A UTK Roadmap to Wellness

There are many wellness opportunities across campus for employees to take advantage of, so Be Well has created a guide to help employees find them a little easier. The guide showcases programs and resources using the eight dimensions of wellness. Be Well was able to craft this new graphic with the help from campus partners, but equally as important, individual employees sharing their insights with us!

If you know of other wellness activities or resources on campus for UT employees based in Knoxville, we want to hear from you! Email bewell@utk.edu if you know of an opportunity aligned with one of the eight dimensions of wellness available for UTK employees.

Click on the image below for an enlarged version.

Wellness Champions

Be Well is still actively seeking applicants for the new wellness champion program. If you have previous participated as champion for your department, we would like to thank you and encourage you to apply for our new and improved program. Be Well is seeking individuals committed to creating a culture within their respective departments that supports wellness. Champions will work one-on-one with employee wellness coordinator, Danielle Bohn, to complete the healthy department certification and identify areas of opportunity unique to the department.

Wellness champions are asked to be able to provide at least 2 hours per month working on wellness initiatives. This may include sharing Be Well communications with colleagues, creating space in a staff meeting to talk about wellness, environmental changes, coordinating team wellness activities, etc.

We cannot do this work without the help of champions leading the way. If you are interested in learning more and applying to be a wellness champion, click below.

Apply!

Upcoming Events

February 6 - Employee Fitness Class [Yoga]
February 11 - Employee Fitness Class [Killer Core]
February 17 - Couch to 5k Kickoff
February 19 - It's Quittin' Time in Tennessee
February 20 - Employee Fitness Class [Yoga]
Februrary 20 - Healthy Cooking Class
February 25 - Employee Fitness Class [Zumba]
February 26 - Employee Fitness Class [Lunchtime Stretching]

Move More

Join the University of Tennessee team at this year’s Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon races. UTK employees can receive 40% off of race registration for the 5k, relay, half marathon, and marathon distances. The next price increase is Saturday, February 14^th, so there are only a few days left to receive this tier’s pricing. Use the code “UTK2020” at checkout to join the team!

To help employees get started, Be Well is launching a 6 week couch to 5k training plan beginning on Monday, February 17 ^th. A closed Facebook group has been created on Be Well’s Facebook page(@BeWellUTK), which serves to connect employees who are participating in the races to schedule meet-ups, talk about training, and share progress.

Team UT will receive 1 point for every mile walked/run on race day. We also receive points for volunteers that choose to assist with the weekend’s festivities. After the races are over, our team’s score will be tallied up and we will compete against other corporations and organizations. The team with the most points will earn the title, “The Fittest Company”.

Join the team, here.

Eat Well

Be Well and UT Medical have partnered to bring cooking demonstrations to campus! Time is a large barrier for many individuals when it comes to healthy eating, so these demonstrations focus primarily on fast and easy ways to have nutritious meals and snacks.

In January, employees learned how to make healthy homemade granola two ways for an easy breakfast or snack on the go. Weren't able to join us? Recipes are posted on our website!

Be Well has two more cooking demonstrations lined up for the remainder of the semester alternating between our healthy cooking series with the UT Culinary Institute. Be Well pays for UT employees to participate in cooking classes and demonstrations, therefore spaces are limited. Classes fill up quickly and employees are encouraged to sign-up as soon as registration opens.

Save the date for our spring line-up of classes:

February 20 - Super Souts w/ Gluten Free Artisan Dinner Rolls
March 10 - Instant Pot Cuisine
March 24 - Cooking Demonstration
April 30 - Rise & Shine
May 12 - Cooking Demonstration

Be Mindful

Last month Active Health kicked off the Stress Management Series by discussing how to maintain a healthy body with a healthy mind. To do this, we emphasize the "Mind over matter" philosophy. A healthy mind and body is all about positive thinking and setting small goals that you can easily add to your daily life. Some beneficial changes worth implementing include:

Breaks for mindfulness (meditation, breathing, prayer)
Being active
Eating healthy
Sleeping well (at least 6-8 hours daily)
Practicing gratitude
Most importantly, do not be so hard on yourself and simply try your best!

Active Health will be back on campus Tuesday, February 18th to talk about resilience and the importance of being able to bounce back after stressful situtations. Brown bag lunch and learns are free for UT employees, but registration is encouraged. All sessions are from 12pm-1pm and locations can be found on Be Well's website.

February 18th:

Resilience: Bouncing Back

How well do you bounce back after a stressful situation? We will discover ways to build your inner strength and resiliency to help you adapt to change without feeling overwhelmed.

March 19th:

Work, Life and You

Feeling overwhelmed by everything life throws your way? Unsure how to balance it all? We get it. Let's take a closer look at how you can organize your time, prioritize what's important, and take control of your life.

April 7th:

Mental Wellness

We can eat healthy, exercise, and be tobacco-free, but still suffer from poor emotional wellness. Learn tips to better cope with stress, deal with anxiety, and improve your overall mental wellness.

May 5th:

Relaxation Techniques

Put your stressors in perspective. Learn quick, easy, and practical methods to relieve your stress.

Wellness Warrior

The Wellness Warrior Award is given to individuals across campus who are nominated by their peers for leading by example and inspiring through action as they work to create a healthier lifestyle.

The Wellness Warrior for February is awarded to Stephanie Langley, the Assitant Director of First Year Studies. Stephanie exemplifies what it means to be a wellness warrior with the bravery and vulnerability she demonstrated by sharing her story with us.

When we asked Stephanie what inspires her to make healthier choices and live a healthy lifestyle, she shared these couragous words with us:

"I’m in the best shape of my life. I work out daily, have completed a 10K and several 5Ks, and am an avid hiker. I like to hike long distances- to really be with the mountains and get an excellent workout as well. I have been a vegetarian all of my adult life, I have a lovely organic garden, and there’s nothing I like to talk about more than food. I am content and striving.

But, if you would have looked at my life 10 years ago, you would have seen a different version of me. I was not a wellness warrior. I was a cigarette smoker who abused prescription medication and I was really just kind of a mess. I’ve always gardened and I’ve always preferred whole foods but, other than that I did NOT put my wellness first. I know people who still live that way- who did not get out from under the heavy weight of an addiction (or two). I also know other warriors who, like myself, left all that garbage in the rear view.

There is no glorious moment when the clouds opened up and I changed my lifestyle. I did it step by step: eradicating bad habits and introducing better ones. Following my bliss: first walking then running, hiking, breathing and most importantly telling myself the truth. Putting myself first. Being patient. Being frustrated. Just being. And now, being honest."

Congratulations Stephanie, and thank you for being a model of health and wellness on UT's Campus.

Do you know someone who you feel is deserving of the Wellness Warrior award? Please fill out a nomination form to have their story told.

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