Did you know that sitting for prolonged periods of time can be damaging to your health?

According to a new article on MSNBC.com, several health experts say that new research is suggesting that people who spend the majority of their days sitting – whether it’s in school, at the office, in the car, or in front of the TV – are at higher risk for developing obesity and heart disease even if they exercise regularly.

Some companies are jumping on a new trend to help encourage their employees to stay healthy at work by offering them access to wellness programs and onsite gyms throughout the work day, as noted in a recent CTV interview. These companies have found that their workplace fitness initiatives were having a positive effect, noting their employees seemed “healthier and happier”, and came to work with more awake, alert, and energetic.

So how can those of us who spend the majority of the day behind a desk get more active at school, or on the job? If your workplace or school has an on-site gym, take advantage. If at all possible, try and go when you have a free period or lunch in order to break up all the sitting down you’ll be doing during the day.

Don’t have access to a gym? There are plenty of simple things you can do in the office or at your desk to help increase bloodflow throughout the work or school day:

• Try swapping out your regular desk chair with an exercise ball, which helps to improve posture and balance
• Use your breaks to move around; take a quick walk, go outside, anything to get you up and away from your desk
• Skip the elevator – use the stairs
• Suggest walking meetings when appropriate instead of traditional table meetings

Check out these articles from ABC News and Livestrong.com for more ways to stay healthy and active at work, or watch the video below for easy exercises you can do around the office, or at your desk throughout the school or work day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRl5hiM9VYI&feature=player_embedded

Submitted by Hayley Brigg, Creative Communications student

It’s easy to make New Year’s resolutions, and it’s even easier to break them.

Whether you want to lose weight, quit smoking, or simply be more active, our New Year’s goals seem attainable until we get sidetracked. So how do we make sure that we stick to the resolutions that we make? A lot of it is about willpower, but organization goes a long way in making sure you reach the goals that you set out for yourself.

It’s hard to keep track of what progress you’re making or things you need to change in order to meet your goals unless you record it somehow. It’s important that we see how well (or poorly) we’re doing to help stay motivated, so keep some type of a log to remind yourself of what accomplishments you’ve made so far.

There are several easy resources that you can use, including websites like Remindr and HassleMe which allow you to set up random daily notifications to your email, cell phone, or social media outlet that can act as reminders to do things you’re trying to make a priority. If you want to lose weight, sites like Traineo allow you to keep a food diary, track how and when you’re working out, and give you access to healthy recipes and training tips from professionals. And if all else fails, a good old-fashioned notebook and pen will probably do the trick too.

If you’re trying to give your finances a makeover in the new year, Mint is an easy-to-use web application that can be synced with most mobile devices, and gives you a breakdown of exactly where your money is going – like how much per month you spend on fast food, or shopping.

If you’re a Red River College staff member or student, you can develop your own Personal Wellness Plan for free with the “One” initiative. The program is designed to help users identify ways to meet their goals, and also let them know of any activities or programs around the college that meet their wellness interests.

For more great mobile apps and gadgets you can try to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions, check out these great lists from Time Magazine and maketecheasier.com. Know of any other great ways to make sticking to your goals easier? Share it with us on the RRC Wellness blog.

Submitted by Hayley Brigg, Creative Communications student

Create your personal Wellness Plan today!

The Wellness Committee would like to help you develop your own Personal Wellness Plan as part of the “One” initiative.

The “One” initiative is designed to help staff and students focus on a personal Wellness Goal and identify ways to reach that goal. This initiative will help RRC to better coordinate and increase participation in a range of Wellness activities.

Go here to create your own plan.

Make this a first step to reaching your goal in the New Year.

A great video by Dr Mike Evans that outlines a simple way to improve your health.

The Wellness Committee is an initiative of the College’s  People Plan, a comprehensive human resource strategy to position Red River College as an employer of choice. The Committee draws its membership from across the College, creating a “grass roots” structure that connects with the broader College Community as well as areas directly responsible for Wellness-related activities.

Ryan Ratushniak and Lucille McLeod