Making a Comeback

December 1, 2020December 1, 2020 Christy Nealey

It happens to so many adults, and likely, it has happened to you: you start working out, you push your body, and start dreaming about six-pack abs and smaller clothing sizes. Suddenly, you see possibilities you never had the courage to dream about. Then WHAM! Something stops you right in your tracks. You get hurt. You get busy. You get tired or burned out. And suddenly the gains in fitness, weight loss and confidence disappear as quickly as they materialized.

So how do you get moving again after being sidelined? The strategies below will help you get going.

Get some perspective. Do you know what happens in your body when you stop working out? There’s a decrease in blood volume and mitochondria (the powerplants in our cells), and your lactate threshold falls. In general, the longer you’ve been training, the more quickly you’ll be able to get back into it after a layoff. In other words, someone who has been working out consistently for 10 years, then has a layoff for a year, will have an easier time of returning to work outs than someone who has been physically active for only a year, then off for a year. Why is that? The longer your exercise history, the bigger the foundation in aerobic strength. You will have built up a much higher level of mitochondria to produce energy, more red blood cells to deliver oxygen to exercising muscles, and more metabolic enzymes than someone who just started working out. Yes, your level of fitness decreases during a layoff, but it won’t drop as low as if you had zero fitness history.

Slow and steady wins the race. Another consequence of taking an extended break from working out is losing conditioning in your muscles, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue. It’s difficult to assess how much conditioning you lose or how quickly you lose it, but it’s the weakness in the musculoskeletal system that causes so many people to get injured when they return to working out. This is why a slow and steady exercise plan allowing rest and recovery days are so important.

Walk before you run. Before jumping into a high intensity workout, you should be able to walk for at least 45 minutes (without pain if returning from an injury). Walking conditions soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and connective tissue), preparing them for more rigorous demands of jogging and running, for example.

Start where you are. Don’t pick up where you left off, or at a weekly workout schedule that you had in the past. Too many times the desire for quick fitness results creates a situation where the individual is doing more than they ought to too soon after injury, and they end up sidelined even longer.

Don’t over medicate. Over-the-counter painkillers might make you feel better in the short term, but they can mask pain that tells you that you should stop. And for some, they can lead to gastric distress. If you can’t run through pain, don’t run. Walk or rest instead.

Cross-train. Working out every day will help speed up improvements in your cardiovascular fitness, but that doesn’t mean do the same workout each and every day. Add 2 or 3 days of cross-training to your routine. There are so many modes of exercise – cycling, rowing, swimming, using an elliptical trainer – that don’t worsen a previous injury. Also, Yoga, Pilates, weight training and core exercises can help you get stronger.

The Takeaways:

Practice patience: Rushing back to the routine you maintained before your setback is a surefire way to cause an injury.

Mix it up. Cross-train with other forms of exercise that work other parts of your body and still give a good cardiovascular workout.

Be safe, not sorry. As difficult as it can be to rest when you’d rather workout, remember that the conservative approach you take now will yield many happy and productive workouts down the road.

Holiday Photos at Home

December 1, 2020December 1, 2020 Christy Nealey

The holidays are a magical time of year. (As you can see by the smiles on the faces of these County leaders in the above pictures taken a few years ago.)

This year, the festivities are looking a little different: family members may not be able to travel, social distancing has limited store hours, and the big guy himself is limiting his appearances around town. Don’t worry! That doesn’t mean you have to skip out on holiday photos; you just have to get a little more creative. Here are some tips for taking a card-worthy photo at home:

Use your phone’s built-in grid lines to line up and balance each photo
Focus on one subject and make sure the subject takes up about a third of the frame
Don’t be afraid of negative space (that’s the area around and between subjects)
Use props if you want to
Think about leading lines – any angle that points toward the subject, which draws the eye to the right part of the photo
Don’t zoom in; move the phone closer if you need to
Use your device’s timer feature
Candid photos are GREAT options
Free photo editing apps like Google’s Snapseed, Adobe Lightroom, and Photoshop Express work wonders
Have fun with it

Can you guess who the three County leaders are in the cover photos? Email your answers to Christy Nealey ([email protected]) by December 15 to be entered into a drawing for a fun prize!

Christmas Mother Donation Deadline

Case Studies of Fraudulent Activity in Henrico County

November 3, 2020November 3, 2020 Christy Nealey

The Department of Finance, in conjunction with Internal Audit, has released a new procedure for notifying supervisors, department agency heads and the appropriate County agency heads if any employee or department suspects fraudulent activity by a County employee. Henrico County is committed to personal accountability and to protecting the County’s assets, including materials, equipment, and money.

The procedure can be found on the Finance SharePoint site under Finance Policies.

The following are a few examples of previous fraudulent activity identify what this activity might look like:

Falsifying overtime hours:

A county employee had been working overtime for an approved project for several months. As a result, the employee began to use the overtime funds, not as extra pay, but to pay for bills and extra expenses. When the project was over, the employee needed the overtime funds to continue those payments and purchases. So, instead of reigning in expenses, the employee added extra hours as overtime thinking no one would notice and the supervisor approved the timecards.

When you submit a timecard, you affirm “Falsification of any record, report, or document, including timecards, is prohibited and will be handled in accordance with the appropriate law and/pr County policy. Personnel Policies and Procedures Sections 13.4 Standards of Conduct. Omission of entries is also considered falsification.”

Another employee noticed on social media, the employee posted they were out of town the day they posted hours for overtime. When the overtime hours were investigated, it was discovered the employee had been falsifying overtime hours. The employee had to pay back the overtime hours identified as fraudulent and was terminated.

Using equipment and stealing fuel for personal use:

A county employee needed to do yardwork and their mower was broken. Their job included mowing grass, so they had access to a County mower. They thought it would be no big deal to use the mower one time at home. No one would notice. In addition, they filled their County gas can with fuel to run the mower at home. It wasn’t long before that one time, became a habit. They brought the mower back every day, so it was not “stealing,” they were just “borrowing” it and would stop when they purchased a mower.

Another employee noticed they were putting the County mower and gas can in their personal truck. They reported it to their supervisor. The incident was investigated, and it was determined the employee had been using the mower and fuel for personal use. The employee had to pay for the gas that was stolen and was terminated.

Stealing money payable to the County:

An employee had become behind on their bills. They had access to County money. Lots of money flowed through every day and they really needed the money. No one would notice if they “borrowed” the money. They would pay it back when they got their finances straight. They knew the department was not really reconciling their deposits to their monthly statements. No one would notice if they “voided” a receipt. The supervisor was not reviewing the voids and did not notice the increased number of voids. It seemed so easy, it continued. They “needed” the money more than the County.

The supervisor noticed something was a little off. The deposits were less than they were in the past, but the work had not slowed. Upon further review, the number of voided transactions stood out and it was identified one employee had the most voids and had not had an issue in the past. Due to the amount of funds suspected of being stolen, it was reported to the Police, who also investigated. It was determined there was sufficient evidence to arrest the employee. The employee was arrested and had to go through the court system, in addition to losing their job.

We share this information because accountability is one of the County’s core values. If you see someone not being a good steward of County resources, please report it. Trust and integrity are essential values for all Henrico County employees. We have a responsibility to provide our citizens a government characterized by accountability and responsibility.

These case studies are based on a combination of real cases in Henrico County but the details have been fictionalized so they do not represent the exact circumstances, and identities can remain confidential.

Taking Care of Our Tactical Athletes

November 3, 2020November 3, 2020 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.

The Surprising Benefits of an Attitude of Gratitude

November 3, 2020November 3, 2020 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.}

A healthy boost to your day in less than 5 minutes

November 2, 2020November 2, 2020 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:

Add all ingredients into the blender. Blend until smooth.
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.

Intuitive Eating Strategies Part Two: Fall and Winter Feasting

October 1, 2020October 1, 2020 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.

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.

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:

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.
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.
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].

Congratulations to All of Our NACo Award Winners!

October 1, 2020October 1, 2020 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!

15 Ways to Have Family Fun This Fall

October 1, 2020October 1, 2020 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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Boo your neighbor- Sneak little treats like cookies or a bottle of wine on your neighbor’s porch and watch them pay it forward!

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.

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.