UNews - www.uleth.ca/hum/wellness

Changes don't have to end with Challenge

trevor.kenney — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:18:59 +0000

The 7th Annual Bee Heart Smart Challenge has concluded for the year and what a successful year we had!

A total of 18 teams (consisting of 165 people plus a number of individual participants) took part and the competition was fierce. Although I tried to get my name on the top-10 stepper list, other, more ambitious steppers quickly bumped me.

Thanks to all who joined in the fun. Watch the Notice Board and the Wellness website (www.uleth.ca/hum/wellness) for challenge winners.

Thank you to all our motivators – Mike Mahon, Nancy Walker, Kevin McFadzen – and although Maureen Mahon was not an official Busy Bee champion, she kept me motivated throughout the challenge. What excellent role models we have here at the
U of L.

Now that we have been physically active for six weeks, how do we maintain the
momentum we've established and keep the motivation up for the rest of the year?

Here are some tips:

Track your own physical activity

Use a calendar in your phone, or on your fridge, to keep track of the number of minutes each day that you are active. Include short bursts of physical activity – even 10 minutes at a time is beneficial – as well as activities such as stretching and yoga. At the end of the month count the total number of days you were active and calculate your percentage of active days.

Compare yourself from month to month and ask yourself, "Was it a good one?" Or could you increase your physical activity level?

Even 10 minutes is fine

Don't feel up to going to the gym, getting on the treadmill or going for a walk?
Try the 10-minute rule. Do an activity for only 10 minutes, and if after 10 minutes you still want to quit, do so. You might just surprise yourself and find you want to continue. Starting is often the hardest part.

Find a buddy

A friend, co-worker, family member or dog can act as a wonderful motivator. Get together to do something physical, even if it is only once per week. Chances are you will increase your activity level during the rest of the week to ensure you can keep up.

Remember to walk

We all have to walk somewhere every day. What we might not realize is that walking is easy on the body, and it burns calories and builds muscle – no fancy equipment required. People who track their progress and realize the benefits of walking are more likely to stay committed to their walking routine.

Challenge yourself

Enroll in a race, or try a different competitive or fun activity. Setting a competitive goal might be all the motivation you need to stay with your fitness plan.

In other Wellness news, Building Healthy Lifestyles will be offering a Festive Feasts Summer BBQ class on Friday, June 24 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. In the class, you will learn about how to make your own marinades, salads and spice mixes, all the while getting to sample some wonderful recipes. Call 403-388-6654 to register for this free workshop.

This story first appeared in the Legend. To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Activity challenge a good starting point

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 22:27:43 +0000

It may be hard to believe but the 6th Annual Bee Heart Smart physical activity challenge is nearly complete for another year. At last count, more than 125 participants and 15 teams had registered to take part in the annual challenge. My hope is that we meet our goal of surpassing last year's numbers (176 participants and 17 teams) by the time the challenge comes to a close.

I have heard many inspiring stories from those who have participated in the challenge this year, and you have all encouraged me to keep my numbers up. I was on the list of Top 10 Steppers for a short while, before being surpassed by some extremely dedicated participants. The continued determination of those top 10 folks (and my dog staring at me accusingly if I didn't take him for a walk) has helped spur me on to maintain my goal of 10,000 steps a day – even on those terribly windy, rainy or cold evenings.

The goal of the Bee Heart Smart challenge is to increase physical activity while participating in a fun challenge, and even if you don't win a prize, anyone who has participated is, in the end, a winner by striving to increase your own health and wellness. Congratulations to all who participated, and please check the Notice Board and Wellness website (www.uleth.ca/hum/wellness) for this year's winners.

The Wellness Committee has been working hard to develop a wellness plan for the U of L community.

In 2009-10, a number of Lunch and Learn education sessions were introduced, including: How's Your Financial Health?; Is Work Causing a Pain Your Back; Sleep Apnea; Holiday Eating Survival Tips; How to Maintain Your Brain; Recognizing Burnout; Stress Management Tools including Desktop Yoga; Eating for Cardiovascular Health; and Xeriscaping.

The Lunch and Learn sessions will continue in 2010-11 and some of the suggestions for topics include: back care and ergonomics; acupuncture, alternative or holistic health care treatments; humour and laughter in the workplace; emotional wellness; fitness evaluations; communication skills; stress management; and cardiovascular health.

If you have other suggestions or would like to explore a particular wellness topic, please let me know.

Other wellness planning includes the development of a U of L stretching and strengthening program (with a kinesiology applied studies student), the continuation of the employee vascular screening program and the possibility of another life balance fair in the fall. There will also continue to be the exploration and co-ordination of health and wellness resources on campus.

As usual, I welcome any comments, suggestions or feedback!

Suzanne McIntosh is the co-ordinator of wellness programs at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

Bee Heart Smart begins May 1

trevor.kenney — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:40:53 +0000

By SUZANNE MCINTOSH

It is that time of year again. The semester is wrapping up, spring is on the way, crocuses are blooming and your team should be gearing up for the 6th Annual Bee Heart Smart six-week physical activity challenge.

Running May 1 to June 14, this competition is open to staff and faculty with the goal of promoting active living by participating in walking, running, swimming, cycling or other physical activities.

Last year was my first year involved in this challenge and I enjoyed the enthusiasm and friendly competition exhibited. Our goal this year is to increase participation – in both total individuals (176 in 2009) and number of teams (17 in 2009) registered.

Rule changes for this year include a new time category for physical activity other than walking, running, cycling or swimming. Participants will now be able to record their time spent at the gym, engaging in activities such as yoga, pilates, or indoor soccer, to name a few.

There will also be two additional categories for running and cycling; allowing cyclists to either record the distance travelled (km) or time spent performing the activity.

Registration for the Bee Heart Smart challenge will be available through the Wellness website (www.uleth.ca/hum/wellness) or the Notice Board as of Apr. 16. Early Bird draw prizes will be available to those who register prior to May 1.

Record the following (daily or weekly):
• Number of steps (using a pedometer) or time for walking/running
• Number of km or time for cycling
• Number of laps for swimming
• Time spent performing other physical activity
Prizes will be drawn weekly for the top performers as well as random prizes for participation.
The benefits of getting involved in the Bee Heart Smart challenge are many.

Improved health
Walking just 30 minutes on most days can lead to significant health benefits. Aim for 10,000 steps per day – this can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.

Weight control
Just 2km of walking burns 100 calories. By adding 2km several times a week, you can burn an additional 500 calories a week.

Prizes
There will be prizes such as free monthly memberships to the fitness centre (from Sports and Recreation Services), pedometers,
U of L Bookstore gift certificates, movie passes, and a variety of other prizes. Weekly draws will be made for every level of participation.

Stress Relief
One of the most effective methods of stress relief is exercise. Physical activity provides an outlet for negative emotions such as frustration, anger and irritability, promoting a more positive mood and outlook. Your body releases greater amounts of endorphins which are the powerful pain-relieving, mood-elevating chemicals in the brain.

FUN!
Joining a team for Bee Heart Smart, not only makes physical activity more fun, but makes you more accountable to your team, which helps ensure ongoing participation. Remember it takes about three weeks to start a new habit, so six weeks of Bee Heart Smart will have you well on your way to continuing this physical activity throughout the summer.

Sport and Recreation Services will offer first time monthly memberships (for the month of May) to anyone participating in the Bee Heart Smart Challenge for $10 (a savings of $21.75).

Suzanne McIntosh is the wellness co-ordinator at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

Bee Heart Smart initiates a challenge

trevor.kenney — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:35:07 +0000

It is that time of year again. The semester is wrapping up, spring is on the way, crocuses are blooming and your team should be gearing up for the 6th Annual Bee Heart Smart six-week physical activity challenge.

Running May 1 to June 14, this competition is open to staff and faculty with the goal of promoting active living by participating in walking, running, swimming, cycling or other physical activities.

There will also be two additional categories for running and cycling; allowing cyclists to either record the distance travelled (km) or time spent performing the activity.

Weight control
Just 2km of walking burns 100 calories. By adding 2km several times a week, you can burn an additional 500 calories a week.

Sport and Recreation Services will offer first time monthly memberships (for the month of May) to anyone participating in the Bee Heart Smart Challenge for $10 (a savings of $21.75).

Suzanne McIntosh is the wellness co-ordinator at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

UNews - www.uleth.ca/hum/wellness

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