Inspiring Wellness Success Story 13

'Eat the Elephant one slice at a time'.

Next in our series of success stories, a powerful illustration of how some simple planning with sleep, exercise and how much coffee to drink led to improved energy levels lasting for years.  A very clear example of how a few moments of focused thought can result in better performance and enhanced enjoyment of life for the long term.

Here's what made the difference for this individual:
The date of the wellness programme you attended 

Spring 2008

The lifestyle changes you made during programme

• Getting more sleep
• Taking regular exercise
• Drinking less coffee 
• Thinking in the morning, about when I am going to sleep at night. It secures a better rhythm, and it was something I learned from you

The lifestyle changes that have stuck with you to the present day 

All of the above

The secrets of your success with wellbeing 

Eat the elephant one slice at a time. If I had tried to do massive changes I am sure it would not have stuck. With the smaller adjustments I made, these have stuck as they were easy to implement - and they have made a big difference.

What advice that you received made the greatest impact on you? 

When you get up in the morning already start thinking about when you are going to bed at night

The biggest benefits of making your lifestyle changes? 

More surplus energy

Anything that got in the way of success with wellbeing 

No - as with all changes, they take time and there will be lapses. But having made small changes, these are easy to revert to if I have fallen off course

When wellbeing is working for you, what are the key elements that make the difference?  

Plan your sleep
 

Read the previous instalment of our Inspiring Wellness Success Stories here

Order your copy of “Successful Corporate Wellbeing Programmes: How to create a dynamic, energised and engaged workforce and boost business results” from our website today.

Image from Flickr: ohad*

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A Varied Diet Helps You Sleep Better

The individuals and organisations we work with regularly raise the issue of how travel, both for work and for pleasure, can impact on the ability to live a healthy life.  

So, over the next couple of weeks we'll be highlighting some of the key tips - relating to sleep, jet-lag, healthy hotel eating and exercise on the go - that we see making a real difference to how people perform when they have a schedule that includes travel.  

To get us started, here's some advice that will help you sleep better wherever you are in the world.

Eating a wider variety of food has a direct impact on the amount of sleep you get each night, according to research from the Centre for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology at the University of Pennsylvania.  

Lack of vitamin C, selenium (found in nuts, meat and shellfish) and lycopene (found in red and orange-coloured foods) contributed to poor sleep patterns.  A diet of too much saturated fat, chocolate, tea and alcohol was found to prevent good sleep too*.

So, to boost your ability to sleep focus on snack choices that combine fruit and nuts and choose meals that are constructed around chicken or fish.  Aim to consume a maximum of 1-2 teas or coffees per day and 1-2 units of alcohol.

*Source: Men's Running Magazine

Image from Flickr: avlxyz

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How to Run an Amazing Wellbeing Event part 2

'Thanks to you and your team for the great well being day yesterday! 

Feedback has been great, and take up was high too.' 


As always it's very gratifying to receive positive feedback from the events we run for our clients.  When I wrote about running successful wellbeing events last month in How to run an amazing wellbeing event, I focused on how the practical and realistic advice available on the day makes a huge difference to how empowered and motivated staff feel.

Today I thought it would be worthwhile writing a few words on the practicalities of organising an amazing wellbeing event.  Effective organisation is key to the success of any wellbeing day and this was certainly the case at this event.  So what are the key logistical considerations you need to think about to make your event a success?

1) Your wellbeing day must be relevant for your audience
If you're planning a wellbeing event, consult staff to find out what resources they'd find most useful.  There's no need to throw everything at every single event.  Be selective and ensure quality of advice, consultations, treatments and information available on the day.  

A great thing about wellbeing events is that you can discover a huge amount about the challenges staff in your organisation face when it comes to looking after themselves and you can use this information to plan targeted initiatives for your future programme.  

A series of events with targeted initiatives at each event will be more successful than a single huge event that people find overwhelming.  A series of events also sends the message that the wellbeing of your staff is a long-term priority for the business, not just a one-hit wonder.

2) Communicate the benefits for staff clearly
This means broadcasting details of the event well in advance and then regularly leading up to the day.  Make sure staff have details of what's on offer as well as the potential benefits for them of attending. 

Point out that you are organising this event and including initiatives based on what they've asked for and that if you're responding to their requests, they have a responsibility to come along and take part.  

Create a sense of excitement and anticipation in the lead-up to the event.  Send staff details of positive results that colleagues have experienced by implementing lifestyle changes they've learned about at previous events.  If this is your first event, use case studies from wellbeing events that have been run elsewhere.  

3) Get the support of managers and directors
Staff must know that it's OK to take time to attend the event.  This is something that was key to the success of the event on Wednesday.  Within this organisation it's understood that the wellbeing days are designed to educate staff and help them uncover the specific lifestyle choices and motivation that suit their situation.  Everyone is free to take their time and make the most of the resources on offer.  

Line managers should attend events to demonstrate that they value wellbeing initiatives and expect staff to make the most of the opportunity to attend.

One final point.  To increase the long-term value of each wellbeing event that you organise, build in the opportunity to communicate with staff following the event.  This reminds them of the advice they collected and encourages them to make sure they are taking regular action to stay healthy and energetic.

If you'd like further information on setting up amazing wellbeing initiatives, download our guide Successful Corporate Wellbeing Programmes: Howto create a dynamic, energised and engaged workforce and boost business results from our website www.the-tonic.com.

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Beat The Clock part 3

Read our latest advice for all those who think they're too short on time to schedule their fitness sessions.  As featured in Men's Running Magazine.

There are details of:

• A quick snack
• A time-efficient training session
• New ideas for planning your fitness routine
• Fitness ideas you can fit into the working day
• Lessons from elite sports people
• Business strategies applied to successful fitness

You can read last months tips here.

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25 Ways to Improve Your Running

Get up to speed quickly with these top tips we wrote for Women's Running Magazine.

Read our simple top tips on how to:

• Run faster
• Revive your running routine
• Shake up your regular running routes
• Set targets
• Run hard, rest well
• Devise effective cross training techniques

And a whole lot more.

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Inspiring Wellness Success Story 12

Simple, regular healthy lifestyle changes lead to energy, enthusiasm and results.

Next up in our series of success stories from our programmes, a fantastic example of how simple changes to regular habits can make a world of difference to how you feel every day.

Here’s the latest case study:

• The date of the wellness programme you attended   September 2011

• The lifestyle changes you made during programme   Began eating breakfast and taking sport in the morning and almost every day

• The lifestyle changes you made following programme    Today I have a more diversified and complete breakfast than before the program; during the working days I get up 35 minutes earlier and do my exercise almost every morning; on the weekends I attend a Pilates class; most weekends I practice Golf as well. As a consequence of all this I go to bed approx. 1 hour earlier than before (during working days).

• The secrets of your success with wellness       Including Pilates it in my daily routine: today I consider my morning Pilates at the same level as shaving or taking a shower, obligatory things that happen every day. Also having chosen a very professional Pilates gymnasium for the weekends offering a high level of training that gives me enthusiasm to keep on practicing during the week. Better breakfast makes me feel better during the morning, no doubts.

• What advice that you received made the greatest impact on you?      Changes are always possible, just need to do it with common sense and go for it, adapting your sport programs to your physical capabilities.

• The biggest benefits of making your lifestyle changes?    More energy for the day; feel better with my body (less pains here and there).

• When wellness is working for you, what are the key elements that make the difference?      Early going to bed, a good breakfast, daily exercise, quality of the exercise (adapted to yourself and your aims).

Read the previous instalment of our inspiring wellness success stories here

Order your copy of “Successful Corporate Wellbeing Programmes: How to create a dynamic, energised and engaged workforce and boost business results” from our website today.

Image from Flickr: cl_03

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A 30-minute Fitness Boosting Treadmill Workout

If you're short on time, here's a time-efficient training plan that I put together for Men's Running Magazine.

It's tough but can be easily slotted into your schedule before work, at lunchtime or after work, and it will lead to speedy results with fitness and stamina.

Take a minute now to look at your schedule and see when you can give this workout a go.  If you don't have access to a treadmill you can still follow the pattern of the workout while running around the park or at a track.

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Huge Appetite for Company Healthy Eating Plan

**Press Release**

700 employees download new programme in just one week

Over 700 employees have downloaded a new company-wide healthy eating plan within its first week of going live.

The plan, which was designed by wellness company The Tonic for British Gas in conjunction with the British Gas Wellbeing Team, contains a comprehensive selection of meals, snacks, recipes and shopping lists, along with healthy living resources for staff working in a variety of different environments including those based in offices and those working in the field.

British Gas National Wellbeing Manager Helen Knight explained, ‘We’re aware that healthy eating can be a real challenge across our business, so we wanted to provide our employees with a practical solution.  Our aim is to be proactive in supporting our people to take good care of themselves.  The healthy eating plan looks fantastic and we’re delighted that it has proved so popular already’.

Tonic Director Jeff Archer says, ‘In putting this programme together our aim is to make healthy eating as easy as possible for people who we appreciate are time poor.  The plan includes plenty of suggestions to cater for all tastes along with practical advice to help everyone fit healthy eating into the busy routine of work and family life.’ 

For more information on The Tonic and their corporate wellbeing programmes contact Jeff Archer on 020 8995 1302 or jeff@the-tonic.com

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Beat The Clock part 2

Read the next instalment of our series on how to fit exercise into your working day as featured in Men's Running Magazine.

A healthy snack

A quick workout

Fix your mindset

Exercise / activity for your daily routine

Training tips from the world of elite performance

Training tips for the world of business

Read part 1 of the series here

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Inspiring Wellness Success Stories 11

'A lecture on time management, stress and finding time. It was excellent.'

Here's another example of wellness changes made during one of our programmes enduring to this day, more than five years later.

As ever, the approach is simple - regular exercise, getting enough sleep and being vigilant with what you eat - resulting in feeling better, more energy and improved stress management.  Here are the headlines:

• Date of the wellness programme you attended:

November 2007

• The lifestyle changes you made during programme:

More exercise.

• The lifestyle changes you made following programme:

More exercise, go to bed earlier and cut back on cakes etc.

• The secrets of your success with wellbeing:

Setting realistic goals.

• What advice that you received made the greatest impact on you?

That exercising every other day keep stress at bay. And a lecture on time management, stress and finding time. It was excellent.

• The biggest benefits of making your lifestyle changes?

Feeling better. More energy. Better ability to cope with unexpected headwind.

• Anything that got in the way of success with wellbeing:

Travel – it tends to dictate what and when you eat. And long haul travel disturbs sleep as well.

• When wellbeing is working for you, what are the key elements that make the difference?  

Getting to bed by 11 and exercising approx. every other day.

Read the previous instalment of Inspiring Wellness Success Stories
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Recover faster: eat blueberries

Athletes who eat blueberries recover faster from exercise, according to a study published in the Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition.  The New Zealand research found that eating blueberries raised the level of antioxidants in the blood which may have led to an improved rate of recovery.

The actual reasons why blueberries do this is unclear, although research leader, a=Associate Professor Steve Stannard of Massy School of Soort and Exercise explained, 'It is probably linked to the superior anthocyanin content of the Ne Zealand Blueberry fruit'.


Source: Men's Running Magazine

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Exercise to reduce the risk of diabetes

Regular weight training can reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine.  Those who weight train for 30-minutes a day, five days a week, could lower their risk of the disease by 34%.  Add aerobic exercise to the mix and the risk is lowered further, by 59%

Source: Women's Running Magazine
image by heraldpost
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Exercise to improve memory and brain function

Researchers from Dartmouth College have found that exercise does more for the body than just bringing in extra oxygen and improving circulation.  It also has long-lasting positive effects on our memory and brain function and could even play a role in reducing ADHD behaviour in children.



Source: Men's Running Magazine
image by Peter Griffin
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