Integrating health and wellness into your events

Published in Prevue Magazine:

https://www.prevuemeetings.com/spark-blog/flip-the-script/integrate-wellness-meeting-like-pro/

Healthy is happy. When you eat healthy and train, you feel better. You think clearer, you’re less stressed, and you look better. As a figure competitor and an event professional, I work to incorporate a healthy lifestyle into all my meetings and events. It’s super hard to be healthy when you are flying and traveling—I know. So I work with my suppliers to ensure my clients have healthy food options and fun fitness options integrated into their programs. Here are my tips for integrating wellness into programs:

Review banquet menus BEFORE a contract is signed. Most planners review banquet menus only after the contract is signed. If you’re not reviewing menus prior, you are missing out on key negotiating factors, as well as missing out on an opportunity to ensure a truly healthy and custom F&B experience.  And if you review menus after the contract is signed, you’re missing out on huge cost savings for your clients. (Cost saving Tip: Ask for current year pricing or at least a 10% discount on future menus for your program.) Ask for Chef’s custom suggestions based on the budget and demographics of your group. Discuss ways to limit waste and save money, while you’re at it. Remember, not everyone will participate in every meal. Monitoring the headcount at your events will assist in planning future events. 

Always ask for locally grown foods. Give attendees a local experience—starting with the food. You would not visit Nashville and not have hot chicken, or Philadelphia without eating a cheese steak. Ask Chef to use local ingredients and prepare local dishes. Be mindful of added sugars, and salt. (see below) By serving only local foods, you’ll support the local farmers and the local economy. And let’s be honest-fresh local food just tastes better.

Provide Chef a list of all dietary restrictions.  As a non-dairy human, and strict eater, I’m more sensitive and in tune to foods that contain dairy than most people—note: dairy is in more prepared foods than you think! Request that all food items be labeled GF, DF, Vegan. And Vegetarian. You’re attendees will thank you.

Request carafes of ice water vs bottled waters. In leiu of costly and non-environmentally friendly bottled water, I request carafes of ice water. STAY HYDRATED. Humans should drink at least one gallon of water per day. And when spending time in a desert environment or high altitude, water consumption is more important than ever. Stay hydrated. 

Let your Chef know that any added sugar is not acceptable. As a competitive figure competitor I do not eat foods with added sugar. Did you know that there are 57+ different terms for sugar? Anything pre-packaged usually means processed and therefore sugar added (and other ingredients you cannot pronounce.) Superfoods are not new but they are good for you.  Skip the donuts and plan a fun make your own bag of mixed plain raw nuts, berries, and cocoa, and shredded unsweetened coconut. Trust me—it will be a hit. And if you plan to do smoothies—remember your dairy-free and vegan attendees and have coconut and soy milk options too (labeled, of course.)

Don’t rush meals. I’m Sicilian—meals are a time to enjoy food, enjoy conversations, and relax and unwind. While you certainly can’t schedule three hours lunches, you can provide a bit more time for attendees to enjoy, and digest.

Incorporate the power of play. As infants and toddlers we learned through play. Why stop learning (playing) when you’re five? Interactive breaks are a great opportunity to introduce play. Or why not start the day with some play? Starting the day with a wellness activity is a great way to not only start the day healthy but another opportunity for attendees to bond, network, and Instagram your event. Yoga, local hiking, drumming, and spinning are all activities that work well. These activities are also a great opportunity for sponsor to get exposure. For example, I have this great MGM cool dry towel I received at a 6am wellness activity spinning class at a conference years ago. I still use it weekly for my Sprint and RPM classes. I participated in a FAM in Vancouver and received a Lululemon yoga mat. It was probably one of the top relevant and high-perceived value welcome gifts I’ve received. I lugged that mat back to California and use it daily.  

Don’t forget the power of scent. Essential oils are not hippie dippy—they are real. And so are their natural powers. Want attendees to relax and receive a well rested night of sleep—room drop a small vial of lavender essential oil at turndown. Want attendees to stay awake, diffuse wild orange or peppermint into the meeting room to boost engagement and attention. Offer an essential oil bar during a break. Have attendees smell several scents to see which resonates best with them at that moment. Offer them to take a small sample with them.

What are your favorite tips for integrating health and wellness into your events?

The Importance of Play (in Meetings)

It’s important that meeting professionals take ownership of how learning is delivered at events. Participants respond to events in different ways and there are many tools to improve these experiences. Incorporating play is one way to enhance your participants’ experiences, and
their learning.

After setting through hours of sessions for multiple days, incorporating a change of scenery and a change of focus, will help attendees continue to learn, but in a different way. Breaking a larger group into several smaller groups allows more sincere, honest conversations and a chance to connect on a different level. Add to that opportunity a relaxed, casual atmosphere where attendees are focusing on play and the fun—and learning--really begins!

The types of play I include at my clients’ meetings and events incorporates a local  experience. For example, when a group is in Sonoma, they may be engaged in a wine blending activity where they break into teams. The best tasting wine –as determined by a proper winemaker—wins and that blend is bottled and the group takes home bottles of the winning blend—complete with custom label. When a group is in Los Cabos, attendees are encouraged to break into smaller groups and choose a thrilling activity such as zip-lining, ATV, horseback, or to ride, feed, and kiss (yes!) a camel. (I know, not your usual first choice for an activity in Cabo, but a unique and memorable experience nonetheless.)
Just as there’s always room for dessert, there’s always time for play. It’s important to carve out time in every agenda for play to truly see results of the classroom learning. Play opens the minds of the young and old alike and brings theories and concepts to life through practical use. It also facilitates cross team/function relationships and team bonding that is priceless.

I’d love to hear how you incorporate play into your experiences.