ATEC promotes healthy eating

By Mrs. Courtney W Gilbert (ATEC)September 21, 2015

ATEC promotes healthy eating
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Gale Sauer, the health and wellness coordinator for the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, facilitates a healthy breakfast challenge May 20 to teach (no commas needed) employees the importance of consuming a healthy and nutritious breakfast every... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
ATEC promotes healthy eating
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Anne Healy, an account manager with CareFirst Federal Employee Health Benefits Program and cooking demonstration facilitator, demonstrates how to turn fresh foods into nutritious meals using fresh herbs and spices July 7 at the U.S. Army Test and Eva... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

The focus of the Army's Performance Triad is critical to improving readiness, increasing resilience and enhancing the performance of its workforce, evident by the Army's establishment of its Ready and Resilient program.

ATEC's health and wellness coordinator, Gale Sauer, facilitated a variety of healthy lifestyle events for personnel as a way to educate the workforce on how to develop healthier habits.

"People have different learning styles," said Sauer. "So it's helpful if there are a variety of methods for getting health related information out to them."

ATEC leadership supports health and wellness initiatives like lunchtime yoga classes, healthy eating breakfasts, fitness and weight loss challenges and competitions, health fairs and healthy cooking demonstrations. These innovative initiatives are meant to motivate and demonstrate how one may lead a healthy lifestyle with ease by making more nutritious food choices.

The nutrition element of the triad calls for Army professionals to eat nutritious foods, maintain healthy hydration levels, focus on consuming whole foods, and stay informed about dietary supplements.

Anne Healy, an account manager at the CareFirst Federal Health Benefits Program and a cooking demonstration facilitator, recently conducted a live cooking demonstration at ATEC to demonstrate to ATEC employees how easy it is to turn fresh foods into nutritious meals. Healy prepared a simple stir fry recipe using fresh herbs and spices and passed out samples to participants to taste test.

"The goal of the cooking demonstration is to show federal employees how to incorporate vegetable servings into a quick and easy stir fry," said Healy.

Leading an active and healthy lifestyle can increase work performance and improve one's quality of life by simply making healthier and more nutritious food choices, according to Sauer.

Healthy recipes made during the demonstrations, as well as other recipes posted by the workforce, are available on ATEC's Worksite Wellness page on SharePoint where employees can browse through a variety of healthy recipes shared by colleagues. The site offers information about "The 'YOU' Project" and other nutrition-related information about topics such as understanding fiber aides, how to prevent strokes, how to stop smoking and teaching your children how to eat right.

According to the U.S. Army Medical Department, some benefits of maintaining a nutritious and well-balanced diet include managing a healthier weight, preventing health disorders, and increasing one's chances of living longer.

This year, ATEC directorates hosted a series of healthy breakfast challenges between offices as a way to encourage employees to bring in healthy breakfast food alternatives to work. According to Sauer, the goal of the breakfast challenges is to teach employees the importance of consuming a healthy and nutritious breakfast every day and how to make healthier food choices.

"The breakfast challenge was a great benefit to me," said Dana Fritts, ATEC's protocol officer. "It opened my eyes to what is actually in the food and drinks that I intake on a daily bases."

For more information on ATEC's healthy eating initiative and other health and wellness initiatives, contact the ATEC Health and Wellness Coordinator at 443-861-9260.

Related Links:

ATEC Homepage

ATEC Facebook Page