Burford Designs

Healthy Directions Winner

The Healthy Directions Committee Biggest Loser Challenge is now over.  When it began over three months ago there were thirty-three participants.  However, when the final weigh in days arrived just under half showed up to weigh (I think the final number was actually ten or twelve people).  Funny enough, most of those people probably shouldn’t have bothered weighing in (since a few had actually gained weight and a few others only lost a pound, which normally I would say is great, but not over a weight loss challenge that lasted three months!).

There were a few people that did exceptional but it was still amazing to see the leaps and bounds between percentages.  I found out the final weigh in number was eleven people who lost a total of ninety-two pounds.  And when everything was tallied up it was announced that I was the winner.  Yippee!  I am so happy. Now I have to figure out what I want to spend my winnings on at the sporting goods store.  I’m really thinking treadmill or elliptical machine, but I need to actually go to the store and try some things out.  I will probably have it by next week, whatever it may be.

Healthy Directions Finale

Has it been three months already?  Wow!  The Healthy Directions Committee at work (that I co-chaired) put together three spring challenges this year. 

 

The first went well with about 100 people participating.  That one was the 90 day health challenge where each participant received a 90 day calendar that had designated tasks to accomplish (like increase water intake… drink one 8 oz glass of water in the morning and evening to eliminate one bad food choice).  Throughout the three months I sent out little encouraging gifts like a food portion guide to show everyone what a single serving should look like and other items like that.

 

The second challenge was the nine week walking program that ended with several people participating in Bloomsday.  With the walking program, I sent out weekly emails to encourage the participants and each week a mini challenge was introduced.

 

The third challenge was our version of the Biggest Loser.  I can’t believe that there is only one week left until the final weigh in for those still competing.  I know several people who have dropped out but I hope that there are at least a few people who will stick it out until the end.

 

I’ll let you all know what happens.

Healthy Directions Update

Although this is more for me than for you, I figured it was about time for another Healthy Directions update.  For those not in the know, Healthy Directions is the program at my work that I am co-chairing.  It’s to help the employees make healthier choices and support them however we can.

 

One part that I am heading up is the walking program…it is an eight week program to get people moving and exercising.  With the recent weather (snow) and the weather this past winter (even more snow) it has been difficult to actually get out and walk.  I created this program to encourage everyone to at least make an effort to get out and walk/exercise and now that the weather is significantly nicer to really get moving.  I write and send an email every week as encouragement and put in different challenges and tips depending on the individual’s activity level.  We are just starting week seven and will be finishing up next week.  I choose the end date to coincide with Bloomsday, a 12k race held in Spokane and several members will be participating in the race having used the program as their training regimen.

There are two other programs that the Healthy Directions Committee is sponsoring, one of them is the biggest loser challenge and there are still five weeks left for that one.  Then there is the 90-day healthy directions challenge where the participants are giving guidelines and changes to make over a 90-day period.  Some of these changes include drinking one more glass of water a day or eliminating one bad food choice or eating a whole grain breakfast at least three times a week. 

 

I’ve been doing well with all three programs.  I haven’t weighed myself lately but plan on doing so later this week when Mommy comes down to the office.  (We weigh there because the committee has a really nice body analysis scale that measures weight, BMI, fat percentage, etc.)  It’ll be fun to see what’s changed in the past six weeks or so.

Healthy Directions Kick-Off

Today was the first day of the 90-day challenge for Healthy Directions at work.  The challenge is really pretty easy…it starts off slow and builds a foundation of adding healthy habits and eliminating bad ones.  The first week is mostly about adding more water to your daily intake…today I’ve had twelve eight ounce glasses and that’s great for me (and about what I need and really just a couple of glasses more than I normally have, unless I’m being really active).

 

It was also the official kick-off day and weigh-in for our weight loss challenge.  There were several people there for the weigh-in that weren’t originally signed up…for the most part it’s the more the merrier and it’s good for competition.  I just have a slight issue with men, especially younger ones, competing with women in a weight loss competition.  But with only four guys out of thirty-two participants then it wouldn’t go over well to have two separate competitions.

 

I would love to win, but I really just need something to motivate me to be healthier and work out.  Hopefully all of these programs will be exactly what I need.

 

Next week the walking program begins.  I still have to get things ready for that and we’ve had a lot of sign-ups and I have been getting more daily. 

 

It’s a start.

No Real Vengeance Here...Just Good Food

These past few weeks I haven’t been cooking as much as I would like.  I’ve been making healthy foods, when I’ve been in the kitchen, and I’ve been eating a lot of fresh raw foods – lots of fruits and veggies - yummy!  But I need to make more meals and be better prepared for all times of hunger.

 

I’ve been juicing some greens (mixed with apples to cut down the bitterness) as well as eating lots of leafy greens (I just love a nice GREEN salad…no iceberg lettuce in my fridge).  And I’ve been eating apples and bananas and making some smoothies (really just blended fruit) with some great frozen blueberries from a local grower and some of the fresh fruit I froze from what Mommy and I picked last summer (that I enticed you all with here and here).

 

So out came my trusted Vegan with a Vengeance book from Isa Chandra Moskowitz from the Post Punk Kitchen.  I still haven’t made anything from her newer book Veganomicon but I am really excited about her brunch book, aptly titled Vegan Brunch, coming out soon (May).

 

Here’s one meal I made out of it…Seitan-Portobella Stroganoff

 

And of course all mixed together with the noodles…this is great comfort food.

 

I’ve also made and eaten lots of soups like this mushroom and daikon one

 

And since Daddy is from the south I have to pay homage to his roots so I made some black-eyed pea fritters…lightly fried in a skillet to crisp and brown the outside then baked in the oven to cut down on the fat.

 

I hope to be cooking a lot more and creating some of my own recipes to share.

 

Happy eating.

Healthy Directions Programs

We had another meeting at work yesterday regarding the Healthy Directions Committee and what programs we want to implement.  I’ve been busily writing up different ideas and researching information about what I want to do.

We have two programs beginning on Monday, March 2^nd and one more starting Monday, March 9^th.  This coming Monday will be the re-launch of our”90 Days to Healthier You” program.  It’s just a check-list of items to do and think about over the 90 day period like drink X amount of water, increase your exercise by 10 minutes, eliminate one “bad” food choice, etc.  The participants get a Healthy Directions t-shirt after completing 30 days and a nicer Healthy Directions polo shirt after the 90 days.

The other program being launched on Monday is our own version of a biggest loser challenge.  Those signed up and involved in this will have three months to lose weight and get fit to try and win the prize.  The committee worked it out and decided that the winner will get the choice of either a one-year membership to our local health club or a gift certificate to the sporting goods store for the same amount. Which would be so cool and I’d love to win which should be a good motivator to work out more.  Last year the committee purchased a Body Analysis scale that gives you your weight, body fat count, BMI, and a few other things, so that’s what we’ll be using for the contest.

On the following Monday a walking program will begin, this is what I’m in charge of, that will last eight weeks.  I choose the start and end dates so that those who wanted to could participate in Bloomsday and have this time to be a training period for it.  The committee also designated some funds so that I could purchase pedometers for the first fifty people who signed up and they all get walking logs/journals to keep track of their progress.  The logs also have pages on eating right, stretching, etc. so it’s a handy little guide too.

There are so many little things to do to get all of this started so I have to run….

Healthy Directions

At work we have a program entitled "Healthy Directions" to help people make healthier decisions, to be there as support, to give tips and pointers to those involved, etc.  My boss it supposed to be in charge of it.  I guess it all started last spring with a bang and then started up again this fall (since a lot of teachers are involved there isn't a summer program) and it all seemed to fizzle.

My boss has a lot on her plate and this was one of those things that fell by the wayside.  Last week she asked if I would assist her in restarting the program and take over if she lets things go again...which basically means take it over and run with it.

There was supposed to be a meeting last week of all of the different school's Healthy Directions leaders but that didn't happen, then there was supposed to be one today, but they all canceled...so you can see the problem.

I'm still excited about this opportunity and have lots of ideas to implement, even without help.