Holiday Hold - From Work To Family

Every year the company I work for (Hyland Software) sponsors a "Holiday Hold". I think a lot of companies implement similar programs whether on a enterprise level or in specific divisions or departments. Some acquaintances have said that their company does it on a departmental basis. Hyland does it on an company-wide basis.

The Holiday Hold is a challenge to keep your weight the same or reduce it over the Holidays. According to the study linked to Americans on average gain only one pound over the holidays - but that pound is a pound that is never lost. So after thirty years Americans on average will gain 30 pounds. Of course I added that amount of weight in two years after quitting smoking.

So this year, both Arisa and I are taking the challenge.

Fuel Right Program

I don't post much about work. And this post isn't really about work but about food and health. It starts off with Hyland though. This last week Hyland kicked off Good Nutrition Month. The basic goal of the month is to give up drinking soda permanently. Basically the idea is that soda provides two and half donuts worth of sugar with each glass (8oz?) and that by giving it up people would be that much more healthy.

Hyland has won company with the best perks in Northeast Ohio for several years running. As part of that Hyland provides free soda drinks for everyone. There is an irony that this month's wellness program is to get people to voluntarily give up one of the benefits. And this month's program so far has been impressive! Today, for example, we got free fruit (see picture above) and a cup for drinking water. The picture below was my take today! Tomorrow I get a free lunch!

But it really kicked off last week when on Wednesday, we had Kristen Kilpatrick, MS, RD, LD Wellness Manager at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Center (website, google plus page (+Cleveland Clinic, +Cleveland Clinic Wellness) kick off the month with a presentation. It was a tremendous presentation with an huge amount of information.