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Weekly email archive

Week 5 - Arm yourself with smarter snacks

Have you ever noticed that when you wait too long to eat something, you end up pigging out? Nutritionists agree that one of the best ways to maintain your weight is by eating small meals throughout the day, with healthy snacks in between. This helps keep your metabolism up and running, and lowers your risk for overeating at mealtime. 

There are lots of things you can do to keep your meals and snacks lean and packed with nutrition. Try these easy tips to help you stay on track.

Visit the supermarket. There are plenty of healthy snack options at your neighborhood grocery store. Try 100-calorie packs of nuts, edamame or air-popped popcorn.

Stock up on fruit. Fresh, seasonal picks are solid snack choices. Keep crisp apples, easy-peel mandarins and bananas in the house. Even canned or frozen fruits are healthy as long as they don’t contain added sweetener.

Tune in to your hunger. Snack when you’re genuinely hungry, and not because you’re stressed or bored. Also, try not to snack when you’re watching TV. It’s too easy to lose track of how much you’re eating.

Need more healthy snack ideas?

Enjoy the week and the countdown to winter break!

With good wishes for wellness,

UC ANR Wellness Committee

Week 4 - Celebrate the season with ease

Hello MDG participants!

The theme for this week is: Celebrate the Season With Ease

The holidays are a time for celebrating with family and friends. Sometimes, that means traveling great distances to be with loved ones. Whether you are the one on the road, or the one whose home will be filled with holiday guests, here are some tips that travelers and hosts alike can benefit from:

Travelers:

For those on the road this holiday season, we know that traveling can be time consuming. Whether you are going by plane, train or automobile, remember to:

Snack Smart: Be sure to pack healthy snacks with you, such as raw carrots and celery, hard-boiled eggs or almonds.

For more tips for eating while traveling, check out this Kaiser Permanente resource:

Hosts:

We know hosting can be stressful. Don’t let the stress crash your party and ruin your weight management plan. Sneak in some time for yourself.

Here are some simple ways to help you stay in balance this holiday season:

Unplug: Take a break from checking your phone or email. Instead, enjoy a long bath. Or, go for a nature walk (Exercise is an excellent stress reliever). Whatever you choose, work on being present and happy in the moment!

Bust a move: Turn on your favorite jams, show off your best moves, have your guests join in! Music has been shown to lower depression, anxiety and even pain. Dancing releases endorphins (happy hormones) into your body.

Laugh it off: Laughing relaxes your body and clears your mind. Watch a comedy or spend time with a funny friend or relative. A good belly laugh will wash your tension away.

For more ways to manage stress around the holiday’s check out this Kaiser Permanente resource:

Happy Holidays,

ANR Staff Wellness Committee

Week 3 - Happy Monday! Did you get some exercise over the weekend? 

The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year. Between parties, traveling, baking and shopping, there’s not much time for exercise. And this is the season when you need it most! Physical activity can help you beat stress, boost energy, and burn off all of those homemade cookies.

This week, the UC ANR Staff Assembly Wellness Committee would like to share a few simple ways to fit in fitness.

Move more. Use the stairs. Take a stroll at lunch. When you run your errands, walk as much as you can. Basically, anytime there’s a chance to move, do it.

Make it social. Start a walking group at work. Keep your dog happy with a quick run. Walk while you catch up with an old friend or family member on the phone to boost your heart and spirit.

Break it up. If you don’t have time to exercise for 30 minutes, split it up into two 15-minute workouts or three 10-minute walks. You still get the same health benefits.

Extra motivation from the UC Food Blog

Reminder: It's not too late to track your weight during the Maintain Don't Gain Challenge. Here's a link to the Weekly Personal Tracker. When you complete the survey at the end of the challenge (which enters you into the drawing for a FitBit Alta), we'll ask you if you gained, lost or maintained your weight. This will help us in planning for the Maintain Don't Gain Challenge next year.

Best wishes for a healthy week, The UC Staff Assembly Wellness Committee

Welcome to Week 2! This week's theme is: Add “Healthy” to every holiday helping.

You made it through Thanksgiving, but the invites to holiday get-togethers are just starting to roll in. Here are some tips that will help you enjoy the festivities without compromising your health goals.

Tips of the week:

Bring Backup: Be sure to bring your favorite healthy dish to the party. That way, if you don’t see anything healthy to eat, you’ve got your dish to help you stay on track.

Brighten up: Replace one heavy starch dish with a fresh, bright vegetable dish- such as a mixed green salad or roasted asparagus.

For more adventurous ways to brighten up, check out this story from UC ANRs Food Blog:

If you haven’t already:

Click here to download a personal weight tracker. You can print it, download it onto your computer or open on Google Docs to keep track of your weight, and the amount you gained or lost each week. (You won't be asked to share any of this information.)

Wishing you a happy and healthful holiday season!

UC ANR Staff Assembly Wellness Committee

Week 1 - November 19, 2018

Congratulations for taking the first step toward a healthy holiday season! You and 143 of your UC ANR colleagues have signed up for the 2018 UC ANR Maintain Don't Gain Challenge. Each Monday you'll receive an email to remind you to stay on track even when sweets and treats seem to be everywhere! 

Click here to download a personal weight tracker. You can print it, download it onto your computer or open on Google Docs to keep track of your weight, and the amount you gained or lost each week. (You won't be asked to share any of this information.)

MDGC starts with tackling Thanksgiving, a national holiday centered on eating. You can make it healthful by snacking mindfully and making smart dinner choices.

Here are some tips:

  • Fill up on vegetables and salad, while enjoying smaller portions of calorie-dense dishes
  • Skip the butter and sugar where you can, or use less
  • Include fresh steamed vegetables at the table
  • Alcohol and dessert: stick to one serving and move on!
  • If you can, eat early and gather your friends and family for a brisk walk after dinner.

For more tips and recipes, check out these Thanksgiving stories from UC ANR's Food Blog:

Wishing you a happy and healthful Thanksgiving!

UC ANR Staff Assembly Wellness Committee