county connection

Taking Care of Our Tactical Athletes

Christy Nealey

Tactical professions, such as police officers, firefighters, and sheriff’s deputies, use their minds and bodies to protect and serve.  Being in good physical condition enhances the ability to face physical, environmental and psychological challenges both on and off duty. The demands of these occupations have shown to increase both the risk of chronic diseases (heart disease, cancer and obesity) and musculoskeletal injuries as compared to the general population; not to mention the increased risks of developing cancer and suffering from obesity.  Unlike a typical sports athlete, “tactical” athletes face the unknown all year round, day in and day out. This underscores how imperative finding a balanced relationship between work, fitness, nutrition, sleep and personal life habits is; to combat these known risks and to promote an enhanced quality of life. 

Through Tactical Strength and Conditioning (TSAC) classes, coaching, and challenges, the Henrico County Public Safety Fitness Program strives to make sure our tactical athletes can achieve that balance. They work with the Police, Fire, and Sheriff departments to research and apply appropriate and effective strength and conditioning strategies to optimize job performance and prevent injury for both recruits and sworn incumbents. Let’s see firsthand the positive impacts it has had on two of our own:

Sergeant Dustin Eddington’s story:

I am a Sergeant for the Police Division and I am currently assigned to the Prevention Services Unit – CIT/TAT (Crisis Intervention Team/ Threat Assessment Team).  I work with the unit by visiting citizens in the community that may either be in a mental health crisis and/or in need of services, to include voluntary/involuntary hospitalization. 

Our unit also works all threat assessments: acts of violence, school shootings or other mass casualty threats in hopes to de-escalate and treat those persons.  I am also a Peer Support Person that is available to our first responders in times of stress should they need someone to talk to/listen. For my primary job, my day starts typically at 6:30 am and ends 4:30 pm. I also work secondary jobs 3-4 days a week which gets me home at about 11:00 pm at least 2-3 days a week. So, to say I have a busy schedule, well that would be close to accurate.  I average 70 hours of work a week. 

I started this Health Trip journey almost 2 years ago after a health scare in my family forced me to look at my own health. I weighed in at over 270 pounds at that time. I was grossly overweight and totally out of physical shape. I attended a class on a whim, just to see where I was from their point of view. It was horrible. I could not even complete a workout. Still on my journey, I have lost 70 pounds so far. I try to start off 4-5 days a week at the gym, working out with the TSAC morning program.  It gets my day started on the right track and focused; knowing that my personal goal of exercise has been completed and I can now focus on the day’s events, whatever they should be. I am in a totally different place as far as physical shape and can complete the workouts.

Now, I challenge fellow peers to join the program (see the stats of Detective Damon Grant below), which has been a huge pay it forward accomplishment that I am most proud of. My journey is ongoing with no end in sight, but with the training and assistance of Joshua Gaskins and Joey Pacelli I am meeting and exceeding my goals.

It is a challenge, but I am not alone, as others have stepped up and joined in on achieving their own personal weight management goals, which is a huge motivator to me, knowing that I am not alone in the struggle… Some Days, the struggle is Real… 🙂

If you have read this all the way to the end, I appreciate it. I hope that if you are someone in need of that “push” to get into the gym, please know that you’re not alone and you will have help every step of the way.  You just have to show up and put in the work.

Damon Grant’s Success Story:

I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and had an episode with high blood sugar. My Sergeant was affiliated with this class and introduced me to Josh. I started working out with the class and it was tough. I was overweight and not feeling very energetic. Since I have been working out with this class, there have been some positive changes. Despite the pandemic originally canceling fitness classes, Dustin and I still followed Josh’s program. Now, with classes resumed I have lost 59 pounds since February 2020.

The icing on the cake is that both Dustin and Damon recently completed the 30-day Concept 2 Rower Fall Team Challenge with Team Henrico. Dustin finished in third place on the team with 201,014 meters and Damon finished in fourth place with 186,641 meters. Their amazing efforts helped Team Henrico earn first place in the Corporate Division in this worldwide competition!

While the focus of the Public Safety Fitness Program is to help Henrico’s tactical athletes,  certainly, everyone can relate to the challenges of a good work-life balance and the battle to stay healthy along the way. The Fitness and Wellness Division offers many opportunities to assist all permanent Henrico County employees on their Health Trip journey. 

Follow us on Facebook and Power Henrico to learn more!

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The Surprising Benefits of an Attitude of Gratitude

Christy Nealey

After a tough year, you may be looking for ways to add a little more positivity to your life. One surprisingly simple way is to express gratitude.

In fact, scientific research shows a connection between expressing gratitude and physical and mental well‐being.1 In one study, researchers asked one group of participants to write about things they were grateful for and another group to write about things that irritated them.2 After 10 weeks, testing showed that the people who wrote about being grateful were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. They also exercised more and logged fewer visits to doctors than the group that focused on irritating things.

How can you be more grateful in a time of increased unpredictability and anxiety? It may take a little effort. Experts recommend everything from keeping a gratitude journal in which you list the things you’re thankful for to meditating to performing small acts of kindness.3 Even writing thank‐you notes can help. While you may not have control over the events that shape your life, you do have some control over how you view those events — and deliberately cultivating gratitude may help you maintain a positive outlook.

At this point, you may be asking: What does expressing gratitude have to do with saving for retirement? Not a lot—at first glance. But maybe being happier in the here‐and‐now can make it easier to focus on planning for the future. At least it’s worth a try.

1 Psychology Today, “The Positive Impact of Gratitude on Mental Health,” June 29, 2020.

2 Harvard University, “Giving thanks can make you happier,” June 17, 2020.

3 NIH News in Health, “Practicing Gratitude,” March 2019.

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A healthy boost to your day in less than 5 minutes

Christy Nealey

Start your day with this green smoothie packed with a variety of fruits, like pineapple and banana, in each serving and a nutrient-rich combination of fiber, vitamins and minerals in each sip. The healthy boost comes from the 2 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables in this smoothie recipe meeting the American Heart Associations’ daily intake recommendations to prevent Cancer and disease.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup spinach
  • ½ medium banana, frozen
  • ½ cup pineapple, frozen
  • 4 ounces orange juice (can substitute coconut water to lessen sugar grams and calories)
  • 4 ounces water
  • 1 cup ice

Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients into the blender. Blend until smooth.
  2. Spinach is packed with nutrients and antioxidants and it is low in calories. The leaves have a very mild flavor making is an easy option for green smoothies. You can barely taste the spinach when its combined with frozen bananas and pineapple.

Spinach Benefits:

  • Nutrient dense food packed with magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, vitamins A, C and K.
  • Great source of antioxidants Lutein and Zeaxanthin to promote eye health by protecting the eyes from UV light.

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Intuitive Eating Strategies Part Two: Fall and Winter Feasting

Christy Nealey

Well, here we are in October, and whether we are ready or not the fall and winter feasts are rapidly approaching. This time of the year is typically a time filled with family, friends, memories, food…and lots of it! October through the New Year tends to be that time we eat more sweets, eat larger portions, or eat more food in general which, consequently, could lead to weight gain. According to WebMD, any fat gain that does occur from holiday over-eating typically occurs after the holidays because fat gain takes many days, weeks, or even months of overeating to accumulate. The initial weight gain after feast days is more likely from 1) salty foods and 2) increased storage of carbohydrates (aka glycogen), both resulting in more water absorption.  Hence, why your clothes may become a little tighter around the waist, especially when this period is coupled with less activity and exercise. Now multiply the number of years this trend has continued, and the significant weight gain over the years makes more sense (WebMD “Holiday Weight Gain a Big Fat Lie”). 

Unprecedented challenges have crept into everyone’s lives in one way or another these recent months. New challenges can bring new opportunities, yielding new accomplishments if you allow it. This may be the season for you to focus and achieve better health and immunity. Nutritional habits have this tremendous power—food can either be your pitfall in health or food can empower your health. Instead of indulging in self-sabotaging habits such as the ones mentioned previously, take the steps to become more intuitive, or mindful, of your eating habits. 

We defined intuitive eating in part one as the ability to stay tuned in to your body’s natural hunger and fullness cues. Review our May County Connection to view the many benefits and strategies we discussed in part one.

Strategy #1: Using the hunger scale.  

The Hunger Scale below is an effective, simple strategy to discover how you should and should not feel when eating intuitively. The idea is to stay within the green zone and avoid the caution and red zones when you begin and stop eating. For example, begin eating when you are mildly hungry (zone 4) and stop when you are satiated or mildly full, with no discomfort (zones 5-6). The feeling of starvation or famished (zones 1-3) and eating to the point of discomfort, or feeling sick, (zones 8-10) should be avoided. Practicing this routinely will yield a positive impact on your energy levels and lessen negative emotions, such as irritability or being “hangry”. Be sure to keep a journal as a reminder and reference tool.

Strategy #2: Nourish yourself by other means.

We tend to treat the sudden onset of hunger as an emergency by instantly ravaging the fridge or cabinet to fulfill what we think is hunger. Hunger works in waves of about 3-4 hours and then it calms. Try these options to learn how to break the habit. The intent is to identify the trigger, and then discipline your thinking about food to create a new habit.

  1. Self-experimentation: Exploring tactics that work or do not work for you. When you pay attention to how foods make you feel it empowers you and energizes you to make better choices
    1. Try to skip a meal or two. Use your journal to make notes on how it made you feel.
    2. Instead of acting on the hunger, wait for your next scheduled eating time.
    3. Try scheduling a 24-hour fast or try an intermittent fasting day (I.e., Refrain from eating for 14-16 hours, and eat the remaining 8-10 hours.)
    4. Indulge in your stress (psychological) eating. By doing this it will allow you to identify the trigger. Write it down as a reminder so the next time you may remember to stop.
  1.  
  2. Replace non-scheduled or triggering eating habits with something you enjoy doing that takes less than 15 minutes, such as:
    1. Do a workout
    2. Go for a walk
    3. Call a friend or family member
    4. Deep breathing exercises
    5. Listen to music or a podcast
    6. Play with your pet or kids, etc.

Strategy #3: Plan to indulge.

Be honest with yourself—we all like to eat during the holidays, and there is no way around eating. If this describes your sentiment about food on the holidays  but you typically do well with eating habits during other times of the year, then just plan to indulge. However, the keyword is “plan”. Here are some ideas:

  1. Significantly cut back on intake, mainly carbohydrates, about 1-2 weeks prior to the scheduled feast. This could help combat the increased carbohydrate and water storage weight.
  2. Go for a walk right after you eat. This will metabolize the food by using it as energy for the activity reducing the amount of energy storage.
  3. Increase your exercise and activity levels the weeks up to and after the holiday season. 

Final Thoughts

Try not to beat yourself up. A successful journey is persistently pursuing ways to learn, whether from accomplishments or from mistakes, and continuing to move forward. Striving for perfection will only let you down, and the stress makes weight gain worse. Allowing yourself to indulge here and there is ok, but overindulging often is the issue.  However, this should not be used as a permanent get-out-of-jail-free card by letting yourself off the hook. A key distinction here is that self-compassion is not an excuse to stress eat or indulge. Its purpose is to help remove some of the guilt. Enjoy your fall and winter holiday feasts and may it be filled with joy and memories, but stay healthy!

If you are interested in receiving health coaching on this topic, please contact Joshua Gaskins at [email protected].

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Congratulations to All of Our NACo Award Winners!

Christy Nealey

50 years ago, the National Association of Counties (NACo) began a rewards program to recognize innovative county government programs. This year, Henrico County Public Schools and general government departments won a combined 25 awards. This is the most of any county in Virginia (for the 15th straight year), and the seventh-highest number of awards nationally. While the awards were announced in the Spring, the certificates were recently handed out at the Board of Supervisors meetings on September 22.  

County Manager John A. Vithoulkas remarked that “These awards are well-deserved and shine a light on the outstanding work that employees of Henrico County and Henrico County Public Schools do every day for our community… But these award-winning programs reveal more than a county workforce focused on excellence and customer service. They also show our commitment to serving with compassion and heart, to leading and innovating and to building a community that’s vibrant, engaging, and welcoming to all.”

Some of the highlights of these programs include REVIVE! Training by Mental Health & Developmental Services (MH/DS). This is a free class on how to administer naloxone to potentially save the life of someone who has overdosed on opioids. MH/DS was also acknowledged for their Youth Leadership Development Program in which middle and high school students plan and implement prevention strategies and community service. Henrico County Public Library (HCPL) received recognition for their Trailblazers Wall at the Fairfield Area Library that showcases biographies of individuals whose lives and work had major impacts on the county, the state, and the nation. Finally, the Henrico County Human Resources Department received a NACo award for their Emerging Leaders Certificate Program (ELCP). This program provides non-supervisory employees with the framework, tools, and learning experiences to strengthen their leadership skills, self-awareness, and initiative to deliver customer service The Henrico Way.

Below is a complete list of winning programs and departments.

  • A No-Cost Camp Expands Access to Robotics, Engineering and Coding, HCPS
  • Leading and Mentoring the Future, HCPS
  • Queens United, HCPS
  • What’s Christmas Without Toys?, HCPS
  • CTE NOW: Podcast Explores, Promotes Career and Technical Education, HCPS
  • #LifeReady Expo, HCPS
  • Building the Future, Brick by Brick, HCPS
  • VARP Helps Students See Careers From the Top Down, HCPS
  • Who Kept the Dogs In?, HCPS
  • Creating a Culture of Life-Ready Learners, HCPS
  • Pooling Resources: Swimming Partnership Makes a Community Safer, HCPS
  • Making Professional Development Meaningful for Assistant Principals, HCPS
  • Cosmetology Advisory Council Leads Way to Mentorship Program, HCPS
  • Advanced Digital Literacy Skill Building at the Library, Henrico County Public Library (HCPL)
  • LGBTQIA+ Book Group, HCPL
  • Multilingual Storytimes, HCPL
  • Trailblazers Wall: Community History at the Library, HCPL
  • Youth Leadership Program, Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services
  • Office Based Opiate Treatment Program (OBOT) — Whole Person Treatment, Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services
  • REVIVE! Training, Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services
  • Emerging Leaders: Professional Development for Non-Supervisors, Human Resources
  • A Double Win: Changing Lives Through Second Chances, Human Resources
  • Savings and Sustainability with Solar Renewable Energy, General Services
  • Threat Assessment, Police Division
  • My County Academy: One County, One Community, Public Relations

 

Congratulations to all the winners on the very successful programs!

 

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15 Ways to Have Family Fun This Fall

Christy Nealey

With the ongoing Pandemic, many events and fall festivals have been canceled. Luckily, there are many ways to enjoy fall in Henrico and the surrounding areas. Here are fifteen ways you and your family can get out and enjoy the crisp autumn air!

  1. Visit the Farmer’s Market- Bryan Park and Dorey Park host outdoor markets every Saturday morning! Take a stroll and grab some fresh goat cheese or vegetables.
  1. Go apple (or peach) picking- Carter Mountain is always a fan favorite and is only about an hour away! There are a few local peach and berry farms too.
  1. Take a hike- The Blue Ridge Mountains offer a lot of picturesque views but if you are looking for less of a commute, check out the Capital Trail. In Henrico County, visit the Four Mile Creek Trailhead or Dorey Park Trailhead to begin your journey on the Virginia Capital Trail!
  1. Visit the Pumpkin Patch- Enjoy the hayrides and pick your own pumpkins at Gallmeyer Farm or Hanover Vegetable Farm. Then, carve or decorate your pumpkins to add festive décor to your home.
  1. Go for a coffee walk- Whether you are all about the PSL, chia tea, or ciders, grab your favorite hot drink from a local shop and go for a walk and enjoy the changing leaves.
  1. Savor cider doughnuts- Henrico’s own Country Style Donuts won the 2020 Best Local Doughnuts Award and have several seasonal flavors to enjoy. Mrs. Yoder’s and First Stop Donuts are also local favorites!
  1. Show your gratitude- It has been a challenging year for everyone. Fall is the time to reflect on thankfulness. Make a list or mail thank you notes to your loved ones.
  1. Plant bulbs for your spring garden- If fall leaves aren’t your favorite, get your garden ready for Spring. Narcissus, tulips, and peonies are beautiful options to plant now to see the colors emerge in a few months.
  1. Enjoy a fall craft- Hand knit a chunky blanket to keep you cozy in the cooler months or make a new door wreath or DIY Halloween costume. Have a fun, family photoshoot and show off your creativity!
  1. Jump into a pile of leaves- What is more fall-like than raking up the yard a little bit and then jumping into the pile and throwing leaves like confetti? Kids will enjoy hours of fun and maybe even a little yard work.
  1. Deck your halls (and your yard) with a little spooky décor- Why wait
    The home of Jenn Montrose, Department of Information Technology
    until December to add lights to your house? Add some jack-o-lanterns, witches, skeletons, spiderwebs, or some purple and orange lights for a fun festive look.
  1. Enjoy a faux tailgate in your driveway- Most sports are not currently open to the public so make a big pot of chili and invite your friends over for a social distance tailgate in your yard or driveway.
  1. Boo your neighbor- Sneak little treats like cookies or a bottle of wine on your neighbor’s porch and watch them pay it forward!
  1. Watch Halloween TV specials and movies- With all the streaming options available, enjoy a scary movie marathon or any of your fall favorites. Curl up on the couch or project it outside with a bonfire for a perfect fall night.
  1. Enjoy a fall festival- Many festivals have changed to virtual events this year, like the Richmond Folk Festival. However, there are some outdoor fall events that are still happening; like the Sunday Funday for Kids on the lawn at Walkerton Tavern and the Glendale Ruritan Club Trunk or Treat.

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Solid Work from Solid Waste

Christy Nealey

As we continue to navigate the global pandemic, I am sure most of us have read those “feel good” stories that give us faith or hope.  Some of us may even be lucky enough to be a part of those stories.

I would like to share a story, about a group of people that embody everything good in the world.  Some of you may even see this as an example of the “Henrico Way”.  I cannot tell you that this group is perfect nor that they always get along, but I can tell you that the men and women of the Solid Waste Division are a family. They are a team that finds a way to work together and gets the job done.

DPU Staff at the Charles County Road Public Use Area

When the local effects of the pandemic began in March, most restaurants, parks, and businesses closed.  Residents were encouraged to stay at home to help stop the spread of COVID-19.  As you can imagine, waste services were deemed essential. We knew curbside trash, recycling, and the public use areas could not be put on hold or closed.  The question became, how do we provide the same basic level of service while keeping our workers and residents safe?  How do we run refuse collection crews (sometimes three workers in a truck) and not expose anyone to COVID-19?  How do we open the public use areas that sometimes have over 1,000 visitors a day and not expose the public or our workers to COVID-19?

Many of the answers to these questions made the daily jobs of the Solid Waste staff even harder.  We asked our staff to wear masks on hot, sweltering, 100-degree days; making the job more strenuous. We asked our staff to clean their trucks and equipment multiple times a day; often adding an hour or so of work to their already extended day. We asked our staff to limit the number of residents allowed to enter the public use areas to 10 vehicles at a time and to keep those vehicles at least 6-feet apart. This created a 3-hour wait and some unhappy residents on multiple occasions.  We asked our call center staff to work and take calls from home which added additional stress and hurdles to work through. Our staff found a way.

From March through July, we saw a 15% increase in the waste volumes we collected.  That is an additional 3,600 tons of waste collected through curbside refuse collection program and another 1,100 tons collected through our public use area program.  All while the COVID-19 limitations were in place. Our staff found a way.

In April, 20% of our staff was quarantined at one time.  In May, our refuse collection routes went from eight hours per day, five days a week to nine hours per day, six days a week.  Currently, 60% of our refuse trucks are broken down at one time.  Our staff continues to find a way.

At the end of the day, I cannot express the admiration and respect I have for the 60 or so Solid Waste Division employees who I consider my family.  They have overcome every obstacle that has been thrown at them and done so with a smile on their face. (I think it is a smile, although it is hard to tell with a mask on!)  Please, if you see one of our refuse trucks on the road or visit one of our public use areas, give the staff a big smile and a thumbs up!  They have worked hard, continue to do so, and have truly shown the “Henrico Way”!

 

DPU Staff at the Springfield Public Use Area

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Internships Build a Talent Pipeline for Our Future Workforce

Christy Nealey

Many are aware of Henrico County’s award-winning internship program and the partnerships it has with local schools. You may be familiar enough with various Henrico schools or possibly have even seen some of the students working hard around the government center. While there is no doubt that COVID-19 has had an impact on our ability to provide paid internships, the County continues to maintain relationships with many

Accepting the Partnership for the Future Pacesetter Award

learning institutions and can offer opportunities for students to obtain credit in their degree programs. Furthermore, these relationships have proven vital in delivering a pool of talented new employees, especially during these hard times. In fact, Henrico County has hired a total of 53 of our former interns; 15 of which were hired during the last fiscal year.

This year also marks the first time Henrico County has hired a previous high school intern as a full-time employee. Clayton Fuhrman started his internship with the County while attending Glen Allen High School and the Diesel Mechanic program at the ACE Center at Hermitage High school. Clayton completed his internship at the East End Automotive Shop working mostly on school buses and some cars. He shared, “I’ve always loved working with engines and so it was a good fit for me. The guys I worked with helped me along the way teaching me skills and tricks that would later help me succeed to move forward and start my career. My internship prepared me for a unique and special opportunity I would have never

expected, to join Henrico full-time. Henrico Fire was so impressed with my skills and ability to adapt that they hired me as an emergency vehicle technician. I have loved fire engines since I was a little kid and was amazed when I was asked ‘when can you start?’ It comes to show that regardless of where you start, with a little hard work and perseverance you can end up doing something very special.”

Clayton Furhman

The success of our internships does not stop with Clayton. Cate Clifton started her internship at Henrico in August of 2019 as a Master Social Work Intern in the Child Welfare Stipend Program at VCU. Kate shared, “I did not know what to expect, but I had a good feeling about Henrico—the people, the work, and the vibe. I was introduced to everyone in the office and I quickly started to find a groove asking folks what they were doing that day or week and asking to join them. I focused heavily on the foster care and adoption unit and began working closely with this team. I was guided towards being a proficient foster care worker and learning the “Henrico Way”. My supervisor’s open-door policy and her collaborative way of solving staffing issues were invaluable to my sense of belonging. After the nine months I spent interning, I applied and was hired full-time as a Family Services Specialist. I felt prepared to do this work because of the internship; because of the training and the strong relationships built with colleagues.”

Cate went on to say, “Being an intern at Henrico was challenging due to the difficult nature of the work. As a child welfare worker, we are asked to help families solve complex problems that transcend the family system, and in many cases, it is a tall order. Today, I feel like an asset to the children and families with whom I work. I am constantly taking active steps to learn and grow, which is extremely important. I find that open-heartedness is crucial, and this work is best approached with humility and deep regard for the dignity of all families.”

As you can see, internships provide not only professional skills for students but also life skills. It affords students the rare opportunity of self-discovery in the form of career exploration. Their experiences give them a better understanding of what they like and don’t like, along with what they want in their future. The program strives to ensure a balance between the student’s specific learning and career development goals while creating a positive experience for the student. They witness first hand how various roles align with the County’s missions as well as their personal goals, all before graduating high school. Upon graduation, these students are college-ready and career prepared!

Students are not the only ones to benefit and grow with an internship. Their coworkers and supervisors have the opportunity to not only teach a younger generation and watch them flourish but learn from them as well. Clayton mentioned how the mentorship from his colleagues was crucial to his success. Cate’s supervisor, Jamie Anderson summarized her view of Cate’s success: “Cate is someone who brings a great deal of enthusiasm and passion to her work. Getting her feet wet as an intern has been an excellent segue into professional practice and provided a solid foundation for her as a Family Services Specialist.  While jobs in child welfare are highly rewarding, they can come with a high level of stress.  Internships can provide a valuable opportunity to see if you are a fit for a certain job type.  Many of our employees were interns in public social services agencies who had the opportunity to see the work for all that it is and all that it can be and have chosen this as their profession. A true win-win for the individual, County, and our families.”

As we continue to work through this pandemic and grow, we challenge you to help us utilize these students and build a workforce for tomorrow. Interns are a pipeline of talent and provide the opportunity for you to coach, mentor, and mold. Beginning in the Spring, we will also be expanding on our partnership with Cristo Rey and their Work-Study Program. Cristo Rey is a new high school in our area that uniquely serves limited income families to provide a different type of learning experience. Each student takes a full course load of college preparatory classes for four years while participating one day a week in a four-year Corporate Work-Study program. What better way to find your next employee and show the “Henrico Way”? If your department would like to discuss offering an internship, please contact the County’s Internship Program Coordinator, Debbie Lumpkin, at [email protected] or call 804-501-7206. September 31 is the deadline for Spring 2021 internships and November 1 is the deadline for Summer 2021 internships.

 

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Intermittent Fasting: Scratching the Surface

Christy Nealey

Intermittent fasting has become a popular trend over the last few years, but do you know what it truly is? Let us look at the general idea and its key components. Intermittent fasting simply means that you are going an extended period of time without eating (or drinking caloric beverages). This timeframe could be 12-hours, 24-hours, or even longer, but most traditionally intermittent fasting falls somewhere between the 14-hours to 24-hours without eating. The key is to consume the same number of calories as you typically would, but in a shorter timeframe. For example, if you typically hold yourself to a 2,000 calorie diet, your eating may look like this: 7 am you eat scrambled eggs with vegetables and a piece of toast, 9 am you eat an apple with peanut butter, lunch is a chipotle burrito bowl at noon, 2 pm your afternoon snack consists of veggies and hummus, and for dinner at 7 pm you eat pizza with a side salad and a scoop of ice cream for dessert. With intermittent fasting, the focus isn’t on what you are eating (although it is still important) but rather when. To continue the example, with intermittent fasting 7 pm to 9 am, your day may look more like the following: at 7 am you grab a cup of black coffee, at 9 am enjoy your egg breakfast, apple snack is at 11 am, lunch is at 1 pm, afternoon snack is at 3 pm and dinner is 6 pm. You are done consuming calories by 7 pm to begin your fast. Remember, while fasting, you can still enjoy freshly brewed tea, water, seltzer, or black coffee. So, if at 9 pm you are feeling bored or antsy about fasting, drink some hot tea and wind down before bed.

Why has intermittent fasting become so popular? Not to get too specific, but there are several health benefits associated with it. These benefits include blood sugar regulation improvement which can aid with certain diabetes situations, improved memory function, blood pressure, resting heart rate, and many more. From a physiological and fitness aspect, there is an increased amount of testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH) that is released into the body with intermittent fasting which can lead to improved results when paired with resistance training. Research also shows that the hormone, Ghrelin, which is released when your body is ‘hungry’, decreases with intermittent fasting.

It is important to realize that not everyone is going to respond the same way to intermittent fasting. You may see good benefits with intermittent fasting, or you may not realize any changes. The way we should view intermittent fasting, in my opinion, is that it is meant to break our normal cycle and make us more conscious of our dietary decisions. It gets you out of your comfort zone and makes you think: “Am I eating because it is time to eat?” “Am I eating because I am bored?” “Do I really need to eat right now?”

Are you now wondering how do you get started? Select a day in which you would like to try the intermittent fasting and start with a 12-14 hour fast. Now, this may sound intimidating, but if you eat dinner at 7 pm then you only need to make it until 7 am the following day to accomplish a 12-hour fast, or 9 am to make a 14-hour fast. Once you have accomplished this a few times, then you can start to expand your timeframe from 12-14 hours to 16 hours and eventually 24 hours or longer.

 

Give it a try and see how you do! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Joey Pacelli or Joshua Gaskins.

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