Were you cooped up these past few months, avoiding the seemingly endless snowy, cold conditions? Human Resources and Athletics and Recreation (A&R) offer wellness program to help shake off the winter slumber.

“Staying active during the winter months can challenge the most dedicated fitness enthusiasts. With warmer conditions just around the corner, there’s no better time to start thinking about getting fit and we’re here to help,” says Shannon Hill, the Learning and Development Specialist in Human Resources.

Ms. Hill and Tiffany Bambrick, Coordinator of Fitness and Wellness Programs in A&R, work in partnership to offer extensive wellness programs. The university earned a Workplace Wellness Gold Award in 2014 from Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health for its ongoing commitment and support for workplace wellness initiatives.

One popular offering is the walking program, a lunch-time program that includes a circuit of strength training exercises and information on a variety of health topics.

“The feedback we have received about this program has been tremendous,” Ms. Bambrick says. “We’ve heard that staff and faculty find it refreshing to get active over the lunch hour while enjoying the spring weather.”

Other spring session programs include Pilates, gentle yoga and yoga for managing stress.

The warm weather also marks the return of grilling season for many people. HR aims to help staff and faculty spice up their grilling skills with its “Healthy BBQ” Lunch and Learn session on April 24. Other upcoming Lunch and Learn sessions include “Stress Busters” (April 16), “The Journey to Wellness (May 20) and “The Emotional Effects of Retirement (June 16).

Registration is now open for the walking, yoga and Pilates classes. Due to popular demand, the yoga and Pilates classes are now offered in 12-week sessions. Visit the HR learning catalogue online to learn more about the wellness programs and HR’s other workshops and certificate programs.