LiveWell Vermont

You've heard it before, meal prepping can save you time, frustration and help you eat healthier during the week. If you're not convinced meal prepping is a good thing, check out these benefits below! 1.) It saves you money. Buying lunch at work is costly. Often lunches cost upwards of 10 dollars (multiplied by 5 and that's 50 dollars every week) and they skimp on portions. That healthy salad you ordered is probably a lot of lettuce and very few other veggies and lean proteins. Prepping ahead will give you filling and satisfying meals to help you power through the rest of your work day. Plus, you get to enjoy your full lunch break instead of having to spend time going somewhere and ordering food! 2.) It can help you stay on track with your health and fitness goals. We've all been there - that weeknight where you worked late, got stuck in traffic on the commute home, and the last thing you want to do is actually make a meal when you finally get home. Ni...

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, “to pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.” It is our job and responsibility to care of our planet! Often when we think of going green, reducing negative impact, global-warming, etc. it can feel overwhelming. But here’s some inspiration that we can come back to: “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” So here are some small yet purposeful ways we can create ripples: Reusable bottles instead of plastic: This one’s pretty obvious, but think about how much waste you can eliminate by using a reusable water bottle, coffee mug, thermos, etc. Pay attention to product labels: Did you know that many of the ingredients in your average cleaning product are dangerous for the environment? Try using less chemicals and more nat...

Live Well  Vermont is recruiting for a Wellness Specialist to join our team.  You can view the posting by visiting  www.careers.vermont.gov  and use the job seeker link. Search by the job opening #, 622671 , or find the position title in the list. The application deadline is 1/29/18 at midnight.  Wellness Specialist Overview Join a dynamic Wellness team and help bring our wellness program to the next level. Apply your knowledge, skills, vision and creativity to facilitate positive health and lifestyle changes with employees of the State of Vermont!  As the Wellness Specialist, you will develop and implement health and wellness initiatives for a diverse population. You must have excellent networking, coaching, communication and organizational skills.  A bachelor’s degree or higher in Health Education or a related field and two years or more of work experience in health education or a closely related area are required. Experience in usi...

Minimizing your life can be liberating. Cleaning out, reducing clutter and letting go can be a very positive experience, if done in a healthy way. Below are some tips to help you minimalize without becoming stressed. Have a plan . Create a list of the areas you would like to declutter. Order this list by importance. Starting with the easier areas or rooms can help you gain motivation to move onto other areas. Choose from the lis t . Find a starting room or starting point and focus on it. Jumping from space to space with no real reason can cause you to lose focus and end up making more of a mess.   Set realistic goals . An entire room does not have to be completed in a single day. Some days a single drawer in the bathroom might be it, and that is ok! Celebrate your accomplishments. If you are feeling overwhelmed by a certain area try setting a period of time that you will work on it and remember to be happy with whatever you achieve. Remember less can be more. Do n...

Need some help cooking fish? Try this easy salmon recipe and boost your intake of healthy omega 3 essential fatty acids, protein and vitamin B12! Serve it with a side of brown rice and steamed veggies. Servings: 4 Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon sesame oil ¼ cup lemon juice ¼ cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon ground mustard 1 teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon garlic powder 4 (6oz) salmon steaks Preparation: In a large resealable plastic bag combine the first six ingredients; mix well. Set aside 1/2 cup of marinade and refrigerate. Add salmon to remaining marinade, cover and refrigerate for 1-1/2 hours, turning once. Drain and discard marinade. Place the salmon on a broiler pan. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5 minutes. Brush with reserved marinade; turn and broil for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Brush with remaining marinade. Nutrition: One serving equals: 392 calories, 19 g fat, 2.6 g carbohydrate, .2 g fiber, and...

Registration opens today!! Sign up for the 4 W's of Exercise challenge today. This 4-week challenge is worth 80 points in Lean (trimester 1). Register in the portal HERE !

You love eating healthy foods, but portion control is your downfall. Sound familiar? You’re reaching for healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, but that doesn’t give you license to eat as much as you want. The calories can really add up, so watch your portions. 1-teaspoon of olive oil is 40 calories, while 1 tablespoon is 120 calories. 3 ounces of chicken breast is 100 calories, but most breasts at the store are upwards of 8-10 ounces, so you could easily be consuming an extra 150-250 calories. 1/3 cup of oatmeal has 100 calories, but 1/2 cup has 150. 1 ounce of almonds has 165 calories; 2 ounces, 330 calories. Those differences may be small individually, but together can add up quickly. While putting everything into measuring cups can get old, it will get easier to eyeball portion sizes as you go along. Try using the hand guide pictured here to estimate portion sizes in a pinch.