LiveWell Vermont

2014 is fast upon us! Join Live Well Vermont: State Employees' Wellness Program's "21 Days of Happiness" Challenge and get your new year off to a bang. "Train your brain in 21 days" to be more positive and happy. Register HERE by Tuesday, December 31, 2013. Every day you will practice: Gratitude: Write three new things for which you are grateful. Journaling: Write about one positive thing you have experienced. Exercise: Accumulate 30-minutes of physical activity. Meditation: Sit still with your eyes closed in silence for a minimum of 5 minutes. Random Acts of Kindness: Consciously do something kind for someone else.

During the Holidays, most people find it challenging to stay on track when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. Our time becomes limited and our reserve energy reaches its limit. This often leads to neglecting ourselves in subtle ways such as no longer working in exercise, failing to pre-plan our meals, no longer keeping a journal of our dietary intake and beginning to eat more high calorie, high fat foods. Take control this Holiday season using the following tips and strategies: The Importance of Planning Ahead: If possible, write down what you plan to eat before the meal and stick to your plan. Determine what foods you will allow yourself to eat and those you will pass up. We recommend avoiding any foods you find tricky to eat in moderation. For example, in the past you would consume almost a whole bowl of nuts or M & M's because they were there. Plan ahead of time what competing behaviors you will use to stay away from your problem foods. Promise yourself that you

Are you looking for the perfect gift for someone who lives a healthy lifestyle or who is working on making healthier choices? Are you working on staying motivated in reaching your health and wellness goals in the New Year and making a wish list? Check out these Holiday gift ideas that are sure to motivate you and your gift recipients and help in making it easier to stay on track. Your friends and family are sure to love one of these gifts and you'll also benefit if you're the one on the receiving end! The Vermont State Employees’ Wellness Program does not favor or endorse any specific brands. Any listed are only examples and may be substituted with a similar product. Cookbooks A  vegetarian cookbook  to try a few meatless days or for anyone who prefers meat-free meals! A  slow cooker cookbook  for when saving time is of the essence. A  vegetable cookbook  to help add more delicious veggies into meals. A  low-cal cookbook  to help lighten up favorite foods. A  soup coo

Have you been trying to make healthier eating choices and finding your eating chicken at almost every meal? If so, it may be time to spice up your diet. Here are 10 quality protein sources to shake things up!  1.  Greek Yogurt  - A quick and easy snack or meal, Greek yogurt packs twice the protein of regular yogurt. Be sure to choose the plain variety to avoid added sugars and sweeten with a packet of stevia or truvia (or other natural sweetener) if you'd like. You can also try adding unsweetened frozen fruit for a naturally sweet treat. Let sit for 10 minutes or so and mix well. Yum! 2.  Beans  - Another quick option if you're grabbing the canned varieties. Just be sure to rinse well to limit your sodium intake. Choose from black beans, kidney beans, red beans, navy beans, black eyed peas, lentils and many others. Beans are the least expensive protein source in AMERICA (and probably every other part of the world as well). They are low glycemic and very high in fiber. Add t

Are You Ready to Get Fit We know that weight gain can be a big concern when quitting tobacco, which is why we are now offering Get Fit Vermont: A FREE and PROVEN fitness, nutrition and  weight-management program offered to Vermonters,  based on personal goals and willingness to change. This self-paced 52-week program includes access to a website that tracks  your activity and calorie consumption. You also get an experienced health coach that works with you to exercise more, eat the right foods, and manage your weight!  Features & Incentives Create and achieve personal and achievable weight goals. Create healthy eating plans to help you manage your weight better. Use Get Fit’s 52 Healthy Steps with the help of a personal phone-based health coach. Access an online social support network and online forums. Receive your own digital scale and activity monitor. Earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards to Starbucks, Home Depot, Barnes

Between pies and cross-country travel, it can be pretty tough to stay active during the holiday season. A cornucopia of family obligations, work parties and last-minute shopping means that hitting the gym often gets delayed or crossed off the schedule altogether. Not this year! We've come up with 15 smart strategies, tips, tricks and motivational techniques to make fitness part of the celebration all holiday season long. Read on to learn how to keep up your exercise routine this winter, Christmas cookies be darned. 1. Get Out There Snuggling under the blankets with a mug of hot chocolate is fine and dandy, but it probably won't help you out in the fitness department. Instead of baking cookies or playing board games, pass the time with an active pursuit like snowshoeing, hiking or even building snowmen or igloos. 2. Set A Challenge Each year, Runner's World magazine challenges readers to run every day (logging at least one mile per day) between Thanksgiving and New Ye

For many people, a sandwich or a salad is the typical mid-day fare. Ever wonder which is better? Here's some facts about both options for you to "chew" on... In most cases, a salad beats a sandwich as it tends to have far more nutrients than the carb-laden sandwich. You do, however, need to choose your salad wisely. For comparison sake, we have compared sandwiches and salads from Panera, which seems to be a popular lunch spot these days. The Sandwich Option: Most Panera sandwiches (with the exception of the half sandwich in a "You Pick 2") and paninis start out with 300 to 500 calories just from the ciabatta, french baguette, focaccia, tomato basil, honey wheat, or three cheese bread. That's a lot of white flour in one sitting and more than most of us need. The Sierra Turkey on Asiago Cheese Focaccia, for example, gets 690 of its 820 calories from the focaccia (510) and the chipotle mayonnaise (180). Only a few breads, such as the sour

Most people look forward to the yummy foods around the Thanksgiving Holiday, but are often overwhelmed with feelings of guilt about what they ate the next day. To overcome this guilt, some experts recommend relishing the day and getting back on track on Friday. Other experts encourage individuals to enjoy all of the food, in small amounts. Whatever approach you decide to take, here are some simple suggestions you can try to achieve a healthy eating outlook on Thanksgiving. Enjoying your Thanksgiving Meal without Calorie-Counting Guilt Get out and exercise the morning of Thanksgiving day and after your Thanksgiving meal. One effective and easy way to do this is going for a brisk walk with some family members. You could also consider participating in one of the local 5K Turkey Trot Races. Most, if not all, events such as these are family oriented and are a great way to get moving with those you love! Enjoy the foods you love in small portions. Peruse your food options before loading

The Vermont State Employees' Wellness Program announces our  December Challenge: Get INSPIRED! Click HERE to register by Monday, November 25, 2013 . Close the year out on a high note, focusing on your health and wellness. Celebrate this December by getting inspired to live your healthiest life. This 3-week challenge (December 2 - 20, 2013) will encourage you to focus on all aspects of your health and challenge you to integrate new healthy habits into your day. Participate as a team or or as an individual Receive a daily motivational tip via email Challenge yourself (and your team if applicable) each day to complete a wellness activity

Have you got the winter workout blues? Feeling the effects of cabin fever? During these winter months we tend to lose some motivation to get up and get moving. Although there are lots of winter activities like cross country skiing and snowshoeing, these activities are not for everyone and are dependent upon the weather. One key to staying motivated to exercise, regardless of the time of year, is to recognize when you are getting bored with the same routine. This is especially true during the winter months as are our moods are a little less jolly and it's easier to talk ourselves out of our workouts. Below are some tips to break the blues and get moving - warming you up from head to toe. Warm Up If you feel the need to stay snuggled in bed and are skipping your morning routine try placing your workout clothes in the dryer for a few minutes. Then climb into those nice warm clothes and get revved up to do your workout. If outdoors is where you are headed for your workout tr

For many, Thanksgiving day is visualized as a warm and loving time with family, filled with the aroma of comforting foods and feelings of gratitude. The Holiday can also bring on feelings of stress from high expectations, preparation for the big day, family disagreements and worries about overeating. How can this stress be avoided? The key is preparation. If you're hosting a Holiday get together, here is a quick checklist to help make your Holiday a stress-free and enjoyable one! Make a plan & write it out -  Begin with your guest list. Figure out how many guests you'll have so you can plan how much you'll need to buy to make your meal. Planning ahead is the key to alleviating stress as it helps to avoid all your "to do's" piling up at once. Make it a potluck - Ask your guests to bring a dish, drinks, paper goods or decorations to share. This is a great way to get family and friends involved and to spread out responsibilities of cooking and preparati

Multi-tasking is over-rated! A recent study found that the average smartphone user checks their device about six times an hour. So what’s all that incoming information doing to us? It’s creating a world of people who are stressed out, exhausted and perpetually teetering on the brink of a cold or worse, because their immune systems are similarly fried. It may be time to try a digital detox — learn to cut the cord and take your life back from tech.  By doing so, you’ll be able to recharge your body and mind, re-connect with your creative side, improve your mood, boost concentration and make room for new intellectual connections you’d probably not have made had you been glued to a screen.  Not convinced you may be a bit addicted? Put it this way: if you start your day by checking your email before you’ve even gotten out of bed, or worse, while you’re on the toilet, it’s time for a digital detox. Here’s how to start your dial-down: 1. Do Less Every Morning Wake, meditate, showe

Adding avocado to the filling makes for a nutrient-rich creaminess that complements the sweet and spicy baked potato.  Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 60 minutes Total Time: 75 minutes Serves:  4 Ingredients: 1 ripe Hass Avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and cubed 4 medium sweet potatoes 1 Tbsp. coconut  oil 1 / 2 cup diced onion 1 / 4 cup diced red bell pepper 1 clove garlic, minced 3 / 4 tsp. ground cumin 1 / 2 tsp. dried oregano 1 / 4 tsp. salt 8 oz. lean  ground white meat turkey 1 (14-oz.) can petite diced tomatoes in juice 1 / 4 cup grated cheddar cheese (optional - try Cabot 50% light cheddar to reduce fat content) Salsa (optional) Preparation: Heat oven to 400⁰F. With a fork, pierce sweet potatoes all over several times. Place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil; bake until soft and fork tender, about 45 minutes. Heat oil in a deep skillet over medi

The cost of joining a fitness facility can often be a barrier for many who want to do strength training. In addition, the added travel time and working out with others can sometimes be unappealing. A cost-effective and convenient alternative is turning your own home into your own personal training facility. What You Need: 1. Space: You will want a small, open space that allows for movement and is void of hazards. 2. Equipment : Invest in a few dumbbells and/or resistance bands as well as a stability ball. 3. Plan : Start strength training AFTER you have developed a plan. It is important to have a structured plan or consult with a fitness professional prior if you need assistance. A well rounded plan will: include 8-10 exercises targeting the major muscle groups of the body. 1-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions 2-3 days per week Strength Training Tips: Control the Weight. Lift and lower the weight in a slow, controlled manner. Try using the 1-2-3- count. Lift up for a coun