WorkLife offerings to focus on weight, stress and finances

April 25, 2011

WorkLife Programs classes coming up in the next few weeks will focus on stress, finances and weight management. 

Offerings denoted with an asterisk are new.

Help with stress

-- Organization and Time Management*
April 25. 12:10-12:50 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 202.
If you're like most people, you'd love to have more hours in the day. While it's impossible to create more time, you can learn to waste less time, be more productive and get organized.

-- Concentrative Meditation*
April 27. 12:10-12:50 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 310.
Learn skills to help you meditate at home and separate yourself from your stress. Participants will learn about concentrative meditation and practice applications in this interactive session.

-- Yoga for Relaxation*
May 4. 12:10-12:50 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 302.
This slow flow yoga class emphasizes opening and restorative postures. Through breath work, gentle movement and deep holds, this all-levels practice is designed to restore the body and renew the spirit. Participants should wear tennis shoes and bring a yoga mat, beach towel or blanket.

-- Aromatherapy*
May 11. 12:10-12:50 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 314.
Aromatherapy is the practice of using the natural oils extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of plants to enhance psychological and physical well-being. Participants will be introduced to some of the "essential oils" widely believed to stimulate brain function and promote whole-body healing.


Nutrition and weight management

-- The Personality of a Fat Cell
April 27. 12:10-12:50 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 318.
In a perfect society, brain cells and fat cells communicate freely, the body receives the message that it's full, cells are happy and all is well. But as processed foods overtake our society, these messages get scrambled. Fat cells change; brain cells ignore signals, weight gain begins, and obesity can follow. There are certainly more health risks -- and costs -- associated with obesity today, particularly Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Could it be that we are setting ourselves up for failure in our modern society? Even more importantly, can these metabolic processes be reversed before 2030, when forecasters predict that 86 percent of U.S. adults will be overweight or obese?

-- Stress and Eating*
April 29. 12:10-12:50 p.m. Krannert Building, Room G012.
Unrelenting stress can make us crave rich foods. We know we shouldn't, but we reach for that favorite comfort food one more time. Unfortunately this can result in overindulgence and eventually, weight gain. Is there hope for stress eating? Understanding how the brain and the body collaborate for survival purposes during chronic stress can provide the tools to combat and minimize it.

-- Quick and Healthy Meal Ideas
May 10. 12:10-12:50 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 318.
In a hurry? Need something easy to eat? Speed and ease don't have to equal high calories and fat. This session will cover quick and easy menu ideas, websites and fast food choices, as well as provide an opportunity to gain ideas from others.


Financial

-- Give Yourself Some Credit!*
May 4. 4:10-4:50 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 320.
Credit scores are more important now more than ever before. See how to bring your scores up before they can bring you down.

To register for these or other offerings, go to www.purdue.edu/worklife and log in with your career account and password, or call WorkLife Programs at 49-45461.
  
Information on stress and weight, as well as other topics, is available in WorkLife Programs' online resource center. Many books and brochures are available, including "Relaxation Response," "Your Weight and Your Health," and "5 Financial Lifesavers." A great collection of helpful websites is available, too, highlighting sites such as helpguide.org, fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov, and moneyconcepts.com.

To use the resource center, visit www.purdue.edu/worklife and log in with career account and password. On the left navigation bar, click on Resource Center. Read the instructions provided, pick your resources, and complete an order.
  
Some items are sent directly via campus mail, some must be picked up at the WorkLife Programs office at 1402 W. State St., and others are available for immediate download. Mailed materials may be sent only via campus mail; therefore, spouses/same-sex domestic partners and retirees are not able to check out materials.

Follow WorkLife Programs on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PurdueWorkLife.