Category: Wellness

Campus to Campus Challenge – Week Five Results

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During week five, 28 employees participated in the Campus to Campus Walking Challenge, and as a group we logged 2,042,512 steps!  During week five, we walked from Charleston, West Virginia to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to New York City to the beautiful Acadia National Park in Maine – right on the rocky coast of the Atlantic Ocean!  So, it took us three weeks to walk from coast to coast!

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Can’t find a full 30 minutes to walk? Spread it out throughout your day- 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there will add up if you stick with it.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, breaking your workout into several shorter workouts throughout the day is just as effective as one longer workout session, while also making it easier to fit into your schedule.

The average steps per team member per day was 10,421. During week five, Jayne Kluge, Jeff Krueger, Barb Tomashek-Ditter, Jamel Heim and Lynn Rotter had the highest number of steps.  Two weeks to go – where should we walk to next?

Financial Fitness Challenge

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The Financial Fitness Challenge (October 25 to December 31, 2016) is a free financial education and awareness program designed to help you take control of your financial future and improve your financial well-being. Offered to Wisconsin state and local government employees and their friends and families, it consists of a confidential and secure online survey to assess and benchmark financial aptitude, habits, and confidence.  After completing the survey you’ll receive a financial fitness score and, based on your results, recommendations for selecting among hundreds of online tools and tutorials (the Financial Fitness ACADEMY), and the option of using a financial advisor from Ameriprise Financial for up to 30 days at no cost. You learn at your own pace in as little as 10 minutes a day.

Step 1. Get centered: Take the free Financial Fitness CHECKUP. It’s a confidential, and secure online assessment of your financial well-being. Receive instant feedback – your personal financial fitness score.

Step 2. Sharpen focus: Enroll in free online Financial Fitness ACADEMY courses. They’re easy-to-follow tutorials designed to help you improve your financial well-being.

Step 3. Zoom in on a bright future: Access an exclusive offer for free financial coaching for 30 days.

Click here to get started, and for more information.

Stress Management Lunch ‘n Learn

 

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Almost 30 employees attended the Stress Management Lunch ‘n Learn on Thursday, November 3rd and learned about positive and negative stress, three types of stress (physical, chemical and emotional), and the ‘snowball’ effect of changing one behavior for the better.  For example, eating healthier can lead to having more energy, which can lead to exercising more and sleeping better at night, which can lead to a healthier body which can handle stress better and has less dependence on prescription drugs.

The doctor also promoted the benefits of drinking plenty of water.  Did you know that we should drink half our body weight in ounces?  So, if your body weight is 160 pounds, you should drink 80 ounces of water per day.  Assuming you have 16 waking hours per day, that is just 5 ounces per hour.  If we only drink when our body tells us it is thirsty, our body would be in a persistent state of near dehydration, which doesn’t lead to a healthy body.

We also learned that drinking one alcoholic drink per day can be beneficial, and our emotional stress depends on how we percieve a situation and respond to it.  Everyone has a go-to destressor, such as relaxing with a glass of wine or a beer, going for a run, reading a book, watching a movie, browsing Pinterest, etc. It is important that we know what our destressor is, and use it when our body is maxed out.

Thank you to Dr. Logan Andera, D.C. of Cornerstone Chiropractic and Kendall Howard of Wellness Champions for the interesting, helpful and funny presentation, as well as buying us lunch!

 

Wellness Webinar – Healthy Eating for Effective Weight Loss

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Maintaining or losing weight is not an easy task, especially as we age and your metabolism slows down.  While there are no “silver bullet” remedies for effective weight management, understanding how your metabolism works, balancing a healthful diet with exercise and establishing realistic goals can provide you with a foundation roadmap for sustainable success.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understanding BMI and waist circumference
  • Finding the balance: food and exercise
  • Explore how your metabolism works
  • Healthy eating tips and strategies
  • Avoiding holiday pitfalls

When: Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Time: 12:00 to 12:45 p.m.

Location: CL 735

No need to RSVP – feel free to join us and bring your lunch! 🙂

Campus to Campus Challenge – Week Four Results

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During week four, 34 employees participated in the Campus to Campus Walking Challenge, and as a group we logged 2,378,411 steps!  During week four, we walked from Alburquerque, New Mexico to Tulsa, Oklahoma to Nashville, Tennessee to Charleston, West Virginia!  The average steps per team member per day was 9,993. Did you know that not only is walking one of the easiest ways to exercise, but moderate-intensity walking for 30 minutes or more each day can lower your blood pressure, help you maintain a healthy weight, lower your risk for heart disease and stroke, and improve your mood!  During week four, Ron Kottnitz, Jayne Kluge, Jeff Krueger, Lea Truttmann, and Barb Tomashek-Ditter had the highest number of steps.  Keep exercising and enjoying this mild fall weather!

Campus to Campus Challenge – Week Three Results

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During week three, 34 employees participated in the Campus to Campus Walking Challenge, and as a group we logged 2,559,863 steps!  A Wellness Committee member suggested that we try to walk across the United States next.  During week three, we walked from Los Angeles, California to Phoenix, Arizona to Alburquerque, New Mexico and most of the way to Tulsa, Oklahoma!  The average steps per team member per day was 10,755. Did you know a typical pair of tennis shoes will last 500 miles of walking?  As a team, we would have worn out two and half pairs of shoes! During week three, Jayne Kluge, Ron Kottnitz, Lea Truttmann, Barb Tomashek-Ditter, and Jeff Krueger had the highest number of steps.  Let’s see how far we get during week four!

Cooking Demonstration Lunch ‘n Learn

 

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On October 18th, we watched Chef Corey Arndt prepare apple butternut squash soup with cinnamon creme, and learned about nutrition, cooking and preparation tips from Registered Dietician, Jolene Sell, and Chef Corey.  The soup was delicious and healthy, and everyone enjoyed seconds!  Thank you to Chef Corey Arndt, Jolene Sell, and Chartwells for presenting and sponsoring this cooking demonstration!

Campus to Campus Challenge – Week Two Results

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During week two, 34 employees participated in the Campus to Campus Walking Challenge, and as a group we logged 2,402,582 steps!  A team member suggested that we try to walk to each Horizon League school next.  During week two, we walked from UW-Green Bay to UW-Milwaukee to the University of Illinois at Chicago to Valparaiso University to Northern Kentucky University to Wright State University to Youngstown State University to Cleveland State University to the University of Detroit to Oakland University and part of the way back to UW-Green Bay!  The average steps per team member per day was 10,095, which is about five miles!  During week two, Ron Kottnitz, Jayne Kluge, Barb Tomashek-Ditter, and Jeff Krueger had the highest number of steps.  Great job team!