State Wellness webinars: March 2025

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 08:56:53 -0500
benefits

The State Wellness Program's aim is to motivate, inspire, and educate employees through monthly wellness webinars (live and on-demand), healthy challenges, guided meditations, wellness coaching, and much more.

March invites us to embrace Spring - and to also celebrate National Nutrition Month! This month is a fantastic opportunity to focus on eating habits and learn more about nutrition to help you make smart food choices for yourself and your family. Let the Wellness Program support you as you "march" toward healthier eating habits as part of your 2025 Thrive Journey!

Challenge! Spring Into Motion

Starts March 17th!

It's time to Spring into Wellness with this challenge! Spring Into Motion will inspire you to move more and discover Spring things such as adorable baby animals, vibrant blossoms, gardening tips, healthy recipes, and more. Whether you're a beginner or a fitness enthusiast, Spring Into Motion will help boost your energy and overall well-being during this season of renewal and beyond.

Watch this 1-minute Spring Into Motion video to learn more

Registration opens 3/3 - Register here

Mindful Mondays: Mindful Eating

Monday, 3/10, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Healthy Eating Made Easy
Do you want to make smart food choices but find it challenging to decipher health claims and nutritional information on food packaging? In this session, you'll learn just what to look for on labels and other tips to make food shopping easier. You'll also get ideas for meals and snacks and tips on meal prepping.
Register for 3/10 Healthy Eating Made Easy

Monday, 3/17, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Mindful Eating Habits Made Easy
Think of the last meal you ate - how did you know you were done eating? Studies at Cornell University show that you may eat until there is a visual cue that influences how much you eat. For instance, if you ate chicken wings in that meal and the bones were left on your plate, they served as the visual cue to stop eating. However, if the bones were immediately discarded so that you could no longer see them, you may have continued to eat. Mindful eating incorporates strategies like the visual cue so that more attention is given to your eating habits!
Register for 3/17 Mindful Eating Habits Made Easy

Monday, 3/24, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Curbing Your Cravings Made Easy
Do you reach for a snack when you feel down or upset? If so, you're not alone! It's common to turn to food to help cope with big, difficult feelings. Eating activates the brain's reward system and makes you feel better - in the short term. Learn your personal common triggers and strategies to reduce emotional eating for the long term in this webinar.!
Register for 3/24 Curbing Your Cravings Made Easy

Tuesday: It's Mardi Gras For All!

Tuesday, 3/11, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Jambalaya

Dive into pure Louisiana comfort with this one-pot wonder that's packed with smoky sausage, juicy chicken, and aromatic spices. Every bite is a celebration of Creole goodness!
Register for 3/11 Jambalaya

Tuesday, 3/18, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Shrimp Creole

Turn up the heat with this bold and saucy New Orleans classic! You'll master the perfect balance of spices, tomatoes, and tender shrimp for a dish that sings with flavor.
Register for 3/18 Shrimp Creole

Tuesday, 3/25, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Beignets

Get ready to fry, dust, and indulge! These pillowy dough pockets showered in powdered sugar are golden perfection. Synonymous with New Orleans, they will transport you straight to the streets of the French Quarter!
Register for 3/25 Beignets

Healthy U Wednesdays: A Dietitian Explains Series

Wednesday, 3/12, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: A Dietitian Explains Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND Diets

Mediterranean-based nutrition plans have been endorsed by dietitians and health professionals for decades - and for good reasons! This diet helps manage weight, protect heart health, prevent diabetes, and more. Learn the many healthy benefits of following Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets.
Register for 3/12 A Dietitian Explains Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND Diets

Wednesday, 3/19, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Meal Prepping Made Easy - Lunch and Dinner

As lunch and dinner are often your heavier meals, they can make a large impact on your overall nutrition - which means it's important to eat healthier at these meals. This session is packed with information on the components of healthier lunches and dinners, different meal prepping techniques, and realistic strategies to fit your lifestyle and preferences. As a bonus you'll get fun and easy recipes!
Register for 3/19 Meal Prepping Made Easy - Lunch and Dinner

Wednesday, 3/26, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Meal Prepping Made Easy - Breakfasts and Snacks

You asked and our Registered Dietitian, Amy, delivers! A balanced breakfast provides more than just fuel for the morning - it's an opportunity to lay the foundation for smart food choices throughout the day. And a balanced snack does more than satisfy a craving - it stabilizes your blood sugar and actually decreases your cravings for sugary foods. Amy will provide examples of balanced breakfasts and snacks so that you choose the ones that work best for you.
Register for 3/16 Meal Prepping Made Easy - Breakfasts and Snacks

Thursday Wellness Focus: Nutrition

Thursday, 3/13, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Plant-based Meal Planning

A plant-based diet does not mean that you can't eat meat! It means that your meals mostly consist of plants such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, seeds, nuts, and more. These provide essential nutrients to support a healthy immune system, healthy heart, and healthy weight. Learn how to create meals that meet all your nutritional needs by incorporating plant-based proteins and foods.
Register for 3/13 Plant-based Meal Planning

Thursday, 3/20, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Spice Up Your Meals!

Pass the pepper, not the salt! Amplify the flavor of almost any dish and add a layer of nutrition with a sprinkle of herbs or a twist of ground black pepper. Discover the benefits of adding herbs and spices to your meals to take your tastebuds to a new dimension!
Register for 3/20 Spice Up Your Meals

Thursday, 3/27, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Eating to Maximize Your Workouts

Maintaining an active lifestyle is dependent on eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting plenty of good-quality sleep, and much more. In this nutrition-focused session, you'll learn how to choose foods that help you maintain an active lifestyle.
Register for 3/27 Eating to Maximize Your Workouts

Fridays: Guided Meditations for Spring Renewal

Friday, 3/7, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Noticing What Brings You Joy

A pleasant way to experience mindfulness is to notice what brings you joy. In this guided meditation, you'll take a short virtual walk in your favorite place - at a park, on a trail, or around your block - as you notice the sights, feelings, and sounds that you like.
Register for 3/7 Noticing What Brings You Joy

Friday, 3/14, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Your Inner Child Meditation

Experience your very own Spring playdate with your inner child in this guided meditation. Your inner child, always with you, serves as a reminder that you can be serious at times and playful at other times. It's a great balance!
Register for 3/14 Your Inner Child Meditation

Friday, 3/21, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Intention to be Happy

Sometimes your thoughts may not be loving or caring toward yourself. Tune into your capacity for self-care and self-love as you acknowledge your desire to be happy in this guided meditation..
Register for 3/21 Intention to be Happy

Friday, 3/28, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Filling Your Cup

It's officially Spring! In this guided meditation, you'll virtually experience your favorite Spring things - the feeling of grass beneath your feet, the sounds of birds in the trees, and the sight and smell of flowers blossoming to fill your cup of Spring appreciation!
Register for 3/28 Filling Your Cup