Make Your New Year's Resolutions Come True with Help from EH&W Services

Team-Strength
How many times have you made a resolution for the New Year — only to lose your motivation, your interest or your commitment as time goes by? The charts below, from www.statisticbrain.com, shows data from 2015 that shed some light on the tradition of New Year’s resolutions:
ny-resolutions-stats
ny-resolutions-lengthWhy go it alone? Employee Health and Wellness Services is ready to help team members realize two of  the most common — and the most challenging — resolutions for 2017.  Success in either one will go a long way in improving your health, energy level and self-esteem.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION #1: WAIST MANAGEMENT
Put on a few pounds over the holidays? Want to look great in a bathing suit this summer? Just want to get healthy and feel better? EH&W staff are here to help with a weight loss program — WAIST MANAGEMENT — beginning January 9, 2017. Goals for participants are: 1) lose 10 percent of their body weight; and 2) reduce the size of their waist

  • The program is based on working with groups of 8-12 people.
    • EH&W will provide onsite support for any location that has a group. Locations can combine to meet this requirement. For example: DIC and Cancer Center, or Queenstown Emergency Center and Medical Pavilion. (We will help you find a group if you like.)
    • Individual participants are welcome but will need to come to hospital locations for meetings, etc.
    • Session: 12 weeks (January 9- March 5)
      • First week group session – Weigh in and waist measurement, set individual goals and get hand outs
      • Weekly weigh in — EH&W staff will go to each site weekly for weigh in and short meeting with participants (weekly weight can be sent in via email but at least once a month, weight and waist measurement must be recorded by EH&W staff)
      • Education sessions will be held monthly at each location.
      • “Waist Management” participants can email questions to EH&W and receive answers in two business days.
      • Participants can have their favorite recipe reviewed by a dietitian for calorie count, etc., and suggestions on how to alter it for improved health benefit.
  • At the end of the program there will be recognition for:
    • Winning Team: Based on greatest percentage of body weight lost
    • Individual Winner: Greatest pecentage of body weight lost.
    • Individual Winner: Greatest reduction in waist measurement

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION #2: QUIT SMOKING
Have you thought about giving up cigarettes, or even tried, but not had success? A group
effort might be just what you need! There are many reasons to quit smoking, but here are the most obvious ones:

  • Improving your health
  • Saving money (If you smoke one pack a day at $6 a pack or more, it costs you at least $2,190 each year)
  • Convenience and stress reduction – No more running outside for smoke breaks, no more pressure from friends and family!

Are You Ready to Quit? This quick quiz will help you decide:
1. Do you want to quit smoking for yourself? __ Yes __No
2. Is quitting smoking a number one priority for you? __ Yes __No
3. Have you tried to quit smoking before? __ Yes __No
4. Do you believe smoking is dangerous to your health? __ Yes __No
5. Are you committed to trying to quit even though it may be tough at first? __ Yes __No
6. Are your family, friends and co-workers willing to help you quit smoking? __ Yes __No
7. Besides health reasons, do you have personal reasons for quitting smoking?  __ Yes __No
8. Will you be patient with yourself and keep trying if you slip or backslide?  __ Yes __No
If you answered yes to five or more of the questions above, you are ready to quit!
ny-resolutions-top-tenRepresentatives from local county health departments will be conducting introductory sessions for Smoking Cessation programs at the following dates and times:
Kent County Health Department (Mary Jo Carpenter): SMC at Chestertown Education Room Tuesday, January 10, 1 p.m.,
Talbot County Health Department (Sandy Bradley):  SMC at Easton HEC C/D, Wednesday,  January 11, 1 p.m.
Dorchester County Health Department (Julie Jones): SMC at Dorchester Boardroom, Thursday, January 12, 1 p.m.
 
HOW TO REGISTER FOR BOTH PROGRAMS:  Flyers and a registration form will be posted on Wavelength (the intranet) as of Tuesday, December 27. If you have questions, feel free to contact Nancy Bedell, 410-822-1000, ext. 5144 or 410-829-7193, nancy.bedell@umm.edu.