24 in '24 Wellness Challenge

Take advantage of the nicer seasonal weather and mix up your workout routine by making a visit to the Sulphur Gulch Outdoor Fitness Station. Located between Parker Town Hall, 20120 E. Mainstreet, and the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, this fitness park includes a collection of equipment focused on cardiovascular, flexibility and strength training.

Look for the sign closest to the trail for exercise diagrams for each station.

As part of Stress Awareness Month, get a better understanding of stress, its impact on your health, and ways to manage it with the following resources:

• An introduction to Stress Awareness Month from the National Institutes of Health

• A guide to coping with stress from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Stress management and additional resources from the American Heart Association

One widely-encouraged way to reduce stress is to spend time outdoors. As a timely throwback to Challenge 6, here’s a list of Parker’s public parks and trails for you to enjoy.

Take a Walk in the Park Day is coming up on March 30! To help you get ready for this special day, did you know more than 95 percent of Parker residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park, trail and/or open space? The Town currently maintains more than 398 acres of Town-owned and proposed parkland, 41 miles of concrete and soft surface trails, 14 parks and 1,144 acres of open space.

That means there’s plenty of areas to explore and enjoy in your own backyard and across the community.

• Parker trails webpage

• Parker public parks webpage

• Parks, Trails and Facilities Maps

• 8 Ways That Parks Improve Your Health (from The Trust for Public Land)

Parker Recreation offers a variety of nutrition classes and resources to support your wellness goals.

• Nutrition/Dietitian Consultation: One-on-one nutrition consultations with our Licensed Dietitian and/or Certified Nutrition Specialists include a review of the client pre-questionnaire, and a discussion about any nutrition-related concerns, health challenges and goals. Whether it’s for medical purposes, performance, or simply a healthier lifestyle, these consultations will provide professional advice about your nutritional needs and set you on the right path to achieve your goals. Cost: $46 Parker Resident (R)/$51 Non-resident (NR) per 60-minute session

• Meal Planning Session: With the help of That Clean Life cutting-edge software, a nutrition professional will provide you with a detailed, 14-day, fully customized meal plan, based on calories, macros and all diet types. Nutrition team members consider your eating likes and dislikes, allergies or food sensitivities, medical conditions, and overall health and wellness goals to ensure that you are nutritionally balanced and taken care of! Along with your 14-day meal plan, you will receive the corresponding grocery list and a food tracking tool to follow your progress and help hold you accountable. Meal Planning Sessions are a great addition to the Nutrition/Dietitian Consultation or can be purchased separately. Cost: $30 R/$33 NR per 30-minute session, Nutrition Consultation + Meal Planning Combo Cost: $75 R/$83 NR per 60-minute session

• Parker Recreation Cookbook: Take the guesswork out of delicious nutrition with the Parker Recreation Cookbook. Created by a team of a Certified Nutritionist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Professor of Sport Sciences, the cookbook provides 30 full days of meals, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and desserts. The recipes were created to be quick, cost-conscious and nutritious, with the appropriate blend of calories, carbs, fats and proteins, which are listed for tracking. In addition to delicious recipes, a weekly grocery list of ingredients is included. Sneak a peek of the cookbook at the Parker Recreation Center Front Desk. Digital Copy Cost: $35 R/NR, Hard Copy Cost: $50 R/NR

Learn more about all of these resources on the Nutrition Services webpage.

Get a clearer understanding of your metabolism by completing a Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) Assessment.

During the assessment, participants remain seated and breathe into a tube connected to a KORR Metacheck machine for 10 minutes. This process calculates resting metabolic rate, or how many calories your body burns while at rest. After the assessment, participants receive a one-on-one review of their data, detailing how calories are burned at different activity levels, and daily calorie targets for various fitness goals.

A Parker Recreation membership is not required to complete the RMR assessment.

Learn more and schedule an assessment on the Personal Training webpage.

Hit trails all over Town and have plenty of fun with the Parker Recreation Run Series. This quartet of family-friendly races, open to runners and walkers alike, includes:

• Love 'em or Leave 'em Valentine's Day 5K/10K on Feb. 10

• Cattle Crossing 5K & Family Fun Trek on June 15

• So Long to Summer 5K/10K on Sept. 21

• Turkey Day 5K FUN Run/Walk on Nov. 28

Individual registration is open for all races. The 2024 Run Series Bundle, available for purchase until Feb. 9, includes registration to all four races at a 10 percent discount, a handheld hydration bottle, and the shirt or commemorative giveaway item for each event.

Turkey, Broccoli and Rice Casserole

6 to 8 servings

36g Carbs ‖ 11g Fats ‖ 22g Protein

313 calories/serving

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey

• 1 bag frozen broccoli

• 1 cup white rice

• 4 small red or russet potatoes (cubed)

• ½ onion (diced)

• Garlic powder

• 2 eggs

• Pepper

• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Cook onions to translucent or caramelized in pan with garlic powder (to taste)

2. Cook rice separately following instructions on packaging

3. Add cooked rice, potatoes, pepper (to taste), salt, onion, turkey and broccoli to baking dish

4. Mix 1 ½ cups water with 2 eggs, then add to baking dish evenly over food contents

5. Bake in oven at 400ᵒF for 22 to 24 minutes

6. Serve and enjoy!

Fitness and wellness is not just a trend, it’s a way of life. That’s why Parker Parks and Recreation offers a variety of fitness and wellness programs to help you live a healthy lifestyle.

Fitness Equipment Orientation

During Fitness Equipment Orientations, a Certified Personal Trainer will take you through proper use of equipment, safety and etiquette. The Youth Equipment Orientation and Certification is mandatory for youth ages 13 to 15 to use the Parker Recreation weight room and cardio equipment areas.

Group Fitness Classes

More than 100 classes, including cycling, boot camp and yoga, are offered each week and are included with a Parks and Recreation membership or daily admission.

Nutrition Services

Fitness is only half of the journey to achieving a healthier version of you. Nutrition/dietitian consultations and nutrition workshops to help you reach your goals.

Personal Training

Our team of nationally certified personal trainers is qualified to maximize your fitness potential while minimizing potential for injury. Many trainers specialize in specific areas of fitness, including Pilates, yoga, triathlon coaching, sports conditioning and senior weight training.

Pilates, Yoga and Stretch Personal Training

Work with a certified Pilates Reformer Trainer to improve strength, flexibility, balance and core stability.

Specialty Fitness and Wellness Programs

Qualified instructors will lead you through activities like Women on Weights, Prenatal Fitness, Pilates Reformer/Tower, Tai Chi and more. These classes include a registration fee, but do not require a facility membership.

Join the Parker Town Council in setting healthy habits for the new year by participating in 24 in ’24: Parker's Wellness Challenge!

This section will be used to promote new Challenge programs and initiatives each month along with general updates.

To join the Challenge, complete the Health Pledge and earn a chance to win some free Parker giveaways!