LiveWell Vermont

Do you wake up with the determination to fit in a workout only to find that there just doesn't seem to be enough time? Try fitting in a workout during your lunch break! There's plenty you can do in 30-60 minutes mid-day. If you're at a loss for ideas, think about running, walking, cycling, taking a fitness class, going to a gym near your office, or doing a body weight workout. Working out mid-day can make you feel happier and more productive throughout the rest of the day. Here are some tips to get you started! 1.) Pack your clothes the night before or pack a gym bag for the entire work week. Make sure you have everything you need to complete your workouts. Include facial wipes, brush, and other items that you may need when you're finished with your workout. 2.) Pack your own lunch. Practice meal prepping at the beginning of the week or pack leftovers from dinner the prior night. Instead of spending time and money going out for lunch, spend your lunch break wor...

Feeling tired? Did you know there's still time to sign up for our Live Refreshed Challenge? Take some time to focus on your sleep health and sign up today! This is the final LiveWell challenge of the year! **Please note:  If you are working toward the reach your peak tier then you must complete two challenges and one workshop OR two workshops and one challenge before November 1st to earn the 900 points!

Are you on Instagram?! So is Live Well ! Live Well supports the State of Vermont employee and retiree population through partnerships with health and wellness resources both within and outside of state government . Keep up with the State of Vermont Employee Wellness Program on by following @vtlivewell on Instagram today! Tag us in any photos of you and your loved ones participating in healthy activities. Whether its preparing a healthy meal, practicing self-care or getting your heart rate up, Live Well wants to know!

Feeling tired? Take some time to focus on your sleep health and sign up today for our Live Refreshed Challenge! This is the final LiveWell challenge of the year! **Please note: If you are working toward the reach your peak tier then you must complete two challenges and one workshop OR two workshops and one challenge before November 1st to earn the 900 points!

Feeling stressed out? Can't sleep? Check out these ideas to help you relax in 5 minutes or less! 1.) Sip on a cup of tea. If it's early in the day, sip green tea (this has caffeine in it so don't drink it too late in the day). Green tea not only has a lot of antioxidants, but it contains compounds that can help you reduce anger. If it's later in the day, drinking herbal tea can help you relax. 2.) Meditate. 5 minutes of meditation is all it takes to feel the benefits. Find a comfortable spot in a quiet place and focus on your breath. Watch your stress and anxieties start to disappear. 3.) Try counting backward. If you're feeling stressed, frustrated, worried, or upset, try counting back from 10. Sometimes all it takes is 10 seconds to help you refocus your thoughts. 4.) Close your eyes. If your office or environment is chaotic, closing your eyes for a minute is an easy way to regain calm and focus. 5.) Squeeze a stress ball. This is an easy and por...

Feeling a little unbalanced? Participate in our summer challenge which will focus on overall life balance. Each of the 4 weeks will have a different focus to help you find or maintain a great life balance! Sign up today in the portal!

If you are participating in our 2017 LiveWell Incentive program, our second payout deadline is approaching! Make sure you complete components in the wellness portal for the second quarterly payout by May 14th. The second payout will be occur on June 22. Haven't started the incentive program yet? No problem! There's still plenty of time to complete components for the year.

Live Well Vermont is looking to recognize and reward employees who have had success after participating in State of Vermont Wellness programming!  Examples include, but not limited to: Positive health and wellness changes Living a more balanced life Reduction in stress Weight loss Exercising regularly Share your story and motivate and inspire others!

To be happy is an innate human desire, slightly different but no less important than food, sleep and shelter. Happiness is what allows your mind and spirit to be nurtured and to grow. On your road to wellness, your first stop along the way should be to dump your desire for perfection at the curb. Letting go of the desire to be "perfect" will free you to feel the happiness you crave. Below are 11 tips to develop more reasonable and attainable expectations for all the important areas in life, from career to relationships and even your body: Finding Your Happiness 11) Be Forgiving. It's important to forgive your friends and loved ones, yes, but here we're referring to the forgiveness you need to give to yourself! You're human and you're entitled to make mistakes, so don't be so hard on yourself. 10) Be Realistic. It's great to set goals and standards for yourself, but make sure they're attainable. For instances, if your desire is to lose we...

Have you been considering signing up for a CSA? Many CSA's are still accepting sign-ups for their spring shares! CSA's are great for providing a weekly variety of fruits, vegetables, and even local products. The variety of produce in a CSA share can introduce you to new vegetables you wouldn't normally pick up at the grocery store as well as some of your favorites too! If your goal this year was to make new and healthy recipes, this can be a good way to achieve that goal! When you sign up for a CSA, you can expect a weekly or biweekly delivery to the location you signed up for. Many CSA's are an upfront cost (some will allow you to split the cost over several payments) - as you pay for several weeks of food in advance. While this can be expensive at first, the overall weekly cost are usually less than what you'd pay at a grocery store for the same products.   The State of Vermont offers a worksite CSA Program. Follow the link to check it out!

Are you looking to improve your strength this spring? Join the live well challenge today! Registration is open in the portal through April 16th, 2017!  Watch the challenge powtoons video to learn more! Please remember to earn incentive points for the Reach Your Peak tier of the Incentive Program, you must complete one of two options:

Did you make a new years resolution to have a healthier year? Try making small healthy changes in your life that help you take steps toward your goals. Changing everything at once can cause setbacks when it seems too overwhelming. Try adding some or all of these healthy lifestyle changes to reach your health goals for the year! 1.) Shop Smarter When you're at the grocery store, go with a list and stick to the perimeters. You may also try to divide your cart in half. Put all your fruits and vegetables in one half and everything else in the other half. That visual may help you realize what you're putting in your cart! 2.) Meditate in the Morning Even just 5 minutes in the morning can be beneficial in helping you start your day off relaxed and mindful. 3.) Pick Up a New Pillow One of the biggest reasons people don't get sleep at night is because they're not comfortable. Pillows lose their support after a year and making a mini investment in replacing t...

We have all had those days where we don't feel like working out. Maybe you're tired from a long day of work or your to-do list is a mile long. Or, maybe it's cold outside. There's always a way to find an excuse not to work out. However, more often than not even a quick workout will make you feel better, more energetic, and motivated!   1.) Tell yourself to go for just 15 minutes or just run 1 mile and if you're still not feeling like working out you can stop. More often than not you'll keep going! 2.) Think about how great you feel after a workout. Sometimes this is enough to get you going! 3.) Call a friend/workout buddy. Making the commitment to meet someone somewhere is motivation to get out the door. 4.) Remind yourself of your fitness goals. Whether it's weight loss, health, strength, etc - remind yourself what you're working towards! 5.) Make a great playlist full of upbeat music.

Are you participating in our first Live Balanced challenge of the year? You can still sign up through February 5th! The Reshape Your Plate Challenge focuses on creating a healthy kitchen and getting your nutrition back on track. If you and some of your coworkers have signed up, take a look at some of these ways you c an support and encourage each other throughout the challenge! 1.) Have a fruit and veggie staff potluck at your location during lunch. Have everyone bring one veggie or fruit dish to share! 2.) Write"Caught Ya Being Healthy" messages. Every week, put an encouraging/motivational post it note message on the desk of coworkers that you caught being healthy throughout the week. 3.) Share the motivation! Print out tips, motivational messages, and/or healthy recipes and hang around the office. 4.) Replace the candy dish. Instead of a candy dish, have a fruit dish. 5.) Sharing is caring. Share ideas and tips with each other on how you're making h...

Attention State of Vermont Employees!  Win a Fitbit for your participation in the Live Well "Blog Challenge"....act by Friday, February 17th to qualify! Follow the Live Well Vermont Blog and you will automatically be entered. Click on "Follow" on the right-hand side of the blog page as pictured below: You will earn and additional entry when you sign up for email alerts (you'll receive an email any time there's a new post). Simply enter you email address to your right and click "Submit"! ***Must be a state of Vermont employee to be eligible***  

Be proactive this cold and flu season to make your whole life healthier! While getting a flu shot is the most effective way to prevent the flu, there are other strategies you can employ to keep yourself well.   Wash your Hands: Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Germs can live on surfaces for hours so if someone with the flu coughs and then touches a doorknob, keyboard, or phone, these germs can be picked up by the next person that touches these objects. Washing your hands helps prevent the spread of these germs. If you can't get to a sink. Try an alcohol based hand sanitizer. Keep up an Aerobic Exercise Routine: Exercise helps increase your body's natural virus-killing cells. By keeping up a regular fitness routine, you're boosting your immune system! Eat Healthy Foods: Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains will provide you plenty of vitamins and nutrients. This will help boost your immune system and your abil...

Looking to clean up your kitchen and create healthy eating habits? The Reshape Your Plate Challenge can help you jump start your nutrition goals! Registration for the challenge is now open and will remain open through the first week of the challenge. Registration closes on Sunday, February 5th!  Check out our challenge video for more information! Please remember to earn incentive points for the Reach Your Peak tier of the incentive program, you must complete one of two options:

Do you find your work weeks rushed and have limited time to put together healthy meals? Try some of these meal prep tips over the weekend to help you start your week off on the right foot! 1.) Have a game plan Have an idea of 3-4 dinner recipes you'd like to make. Brainstorm lunches (can be made from leftovers), snacks, and even breakfasts to make your mornings stress free. 2.) Make a grocery list and stick to it Make a list based off of the recipes you want to make. When you go to the grocery store, make sure you stick to the list! 3.) Find your go-to recipe s Start gathering your go-to recipes - ones that taste great and are easy to throw together. Keep them in an online document or print them out and create a recipe book! 4.) Double or triple the recipe While you're prepping your food, you can easily double or even triple the recipe to use for leftovers and also freeze. This will make for quick meals on those days you're busy! 5.) Prep your recipes ...

Our 2017 incentive program " Live Balanced" is now up on the portal! Earn points as you complete each tier. For more information check our our incentive program page on the blog or the wellness website !

Some days you may wake up feeling unlike your usual self. Whether you feel stressed, anxious, sad, or just a little "off," here are some tips to help you feel good again! 1.) Work Out:  Go for a run, lift some weights or do some yoga. Exercise has been shown as one way to release endorphins, a chemical in the body that reduces pain and stress and can increase your sense of happiness. 2.) Connect with People You Love : Sometimes when you're not feeling right, human connection can spark happiness. Feeling sad? Play with your kids, get a hug from your significant other or go grab coffee with a friend. 3.) Go for a Walk: If you're not looking for a difficult workout, sometimes just a walk around the office or neighborhood can help. 4.) Drink More Water: Dehydration can lead to crankiness and even trigger anxiety. Make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day. Keep a water bottle with you. 5.) Gratitude Journal : Sometimes all it takes is writing down the t...