Week #11: Your Power Hour for Advanced Food Prep

 

Sometimes it seems like healthy eating is great and all but who has the time? 

"Sure, it would be awesome if I could reach into my bag and pull out a healthy snack on the go! And when the elves who also clean my house while I sleep and fold all of my laundry get around to putting said snacks into said bag, I will definitely be all over that."

Sound like you? Well guess what, you DO have the time. You know how long it takes to get snacks and lunches ready for the next week? About as long as it takes to look at your friend's cousin's wedding pictures on Facebook. Uh huh. Busted.

Now look - this is what I call my Power Hour: the 60 minutes or so I spend on the weekend chopping fruit and veggies, putting oatmeal into little bags, counting out almonds, and generally getting my you-know-what together because come Monday morning, everything gets started whether I am ready or not. The Power Hour makes sure that 3:30 on Thursday is just as healthy as 7:00 on Monday. 

Yes, this takes organization and work. But once you get a little routine going, it takes less of that. And, even if it didn't get easier, you're worth the trouble.  Take a look and think about whether any of these elements could be incorporated into your week. Ask yourself which day you may have an hour to prepare food, and what you would need during the week to stay organized. Your plan may not look like this, and that's okay. The important thing is that you enter the week feeling organized, and it feeling victorious!


Here's just a sample of what your Power Hour could look like this weekend:

• Put a boneless turkey breast or chicken in the oven to bake (350 degrees for about an hour, depending on what you're using). Then…

• Prep five egg scrambles and put them in with the turkey. They need to bake for 40 minutes. Then...

• Put a pot of whole wheat pasta or brown rice on the stove for lunches or dinner later in the week. 

• If you're making a salad that requires baked apples (like this one), chop 'em up! Then...

• Chop bell peppers, pears, and peaches, peel oranges, slice strawberries, chop carrots, etc. and put them in containers for snacks later in the week. Then…

• Portion almonds (16 is about 100 calories) and raisins in baggies for on-the-go snacks. Then…

• Portion oatmeal and raisins in baggies for breakfast each day. Then…

• Line up containers for salads, and put three handfuls of spinach in each one. Add a snack-size baggie of with feta cheese and chopped fruit to each one to add to your salad (keeping the salad ingredients separate prevents the salad from getting mushy). I use strawberries for my Change Your Life salad and baked apples for my Fall Harvest Salad.

• Take out the egg scrambles and stash them in the fridge for breakfast each day. Then…

• Take out the turkey, slice it up, and portion it where it needs to go (salads, in a container for pasta later in the week, or in a pot of soup).

• Store it all in the fridge to create your own little grocery store at home!

Reaching for something healthy is as easy as making sure it is there for you when you're ready. This hour is packed, but worth it. At the end, you'll have breakfast, lunch, and snacks (and maybe even the makings of some dinner if you also boil some pasta and make a pot of rice!) ready to go. 

I'm feeling healthier already.

Other Important News

April 26 is Final Assessments

By now you have received an email from me with a link to SignupGenius.com to sign up for a time to do your final assessments. Many of you have already signed up - thank you! - but there are still some spots left so if you haven't done it, click here to reserve your spot. You do not have to be with your team to do your final measurements. Do please wear loose-fitting clothing just as you did at the Fitness Festival since we will be repeating all of the same measurements that were done in January.

These assessments will be at the FSU Health and Wellness Center located on the FSU campus. Directions have been sent to you via email, and will be sent again. 

With questions about this process, don't hesitate to ask in a comment below! 

Free Zumba Classes to WellQuesters

To make the On Your Own Zone a little easier, two generous opportunities are available: free Zumba classes for the month of April! Here are the details.

ZumbaJunkie Zumba Classes (Sue Tucker & friends)

@ Forest Meadows (2^nd floor)

·         4750 North Meridian Road Tallahassee FL

·         850-891-3920

• Monday 9-10am
• Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 6-7pm
• Saturdays: 9-10am
• Sundays: 1-2:30pm

For more ZumbaJunkies info: www.facebook.com/groups/43702309150/

Zumba Twerk Out (Brandy Anderson White)

@ Studio D (Next to the Indian Restaurant and behind Olive Garden)

1105 Apalachee Pkwy

850. 224.0076

• Wednesdays: 6:30-7:30p

Just let them know you are in the WellQuest Competition at the door and they’ll waive the fee.

May 1, 5:30 pm: WellQuest Challenge FINALE! We will celebrate everyone's success and announce the challenge winners at First Commerce Credit Union. This is a really fun event with lots of door prizes so bring your whole office! Here's where you can RSVP for the finale on the Working Well Facebook page.

We are proud of you - keep up the great work and have a super week!

Week #9: Even Healthy Food Has Calories!

Welcome to Week 9! Only three weeks remain in the WellQuest Challenge, and I hope you are really seeing some changes in the way you live, work, eat, and play. 

This week our focus is on the pesky details of weight loss: calories. When it seems like you're doing everything right but the scale isn't budging, it might be time to get out a different scale: the food scale! Weighing portions may seem extreme, but doing it for a day or two can be a real eye-opener. Even healthy food has calories, and the video below demonstrates just what can happen when we assume something is unlimited because it is healthy.

Other Important News

April 26 is Final Assessments

By now you have received an email from me with a link to SignupGenius.com to sign up for a time to do your final assessments. Many of you have already signed up - thank you! - but there are still some spots left so if you haven't done it, click here to reserve your spot. You do not have to be with your team to do your final measurements. Do please wear loose-fitting clothing just as you did at the Fitness Festival since we will be repeating all of the same measurements that were done in January.

These assessments will be at the FSU Health and Wellness Center located on the FSU campus. Directions have been sent to you via email, and will be sent again. 

With questions about this process, don't hesitate to ask in a comment below!

Free Zumba Classes to WellQuesters

To make the On Your Own Zone a little easier, two generous opportunities are available: free Zumba classes for the month of April! Here are the details.

ZumbaJunkie Zumba Classes (Sue Tucker & friends)

@ Forest Meadows (2^nd floor)

·         4750 North Meridian Road Tallahassee FL

·         850-891-3920

• Monday 9-10am
• Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 6-7pm
• Saturdays: 9-10am
• Sundays: 1-2:30pm

For more ZumbaJunkies info: www.facebook.com/groups/43702309150/

Zumba Twerk Out (Brandy Anderson White)

@ Studio D (Next to the Indian Restaurant and behind Olive Garden)

1105 Apalachee Pkwy

850. 224.0076

• Wednesdays: 6:30-7:30p

Just let them know you are in the WellQuest Competition at the door and they’ll waive the fee.

May 1, 5:30 pm: WellQuest Challenge FINALE! We will celebrate everyone's success and announce the challenge winners at First Commerce Credit Union. This is a really fun event with lots of door prizes so bring your whole office!

We are proud of you - keep up the great work and have a super week!

Week 8: Good, Fast, and Cheap

Hi there WellQuesters! We are in Week #8 of the WellQuest Challenge, which means your time with your trainers is up. The On Your Own Zone began on Monday, so you are now on your own for the next 30 days. You have learned a lot and are ready! And to help you get there mentally, this Wellness Wisdom is for you! Its all about resisting the temptation to take short cuts to fitness.

A few other reminders:
Springtime Tallahassee Race is This Saturday!
Are you planning to run or walk the Springtime Tallahassee 5k or 10k? I will be there! I'd love to see you; leave a comment or email me and let me know if your team is participating so we can cheer you on!

Here's where you can get all the details: Springtime Tallahassee Info and Registration

10k Course Map

5k Course Map

Get Your Nutrition Questions Answered
WellQuest is pleased to offer our second educational opportunity: Nutrition FAQ. You have questions, and Shannon Moore of F.U.E.L. Nutrition has answers. Email your nutrition questions (anything goes!) to heather (at) wellnesswithoutpity (dot) com OR leave them in a comment below by Monday, March 31. No question is too basic or complicated...bring 'em on! 

Free Zumba Classes to WellQuesters
To make the On Your Own Zone a little easier, two generous opportunities are available: free Zumba classes for the month of April! Here are the details.

ZumbaJunkie Zumba Classes (Sue Tucker & friends)

@ Forest Meadows (2^nd floor)

·         4750 North Meridian Road Tallahassee FL

·         850-891-3920

• Monday 9-10am
• Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 6-7pm
• Saturdays: 9-10am
• Sundays: 1-2:30pm

For more ZumbaJunkies info: www.facebook.com/groups/43702309150/

Zumba Twerk Out (Brandy Anderson White)

@ Studio D (Next to the Indian Restaurant and behind Olive Garden)

1105 Apalachee Pkwy

850. 224.0076

• Wednesdays: 6:30-7:30p

Just let them know you are in the WellQuest Competition at the door and they’ll waive the fee.

Important Dates

April 26: Last day of the WellQuest Challenge and post-measurements are taken. This will take place at the FSU Health and Wellness Center and a sign-up sheet will be sent soon. You will be able to select a time individually, so it is not necessary for your entire team to be together for this event.

May 1, 5:30 pm: WellQuest Challenge FINALE! We will celebrate everyone's success and announce the challenge winners at First Commerce Credit Union. This is a really fun event with lots of door prizes so bring your whole office!

We are proud of you - keep up the great work and have a super week!

Week #7: Bust Through That Plateau!

Every journey has a pit stop or two, and weight loss is no different! Once we've been traveling along our healthy path, eventually we hit that dreaded weight loss plateau: where no matter what we do, we can't seem to budge the scale, make progress, or get our groove back.

It happens to be best of us. Don't panic. Here are a few ideas for getting the engine running again and off the bumpy detour. 

Get Your Nutrition Questions Answered
WellQuest is pleased to offer our second educational opportunity: Nutrition FAQ. You have questions, and Shannon Moore of F.U.E.L. Nutrition has answers. Email your nutrition questions (anything goes!) to heather (at) wellnesswithoutpity (dot) com OR leave them in a comment below by Monday, March 24. No question is too basic or complicated...bring 'em on! 

The On Your Own Zone Begins March 24
Soak up all of your personal training love - this is the last week of free training! Starting Monday, March 24, all WellQuest teams are in the On Your Own Zone. You may continue to work out at your assigned gym as a member, or choose to work out somewhere else. But the goal of the On Your Own Zone is to take what you have established and apply it to your day-to-day life. You're ready! You can do this!

To make it a little easier, however, two generous opportunities are available: free Zumba classes for the month of April! Here are the details.

ZumbaJunkie Zumba Classes (Sue Tucker & friends)

@ Forest Meadows (2^nd floor)

·         4750 North Meridian Road Tallahassee FL

·         850-891-3920

• Monday 9-10am
• Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 6-7pm
• Saturdays: 9-10am
• Sundays: 1-2:30pm

For more ZumbaJunkies info: www.facebook.com/groups/43702309150/

Zumba Twerk Out (Brandy Anderson White)

@ Studio D (Next to the Indian Restaurant and behind Olive Garden)

1105 Apalachee Pkwy

850. 224.0076

• Wednesdays: 6:30-7:30p

Just let them know you are in the WellQuest Competition at the door and they’ll waive the fee.


You can do it! Stay active, get organized, and remember - Tallahassee is alive with fitness. You just have to show up and jump in!

Springtime Tallahassee Race is March 29
Are you planning to run or walk the Springtime Tallahassee 5k or 10k? I will be there! I'd love to see you; leave a comment or email me and let me know if your team is participating so we can cheer you on!

Here's where you can get all the details: Springtime Tallahassee Info and Registration

10k Course Map

5k Course Map

Important Dates

March 24: The "On Your Own Zone" begins. This means you may no longer receive free membership or personal training from your gym. However, you may choose to join your gym or hire your trainer. If you do decide to purchase a gym membership, we encourage you to patronize the gym that has been training you for 60 days!

April 26: Last day of the WellQuest Challenge and post-measurements are taken. This will take place at the FSU Health and Wellness Center and your appointments will be sent soon.

May 1, 5:30 pm: WellQuest Challenge FINALE! We will celebrate everyone's success and announce the challenge winners at First Commerce Credit Union. This is a really fun event with lots of door prizes so bring your whole office!

We are proud of you - keep up the great work and have a super week!

Week #6: Healthy Vacation Tips (and FREE Zumba!)

Hi WellQuesters! Welcome to Week 6 of the WellQuest Challenge, and a beautiful week in Tallahassee. We hope you are spending it outdoors being active when you can!

Spring break is around the corner, and that might mean that you're about to hit the road for vacation. Or, you may have business travel coming up and be wondering how you're going to stay healthy when you're traveling. Relax - this week's Wellness Wisdom is all about staying healthy even on vacation! Enjoy!

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WellQuest Challenge Updates

Workouts with Stephanie and DJ

Thank you to Team Too High BMI and the Coronary Cuties for letting Stephanie crash your workout! We hope you had a lot of fun. Remember to take pictures of your progress along the way and share your success stories. We are proud of you!

Education Night

Thanks to everyone who came out last week for our Motivation in a Minute event. We are so pleased that you went home with new energy and awareness of how to tap into your personal motivators. Thanks for coming out after a long day!

Our next education focus will be on nutrition, and it will be presented online. But before we can prepare it, we need to hear from you! If you had a personal nutritionist sitting with you for an hour, what would you ask? Ask your questions in a comment below or by emailing heather (at) wellnesswithoutpity (dot) com and they will be answered in a custom format just for WellQuest participants. No question is too simple or complex - bring 'em on!

On Your Own Zone

Starting March 26, WellQuest teams will reach the On Your Own Zone. What is this mysterious place? It's simple - the On Your Own Zone is the time when you can no longer receive free membership or personal training from your gym, and must go ON YOUR OWN. You can purchase membership from your gym, workout at home, or hire your own personal trainer. The point is to take the lessons and skills you have learned over the previous 60 days and apply them to your real life. You'll be ready, and you can do it!

To make the On Your Own Zone a little easier, two generous donations have been made to WellQuest teams - FREE Zumba classes! We will be sharing more about this in next week's update, so stay tuned!

As always, keep us posted. We're cheering you on, and we are here for your questions, support, and feedback. Keep up the great work!

Week #5: Moving Through Change

Hi WellQuesters! Its already week five of the WellQuest Challenge. You are almost halfway through already! By now, you have hopefully created a healthy new routine and are moving into the next level of your workouts.

For those of you who are scheduling Workouts with Stephanie, I hope you have a great time! Be on the lookout for an email from her to schedule a workout. We're looking forward to seeing your hard work in person. Have lots of fun together as a team, and take pictures! You are doing something great!

This week's message is about moving through change, and it includes some ideas for ways you can say goodbye to an old, unhealthy version of yourself and support the new habits you have created. I hope it helps you stay well this week!

Education Night: MOTIVATION
We're looking forward to seeing you Tuesday, March 4 at 5:30 for our first educational program on Motivation. Learn how to find, keep, and use motivation to get the most out of your fitness goals.

We will meet in the TMH Auditorium from 5:30 - 7:00. Bring a healthy dinner with you! Here are directions to the auditorium:

1. Park in the main garage (entrance off of Centerville Road) and note the $1.00 parking fee.

2. Enter via the Atrium (Level G). You'll know you're in the right spot when you see the manatee fountain.

3. Enter the doorways that say "Hospital Entrance" right by the coffee shop.

4. Follow the hallway around to the B Elevators and go to the 1st Floor. Or, be super healthy and take the stairs!

5. Coming off the elevators make a left (right if you took the stairs), and the auditorium is on your left, near the Chapel. 

Please RSVP with a comment in this blog post or by email to heather (at) wellnesswithoutpity (dot) com to reserve your place and so we can ensure enough handouts.

Have a healthy day!

Week 4: The Three Ds That Make the Difference

Hi WellQuesters! We're already in week 4 of the WellQuest Challenge! Last week we talked a bit about creating wellness visions. Today's focus is on what I call the Three Ds that Make a Difference. Watch and find out if you've got what it takes to see your goals turn into reality.

 

Coming Up: MOTIVATION!

We're looking forward to announcing a date and location for our first education event! We will be tackling that slippery topic of MOTIVATION: how to keep going when it seems impossible, how to power through temptation on the weekends, and how to set goals that are achievable, empowering, and most important, accomplished! Stay tuned for a date and location later this week to mark your calendars.

Let Us Crash Your Workout!

Speaking of motivation, nothing makes you work a little harder than having a partner, right? Previous WellQuest competitor and WellQuest Committee member Stephanie Beckingham recently reached out to you about a date and time when she can come and work out with you. If you haven't met Stephanie, you are in for a treat. Reply to her email or leave a comment in this post to arrange the best time for her to come and see first-hand the hard work you've been doing!

We're Proud of You!

You're working hard, and we are proud. Keep it up, and as always let us know how we can help.

Have a healthy week! 

Week #3: Creating a Wellness Vision

Hi WellQuesters! It's Week #3 of the WellQuest Challenge and I hope it is going well so far. This week's Wellness Wisdom is about creating a wellness vision for yourself. A vision is an important part of overall wellness because it describes how we want our life to be, not just our fitness goals. When we include fitness as part of a healthy life vision, we can better balance our lives, which helps makes fitness goals easier to manage! Its a wonderful cycle that yields great rewards!

Creating a Wellness Vision
 

I hope you are able to get past the funny look on my face and enjoy this video message, and that your week is better as a result!

If you're looking for something active to do this weekend, check out these upcoming 5k races, and visit www.FitTallahassee.com for a full calendar of fitness events in town.

1st Annual 2LT Justin Sisson 5k - February 22 at Landis Green
Book It 5k - February 23 at Wescott Fountain

As always, please let me know how your WellQuest experience is going! I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Healthy Heather

Welcome to WellQuest 2014!

Welcome to the WellQuest Challenge! This is the site where we will house all of the challenge updates, and where you'll come for weekly Wellness Wisdom updates. We hope you'll use the site frequently and enjoy it. First a few answers to some frequently asked questions!

Q: When do we get our first massage?
A: Body Wisdom is offering 20% off of massage therapy for WellQuest Challenge teams. To schedule a massage, contact Body Wisdom at 850-224-BODY and tell them you are a WellQuest team member to receive 20% off the usual fee of $70.

Q: How do we get wellness coaching? 

A: To take advantage of the wellness coaching benefit of WellQuest, all you have to do is check your email! You should have started receiving the Daily Dose message each morning, and I'll be sending weekly Wellness Wisdom messages that will include videos and more to motivate, educate, and hopefully inspire you to implement holistically healthy behaviors into your day. Leave  comment on this post to let us know what topics you would like to see covered.

Q: When do we meet with our nutritional counselor/dietician? 

A: We have offered nutritional guidance in past years, but we do not have a nutritional partner this year. Ask at your gym for guidance with nutrition choices to best meet your goals, check out MyFitnessPal for an easy way to track meals, and attend one of the WellQuest Challenge education events, which will be scheduled soon.

And now, your Wellness Wisdom for the week: Creating Sustainable Change

Real change requires real change. But, sustainable change requires a little more than that! It begs for consistent progress, not perfection, as we work towards making new habits part of our daily lives. By traveling along a healthy path, stopping only occasionally to detour off course, we will one day turn and realize that what was once challenging is now easy, and what once seemed unattainable is now in our hands.

Here are just a few to create sustainable change one habit at a time. We're going to work on these and more over the next 90 days, so stay tuned!

Define and then imagine success. What your mother imagines for you may not be what you want in life. What your friend celebrates as a health goal may not be important to you. Define what success means for you: to lose weight? Compete in a fitness event? Live stress-free? Eat more healthfully? Then, start visualizing yourself at that goal.  When we can dream it, we begin to believe it, and then we can achieve it.

Take baby steps. Healthy bodies are not created overnight. They take time, care, and sometimes a lot of patience! Doing just one thing every day to be healthier than the day before can yield powerful results.

Focus on progress, not perfection. No one is perfect, nor should we be expected to be. But that doesn't mean we can't get a little closer to it every day. The goal of sustainable wellness is making a progress towards a healthier version of ourselves, not having "perfect" days or throwing in the towel because one meal goes awry or a workout gets missed. No, we will be working on making progress in a race with no finish line!

I am really looking forward to being your wellness coach for the next 90 days, and I welcome your feedback, questions, and suggestions. What do you want to learn about? How can I help? Leave a comment and I will respond. I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time, get out there and get healthy!