HCS Head Start hosted a virtual SMART Personal Wellness Workshop to Go on March 11th, 2022, with JSI instructor Charlotte Stephenson, MS, RD. The workshop focused on incorporating healthy eating habits into everyday life, with a focus on re-energizing the audience in wellness practices and give them the time and skills to enhance their own wellbeing.
The many benefits of focusing on positive personal wellness were discussed, including increased happiness, energy, and productivity. Nutrition recommendations and the multiple health benefits of good nutrition practices were highlighted.
Participants also learned how to identify stressors and personal coping strategies that can be beneficial in optimizing health. Interactive activities were incorporated throughout the workshop, including participant feedback via poll questions, video discussion, activity breaks and SMART goal setting.
Participants learned about SMART- specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time based- goal planning and how to put this into action. Examples were given on setting SMART goals relating to the pillars of health, and participants were able to practice setting some of their own goals. Achieving balance among the four pillars of health- nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress reduction-was explored.
The staff members were also introduced to various goal setting and tracking websites, worksheets, journaling, and mobile apps that can enhance progress towards attaining wellness goals. Personal wellness can have an impact in school wellness as professionals can model healthy behaviors and strengthen school wellness initiatives.
A focus on personal health creates a foundation of wellness with far reaching benefits. If you are interested in bringing a SMART Personal Wellness or another Workshop to Go to your district, please visit The John C. Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition website for more information.
