WorkLife offerings focus on stress and weight
WorkLife Programs classes coming up in the next few weeks will focus on stress, nutrition and weight management.
Help with stress
-- A Good Night's Sleep
April 11. 12:10-12:50 p.m. Freehafer Hall, Rooms 1-1 and 1-2.
What's counting sheep got to do with the eight hours of sleep you've always heard you need? This course will teach participants about the stages of sleep, how it works and what it does for the body. Most importantly, participants will get tips to improve the quality of their sleep.
-- Laughing Your Way to Lower Stress
April 13. 12:10-12:50 p.m. Beering Hall, Room 2275.
Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Fun, free, and easy to use -- see how you can get your daily dose of healthy fun.
-- Qigong
April 20. 12:10-12:50 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 302.
Qigong is similar to yoga and tai chi and has been practiced in China for more than 4,000 years. "Qi" means vital life force or energy, and "Gong" means form. Participants will practice this exercise, which builds energy in the body and assists with natural healing through slow, graceful movements, focused breathing, and meditation. Participants should wear tennis shoes and bring a yoga mat, beach towel or blanket.
-- Coming of Age
April 20. 12:10-12:50 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 318.
Gray hair and rocking chairs no more. Explore the gender similarities, differences, challenges and joys of positive aging.
-- 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, people 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 202.
Come 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.
Nutrition and weight management
-- Weight Watchers at Work
Tuesdays, April 12-June 28. Noon-1 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 310.
Thursdays, April 21-July 14. Noon-1 p.m. Physics Building, Room 298.
For those either looking to achieve significant, long-term weight loss or just trying to shed a few pounds, Weight Watchers at Work can help effect a lifestyle change to assist with that goal.
If a participant's Body Mass Index (BMI) is over 25, WorkLife Programs will pay for half of the $144 class fee if participants attend 11 of 12 meetings. Participants are only eligible for two of these incentive rounds in their lifetime.
-- 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? There's hope at the end of this tunnel; come find out more.
--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? Yes! Understanding how the brain and the body collaborate for survival purposes during chronic stress can provide the tools to combat and minimize it.
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 "The Calm Technique: Meditation without Magic or Mysticism" and "Nutrition in the Fast Lane." A collection of helpful websites also is available, highlighting sites such as mentalhelp.net and sparkpeople.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.
