Words from Wellness | March 2022

Thank you to those that responded to the Wellness Survey! The winner of the raffle is:  Justin Kababik! 

The Wellness Committee is currently reviewing all of the responses to the 2022 Wellness Survey. We’ll be planning events and activities this year based upon the feedback received. Thanks to those who took the time to respond to the survey. If you have any additional input you’d like to provide, please reach out to Jessica Fasi.

It’d be great if we all could be good and excited to go for a jog, jump on a bike, or crank out a few kilometers on a rowing machine to get some solid cardio a few days each week. If you’re one of those people, that’s fantastic - take full advantage of that blessing and get out there and enjoy your workouts. For many others, it’s just not that easy to build up the motivation to get out there. I was in that boat, too. For most of my life, I loved playing sports and doing other fitness-oriented activities, but I had no interest in the drone of a cardio workout. As the years have gone by, my schedule and the restrictions of the pandemic have changed how accessible some sports are, and it has caused me to rethink how I have to handle my fitness. I’d like to share with you all some personal experiences and knowledge I’ve picked up over the years in the hopes that it may help some of you with your journeys. FIND YOUR MOTIVATION Things change, but what never changes is how ineffective I find a workout to be without the right motivation. There are countless places to look, so find what works for you: striving to surpass your past personal bests, committing to a workout partner, trying to get that pesky blood pressure back down, etc. Whatever it may be, try to use that motivation to orient your goals, because that’s where you’ll really see a difference in how you approach your personal fitness. Also, I would recommend keeping yourself open to trying new things; you never know when or how your tastes may change, and something that you used to have no interest in may all of a sudden become fun. All those years I spent dreading a run have now turned into a quick escape that allows me to reset my mind and do something good for my body all at once, and I never would have known if I hadn’t kept trying it once in a while. equally as important. When you’re motivated enough to set ambitious goals for yourself, it becomes very easy to overwhelm your body. Often times you’re most enthusiastic about your workouts when you start TAKE IT SLOW TO START Goals are great, but plans are

working toward a new goal. If it’s something that takes you out of your element - such as starting a running program after having done virtually none in the preceding years - you may feel great when you first go out, but it’s also a trap that tends to overwork muscles that just aren’t conditioned to handle that kind of load yet. There are countless resources out there that have great programs for whatever your experience level may be. I would recommend finding one of those programs and sticking with it. It may feel like you’re holding yourself back initially, but sparing yourself the frustration and setbacks of an overuse injury will be well worth your patience in the long run (pun intended!). Something else to keep in mind here, especially if you’re working out with a partner, is that you have to listen to your body. Don’t focus on how fast you’re going; focus on how hard you’re working. Someone who’s just getting back into a fitness routine may be getting their body up to unsafe or unsustainable heart rates by trying to go at the pace you used to or the pace you think you should be able to maintain. Fitness journeys take time, so pay close attention to your heart rate and choose a pace that keeps you at your target heart rate, even if it feels like you’re holding yourself back. BALANCE ISN’T JUST FOR YOGIS So many people struggle with finding the time needed to work out, especially in an industry like ours which often demands schedule flexibility and putting in extra hours when we have deadlines looming. It’s so easy to look at our schedules and think that a workout is the easy answer to gaining back that precious time that we all need… how could we choose that over our jobs, our families, or anything else near and dear to our hearts? Well, I see it as one of those situations where abandoning your workout for the extra 30 to 60 minutes is penny wise and pound foolish. As much effort as it may take to get through a good workout, I find that you tend to get rewarded with just as much extra energy through the day to do those extra tasks you needed that time for, like finishing that drawing set or playing with

the kids after work. When you’re sedentary, it seems like the energy to do those extra things vanishes, and the last thing you want to do is put in that extra bit of effort. It’s true that resting when you need to is very important, but trust me when I tell you that if you put in that 30 minutes a day, it’ll pay you back in so many ways. HELP US HELP YOU! The Wellness Committee would love to support anyone who may be in search of advice or motivation to get out there this year. In the spirit of supporting our fellow employee- owners, one thing we’d like to offer is the opportunity to consult with an experienced athlete to help you through whatever obstacles may be in your way.

Bob has been competitively running for 50 years, including cross country for Albany College of Pharmacy / Union in Albany, NY. Some of his biggest accomplishments include being a multiple-time finisher of the Escarpment Trail (a treacherous 19 mile mountain trail race), running a 2:49 marathon, and completing the 70 mile General Clinton canoe race over 20 times. Note: Bob is not a licensed physical trainer, but he is offering to donate his time to speak with you - be it a quick phone call for advice, all the way up to helping you set up a training plan and checking in with you to help stick with it and strive for success. Whether you’re looking to go out and run your first mile or you need to find a way to break your training plateau, reach out to Ian McPhillips and we will set you up with an individual training plan, general advisement, etc. Please contact us and we can get you Bob’s contact info or whatever you may need to help you on your journey! Article by Ian McPhillips (Melville, NY)

Wellness Resources & Benefits Reminder! Past Wellness Webinars can be found on the Intranet! Documents and Resources > Video Library Solutions EAP Short-term, confidential counseling and/or referral for employees and employee family members. www.solutions-eap.com Cigna Talkspace Convenient, safe and secure online therapy from any location. talkspace.com/cigna

More resources can be found on the Intranet.