HealthyUT – February 2018
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.
Photo of Ingrid Ruffin, the Wellness Warrior for February
Ingrid’s inspiration to make healthy lifestyle choices stems from her passion to help others. As she encourages others to take care of themselves, she too has vowed to lead by example and do the same. Additionally, Ingrid’s motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle comes from her desire to make her role models, who are physically fit, proud. Ingrid’s weight loss journey not only taught her a valuable lesson about her body, but also, about herself. She learned that she could push herself to new boundaries and that wellness concerns one’s physical and mental health. Ingrid says that, “…cultivating an attitude of gratitude and spending time with people who energize and encourage you are just as important as moving and eating right.” Her progress has excited her for what lies ahead on her healthy lifestyle journey, and she hopes that others may be inspired to do the same.
Congratulations, Ingrid for your nomination and thank you for being such a motivating model of health and wellness.
Making the healthy choice is not always the easy choice. To nominate someone who you feel is deserving of the Wellness Warrior Award please fill out a nomination form.
Move More
Winter Walking
Don’t let the cold temperatures deter you from outdoor exercise! Walking outdoors can lower the risks of depression, high blood pressure and heart disease in addition to other health related problems. In order to stay motivated, find a buddy or group who would be willing to brave the cold with you. Other helpful tips to walking outside include:
- Bundle up! Scarves are not only fashion statements, they will keep your neck warm during the cold runs.
- Have a Plan B. Make sure to establish a backup plan if the weather becomes too cold, wet, icy or windy to walk outside. Indoor tracks and shopping malls are great alternatives. Don’t let the bad weather get you down!
- Throw on your favorite sun glasses before you hit the trail, or track. The winter sun can be just as unforgiving and dangerous as it is in the summer. In fact, overexposure to reflective light can lead to vision loss and other eye problems, such as glaucoma. And bonus, who doesn’t want to look cool and protect their eyes from the sun?
Upcoming Community Events:
- 2018 Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon, 1/2 Marathon, and 5k registration ends March 19. Register as part of the University of Tennessee team for a $10 Discount.
Source: ESMM Holiday Challenge
Eat Smarter
Drink More Water
Sweet tea, lemonade, and soda may taste great, but these high calorie beverages are far from healthy. Drinking water may be tough, but it is the best way to rid your body of toxins, lubricate and cushion your joints, regulate your body temperature, and more importantly, keep you hydrated! Keep a water bottle with you for quick and easy refills throughout the day. Also, if you get tired of drinking water au naturel, add in your favorite fruits or herbs, such as mint or basil, to shake things up a bit!
Recipe of the Month: One-Pan Mustard Salmon with Peppers and Green Beans
Source: ParTNers for Health
Be Mindful
Money on My Mind
At your regular health checkup, you may expect to hear and answer questions regarding your height, weight, cholesterol level, but do your physicians ask about your finances? Financial wellness requires the same attention as your physical and mental health. In order to make sure you are making the most of your deferred retirement plan, consider the following questions:
- How much monthly income will you need in retirement?
- Do you want assistance with your investments?
- Have you named or updated your beneficiary?
Contact the Retirement Services Office with questions at retirement@tennessee.edu, 865-946-8847 or 1-888-444-8847.
Source: RetireReadyTN
The HealthyUT Newsletter is a monthly publication where events, information, and resource to support healthy lifestyles will be shared with the UT Knoxville Community. It will serve as our communication with our campus community as we try to make the healthy choice the easy choice.
Be Well.