Lab workers challenged to just say no to TV
The average American watches more than four hours of television a day, but
60 percent of American adults don't find time to exercise at least 30 minutes
most days of the week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
Since 1990, more Americans have become obese, with only one state, Colorado,
with less than 15 percent of its residents considered obese, according
to the Wellness Councils of America.
Next week, the Laboratory's Positive Health Directions program in Occupational
Medicine (HSR-2) is sponsoring a "No TV Challenge" to encourage
Lab workers and their families to forego television for more healthy,
active pursuits.
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During the week, Laboratory workers are asked not to watch television
but rather, take up gardening, walking, bicycling, kite flying, exercising,
reading or writing, said Jessica Kisiel of HSR-2 and the Lab's Positive
Health Directions coordinator.
Laboratory participants are asked to complete the no tv pledge card,
which can be found online. Print it out and keep it in a handy location.
The card is a way to commit to giving up television viewing the week of
April 22-28, she said.
"Watching television promotes a sedentary lifestyle and in the long
term isn't healthy," said Kisiel. "National TV Turnoff Week
is the perfect opportunity to learn a new hobby, do yardwork, toss a frisbee,
go for a hike or begin that exercise program you've been putting off."
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday in the Otowi Building cafeteria lobby
at Technical Area 3, Kisiel will be handing out bookmarks, static stickers
and information on alternatives to television watching. Such alternatives
include swimming, exercising outdoors, walking the dog, volunteering,
performing community service, reading alone or to others, helping children
with homework or conducting family discussions.
The static stickers, Kisiel explained, should be placed over television
screens as a helpful reminder to lose the remote and get outdoors.
Lab workers also can register for a t-shirt drawing by stopping at the
information booth.
And after swearing off television for the week, Lab workers can fill
out an online survey of six questions about whether the week off from
television caused them to change their lifestyle and if this exercise
was useful.
By completing the survey, participants are entered into a drawing for
a pyramid falls water sculpture, Kisiel said.
More information about National TV Turnoff Week can be found at http://int.lanl.gov/worklife/health/TV_Turnoff.shtml
online. Included on the Web site are year-round suggestions for breaking
free of television, 101 screen-free activities and a link where Laboratory
participants can share with others what they did during the week away
from the television.
For more information, call Kisiel at 5-4368 or write to
jkisiel@lanl.gov by electronic mail.
--Steve Sandoval
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New email service provides health, wellness
information to Lab worker's computers
No time to exercise? Want to learn more about healthy eating or
how to reduce stress at the office or at home? Help is on the way.
A new electronic mail message service — E-Health and Wellness
— recently was started by the Laboratory's health promotion
program. The monthly messages on health and wellness are sent to
Lab workers via electronic mail, explained Jessica Kisiel of Occupational
Medicine (HSR-2) and coordinator of the Positive Health Directions
program.
The electronic mail messages will focus on healthy eating and
nutrition, stress management and exercise. The health and wellness
information will be sent to employees once a month.
"In our busy days it seems like we have less and less time
to exercise, learn about and eat nutritious meals or deal with daily
stress," said Kisiel. "The healthy email message service
will provide quick, concise information right at your fingertips
about eating healthy, the benefits of exercise and how to reduce
stress."
To sign up for the healthy email message service, Lab workers can
write to listmanager@lanl.gov
by electronic mail. In the body of the electronic mail request,
Lab workers should write "subscribe" and specify which
list they want to receive followed by their own electronic mail
address, said Kisiel.
To receive the nutrition emails specify healthy_eaters@lanl.gov
in the electronic mail request.
To sign up for the exercise messages, specify exercisers@lanl.gov
in the electronic mail request.
To sign up for the stress management messages, specify stress_reducers@lanl.gov
in the electronic mail request.
For more information or assistance, call Kisiel at 5-4368 or write
to jkisiel@lanl.gov by electronic
mail.
--Steve Sandoval
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