Get Moving Get Healthy NJ Workforce is now a full year program!

I am very pleased to announce that our online program is now available for 52 weeks! Employers can sign up for the program and we will deliver a wellness focused newsletter to their employees each week. The wellness topics are varied to include information about stress, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, brain health, and lots of other topics. Employees love the messages and the Healthy on the Job Workplace Wellness Newsletter too. The newsletter is lively and informative, even a healthy family-friendly recipe is included.

Contact me to sign up for this free evidence-based informational series!

Water, water everywhere!

In recent conversations with employees I am hearing that more of them are drinking water in place of sugar-sweetened beverages while on the job. This is excellent news! It tells me that people are interested in improving their health and making behavior change. If you haven't made the switch yet consider this:

• one 10 oz. can of soda contains about 10 teaspoons/packets of sugar
• one 20 oz. bottle of soda contains about 16+ teaspoons/packets of sugar 

Would you add that much sugar to your cup of coffee or tea????

Make water your beverage of choice while on the job!

Holiday Parties

Do the food and snack options at holiday parties send you into a frenzy? Too many beautiful foods to taste? Limiting your food consumption during this time or year is difficult to say the least. Here are a few tips that might be useful as you taste your way through the season:

• Be sure to stick to your meal schedule as much as possible.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and prevent from becoming overly hungry.
• Enjoy the fresh fruit and veggies available at parties, and try to limit the amount of high-fat dips. Hummus is a good choice because it has protein. 
• Limit the amount of salty snacks, high-fat cheeses, and other foods. Opt for healthier choices.
• Talk to your friends and colleagues rather than making eating the main reason for the party.
• Take a few snacks then walk away from the food tables. The more time you spend standing near the food the more likely you are to continue eating the food available!
• Enjoy your food, just eat less of it.
• Check out the video recipe at the link below:Easy Hummus Snack Recipe

Resource videos for employers!

Be sure to check out the latest resource videos we had created for employers. The video series provides brief clips of information for employers as they move forward developing a wellness committee and design SMART goals for their organization. This video link is a Creating a Wellness Committee:

Small Steps to Health and Wealth!

It has been a very busy spring and summer for our worksite wellness program. We completed the Working Well in NJ Worksite Wellness Toolkit (funded by the NJ Department of Health), and additional employers have joined our network and requested technical assistance in an effort to create a culture of wellness in their organization. I am pleased to say that worksite wellness is very much on the minds of NJ employers!

In addition, Small Steps to Health and Wealth has been added to our online program for employees. Now we are able to offer a full year, 52-weeks of wellness messages filled with articles, evidence-based links, and the Healthy on the Job: Worksite Wellness Newsletter.

Check us out at Get Moving Get Healthy NJ Workforce

Healthy Herbs Info

In time for spring and summer programs, UNL Extension and Rutgers Cooperative Extension have prepared a (free) PowerPoint on planting and preparing foods with fresh herbs. Includes food / herb combos, garnish ideas and more!

Over 100 beautiful slides.

DOWNLOAD at http://food.unl.edu/web/fnh/fresh-herbs-powerpoint

Want a quick peek at all the slides, check this pdf of the entire PowerPoint, check here: http://bit.ly/ZUZxgr

The slides were created by Alice Henneman and Sarah Browning from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and Joanne Kinsey, Rutgers University. Check it out!

Don't do this!

It is easy to fall into the trap of serving the same foods and snacks at meetings. Serving high calorie pastries and muffins are not helping your organization's bottom line. These foods contain high amounts of sugar and fat, which will decrease your productivity and ultimately lead to higher health care costs. Here is a good example of what not to serve at your company meetings!