A community that together achieves and maintains a healthy weight at every age.
October 2015
In this issue:
Welcome to our new monthly newsletter!

The new Weight of the Fox Valley newsletter will keep you connected to our work. Each month we will post updates, tips, recipes, success stories, local events and more. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and healthy community is not a solo journey, so please share this newsletter with your friends! 

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact me, Keren Rosenberg.



Sincerely,

Keren Rosenberg
Program Manager
Weight of the Fox Valley
Tip of the Month
Healthy Halloween Treats
Halloween is one of the most fun holidays for both kids and adults. Here are some ideas for how to make it healthier.
Recipe of the Month
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Recipes that are good for you AND tasty? Yes! Try this Mediterranean Orzo Salad submitted by Brenda Leigh, MS, RD at ThedaCare.


"I took the pledge..."
to eat healthy, have fun.


"My pledge to have more fun reminds me to enjoy my life, especially my husband's fabulous gardens, including the last of our sweet tomatoes and flowers.- Suzanne Brault Pagel, Resource Development Director at United Way Fox Cities.



You can  Take the Pledge! Choose something you can routinely do to live a healthier life within your family or your community.
Calendar
NOVEMBER

Weight of the Fox Valley Food System Action Team Meeting
Tuesday, November 3
8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
Boys and Girls Club of Menasha

Wake Up with Weight of the Fox Valley
Friday, November 20
7:30 to 9:00 a.m.
Bridgewood Conference Center
Register to attend

Weight of the Fox Valley Worksite Action Team Meeting
Friday, November 20
9:15 to 11:00 a.m.
Bridgewood Conference Center
Register to attend

Weight of the Fox Valley Active Communities Action Team Meeting
Friday, November 20
9:15 to 11:00 a.m.

Please Note: Worksite and Active Communities Action teams are scheduled to meet right after the "Wake Up with Weight of the Fox Valley" breakfast event.
Weight of the Fox Valley Updates
Community Breakfast Events - Wake Up with Weight of the Fox Valley
Join us for a free event:
Three times a year we organize a free community event for the general public. The next event is scheduled on Friday, November 20th, 7:30 to 9:00am, at Bridgewood Conference Center. Our keynote speaker, Dr. Brenda Rooney, PhD, MPH, will tell us how our community can learn from successful efforts in La Crosse to address overweight and build a healthier city. Register today!
Passport to Active Living
Grand Prize Winners: Congratulations are in order for everyone that completed our passport challenge! This past summer seemed to fly by, especially with how active you all were using the passport! You truly helped to put the Fox Valley in the right direction when it comes to active and healthy living. Continue reading...
Worksite Action Team
The Worksite Action Team recently sent a survey to all companies and organizations on the Chamber of Commerce list. The survey will give us a better understanding of the number of companies that already offer wellness programs and what the programs include. Our goal is that 75% of Fox Valley companies adopt some level of worksite wellness programming.

Thank you everyone who responded to the survey. All participants were entered into a drawing. Each one of the winners received a $75 gift card from Scheels:
  • Theresa Lauer, owner of TailWaggers Doggy Daycare, Appleton
  • Lisa Brown, Oshkosh Area School District
  • Jeff Anderson, Precision Papers Converters, Kaukauna 
Thank you to Scheels Sporting Goods for the generous donation.


Fox Valley Bike Challenge

Congratulations! The Fox Valley Bike Challenge Weight of the Fox Valley Team is doing a GREAT job! Weight of the Fox Valley is the 1st team in the Fox Valley and 15th in the nation (out of 1954 teams), with 214,418 points,138 riders, 107,678 miles! We burned a lot of fat in 2015, over 5 million calories. We are SO proud of you! Hope to see with us next year! Read some overall statistics from the bike challenge.

 

Ask a Local Expert
Do you have a question about exercise, physical activity or eating right?
Weight of the Fox Valley is able to help! We have access to local experts who are willing to answer your questions on healthy living. 

To access this confidential service, simply go to a topic under the "Healthy Living" section of our website, and click on "Ask an Expert." Type in your question and a local expert will answer you as soon as possible!

Champions of Change
Our Champion: Kathy Moureau
This month, Kathy Moureau shares her story of weight loss and a shift to a healthier lifestyle. In May 2011, Kathy noticed a photo of herself which prompted her to think about her lifestyle up to that point. Others noticed her issues as well, leading to numerous derogatory comments which prompted her to action. Read more about Kathy's story.

Every month we will feature a person from the community with an interesting story. We will choose an individual who has been living a healthy lifestyle or a person who made a change in his/her life to adopt healthier habits.

The Champion of Change post will include a photo, background and details about the person. We are not necessarily looking for professional champions (athletes or professional basketball/football players), but we are looking for champions of life! Submit your story to become a Champion of Change!
Food Fight
Honey vs. Agave Syrup
Both are natural sweeteners; agave nectar contains high-fructose corn syrup, while honey, having tends to be sweeter and slightly higher in calories.

THE SWEET TRUTH: Agave syrup and honey are both natural sweeteners. Agave is preferred for those following a gluten-free, vegan or low-glycemic diet. All sugar - from table sugar to high-fructose corn syrup or honey - contains some mixture of fructose and glucose: table sugar has a 50/50 ratio and high fructose corn syrup has a 55/45 ration.  Agave nectar is 90 percent fructose. It does contain small amounts of calcium, potassium, and magnesium, but not enough to matter nutritionally. Honey has more calories than sugar but is sweeter tasting and less of it can be used in a recipe. Honey also provides antioxidants and traces of vitamins, such as niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, and B6, which are lacking in white sugar.

At the end of the day, a sweetener is a sweetener, and both should be consumed in moderation.

TIP: Try sweetening foods with freshly-squeezed fruit juice! 

Contributor: Julia E. Salomon, MS, RDN, CD and Community Health Improvement Leader at Affinity Health System
Questions? 
Contact: Keren Rosenberg
Weight of the Fox Valley Manager

We appreciate your continued interest in creating a community that together achieves and maintains a healthy weight at every age.

If you know others that would like to receive this newsletter please email us.

Weight of the Fox Valley Leadership Team:




























United Way Fox Cities | 1455 Midway Road | Menasha | WI | 54952