Wellness – Page 55

Winter Break Fitness Challenge

Tuesday, January 2nd to Sunday, January 21st

It’s BAAACK…the Winter Break Fitness Challenge for faculty and staff returns! Whether you frequent the Kress or have yet to visit, NOW is your time to do so while working towards weekly prizes!

All employees have FREE UNLIMITED access to the Kress Events Center over the Winter Break time period.

To Participate:

Visit the Kress during business hours and check-in at the front desk (campus ID and a second pair of shoes required)
Complete an entry slip for the Winter Break Fitness Challenge, and put your slip in the bucket.
You can complete one entry slip each time you visit the Kress during the Winter Break Fitness Challenge!

All entry slips will be put in for a weekly drawing:

Week one: January 2nd to 7th
Week two: January 8th to 14th
Week three: January 15th to 21st

Here are the Kress Events Center hours over winter break:

Mondays through Fridays: 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturdays: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Sundays: 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Please note that the Kress Events Center will be closed on Monday, January 15th for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

What can I do at the Kress? Check out the Kress website at http://www.uwgb.edu/kress/ for some great ideas!

Last year employees submitted 122 entry slips over winter break – let’s see if we can exceed that this year!

New Health Insurance ID Cards

State group health insurance program participants: Watch your mail if you changed health plans – your new health insurance ID card will be arriving at your home soon from the health plan you chose during the Annual Benefits Enrollment period. If you did not change health plans, you can continue using your same health insurance ID card. Before seeing your health care providers in 2018, check to make sure they are in-network by visiting your health plan’s online provider directory (Wisconsin map with health care provider directories: http://etf.wi.gov/members/IYC2018/et-2107hpm.asp). Please contact us at payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu if you have any questions.

Strive Toward Happiness in Your Career

No matter where you are currently on the job satisfaction scale, motivation experts note a few simple actions can help you fall in love with how you earn your living—whether your outlook just needs a little tuning or a major overhaul. Take these steps to push away stress and find happiness in your career:

Acknowledge what works. No job is perfect, or all bad. Jot down aspects of your job you enjoy or benefit from. Find at least one positive each day to add to the list.
Get clear on the big picture. If you aren’t sure how your effort contributes to the overall goals of your work team or company, ask. The feeling you’re just spinning your wheels can drain even the most upbeat worker.
Identify your strengths. No one is good at everything! Are you a leader? An implementer? Do you thrive on detail work? Are you great with people? Learn what tasks or work styles give you a sense of accomplishment.
Fine-tune what you have. Once you know your strengths, adjust your work life to play to them. Can you delegate certain tasks? Mentor someone? Master a new skill? Ask for new responsibilities? Working your strengths instead of continually fighting your weaknesses will add energy to your day.
Write down your goals. Falling in love with your work is closely related to falling in love with your life. What is your deepest purpose? Write it down, then start strategizing to align your career goals with it. Knowing why you’re working is a surefire way to put a spring in your step.
Clean up the mess. Disorganization can leave you frazzled. Clear work area clutter, then consider other messes in your life—especially financial ones, such as debt. To reduce stress, track spending to see where your hard-earned dollars go. Even if the truth hurts, once you do, you become freer to create a budget that’s in line with your purpose and goals.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

StayWell website down starting December 23rd

Due to preparation for the 2018 program year, the StayWell wellness portal will not be available after December 23, 2017 through early January 2018.

Continue working on your health goals
Try one or more of the confidential StayWell services available to you through December 22, 2017, like Self-Directed Coaching, the Mindfulness Series and more. For more information on the resources available, log in to wellwisconsin.staywell.com.

Watch for 2018 program information
Information on the 2018 Well Wisconsin Program will be coming to you in January. Watch your mail for your Well Wisconsin Program brochure which will contain all the details on earning your 2018 incentive.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from plants for their health benefits. Research results on the effectiveness of aromatherapy have been mixed, but it’s possible that aromatherapy works by sending chemical messages to a part of the brain that affects moods and emotions. Perhaps you’ve seen lavender eye masks or pillow sprays that are intended to help you relax and sleep. But lavender isn’t the only scent known for its relaxing properties. Vanilla, valerian, rose, and jasmine are also potential sleep inducers.

Keep in mind that any scent that makes you feel good can help you relax. If you have fond memories of Grandma baking pumpkin pie, a candle with that scent might lull you into slumber. Just be sure to blow it out before you doze off! Also, be careful with scents containing lemon; while research has shown it to be a mood enhancer, it’s also considered to be a stimulant.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Turkey Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients

1/2 pound turkey sausage
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
12 slices whole-grain bread
1 large Granny Smith apple, chopped
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 cups fat-free chicken broth

Directions
Cook the sausage in a skillet, breaking it into small crumbles. Drain excess fat. Add onion and celery, and cook briefly. Let cool. Cut sliced bread into small cubes, and put in a large bowl with chopped apple, chopped mushrooms, and poultry seasoning. Add sausage mixture to bread, and mix well. Using your clean hands is OK. Stir in chicken broth one cup at a time–you want it moist, but not too wet. Refrigerate until ready to use. Divide the stuffing into two equal parts. Half will be enough to stuff a 6-pound turkey breast. With turkey breast-side-down, lightly mound stuffing between ribs. Cover with aluminum foil. Turn breast over, and place in roasting pan. Add stuffing to neck cavity, and cook the turkey breast as directed. Freeze the remaining stuffing for another use, or bake in muffin cups for about an hour. Paper liners make it easy, and the muffin cups aid portion control.

Serves 12; each serving contains about 128 calories, 8 g protein, 2.5 g fat, 13 mg cholesterol, 16 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, and 246 mg sodium.

Recipe from the StayWell Company, LLC

Plan Ahead for Food, Fast—Not Fast Food

At the end of a long day, coming up with a recipe, stopping at the store, and making a meal can be more than you can manage.

Instead, plan ahead for what you want to cook and need to buy. This can keep you from splurging on high-calorie, costly takeout or restaurant meals.

Find a system that works for you, whether it’s posting your menu and grocery list on your refrigerator or entering it into an app or spreadsheet.

Keep It Healthy

These tips can help you prepare healthy, low-fat meals:

Keep fresh and frozen vegetables on hand. A supply of salad greens and other veggies makes it easy to whip up a salad. And frozen veggies can be quickly warmed up in the microwave for a side dish.
Stock your pantry with healthy ingredients so you can create nourishing dishes with little fuss. Include brown rice, whole wheat pasta, kidney and black beans, cans of diced tomatoes, olive oil, and your favorite spices.
Use your grill. Outdoor barbecues and indoor electric grills cook foods quickly and with less fat than pan frying or sautéing.
Make meatless meals, which are healthier and less expensive. Food items like almonds, black beans, chia seeds, chickpeas, edamame, Greek yogurt, lentils, and tofu are all excellent sources of protein.

Make It Fast

When time is of the essence, keep these tips in mind:

Look for recipes with few ingredients. Less measuring, slicing, and dicing make dinner come together faster.
Use your food processor. These machines are great for chopping vegetables and blending sauces.
Master quick-cooking techniques. Stir-frying and microwaving take less time than stewing, for example.
Double your recipes and freeze them in meal-sized containers. Soups, stews, casseroles, and grilled meats freeze beautifully.

Article from The StayWell Company, LLC

Crockpot and 5-Minute Meals Cooking Demo held November 7th

Thank you to Jolene Sell, Registered Dietician with Chartwells and Sydney Keidl, Nutrition Intern, for their interesting and practical presentation and cooking demonstration on Tuesday, November 7th about “Crockpot and 5-Minute Meals”! We enjoyed delicious samples of Sweet Potato Chili, Snickerdoodle Hummus with sliced apples, Mexican Quinoa, Pumpkin Acai Bowl, and Pepperoni Pizza Wrap!