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Author: Meredith Mitchell

Have you filled out your Health Assessment?!?!

Have you filled out your Health Assessment?!?!

 

Good Morning Everyone!

Welcome to 2014!! We are fortunate that McKinley is committed to health and wellness by providing great benefits and assisting us with taking charge of our health care.  We would like to remind you about the steps you can take to ensure you make the most of your health benefits.

For those of you who elected the medical plan, you will start out 2014 in the Healthy Blue Achieve Enhanced plan.  Since not all employees elected the medical plan, I want to clarify that this applies only to those who elected medical insurance for 2014.

If you did not have the opportunity to attend one of the open enrollment meetings and you just skimmed through the paper work 🙂…I want to make it very clear, EVERYONE can qualify for the Healthy Blue Achieve Enhanced Plan!  How? 

1.      1. Fill out your Health Assessment.  How?Log in to your account on www.bcbsm.com to view your check list of things you still need to complete.  Click on Health Assessment and get started today!!

2.    2.   Meet with your Doctor

3.   3.   Have your Doctor fill out your qualification form

4.   4.   If needed, set up a personal wellness plan with your Doctor and commit to:

~ lose weight or lower your blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar by participating in one of the programs provided by BCBS such as “Connect 2Bfit Walking” and “Connect 2Bfit Calorie Tracking”

~ quit smoking with “Quit the Nic”

~ If it is medically inadvisable for you to participate in these programs, alternatives are available, just ask BCBS!

5.    5.  Fax or email your qualification form to BCBS

If you do not choose to do the above, you will automatically be placed in the Healthy Blue Achieve Standard Plan.  With the standard plan you will have a significantly higher deductible, out of pocket maximum and copay.  It’s worth it to go through the above steps to qualify for the Healthy Blue Achieve Enhanced Plan J.

By now you all should have received your packet in the mail from BCBS with your Healthy Blue Achieve Member Guide (which explains in detail steps 1-5) and your qualification form to bring with you to your Doctor.  If you have not received your packet yet, you can access the packet and qualification form on Portal. 

If you have any questions about your benefits please contact Sue Pascoe or Carol Ferguson.

You have until March, 31st 2014 to complete the steps required to qualify…start the process today!!

Yours in Health and Wellness,

Meredith Mitchell

Biggest Loser and Cardio Challenge!!!

Biggest Loser and Cardio Challenge!!!

 

Biggest Loser Challenge:

This challenge is simple.  The team that loses the most weight…WINS! 

Now, put your team together, assign a team captain and then email me your team’s name and the names of the people on your team.  Next, schedule your weekly or bi-weekly weigh in.  Remember to weigh yourself on the same scale and at the same time of day if possible.  Report your weight to your team captain who will be in charge of keeping track of everyone’s weight loss.

Where to start?  If you don’t already have a plan of action, start by reading some of the short articles on the Grapevine (www.grapevine.mckinley.com) under Weight Loss 101, such as:

~ How many calories do you NEED?

~ Do you really understand how to lose 1lb?

~ Physical Hunger vs. Emotional Hunger

The challenge will start on Monday, January 6th 2014 and will end on Monday, May 5th 2014.  This is a four month challenge for two reasons:

1.       The first month will be an educational month for most.  You’ll be figuring out what kind of adjustments you need to make to your diet and your schedule.  Make the time for strength training and cardio!!  If you’re just starting out I recommend finding a fun class to join or a fun friend to workout with J.  The remaining three months will be spent mastering your new routine!

2.       There will be two, two month challenges for everyone to participate in during the Biggest Loser Challenge.  These two month challenges will serve two purposes: 1. To help those trying to lose weight in the Biggest Loser Challenge.  2. To help those not trying to lose weight get stronger and push their cardiovascular limits!

The team that loses the most weight by May, 5th 2014 will win a $100 gift card to their choice of grocery store or restaurant.  You can also create a competition within your team.  If you choose to, have each one of your participants submit $20-$50 into a pot at the beginning or end of the challenge.  The person who loses the most weight will win the pot of money!!

Cardio Challenge:

The cardio challenge will be measured by time.  The team with the most amount of cardio minutes/hours will win a $100 gift card to their choice of restaurant or grocery store.  Put your team together, assign a team captain and then email me your team’s name and the names of the people on your team.  Keep track of your cardio minutes and email them to your team captain weekly.

I have received questions about what will count for cardio minutes when it comes to classes or sports.  Before I go into some examples of what counts and what does not, let me be clear about what the point of this challenge is.  I want you to carve out a specific time in your schedule to do cardio.  I also want you to challenge yourself with the type of cardio you choose.  If you are a runner, choosing to take a walk would not be challenging.  If you are new to any kind of cardio activity and you choose to walk on the treadmill at an incline and a brisk pace, that would be a great challenge!  Email me if you would like some help coming up with the appropriate cardio activity for you. 

Here are some examples of what counts, what does not and the amount of time:

1.       There are both strength and cardio components in my classes.  If you are attending one of my circuit training classes, you can count that as 20min of cardio.  If you are attending one of my H.I.I.T. classes, you can count that as 15min of cardio.

2.       Sports: Hockey, basketball, soccer, volleyball, racquet ball…approximate how much time you actually played throughout the game and count that as your minutes…not the duration of the whole game (unless of course you played the whole game J ).  I would not count rock climbing as cardio.  While it is a great activity, it definitely involves more strength than cardio.

3.       Cardio classes: Zumba, spinning, step aerobics, boot camp, kick boxing…count the duration of the whole class.

4.       Shopping:  Window shopping does NOT count but if you are going with the specific intent of walking the halls of the mall aka “Mall Walking”, that does count.  

The challenge will start on Monday, January 6th 2014 and end on Monday, March 3rd 2014.

FYI, I will NOT be dividing the total number of lbs lost or total number of cardio minutes by the number of people on your team.  Why?  I feel it will encourage more people to create a team instead of doing the challenge on their own.  I want you to take advantage of the encouragement and accountability that come from being a part of a team J

Email me if you have questions or need some help getting started.  Also, email me your team’s name and the names of the people on your team by the end of the work day on Monday, January 6th 2014.  Thanks!

Have a great weekend!!!

Hassle Free Meal Planning!

Hassle Free Meal Planning!

 

Hi Everyone!!

Part of the hassle with meal planning is thinking of all the ingredients you need for the week and making the grocery list.  Emeals.com takes the hassle away!!  It’s pretty awesome.  This is what they provide:

1. Monthly meal plans for:
Option 1 – Dinner
Option 2 – Lunch and Dinner
Option 3 – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
2. All the recipes
3. Ingredient/grocery list

They give you several meal plans to choose from:
~ Classic Meals
~ Clean Eating
~ Paleo
~ Low Calorie
~ Slow Cooker
~ Low Fat
~ Low Carb
~ Portion Control
~ Simple Gourmet
~ Mediterranean
~ Natural and Organic
~ Gluten Free
~ Vegetarian

Check out their website:
http://www.emeals.com/

There is a groupon available for the next 8 days for all three options!!  If you only wanted the dinner option, you would receive 12 months of weekly online meal plans for only $29!  The prices go up from there if you would like to add on lunch or breakfast.  Click the link below for the groupon:

http://www.groupon.com/deals/emeals-9?utm_campaign=UserReferral&utm_medium=ApiV2&utm_source=uu39627355

Yours in Health and Wellness,

Meredith Mitchell

Buffalo & Black Bean Chili

Buffalo & Black Bean Chili

Buffalo & Black Bean Chili

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/buffalo_black_bean_chili.html

From EatingWell:  September/October 2013

In this healthy buffalo and black bean chili recipe, the buffalo is cooked with sweet red bell peppers and spiced with two types of chili powder, cocoa powder and espresso powder, making this chili mouthwatering and memorable. Ground buffalo, also known as ground bison, is a healthy alternative to ground beef because it’s naturally lower in fat and has a rich, delectable flavor. After all the ingredients are added to the pot, we like to slowly simmer our chili for close to an hour to develop the best flavor, but if you’re in a hurry, reduce the liquid by half and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each | Active Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil
  • 1 pound ground buffalo
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large red bell peppers, chopped (about 3 cups)
  • 1/2 cup bulgur
  • 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder (see Tip)
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 15-ounce cans no-salt-added black beans, rinsed
  • 1 14-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth

Preparation

  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground buffalo, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.
  2. Add bell peppers, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are starting to soften, 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. Add bulgur, ancho chile powder, cocoa powder, chili powder, instant espresso (or instant coffee), cayenne and salt and cook, stirring, until aromatic, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  4. Stir in beans and tomatoes.
  5. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced and thickened and the bulgur is tender, about 50 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving : 390 Calories; 15 g Fat; 4 g Sat; 8 g Mono; 45 mg Cholesterol; 40 g Carbohydrates; 27 g Protein; 12 g Fiber; 731 mg Sodium; 1059 mg Potassium

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Tips & Notes

  • Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Ancho chile powder, made from dried poblano peppers, has a mild, sweet spicy flavor. Look for it in the spice section of well-stocked supermarkets. Other mildly spicy chili powder can be used in its place.
Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili

The Best Vegetarian Chili in the World
recipe image
Rated: rating
Submitted By: calead910
Photo By: Mrs. Lagdameo
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Ready In: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Servings: 8
“Break out your soup pot and fix up a batch of this delicious, spicy vegetarian chili today! It’s ready in no time, and packed with vegetables, beans – and flavor!”
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon salt
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile
peppers, drained
2 (12 ounce) packages vegetarian burger
crumbles
3 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled
tomatoes, crushed
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans,
drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the celery, green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and green chile peppers. When vegetables are heated through, mix in the vegetarian burger crumbles. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Mix the tomatoes into the pot. Season chili with chili powder and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the corn, and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2013 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 12/17/2013
Braised Roast with Root Vegetables

Braised Roast with Root Vegetables

roast-beef-vegetablesLeigh Beisch

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 277
Fat per serving: 12g
Saturated fat per serving: 4g
Monounsaturated fat per serving: 5g
Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 1g
Protein per serving: 25g
Carbohydrates per serving: 12g
Fiber per serving: 3g
Cholesterol per serving: 78mg
Iron per serving: 3mg
Sodium per serving: 143mg
Calcium per serving: 63mg

Good to Know

Braising is a great technique to tenderize tougher cuts of meat—make sure to trim the meat well to keep saturated fat at a minimum. The aromatic spices and nutrient-rich winter vegetables used in this main dish also infuse the meat with fantastic flavor without the need for excess sodium. Pass around a basket of crusty, whole-grain bread to add a fiber boost and to sop up the delicious sauce.

Braised Roast With Root Vegetables

Prep: 30 minutes; Cook: 3 hours, 6 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds beef roast, trimmed
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon allspice berries, crushed lightly
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed lightly
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup less-sodium beef broth
  • 2 medium onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
  • 1 1/2 cups carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled turnips
  • 1 1/2 cups fennel bulb, cut lengthwise into 12 wedges

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Season beef with salt and pepper, and heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear beef thoroughly on all sides, about 5-6 minutes per side, until it is a deep, mahogany brown. Transfer the beef to a plate.

2. Add garlic to pan with allspice berries and fennel seeds, and sauté for 1 minute to release fragrance. Pour in wine and scrape up bits left in the pan. Add rosemary, bay leaf, and beef broth, then add beef back to the pan and bring to a simmer. Top with onions. Cover tightly and transfer to oven.

3. Cook for 2 hours in oven. Remove pot, flip beef, and add remaining vegetables in with the meat. Cover again, and cook for an additional 45 minutes.

4. When beef is fork-tender, transfer meat to a cutting board and arrange vegetables on a large platter. Cover both with foil. Uncover pot and reduce juices on the stovetop over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, then transfer to a sauceboat. Slice roast thinly across the grain, and arrange on the platter. Serve sauce alongside beef and vegetables.