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.

Getting by With a Little Help from Our Colleagues

I have many COVID – 19 pet peeves and one of the big ones is hearing people say, “We’re all in this together.” Setting aside the High School Musical number running through my head every time I hear the phrase, it minimizes the unique nature of what we are going through. The pandemic is different [...]

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Celebrate UW Yoga Month 2020!

This year marks the seventh year in a row that The Whole U has supported National Yoga Month, encouraging UW faculty, staff, and students from all campuses and medical centers to try yoga. From postures to flows, thousands of avid yogis and new practitioners alike have discovered the incredible benefits of this lifestyle. Practicing yoga [...]

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UW marks Global Running Day 2020!

Join the UW in running, walking, or wheeling one mile for Global Running Day on June 3! I’m not surprised there is a day for running celebrated all around the world. From the beginning of time, humans have been running for one reason or another. It’s a way of moving our bodies that pushes us [...]

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UW Code Lavender for Healthcare Workers

Hi healthcare heroes! The Whole U is the University of Washington’s wellness engagement program and we want to offer support during this time of crisis. Taking care of yourself allows you to take better care of others! Below, you’ll find guidance to enhance your mental and physical strength as you continue to care for your [...]

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Husky Softball vs Utah Discount

Husky Softball vs Utah $5.00 Discounted Ticket Friday, March 13th at 6:00 pm Saturday, March 14th at 1:00 pm Sunday, March 15th at 12:00 pm Purchase tickets HERE

UW Women’s Basketball Discounted Tickets

Enjoy discounted women’s basketball tickets below: Women’s Basketball vs Utah – Fri, Feb 7, 7:00 p.m. – purchase here! Women’s Basketball vs Colorado – Feb. 9, 12:00 p.m. – purchase here! National Girls & Women in Sports Day clinic – Registration includes one (1) general admission ticket, a pregame team clinic, one (1) mini basketball, and [...]

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KinderCare Meet & Greet

KinderCare Wallingford – Options for UW Families Securing convenient, affordable and reliable child care is a top priority for most new parents and finding child care in Seattle can be particularly difficult. UW Human Resources proudly coordinates several programs to make it easier for employees and students to access child care including a partnership with [...]

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Dare to Move: Building the Window for Fitness

Welcome to Week 2 of The Whole U’s six-week Dare to Do New Year’s challenge! Each week of the challenge will focus on a different area of overall wellness. You can learn how it works and register here. This week, thousands from across the University of Washington will Dare to Move in a challenge to [...]

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Dare to Do Husky Fitness Pass 2020!

For the next month, enjoy free workouts at the 2020 Husky Fitness Pass partnering studios and gyms! This years pass has over 40 free visits with 10 partners. Click here to download your 2020 Husky Fitness Pass. Be sure to read the details for each offer and bring your Husky Card with you to all [...]

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Dare to Give: Sweeten Valentine’s Day for UW Medical Center Patients

Get crafty for a good cause! UW Medical Center’s Art Program and The Whole U invite you to participate in the tenth annual Valentine Card Project. Help us create 550 beautiful handmade Valentine cards for all UW Medical Center inpatients, which will be delivered on February 14. After making a card for a patient, you [...]

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What you are thankful for?

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” —Dalai Lama One of the surest ways to foster happiness in our lives and in the world we inhabit is to look at what we can do by ourselves, for ourselves. If you’re feeling a bit lost or overwhelmed at this or any [...]

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UW Recreation Yoga Teacher Training 2020

UW Recreation is considering offering a basic 200hr yoga teacher training spread out over several months. If you have interest in this type of transformational program (many folks do a training to deepen their knowledge of mindfulness, philosophy, anatomy, physiology, and the yoga tradition) please email recmind@uw.edu to let them know (minimum of 10 participants [...]

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