Wellsteps.com is up and running!

You can now login to your Wellsteps account at www.wellsteps.com!
1.  Go to www.wellsteps.com/welcome
2.  Click register
3.  Enter your email address as your username
4.  Complete the registration, select next and it will take you directly to your Personal Health Behavior Risk Assessment!

Want to Boost your metabolism???

Here's a few ideas for you to try....
http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-boost-your-metabolism?ecd=wnl_din_012813&ctr=wnl-din-012813_ld-stry&mb=

8 habits for healthier living!

Being healthy doesn't have to be hard or take a lot of time. Intermountain Healthcare has come up with eight simple habits that can help you and your family live healthier:

1.       Always eat breakfast and make it healthy. Eating a healthy breakfast has many benefits including improved memory and better concentration.

2.       Eat more fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients that help you learn and grow.

3.       Limit – or eliminate – sweetened drinks. Americans' intake of sweetened drinks — especially soda and sports drinks — is linked with an unhealthy increase in our body weight.

4.       Watch less TV. Children age 3 and older should only have 1 to 2 hours a day of screen time, which means watching TV and videos, playing video or computer games and surfing the Internet.

5.       Increase your physical activity. Everyone needs regular physical activity. More physical activity means stronger muscles, less stress and easier weight management.

6.       Eat meals together as a family – sitting down. If you want to do well in school and stay away from things like cigarettes or drugs, make sure you eat regular meals with your parents.

7.       Be positive about food. The way you and your family think and talk about food and bodies can have a big impact on your health now — and in the future.

8.       Don’t criticize about weight. Some studies suggest a link between excess weight in childhood and parental concern about the child's weight status. Unhealthy behavior is also linked to parental weight concern.

2013!!!!

Christmas is over,

and it's time to focus on the new year!

2.0.1.3.

Some people really don't like making new year's resolutions,

but I can think of no better time than to

better yourself and increase your

wellness

than at the start of the new year!

Here are a few good ideas to help you get started:

 

{personal favorite}

 

 

 

 

 

 Hopefully some of these gets your idea-mill running

so you can come up with something you would like to improve in your life!

Good luck &

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

 {all images/ideas via pinterest}

Need some ideas for Christmas brunch???

This link has a bunch of great ideas for you to try this year!

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/make_ahead_brunch_recipes?sssdmh=dm17.637602&utm_source=EWTWNL&esrc=nwewtw121812_control

Mall Walkers

We, at the Healthy Lifestyles program, had the opportunity

to volunteer to keep an eye on the gingerbread houses

at the Christmas Gift Expo 

{held at the old Nordstrom @ the University Mall}

While we were waiting to go in

we couldn't believe how many people 

were walking the perimeter of the inside of the mall for exercise.

 

If you need to switch up your exercise routine,

try hitting the mall before it opens

and join the rest of the crowd of exercisers!

What a fun way to get in some fitness!!

A Friday Funny...

Here is a Christmas video to 

give you a giggle!

It may be winter..but...

Even though it's cold outside,

it doesn't mean you can't have a fruit smoothie!

Smoothies are a yummy way to get fruit servings in for the day!

Here are some delicious smoothie recipes:

Ingredients:

3/4 c. soy milk

1/4 c. rolled oats (makes it more thick)

8 strawberries

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 banana

1 tsp. honey

Place soy milk, oats, strawberries, and banana in your blender & blend.  Add the honey & vanilla extract and blend for 30 seconds or until smooth. 

(yields 12 oz., 284 calories per serving, 5g fat)
source

Ingredients:

1 c. fresh strawberries

1 banana

1 c. non-fat yogurt

1 packet sugar/or sugar substitute

1 c. ice

Blend until creamy & delicious...which won't take long!

(yields 20 oz., 291 calories, 0g fat)

source  

 

Ingredients:

1 c. frozen blueberries

1/4 c. frozen whole cranberries

1/2 c. vanilla nonfat yogurt

1/2 c. cranberry juice

Place the cranberry juice in the blender first, yogurt second and frozen fruits last. Start on a slow speed until the blades are smoothly turning and then push to high for 30 seconds or so.

(yields 16 oz., 260 calories, 1g. fat)

   Ingredients:

1 c. low-fat raspberry yogurt

1/2 c. whole milk

1 c. frozen raspberries

3/4 c. frozen strawberries

2 c. ice

(yields 2 servings @ 16 oz. each, 294 calories per serving, 3.2 g. fat)  

 source

Ingredients:

1 c. frozen blueberries

1 banana

6 oz. plain nonfat yogurt

1 tbsp. ground flax seeds 

1/2 c. ice cubes 

(yields 2 servings @ 14 oz. each, 195 calories per serving, 23 g. fat)

source 

Ingredients:

1 c. strawberries

1/4 c. water

4 ice cubes

1 tbsp. honey

(this is a non dairy recipe)

(yields 12 oz, 110 calories, 4 g. fat)

4 Secrets to Kick the Cold

Runny nose?

Clogged sinuses?

Sneezing?

Coughing?

Sore Throat?

All of the above?

Here are some tips to help you stay healthy or to help you get through your December cold:

1. Go Outside: 

staying inside puts you in close contact with other people and other germs circulating.  Going for a stroll can boost your immunity.

2. Relax:

Relaxing helps you fight off colds.  It helps your body produce disease fighting cells.

Plus, when you are more relaxed you are more likely to take care of yourself.

3. Clean those hands:

Washing hands is the best way to prevent getting sick!

Wash your hands for 20 seconds or more with soap under warm water.

4. Get your sleep!

Don't cheat your body from getting the rest it needs. 6-8 hours of sleep is much needed!

5. Vitamin C!!

Drink your O.J.!

source

Why exercise?

Here are links to two very interesting articles about the benefits of exercise. They include benefits not normally discussed. Did you know that exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain in terms of mood, memory, and learning? It's true! Take a look!

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/the-benefits-of-middle-age-fitness/

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/slideshows/7-mind-blowing-benefits-of-exercise