September 2021 Wellness Newsletter

2022 Open/Switch Enrollment, the annual Wellness Fair, new wellness programs, and more fitness & nutrition trends in the news!

Open/Switch Enrollment

Open/switch enrollment for eligible APS employees will be held completely online through Winocular Workspace Wednesday, October 6- Friday, October 15. You will be receiving email notifications with links to engage the process should you wish to enroll, re-enroll, switch health plan carriers, or add/drop dependents. Winoclular is the same platform for APS job applications and annual contracts.

All 2022 health plan information including comparison grids and premium payroll deduction sheets are available on aps.edu/human-resources/benefits.

Information sessions begin Monday, Sept.27 with an overview presentation at 3:30 pm on Google meets. A list of all virtual presentations and Google meet codes, is available on the open enrollment landing page.  Google meet codes are in the APS Employee Wellness event calendar. 

Engage & Win! We are having prize raffles for those who attend information sessions!

APS Employee Wellness Fair

The employee wellness fair is Thursday, Oct. 7, 8:00-3:30 pm. This will be a masked and hand-sanitized event and it will also be very much like traditional wellness fairs!  Links to schedule mammograms, blood donations, and detailed vaccination information are on the open enrollment landing page.

Here are some of the vendors and activities for the day: 

• Vaccinations (flu, COVID, pneumonia, tdap)
• Mammograms
• Blood donor drive
• Blood pressure screens
• Talk to a Wellness Coach
• Fitness demos from local gyms and some of our very own APS employees! (outside)
• Mini-farmers market
• Assistance with online open enrollment 
• APS benefits vendors BCBS, Presbyterian, THNM, Cigna, NMERB, NMRHCA, Delta Dental, Davis Vision, ASI-Flex, and more. 
• Local area businesses and community organizations. 

There will be QR code prize drawings and Vendor Q&A prizes!

Make the Connection with Employee Wellness Programs 

Engage in your wellness with some of these APS wellness programs! 

• Free Health Coaching
• Nourish Your Green Zone - Enroll anytime! 
• Gut Health Series (Oct. 12- Nov. 2) 
• Life on Mindfulness 
• APS EAP Resources in the Mental Health Corner 
• Livongo for diabetes, high blood pressure and weight management
• Participating in any wellness activity earns points for the APS Wellness Incentive program! We have great prizes including 1-3 month New Mexico Sports & Wellness memberships, LesMills OnDemand subscriptions, gift cards to local businesses like Stone Age gym, Sports Systems, Wecks, Flying Star & more!

More Fitness, Nutrition & Wellness Trends In The News

News: Weight Loading and Weight Loss Carrying a weighted load during the day could reduce body weight and fat mass in people with obesity. read more »

Nutrition: Protein Morning to Night Researchers say we need to spread out our protein intake throughout the day for greater muscle gains. read more »

Mind-Body: Exercise and Mental Fitness Investigators found that gender differences in cognitive benefits of exercise were linked to intensity level. read more »

Recipe: Flax Berry Overnight Oats To reap the nutritional benefits of flax, it’s best to consume it in its powder form. That makes this make-ahead oats creation a smart way to kick off a day. read more »

Video: Alternating Box Blast This advanced lower-body power movement targets your hips and legs. Land with a slight forward lean, your back leg slightly bent. Modify as needed. read more »