LiveWell Vermont

  Embarking on a fitness journey is exhilarating, but it’s essential to tailor your workouts to your current abilities. Enter progressions and regressions! Progressions aren’t “better” and regressions aren’t “worse”. They’re both valuable tools that ensures your workouts remain challenging yet attainable, adapting to your level of strength, flexibility, and skill. Let’s dive into the world of workout progressions and regressions to understand how they can elevate your fitness game. Understanding Progressions and Regressions Progressions involve advancing or intensifying an exercise as your strength and skill improve. They’re the steps that take you from mastering the basics to conquering more challenging variations. Conversely, regressions modify exercises to make them easier, either by reducing intensity or altering the movement pattern. They're crucial for beginners or anyone recovering from an injury, ensuring that workouts remain safe and effective. How do you know what to

  Coping with Stress tips from CDC Many of us are facing challenges that can be stressful and overwhelming.  Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way will help you, the people you care about, and those around you become more resilient. Stress can cause the following: Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration. Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests. Trouble concentrating and making decisions. Nightmares or problems sleeping. Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, or skin rashes. Worsening of chronic health problems and mental health conditions. Increased use of  alcohol , illegal drugs (like  heroin ,  cocaine , or  methamphetamine ), and misuse of prescription drugs (like opioids). Healthy Ways to Cope with Stress Here are some ways you can manage stress, anxiety, grief, or worry: Take breaks from news stories,  including those on social media. It’s good to be informed, but constant information about negative event

  Did you know that the Treasury Office has financial resources to promote financial literacy in Vermont and help you navigate the world of money? You can use these resources to support yourself during the On Budget Challenge, held as part of the Wellness Incentive program . Financial Education Resources For You : Learn about retirement savings, taxes, scams, credit, insurance, and teaching kids about money. Request a Free Credit Report: Experts recommend checking your credit report from the three main credit reporting agencies at least once a year, check it now at  annualcreditreport.com . What is a FICO Score? Credit scores influence the credit that's available to you. Learn as  Fair Isaac Corporation explains how credit scores are calculated . Fine Tune Your Skills to Spot Investment Fraud: The  Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)  has launched a new educational game to designed to help investors outsmart investment fraud criminals. The game is available on

April is recognized as National Stress Awareness Month , bringing attention to the negative impact of stress. Stress management is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. Having the skills to manage your stress can improve mental and physical well-being. Knowing how to recognize what stress and anxiety look like, can be an effective step in building resilience and knowing where to go for help. Use Mental Health America’s (MHA) Stress Screener to learn tips on how to recognize and reduce stress. What can supervisors do to help reduce workplace stress ? Approve flexible hours Support telecommuting Encourage the use of paid time off Empower employees to take care of their health Provide resources and support Ask employees what they need Join the BeWell@Work Wellness Webinar: Tuning in to You: Enhancing Mental Wellness Literacy When: May 2 nd , 2024 Time: 11:00 a.m. Register In partnership with Sunshine Silver Lining, join Blue Cross VT fo

  As mud season challenges Vermonters' outdoor activities, this article provides alternative suggestions for staying active. Mud season can be a challenging time for Vermonters who want to stay active. With daytime temperatures warming and snow disappearing from the mountains, most of us have already put away our winter sports gear. We’d like to resume warm-weather activities like hiking and mountain biking, yet many of those trails are a sloppy mess. We’re often stuck waiting for drier conditions.  Fortunately, there are several ways you can get exercise outdoors during mud season without having to slog through the goo. In this article, we’ll give you some ideas for mud season outings. We’ll also provide tips for how to use mud season to get a jump on preparing for summer fun. Hiking Trail Alternatives Hiking is a popular activity year-round in Vermont, but using high-elevation trails during mud season is discouraged to prevent them from being damaged. Hikers are asked to plan alt

Have you checked to see if your points are in?! The quarter ends on a weekend this time, so you have today and tomorrow to finish logging your activities. Now's a great time to make sure you've maximized the categories because Double Points may help you reach your goal! Here are some reminders: You can earn 50 points for watching a media video once per month. You can log preventive care appointments and vaccines under My Care Checklist (found under the Health tab) You can backtrack Healthy Habits and Challenges by clicking the gray back arrow  You can earn 200 points for creating a personal challenge and 100 for joining a personal challenge Click Home --> Rewards --> and scroll down to Participation to log events, nutrition planning, and additional health visits You can log a LiveWell event (Stop, Drop and Move or Let's Do Lunch, etc) for 400 points three times each quarter for a total of 1200 points.  You can log a work skills class or finance webinar (Empower, CAP

Tax season can cause stress for many. Through education, we can relieve some of this stress. Understand your taxes better by utilizing the resources available through the  Treasury Office .  The site is organized to provide information about paying and filing taxes. Check out these resources: Download the MyMoney.Vermont.Gov  Paying & Filing Taxes  infosheet Learn how to File Taxes Learn how Withholdings Work Learn about Tax Prep and Assistance Checkout Helpful Savings Links

 No, you didn't read that backwards! We've all probably witnessed Breakfast for Dinner save the day. Whipping up some pancakes, eggs, & bacon is a delicious way to get an easy dinner on the table in record time after a busy day. Have you ever considered flipping the script with Dinner for Breakfast? Does it sound weird to you? Hear us out! A great breakfast is one that tastes good, keeps you satisfied for several hours, and supports your energy levels.  They key to this is a power combination of protein, healthy fat, and complex carbs. While some American breakfast staples like a veggie omelet with whole-grain toast nail this combo, others --including the trusty cereal, toast, or oatmeal-- fall short on protein. But here's a game-changer—why not repurpose your dinner leftovers for breakfast? It's a practical and tasty solution. Not sold? Elevate your morning vibes by adding dinner ingredients to your regular breakfast, or adding breakfast foods to your dinner leftov

  Spring into Wellness! Embrace the season of renewal by prioritizing your well-being. Take a stroll, breathe in the fresh air, and let the energy of spring inspire a healthier you. Remember, self-care isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. Happy Spring and Happy Wellness Journey!

Happy Pi day! Today, 3/14, is the day to celebrate the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter - 3.14!  We like to celebrate by making circle-shaped foods today, AKA, PIES! Celebrate all day long with these healthy recipes!  Breakfast:  Frittata  Start off your day with a veggie packed, protein rich breakfast that you can make ahead and enjoy for several days! Use up the veggies you have on hand, or select your favorites! Lunch: Tostadas Whip up this quick 15-minute lunch. It's a great source of fiber, protein, veggies! Dinner: Pizza  Celebrate with our favorite pie - pizza pie! Sure, you can order out or pop in a frozen pizza, but there's nothing like homemade coming from your own oven. Plus, you can customize it with your favorite veggies, and you won't get charged extra for adding as many veggies as you like! ;) Dessert: Do you think we'd forget dessert on Pi Day?! Not a chance! What's your favorite type of pie? Swap out your regular pie crust for a

Access VT | A Free Statewide Employee Accessibility Conference Waterbury State Office Complex: 280 State Drive, Waterbury VT March 13 th ,  9am - 3pm Come to 10+ choices for sessions, informational booths, networking opportunities and leadership panel. (Some virtual options will be available.) Session space will be limited, registration available in LINC .  For more information visit the Access VT | An Accessibility Conference Information & Event Page or Sign Up for Email Updates | Microsoft Forms We are delighted we get to participate in this event.  Come visit LiveWell Vermont booth and share with us what wellness means to you!

 Just in time for St Patrick's Day, try out this zippy & zingy green hummus!  The green color comes from blended cilantro - yum! In a blender or a food processor, blend together:  1 can garbanzo beans, (drain & reserve liquid to add if needed) 1/3 cup olive oil 1/3 cup tahini 1/2 bunch of cilantro 2 tsp lime or lemon juice 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp salt 2 oil-packed sundried tomatoes 1 clove garlic 1/2 to 1 whole jalapeno (seeded and de-ribbed if you don’t like spicy) If it is too dry, add the reserved liquid from the can 1 tbsp at a time.  Taste and adjust: Does it need more salt, more lime, more garlic, or more jalapeno? Eat with tortilla chips and veggie dippers, or roll into a wrap with veggies, salad greens, and cheese!

  Here is a preview of the upcoming Healthy Habit Challenge, Mindful Minute.  Each day, track whether you are pausing and being mindful in ways that are meaningful and enjoyable to you. Daily tips offer inspiration, and challenges have a group chat for community support too. Let us know how you like to practice mindfulness, and you can help others achieve their mindfulness goals! Registration opens Friday, 3/8/2024. New to the LiveWell Vermont Wellness Incentive Program?  Learn about eligibility and how to get started here.

Leap day reminds us that life isn't always predictable and that unexpected opportunities can arise in unexpected moments. February 29th encourages us to embrace the unusual, venture into the unknown, and make the most of the additional day gifted to us by the calendar. This Leap Day, take a leap of faith toward one of your Wellness goals! Try out a new activity to get moving! -Rock climbing -find a gym near you -Ice skating - skate rentals and passes may be more affordable than you think -Go dancing -Try out a new class at a gym Try a new food -Visit a restaurant that serves a type of food you've never tried -Test a recipe you've never made before -Buy a new ingredient and learn how to incorporate it into a meal -Order a different dish at your favorite restaurant  Take the first step toward learning something new -check out a book from the library on something you want to build, make, or learn -sign up for a class (remember- SOV employees benefit from  tuition reimbursemen

When it comes to eye health many adults mistakenly believe that as long as nothing is bothering their eyes, there’s no need to get them checked out. However, getting regular eye exams is very important, even if you think your vision is fine. Eye exams allow an eye care professional to monitor your eyes for common vision problems and signs of disease. There aren’t early warning signs for the most common eye diseases, so by identifying diseases early, you have the best treatment options and the best chance of preserving good vision. If you haven’t had an eye exam in more than a year or at all, schedule one now. A comprehensive exam will often include eye dilation. After checking your vision sharpness, your doctor will place drops in your eyes to dilate (widen) the dark center of your eyes, called the pupil. This allows more light into your eyes, just like opening a door lets light into a dark room. The doctor can then examine the inside of your eyes. Your eye doctor will tal