GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

On a cold December day, Cheryl Sanchez and her six-year-old son, Alex, an avid participant in YMCA swimming lessons, approached the Galowich Family YMCA Membership Desk with a donation.

The two of them decided to give half of their earnings from a summer 2014 lemonade stand to the Y. To Community Engagement Director Kate Nichols’ surprise, the donation totaled 76 dollars. The other half? That was donated to another nonprofit: The Guardian Angels.

“I’m always touched when children do selfless things and was so thrilled that Alex knows about the great work that we do at the Y,” Kate said.

The generosity of others is at the core of the Y’s existence as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. The Greater Joliet Area YMCA embraces the Y’s mission and furthers its cause thanks to the support of our members, staff, community partnerships, volunteers and generous donors. To learn how you can give to the Y, please click here.

Make your resolutions SMART

Every goal you set should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. There’s really no way to know if you’ve succeed if you have vague statements like “I’m going to eat more cleanly”. Goals like “I’m going to lose 20 pounds this month” may not be entirely realistic, despite what you see on The Biggest Loser. Instead, make sure the goal is specific and realistic, with statements like “I will eat a salad for lunch 4 days a week.” The goals should be actionable things you have complete control over (attainable) that you can very easily measure, and set a time frame for them.

Make it visible

Write your goals down, on paper. Write your motivation to reach those goals —how your life will be better when as you attain it. Post that paper in your kitchen, on your bathroom mirror, or by your computer. Wherever it needs to be, to be a continuous visual reminder.

Avoid words like “never” and “always”

“I’m never going to have another cookie, I’m always going to eat a salad for lunch.” These are just setting yourself up for disaster. The minute you slip a tiny bit, you’ve failed. Nobody’s perfect, so don’t resolve to be. Instead, plan for little treats every now and then, but keep them out of sight to avoid mindless noshing.

Plan for success

Make sure that you have everything set up to support your goals. If your goals involve eating more vegetables, make sure your fridge is stocked. If you are always rushing to get dinner on the table, be sure those vegetables are washed, prepped, and ready to go. If you rush out the door every morning, your lunch salad ready the night before. Making positive changes will require organization and forethought. Brainstorm the challenges to your success, and figure out ways around them.

Be accountable

Set up an account on a free diet tracker like MyFitnessPal. Enlist the help of friends and family members to keep you honest. Use social media to tell your intentions. If you say on Facebook you are going to be passing on the break room doughnuts, you’re far less likely to grab one and let people see you cave.

Persist

“Well, I’ve already messed up today, I might as well eat that cake and just start over tomorrow.” Sound familiar? It’s one of our most common—and most flawed—ideas. If you mess up, brush yourself off and recommit to those goals…NOW. Not after cake. Everyone slips, but how you respond to a slip will define your progress. Just keep on going and remember why you’re on this journey.

Celebrate

…just not with food. Treat yourself to a new pair of sunglasses, a pedicure, or a new game once you hit a certain milestone. Or just go and and brag about it on Facebook! Take some time to acknowledge the hard work you’ve done and how far you’ve come. Nobody said accomplishing goals was easy. But it’s always worth it.

Nourishing Thoughts is written by Julie Miller, an expert on nutrition and fitness instructor at the C.W. Avery Family YMCA.

Gather your loved ones and enjoy the holiday season at the Y. The Greater Joliet Area YMCA has spectacular Christmas festivities planned at each of our branches. And in true holiday spirit, each one of them is absolutely FREE!

Smith Family YMCA — Breakfast with Santa

You and your family are invited to kick off the Christmas season at the Smith Family YMCA with our 2015 edition of Breakfast with Santa. Pancakes and sausage will be served and good times will be had, as children will be able to visit with Santa, receive a free photo and get creative in the Little Elves Workshop! Please register for Breakfast with Santa by Thursday, December 4.

Saturday, December 6 | 10 a.m.-noon

C.W. Avery Family YMCA — Evening with Santa

Christmastime is the most wonderful time of the year, and there’s no better place than the Y to get into the Spirit of Christmas! That’s why you and your family should join us for an Evening with Santa on Friday, December 12. There will be fun, games and, of course, an appearance from Santa Claus! Register here.

Friday, December 12 | 6:30-8 p.m.

Galowich Family YMCA — Santa’s Workshop

Santa is bringing his workshop to the Galowich Family YMCA! That means it’s time for Y kids to put on their elf hates and make some toys! All in a night’s work, kids will enjoy arts and crafts, snacks, games and even a special visit from the Big Guy himself! (Hint: It’s Santa). Please register for Santa’s Workshop by Monday, December 15.

Friday, December 19 | 6-8 p.m.

FEASTING THE HEALTHY WAY

While all holidays are centered around food, Thanksgiving is all about the feast. So how can we enjoy the holiday without completely abandoning our health goals?

The average American may eat as much as 4500 calories on Thanksgiving Day, including appetizers, drinks, and deserts according to a study from the Calorie Control Council. That is more than double what the average daily caloric intake should be! And unfortunately, most of it is not from healthy calories, despite the healthy turkey that takes center stage.

As evidence that you can’t out-exercise your fork, running a full 26.2-mile marathon will burn around 3,000 calories. If you’re planning to rationalize that extra piece of pumpkin pie because you ran a Thanksgiving 5K or plan on going for a walk after dinner, you won’t be doing much to put a dent in those excess calories.

The food we eat represents a whole lot more than just fuel, and that’s truer than ever at the holidays. The dishes you will find on the Thanksgiving buffet are likely the same foods you’ve been eating since a child, recipes and traditions that have been in your family for generations. No matter how strictly you control your diet the rest of the year, you may feel powerless to resist that stuffing or pecan pie. And there’s good news! You don’t have to!

Still, giving in to family traditions is not the same as surrendering to a 4,500-calorie meal. There can be balance. You can still enjoy your favorites and not wind up in a food coma. By the way, don’t blame the tryptophan; after you eat that much food your body has to divert more blood to digestion, and that is what leaves you sleepy and lethargic.

Here are some tips to help you enjoy Thanksgiving Day without eating 3 days’ worth of food. [Read more…]

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA has been selected by the Chicago Tribune as a Top Workplace in 2014. The Joliet Y proudly employees more than 400 people that serve at three branches throughout Will County. As an organization, we couldn’t be more excited to share this news!

What YMCA employees say

“I make a difference in people’s lives. Putting smiles on members’ faces, etc. Interacting with members.”

“It gives me the opportunity to help children grow and form into the individuals they are meant to be.”

“The Y has values, they are motivated to keep growing and serving the community in every area, great benefits, good pay, flexible schedules, I feel appreciated.”

More than 225 Chicago-area companies participated in the Trib’s survey, but only a select group were recognized. For more information, head to the Tribune’s website.

After the day we give thanks, we have two days for getting deals: Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And now there’s a day for giving back: #GivingTuesday. The Greater Joliet Area YMCA has joined this global movement, and we encourage you to do the same!

What is #GivingTuesday?

#GivingTuesday is a day dedicated to giving back. Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday’s goal is to inspire personal philanthropy, volunteerism, and encourage bigger, better and smarter giving during the holiday season. Taking place December 2—the Tuesday after Thanksgiving—#GivingTuesday will show that the world truly gives as good as it gets.

Can I Give to the Y?

Yes! Your gift on #GivingTuesday will benefit our People Helping People Scholarship Program, which helps to ensure that no one is turned away form the Y due to the inability to pay. With your help, local families will have the opportunity to experience a variety of YMCA programs—from group fitness classes to before and after school programs, and everything in between.

What is the Impact of my Gift?

$50 sends a child to Y’s Youth Basketball League for eight weeks
$100 provides a family of five with a membership for six months
$200 allows four children to learn to swim

Every gift matters. Everyone has a role to play. Together, we can achieve so much more.

Click here to donate online.