The Internet is abuzz with a report in the British paper, “The Daily Telegraph”, of a University of Westminster study linking an hour and a half of horror movie watching with calorie burning equivalent to a half hour walk.  Just viewing the infamous “Here’s Johnny”  scene  in “The Shining” caused participants to burn 184 calories, while “Jaws”, “The Exorcist” and “Alien” were close behind with 161, 158 and 152 calories respectively.  Perhaps not surprisingly, adrenaline surges brought on by fear are the culprit; they decrease appetite and increase the BMR (basal metabolic rate).  But don’t load up on those scary movies just yet.  Like other “fad diets” this one is also not sustainable.  In fact, too much adrenaline can result in numerous acute health problems, including heart attacks.

So how do we maintain a healthy lifestyle over a long period of time?  There are no easy answers and no one size fits all solutions. By the third week in January, many of us whose New Year’s resolutions included getting fit and eating better will have seen those promises fall by the wayside.  So to help address the issue, The Healthy Weight Network has designated January 20-26, 2013 as “Healthy Weight Week”.  Check out their website, for a wealth of practical information and scientific research that will help you implement more permanent lifestyle changes.  Since success depends on having a good support system, involve your family, friends, colleagues and patients in the process.  We’d love to hear from you what worked, what didn’t, and how you plan to mark “Healthy Weight Week”.

As healthcare professionals, we are used to giving advice to others and putting our needs last.  But as role models for our patients we must practice what we preach. Remember that a healthy lifestyle includes job satisfaction.  So whether you are a PT, PTA, CHT, OT, COTA, SLP, RN, or Rehabilitation Manager calling the Centra Team at 800 535 0076 can be the key to a “healthy fit” in your career of choice.