Training

Help Employees Party Hearty—and Stay Healthy

The holidays provide a great reason to get together with friends, family, and co-workers, which means there are lots of parties and food everywhere. Our Safety Training Tips editor warns that the weight you gain may not come off.

It’s so easy to gain weight at this time of year, but even though the gain may be small—as little as 1 pound—a recent study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine states the alarming news that this weight may remain for life. Not a festive thing to think about.


You need safety policies, but you don’t have to write them. We’ve already written them for you in BLR’s Essential Safety Policies program. Examine it at no cost or risk.


Teach your workers how they can have fun at parties and still stay healthy. Share these tips adapted from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services:

  • Have a plan. Eat healthful foods before you go so that you don’t arrive hungry, and decide ahead of time what you will avoid and what you will indulge in.
  • Bring healthful dishes yourself.
  • Eat small portions. Think sample sizes at the grocery store.
  • Limit alcohol—it’s very high in calories and simple carbs.
  • Don’t stand next to the buffet table.
  • Move around the room and talk to at least five people before going back to the table.
  • Suggest active parties, such as caroling around the neighborhood or office, sledding, snowboarding, or ice skating events, or walking rather than driving to view outdoor decorations. 

Get the safety policies you need without the work. They’re in BLR’s Essential Safety Policies program. Try it at no cost and no risk.


Many of your workers will be getting into the holiday spirit by going on a baking binge. But many don’t know they can still make great-tasting goodies for the holidays that are low in fat and sugar. Give them these tips for cutting down on the following high-calorie items in their recipes by using substitutes suggested by the Tennessee Department of Health:

Instead of:

 

Use:

Sour cream

 

Fat-free or light sour cream
Plain yogurt

Heavy cream         

 

Fat-free evaporated milk

Fat in baked goods

 

Applesauce or prune puree for ½ of fat in recipe

Cream cheese         

 

Fat-free cream cheese or “light” cream cheese (Neufchatel)

Salad dressing     

 

Fat-free or reduced fat salad dressings

1 cup sugar

 

½ cup sugar + ½ cup Splenda®

Help your employees party hearty and stay healthy this holiday season.


Why It Matters

  • 67 percent of adults aged 20 years and over are overweight or obese.
  • 18 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 19 years are overweight.
  • 15 percent of children aged 6 to 11 years are overweight.
  • 11 percent of children aged 2 to 5 years are overweight.

Other Recent Articles on Training
Brrr-ing Down the Risk of Cold-Related Injuries
Communicating Ergonomics
Lives Depend on Confined Space Attendants’ Decisions
Confined Space Attendants: Proper Training is Critical

Print

1 thought on “Help Employees Party Hearty—and Stay Healthy”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.