This fall, there will be several new opportunities for employees to partake of health-enhancing wellness activities.
Monday, October 5th: A brown-bag lunch lecture entitled "Eating Sugar the Right Way"will be offered by Amherst acupuncturist Hayley Mermelstein from 11:30am-12:30pm in the Town Room of Town Hall.
This workshop explores the effects of sugar on the body. Since Americans, on average, consume 576 cans of sugar-based soda per year, causing multiple health conditions including diabetes and obesity, it is imperative to learn about healthy alternatives to improve your health and energy. Participants will gain a greater understanding of why we crave sweets, how sugar decreases our energy and the cycle of sugar addiction. In addition to understanding why we overindulge in sweet foods, participants learn what alternatives exist to the typical refined sugars we find in junk food, candy bars and other unhealthy snacks.
Hayley Mermelstein, Certified Health Counselor, facilitates this workshop. She works in Amherst, Ma. and has a private practice, counseling clients on how to reach their goals for health, weight loss and stress reduction. Additionally, she presents workshops and lectures on living a healthy, balanced life.
Wednesday, October 14th: A noontime Pilates class will be offered in the Town Room of Town Hall by Amherst Pilates.
Monday, November 9th: A brown-bag lunch lecture entitled "Weigh Less, Live More" will be offered by Amherst acupuncturist Hayley Mermelstein from 11:30am-12:30pm in the Town Room of Town Hall. In this class, Hayley will discuss why there is a weight problem with so many Americans and will offer her top 10 tips on how to weigh less and live more.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
President Obama Proclaims National Preparedness Month
For Immediate Release
During National Preparedness Month, we underscore the responsibility of individuals, families, and communities -- including the private and nonprofit sectors -- to do their part before an emergency. I urge all Americans to take time to prepare an emergency supply kit and a family emergency plan, and to educate themselves about potential disasters. I also ask Americans to work within their own communities to coordinate emergency preparedness efforts. All Americans share this responsibility, and we must all work together to safeguard the Nation from harm.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supports and promotes citizen education and grassroots preparedness efforts. FEMA's Ready Campaign provides simple and practical steps thatall Americans can take to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbors. Additionally, the Citizen Corps educates, trains, and coordinates volunteer activities that help make our communities safer and better prepared for emergencies. I encourage all Americans to learn more at www.ready.gov and www.citizencorps.gov.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2009 as National Preparedness Month. I call upon the people of the United States to recognize the importance of preparing for potential emergencies beforehand and to observethis month with appropriate preparedness activities, events, and training to enhance our national resilience.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH, 2009
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION:
Preparedness is an essential element of a resilient and secure Nation. My Administration has made preparedness a top priority, and we are working every day to ensure our country stands ready to respond to any disaster or emergency -- from wildfires and hurricanes, to terrorist attacks and pandemic disease. Our goal is to ensure a more resilient Nation -- one in which individuals, communities, and our economy can adapt to changing conditions as well as withstand and rapidly recover from disruption due to emergencies.
During National Preparedness Month, we underscore the responsibility of individuals, families, and communities -- including the private and nonprofit sectors -- to do their part before an emergency. I urge all Americans to take time to prepare an emergency supply kit and a family emergency plan, and to educate themselves about potential disasters. I also ask Americans to work within their own communities to coordinate emergency preparedness efforts. All Americans share this responsibility, and we must all work together to safeguard the Nation from harm.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supports and promotes citizen education and grassroots preparedness efforts. FEMA's Ready Campaign provides simple and practical steps thatall Americans can take to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbors. Additionally, the Citizen Corps educates, trains, and coordinates volunteer activities that help make our communities safer and better prepared for emergencies. I encourage all Americans to learn more at www.ready.gov and www.citizencorps.gov.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2009 as National Preparedness Month. I call upon the people of the United States to recognize the importance of preparing for potential emergencies beforehand and to observethis month with appropriate preparedness activities, events, and training to enhance our national resilience.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Trying to Lose Weight? Be Thoughtful Post-Workout
By: Kara Ghiringhelli, Nutrition Education Specialist at MA Department of Public Health
There has been a buzz floating around recently about how exercise may cause you to gain weight. I’d like to take an opportunity to go against this buzz.
The fact of the matter is, yes, you can gain weight when you exercise, without question. When you exercise, you burn calories. This is what we want to do, right? But since you are burning calories, you come out of your workouts feeling hungry. It is what you do with that post-workout hunger that can cause you to gain weight.
For those who gain weight, most often it is due to eating more calories than what you burned during your workout. This often happens for one of three reasons:
- We are hungry and don’t have a planned post-workout snack or meal handy
- We worked out so hard today that we feel like we deserve those chocolate kisses
- We worked out. We can give ourselves permission to be ‘bad’ so even though I planned to eat my whole wheat crackers with lowfat cheese, I’m going to grab a Big Mac instead
Although I truly believe in rewarding yourself, you don’t want to ruin your progress by eating too much. And by all means, you shouldn’t avoid exercising because of this potential to gain weight. Exercise has far too many benefits to stop working out. And exercise does burn calories! It can be an excellent method for losing weight. My advice—consider you post-workout eating routines carefully and stick to them! In fact, start a journal of your exercise and eating routines. By writing things down, you are holding yourself accountable for what you are putting in your mouth. After all, who wants to write in their journal that after their 45-minute spin class they went across the street and got a chocolate donut?
Here are some tips to fuel up post-workout and avoid gaining weight:
1. Water, water, water. Hydrate yourself. You don’t need the extra calories that come with energy/sports drinks unless you are exercising for long extended periods of time. Most often the number of calories that are found in these drinks, end up being more calories than what you burned off in the first place.
2. Have a plan. By having a post-workout snack or meal planned out and prepared, you are more likely to not overeat or choose foods that may not be a healthy choice. After a good workout, your body is hungry, so be prepared.
3. Eat slowly. Enjoy your food after a nice workout. You deserve it! By taking your time, you avoid the tendency to overeat.
4. Choose foods that are well-rounded as these foods will keep you satisfied for a longer period of time. Choose foods that have carbohydrates, protein, and a little fat. Some suggestions include: ½ cup lowfat cottage cheese with carrot sticks, half of a turkey breast sandwich on whole wheat bread with mustard, spinach and tomato, or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter with apple slices.
Do you have any tips on how to avoid overeating after a good workout? We’d love to hear from you!
------
This post was originally published on the MA DPH blog, Commonwealth Conversations, and is reproduced here with their kind permission.
There has been a buzz floating around recently about how exercise may cause you to gain weight. I’d like to take an opportunity to go against this buzz.
The fact of the matter is, yes, you can gain weight when you exercise, without question. When you exercise, you burn calories. This is what we want to do, right? But since you are burning calories, you come out of your workouts feeling hungry. It is what you do with that post-workout hunger that can cause you to gain weight.
For those who gain weight, most often it is due to eating more calories than what you burned during your workout. This often happens for one of three reasons:
- We are hungry and don’t have a planned post-workout snack or meal handy
- We worked out so hard today that we feel like we deserve those chocolate kisses
- We worked out. We can give ourselves permission to be ‘bad’ so even though I planned to eat my whole wheat crackers with lowfat cheese, I’m going to grab a Big Mac instead
Although I truly believe in rewarding yourself, you don’t want to ruin your progress by eating too much. And by all means, you shouldn’t avoid exercising because of this potential to gain weight. Exercise has far too many benefits to stop working out. And exercise does burn calories! It can be an excellent method for losing weight. My advice—consider you post-workout eating routines carefully and stick to them! In fact, start a journal of your exercise and eating routines. By writing things down, you are holding yourself accountable for what you are putting in your mouth. After all, who wants to write in their journal that after their 45-minute spin class they went across the street and got a chocolate donut?
Here are some tips to fuel up post-workout and avoid gaining weight:
1. Water, water, water. Hydrate yourself. You don’t need the extra calories that come with energy/sports drinks unless you are exercising for long extended periods of time. Most often the number of calories that are found in these drinks, end up being more calories than what you burned off in the first place.
2. Have a plan. By having a post-workout snack or meal planned out and prepared, you are more likely to not overeat or choose foods that may not be a healthy choice. After a good workout, your body is hungry, so be prepared.
3. Eat slowly. Enjoy your food after a nice workout. You deserve it! By taking your time, you avoid the tendency to overeat.
4. Choose foods that are well-rounded as these foods will keep you satisfied for a longer period of time. Choose foods that have carbohydrates, protein, and a little fat. Some suggestions include: ½ cup lowfat cottage cheese with carrot sticks, half of a turkey breast sandwich on whole wheat bread with mustard, spinach and tomato, or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter with apple slices.
Do you have any tips on how to avoid overeating after a good workout? We’d love to hear from you!
------
This post was originally published on the MA DPH blog, Commonwealth Conversations, and is reproduced here with their kind permission.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
