next official eating time. If this is a problem, parse out your snacks. The trick is, you have to plan out the size of said snack in advance. So after breakfast, set aside X amount of whatever and graze on that—but when you're done, you're done. That's the key. The exception to this is raw, green veggies. It's really, really hard to eat too much broccoli or celery, so if that's your snack, eat yourself sick.
5. Give in to the dark side. What? What? WHAT? Never! Calm down. It's okay to be a little naughty sometimes. It keeps you sane, it makes a diet more palatable and, well, it tastes good. The key is moderation. First off, pick the amount of cheats you have in a week. For someone trying to lose weight, one or two is a good number. For those who have already reached their goals, more are okay. When the pizza comes, if this is going to be one of your weekly cheats, get your piece, love it, lavish it, pray to it, build a monument around it, and eat it—but then you're done. That's it. That was your cheat. No more. No, not another "half piece" or "cut off little bite." Just be done. Same goes for the candy bowl. Eat your mini Almond Joy and then walk away. Birthday? Eat a small piece of cake. If they give you too much, cut it in half and dump half on someone else's plate, or pass it on until a smaller piece comes your way.
6. Back against the wall. Sometimes, there's an event—lunch with a client or an office party—where all those "goodies" are unavoidable. When this happens, much of the above advice applies. Eat beforehand, use it as a cheat, etc. If it's at the office, make yourself a conservative plate, picking foods you know are at least sort of reasonable. A pasta salad is probably a better call than marshmallow salad, for example. Once you've finished your plate, throw it in the trash and be done. Get a glass of water in your hands so they aren't tempted to wander into the M&M's bowl and relax. If it's an outing, a few simple rules help with any restaurant experience. Choose a lean meat/protein. Eat half of whatever they serve. Choose salad or fruit instead of fries. Order water instead of Coke. You should be all right.
7. It's a matter of public record. Put your "Before" and "After" photos on your desk. When temptation calls, have a look. Remember how far you've come. Reaffirm that long-term happiness outweighs a temporary sugar rush. It was hard work getting this far, so follow these few simple tips and it won't be for naught. The only thing you're going to get pulled into is a size 2 (or 30-inch waist) pair of jeans, you sexy beast you.

Wellness

Andrea Pesce

Sitting at a desk for long periods of time can cause muscular tension. You can prevent the buildup of stress in your muscles by taking a few minutes to stretch. Try these easy exercises when you need to reenergize, or throughout the day to keep your muscles relaxed:

• Head Tilt. Put your right hand on your left shoulder. Tilt your ear right toward your right shoulder, but don't turn your head. Hold five seconds. Switch sides.
  
• Neck Roll. Roll your head to the right, down to the front, then left. Do this slowly and smoothly, both directions.
  
• Shoulder Circles. Make circles with your shoulders—up, back, and down. Switch directions. Do at least five.
  
• Side Stretch. Stretch your arms to the side, then clasp your hands overhead. Keep your head straight forward, but lean your upper body to the right side. You should feel this down your left side. Hold five seconds. Switch sides.
  
• Back Release. Sit at the edge of your chair as tall as you can (be careful if it has wheels). Open your legs apart so your arms drop between them. Straighten your legs, so your heels are on the floor, but not your toes. Knees are relaxed and never locked. Bring chin to chest, and then roll down toward your feet, one vertebra at a time. You should feel this first in your neck, then upper back, middle back, and lower back. This should be done slowly, relaxing into each part of the back. Roll up just as slowly. This stretch should take at least 30 seconds.

Andrea Pesce is an occupational therapist, certified fitness trainer, climber, surfer, and adventure racer based in Los Angeles.

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Customer's Recipe

We know, we know. It's summer. What's with the creamy soup recipe? Well, when Dawn B. ("absmom" to you Message Boarders) sent in this recipe, it sounded so good that we couldn't resist. Thanks for dreaming this up, Dawn. Somehow, we imagine you already have a Beachbody T-shirt or two, but enjoy this new one anyway!

Ingredients
2 cups sliced leeks (approx. 2 large)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3–4 cloves minced fresh garlic
3 cups cooked sweet potato (4–5 large), skin removed
32 oz. chicken or vegetable broth, low-sodium canned or homemade
8 oz. (or more) water
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce

Remove tough outer layer of leeks, slice lengthwise, and clean thoroughly. Thinly slice into semicircles. Heat large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium high heat, adding olive oil and leeks, then reduce heat to medium low. Sauté briefly until translucent (3–4 minutes), stirring often. Remove and reserve half a cup of leeks. Add minced garlic and stir one minute. Add cooked sweet potato. Combine well, add broth, and incorporate with whisk until homogenized. Add water to achieve desired consistency. Increase heat and bring soup to a simmer, seasoning with sea salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Remove to blender to purée or use handheld blender directly in pot. Put reserved leeks back into soup. Serves 8.

Soup can be made ahead, refrigerated, and reheated. Make sure to serve it hot!

Note: By thinning only slightly, it makes a wonderful "sauce" over chicken, fish, or hot or cold whole grain pasta. Base will take wonderfully to fresh herbs: consider adding basil or pesto, fresh cilantro and chopped jalapeno, or for a sweeter soup, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Would you like more recipes? Log in to TeamBeachbody® to enjoy more healthy recipes made with fresh ingredients that will give you energy and motivate you to stick with your diet.

Not a Team Beachbody member yet? Just click here to learn how to sign up.

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Tip of the Week

Research has documented the important role that expression or repression of anger and hostility plays in disease progression. Physical activity can be a healthy catharsis for this most caustic of emotions. It can provide a socially acceptable means of physically releasing negative energy. No matter what you do, be it kickboxing or yoga, the physical release of energy appears to dissipate feelings of anger in a positive way. After 20 minutes of exercise, the brain starts releasing epinephrine and endorphins into the system, which lower tension and help stress stabilization.

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