Lauren Updyke, Author at The Whole U

Lauren Updyke, MS ACSM HFI Executive Director for Employee Experience and UWHR Chief Wellness Officer

Hi everyone, I’m Lauren, the Executive Director for Employee Experience and UWHR Chief Wellness Officer. My role is to lead our Employee Experience team encompassing The Whole U, UW Combined Fund Drive and WorkLife programs.

I have spent over 20 years of my career in Health and Wellness. I came to the USA from Canada on a track and field scholarship to University of Louisiana. I have my Masters in Exercise Physiology, am a Certified Personal trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine, and have coached over 10,000 individuals online from all over the world. I worked with the wellness program at Duke University and Hospital for 13 years as fitness and health education manager.

This is my tenth year at UW and I love being a Husky. When I’m not at work, I am either training for a marathon, doing lots of strength training, traveling with my family, or racing from one kid activity to the next.

Week One of Stress Less Holiday Challenge –– Try Meditation

Can you believe it’s already November and the holidays are just around the corner? Have you figured out your plans, visitors, meals, events, and gifts? Do you feel stressed just thinking about it, even though the holidays are supposed to be fun and memorable? One way to get through various stressful situations throughout the holiday [...]

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Ovations Performance Showcase – A UW Celebration

President Michael Young and Mrs. Marti Young invite you to Ovations Performance Showcase, a celebration of the season featuring the amazing talents of our own faculty and staff. Bring your team or bring your family, but don’t miss this one-night special event. Holiday attire. Friday, December 12 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:15 [...]

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Free Dancing, Photography, Singing Classes

I find so much joy singing to my children, dancing with my friends, and snapping family photos on the weekends. My hobbies, however, have always been athletic activities, whether it’s running marathons, hiking, swimming, skating or coaching my kids soccer games; I simply don’t make the time to join a dance class or singing group. [...]

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UW Medicine Heart Walk Team is Half Way to Goal!

Dr. Paul Ramsey, chair of this year’s Heart and Stroke walk, has challenged the UW to have 2,000 walkers. Right now we have over 70 teams and 900 walkers registered. Will you help us fight heart disease? This is a family friendly event and everyone on a UW team will receive a free t-shirt. Why [...]

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Summer of FUNction Team Success Stories

What started as a challenge on June 2 turned into new friendships, fitness success, and life changing experiences. With over 400 participants and 100 teams registered, over 30% stuck it out and were successful. Throughout a busy season with vacations and summer temptations, this group persevered and made time to be healthy, together. All successful [...]

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The Scoop on Interval Training

High-intensity interval training (also known as HIIT) is one of the newest trends in the fitness industry. It’s catching on because it’s is a form of exercise that most people can incorporate into their cardio and strength routines, and most credible exercise and science organizations recommend it. The benefits are fantastic too! What is Interval [...]

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29 Years of a Husky Running Tradition!

The 29th annual Dawg Dash is coming up! This race that raises funds for academic scholarships has become a coast-to-coast celebration of Husky community and spirit. Thousands of students, alumni, faculty, community members, and friends have participated in The Dawg Dash, making it a huge success. It creates an incredible sense of accomplishment, community, and [...]

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Walk With The Whole U at The Heart Walk

I participate in a Heart Walk every year. The event is a time to walk in honor of people in my life with heart disease, meet survivors and hear their stories, and raise funds toward research and education. Last year I completed the Heart and Stroke Walk in honor of my dear friend Gae. She [...]

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Infographic: Child Care Resources

I can still remember being pregnant with my first child and searching for the right place for childcare. As a working mother, it was extremely stressful to take the extra time to search, go visit, and budget for this new chapter in our lives. The Whole U created this infographic so that we could share [...]

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The Summer of FUNction Discovers a New Way of Living

It has been an incredible six weeks with over 400 UW faculty and staff on a mission – to be active and stay active, together. Teams of three to six have been working hard fitting in short bouts of exercise throughout the day and have gone walking, running, or biking during their lunch hour or [...]

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Recipes: Grill Out with Brats, Summer Side, & a Bubbler

Happy 4th of July, UW! It’s time to grill out and celebrate. Enjoy your day off and maybe try some of these delicious recipes from Chef James at Cultivate and Chef Tracey MacRae, campus executive chef. Beer boiled brats Ingredients: Brats Hoagie rolls Beer (enough to cover the brats in a pot) Onion (amount depending [...]

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Facilities Shares Easy Way to Stay Healthy & Promote Team Bonding

Some departments connect over happy hour or a casual group lunch. Facilities Services connects by stretching. Gene Woodard, the director of Building Services, supported the creation of a very unique stretching program that makes a direct impact on staff every day. Three years ago, Steve Fayden, a staff member in FMC, initated a stretch and [...]

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