The Wellness Project is a series of Lunch & Learns held once a month to teach staff how to incorporate healthy choices into our lives. Sessions are held monthly, and cover a variety of topics from finance to nutrition and fitness! Three sessions have been held so far, and the series will continue into the new year.
Session 1 – How Money Works & Budgeting for Success
The first session was held in November, with a focus on finance and budgeting. Attendees enjoyed sandwiches and cookies from Market Basket while listening to Sara Janes Hoag of Primerica. Sara Janes presented “How Money Works”, which taught us about the Rule of 72, Mutual funds, the “3D’s” of successful investing, and more. She also touched upon “Budgeting for Success”, covering the 6 simple steps to help us create a budget and free up money in the future. These topics, once understood and applied, can have an incredible impact on employees’ personal finances!
Session 2 – The Road Back to Wellbeing
Amy Perez, ACC, CPC of Amy Perez Coaching joined us to learn how to take care of ourselves, and our family when we’re not feeling 100%. Emotional drainage and zoom fatigues have been impacting our office and social lives. Amy showed us how to get back out there – even if it is overwhelming. Through this session, we gained resources for the emotional well-being of all ages!
Session 3 – The Carb Addiction & Blue Zones
Courtney Eaton, RDN, LDN of New England Nutrition Advisors joined us to discuss “The Carb Addiction”. In her presentation, she gave us some insight into the good and the bad so that we are able to navigate the complicated world of carbs. Courtney also presented about Blue Zones, the 5 geographic pockets of the world where the improved quality of life helps its residents live longer. By implementing a few wellness practices, these people are experiencing amazing health outcomes and saving money on healthcare! Courtney showed us a few things that we could do to improve the length and quality of our lives.
Session 4 – Estate Planning and Myths
Megan Martucci, Esq. of Feniger & Uliasz, LLP joined us to learn the basics of estate planning and how proper planning can give us the confidence and peace of mind that our families are taken care of in the future. She also discussed myths surrounding estate planning and how to avoid probate. Megan pulled back the veil of what estate planning entails, how the probate process works and how it can be avoided, and covered some of the consequences of not having an estate plan in place.
Session 5 – Investing for Retirement and Social Security
Sara Janes Hoag of Primerica joined us once again to present the do’s and don’ts of investing for retirement. Her workshop covered the types of savings accounts we need, retirement savings strategies, the power of compound interest, tax-deferred vs. taxable investments, the cost of waiting to save, and more. Sara Janes also covered Social Security to give us a better understanding of Social Security benefits, other factors that may impact these benefits and taxation.
Session 6 – Musculoskeletal Health
Tom Fontana of Family Physical Therapy Services joined us to discuss musculoskeletal pain and prevention. We learned about the positions we hold and movements we make that affect our backs, and how to defend ourselves against pain by making our movements more efficient, safer, and pain-free. Tom also covered core strengthening and balance training to maximize performance. The secret is having a strong core – which includes everything from your hips to your shoulders!
Session 7 – Physical Fitness – Running Form
Matt Harris of Runner’s Alley joined us in the Bedford office to perform a running form clinic! Matt took us through the 4 main points of running with good form to achieve maximum efficiency and comfort. He also taught us about the technology behind athletic footwear, and how to find the right fit!
Session 8 – Stress: Adapt or Perish
Dr. Phil Szalowski of Broadway Chiropractic joined us to discuss the effects of negative stress on our bodies and how to combat it. Participants made goals of how they can integrate exercise and other wellness practices into their daily routine, which will help with how they respond and react to stress.
