fitness Archives - ORCHARD At The OFFICE

October 22, 2019October 13, 2020

5 Dallas Best-Kept Wellness Secrets

“Off The Beaten Path” Suggestions for Healthy Living in DFW.

HIKING

Cedar Hill. If you park on the east side of the Cedar Hill 9^thGrade Center during non-school hours, you’ll find an open field with a steep slope that serves as a trailhead for some of DFW’s best hiking. You will be led into more than four miles of trails which sit on property once owned by Northwood University, with terrain reminiscent of the best of the Texas Hill Country. Cedar and juniper frame tracks narrow and wide, and there’s even the remnants of an Exertrail (monkey bars and all) over to the east. The elevation changes are as challenging as one can expect in our area, with limestone primarily underfoot to keep the trail from getting as muddy as its Cedar Hill Nature Preserve counterpart. 1515 W Belt Line Rd, Cedar Hill, TX 75104.

BIKING

Oak Cliff Nature Preserve. While many cycling enthusiasts know about this south Dallas gem, there are many casual trail riders who have lived here for decades with no idea of its availability. The trailhead can be accessed by taking the DART Rail Red Line to its Westmoreland Station terminus, and from there, 6.5 miles of intersecting trails can provide hours of interesting technical riding among the pecan and bois d’arc. The preserve is part of the Texas Land Conservancy and maintained by the Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association. 2875 Pierce St, Dallas, TX 75233.

EATING

ORCHARD At The OFFICE. This Richardson-based office fruit delivery service has a single purpose: to deliver fresh fruit to businesses in the DFW area. Offerings come in artfully-arranged fruit baskets or in bulk packages for larger operations. Bananas, apples, avocados, clementines, and even mangoes and grapes are available to offices any day of the week. They’re ideal for offices looking for healthy snacks or to make the most of their wellness budget. https://orchardattheoffice.com 972.295.9091.

DRINKING

Eiland Coffee Roasters. Another Richardson business, Eiland imports coffee beans from all over the world and roasts them in an enormous cast-iron apparatus in their warehouse. They specialize in coffee by the pound, and the beans they supply from various Ethiopian, Brazilian, and Sumatran regions (to name just a few) will make you a coffee snob. Recently they’ve put more energy into their retail side, so whether you’re looking for a vendor for your business or a great-tasting latte, they’re a great choice. http://www.eilandcoffee.com 532 N. Interurban St, Richardson, TX 75081.

WORKOUT

Sweat Society. Just southeast of Frisco’s main square sits a workout facility that serves as an antidote to the big box gym concept. Sweat Society is more of a shared workout experience with seasoned trainers guiding clientele through High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) methods. Loyalty remains high as regulars feel like family, and the skillset of the training staff gives every session a personalized feel. https://sweatsociety.net 7151 Preston Rd Suite 141, Frisco, TX 75034.

October 15, 2019March 11, 2020

Take Five! Make the Most of Your Break

We all need a brief respite during a busy workday to recharge, mentally and physically. With that in mind, here are some simple, practical suggestions for making the most of those office breaks:

ENJOY SOME FRESH FRUIT

Taking a few minutes to enjoy a banana or an apple not only satiates any oral fixation and keeps blood sugar and vitamin levels well-regulated, but it actually makes a person feel happier! Of course, it’s not easy to remember to bring fresh fruit with you to the office, so you might want to suggest to your HR department that they look office fruit delivery. It makes sense from a company standpoint, as healthy employees are more productive. And you get to enjoy your favorite fruits in the break room!

SIMPLE EXERCISE BREAK

A brief, positive expenditure of energy does wonders for the endorphin level. There are dozens of exercise routines that can be performed quickly and without the need for equipment. Here’s just one that can be done in five minutes or less:

TRY THESE TODAY

Marching in place. 60 seconds will accelerate the heart rate without causing the average person to break out into an inconvenient sweat
Calf-raises. Next, with your back straight, stand on tiptoe for 1-2 seconds, then lower your ankles again. 20-30 of these will take about 60 seconds, and it’ll increase your capacity to endure stilettos if that’s your fashion inclination.
Wall sits. The Cooper Clinic of Dallas reminds us this is an example of an isometric exercise, meaning we don’t move once we’re in position. You rest your back against the wall and slide slowly down until your knees are at a 90° angle. Hold this position 20 seconds if you’re a beginner, anywhere from 30-60 seconds if you’re more confident in your abilities.
Side bend Stretches. Stand tall with feet together and reach arms up overhead. Lower your right arm down the right side of your body and exhale as you reach the left arm over the head, bending body gently to the right. Inhale and repeat on the other side.

WALKING MEDITATION

Meditation is a simple practice that works for all kinds of people. Don’t think of it as an effort to eliminate all conscious thought from your mind, as this is impractical and would make you an ambulatory hazard. It’s more a reminder not to sweat the small stuff; to elevate perspective and reframe your day. Here’s a simple variation of walking meditation that you can step outside and do in just a few minutes:

As you begin your walking break, take notice of any sense-object: any sight, sound, smell or feeling that leaps out at you. It could, for instance, be the sound of a car’s engine revving.
Walk while taking your mind through the process of how that sense object came to be. Our automobile engine was borne of raw materials, mined from the earth, then shaped into a multitude of individual parts to be assembled into a vehicle, then transported, distributed, and sold, eventually to its current owner.
Consider your connection to the sense object. To the earth that provided the raw materials, the process of assembly, distribution, and consumption. The number of people working to a common purpose, each with their own unique vested interest in a positive outcome.
Now, as you complete your walk and return to your own job, you can reflect on how what you do fills a role in society as well. How many people are positively impacted to some degree by the work you do daily? With this outlook, you can all take pride in our daily work and imbue the seemingly mundane tasks with some semblance of meaning.

ONE STEP AT A TIME

Taken individually, these suggestions won’t revolutionize your life. However, they’re all components of creating a healthy break– enjoying each moment in the knowledge you are living well! If you’ve already got a nutrition plan and a fitness plan, these actions are supplemental. If you’re looking for a way to begin to take steps down the path of wellness, these suggestions provide a convenient way to get started. Live well!

October 9, 2019January 27, 2020

Delivering wellness to offices

In the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, one company has taken up the challenge of delivering wellness to offices. As a concept, wellness has become a concern that has found firm footing in the corporate environment.

Businesses are increasingly recognizing the link between healthy lifestyles and productivity. Companies are willing to budget resources to provide everything from smoking cessation materials to aerobic instruction. Weight loss challenges, yoga classes, fruits and vegetables in the break rooms and board rooms all contribute to a healthier bottom line.

A Singular Mission

Richardson-based ORCHARD At The OFFICE has a singular mission. Specifically, they deliver fresh fruit to the businesses of Texas. By putting together a variety of baskets of top-quality fresh fruit, they allow companies small and large to eat healthy with minimal fuss. But these folks are not mere “grocery-getters.” Their knowledgeable and energetic staff knows their fruit facts. By seeing themselves as partners on a mission to provide health and great taste, ORCHARD At The OFFICE is dedicated to the cause of healthy living.

The Right Mix

“It’s an amazing response,” says Kevin Long, founder, and Chief Banana. “People welcome the difference.” He should know. He first got the idea when he was employed as a creative director of an advertising firm. Long decided to experiment with bringing in bananas and apples instead of donuts. The result was gratifying. “They attacked the baskets! They were really excited.” So much so that Long got the confidence to take his idea and start his own enterprise in 2010. As the business has expanded, the offerings have increased. Customers can receive the ever-popular bananas, apples, oranges, as well as a variety of pears, citrus, stone fruits, grapes, and berries. “Helping our friends to find the right mix for their office is part of the fun.”

Delivering Wellness

Monday morning sees a flurry of activity at the company’s headquarters, as baskets of fruits are loaded into vehicles. Then, the baskets find their way into offices throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The drivers operate as the primary point of contact and serve to answer questions and note any special accommodations. For the Chief Banana, that’s what it all comes back to. “Fruit is a gift on so many levels. It’s a gift to yourself.”

ORCHARD At The OFFICE can be reached at 972-295-9091 or getfruit@orchardattheoffice.com.

This article originally appeared on the D Magazine website on February 26, 2016.

January 23, 2016October 23, 2019

Fresh Fruit Delivery Makes A Happier Office

Fresh fruit delivery is a simple way to achieve a happier, healthier office. As Ron Friedman says in the October 2014 Harvard Business Journal: “If you’re serious about achieving top workplace performance, making intelligent decisions about food is essential.” He goes on to cite a study published in the July 2014 British Journal of Health Psychology that states: “fruit and vegetable consumption predicted greater eudaemonic well-being, curiosity, and creativity at the between and within-person levels.”

Despite the complex wording, the message here is simple. A company that is committed to wellness and worker happiness can easily provide healthy snack alternatives for its staff. Setting up fresh fruit delivery from ORCHARD At The OFFICE produces results that are immediate and tangible. Employees are happier and healthier. It’s that straightforward!

Providing Healthy Incentives

There are a variety of tools available to Metroplex business looking to literally trim the fat. In its worksite wellness manual, the Texas Department of State Health Services lists a variety of measures that companies can take to improve the fitness of their workforce. Among the most achievable on the list is “healthy food.” Cathy Ross, facilities manager for ORIX, saw fresh fruit delivery from ORCHARD At The OFFICE as the ideal means to achieve this. Ms. Ross says, “We wanted to provide a healthy incentive for our employees, instead of deferring to the vending machines.”

The ORCHARD At The OFFICE concept is simple and companies of any size can visit the website to get started. “In my experience, wellness sells itself,” says Kevin Long, the Chief Banana. “We provide the means to make it easier for everyone. People love fresh fruit, and it’s wonderful to see how excited people get when we show up with a basket.”

Happier, Healthier Workers

Their customers can attest to the satisfaction. “ORCHARD At The OFFICE has been a huge success! The employees appreciate the fresh fruit,” says Tammie Hufstettler, who made fresh fruit delivery a part of their corporate wellness initiative last year. Cathy Ross concurs. “There is usually a line to get to the fruit as it is amazingly fresh, and the selection is wonderful.”

To join the happy, healthy office movement in the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex or Greater Houston, visit the ORCHARD At The OFFICE website or call 972-295-9091.

December 23, 2015October 13, 2020

Bearing Fruit: ORCHARD At The OFFICE

by Chris Buchanan, Marketing Wiseapple

Thus far I’ve described how ORCHARD At The OFFICE began in 2010 and its expansion throughout the decade. By 2013 we could indeed call ourselves “north Texas’ largest office fresh fruit delivery service”, and by 2015 it was clear that in order to better serve our friends, we were going to need to leave the nest and find a new location capable of handling our ever-increasing volume. Kevin, our intrepid “Chief Banana”, spent several months scouting locations all over the Metroplex, only to find the perfect home just two doors down from where we were!

Michelle, our "Truckin' Tangelo", applies a unique method of measuring headroom as we prepare to move out of our old space. — Michelle, our “Truckin’ Tangelo”, applies a unique method of measuring headroom as we prepare to move out of our old space.

To accommodate our needs, walls were cut, climate controls installed, and floors were sealed. Everyone who has taken up a new residence can understand how such a change signifies both a renewed commitment to an idea, coupled with a fresh outlook. One does not sign a lease, or indeed a mortgage, without some degree of confidence that the partnership (whether a business or a family) has a future. Similarly, when one must take an inventory of all material possessions in order to lug them to a new location, be it two doors or two states away, it’s only natural to take a look at what’s needed and what isn’t, and with that change in perspective, new possibilities often emerge.

Kevin watches the carefully-controlled fall of a half ton of concrete as a method of entrance and egress is expanded.

With this change of perspective, we were able to respond to, and indeed anticipate, the healthy snack alternative needs of our friends. We’ve always customized our offerings, giving them more bananas if they ask, noticing if they aren’t as crazy about the oranges and thus making proactive substitutions and so on. However, we started to consider the size and needs of companies of all sizes: the 2-3 person operation in Westlake who might like fresh fruit on a regular basis, or much larger organization putting together a wellness initiative. And so we increased the quantity of our offering threefold, thus ensuring our friends could find the offering most ideally suited to their needs. Putting together additional offerings such as our clementines, avocados, and our variety pack has given our friends the opportunity to experience a vast array of healthy flavors, and the feedback we’ve received has truly been wonderful.

Before moving into our new location, we had the boys give part of the location a "test run". They approved. — Before moving into our new location, we had my boys give part of the location a “test run”. They approved.

As we move forward, ORCHARD At The OFFICE looks for new ways to bring the mission of health and fitness to the fore. Whether it be in the form of gift baskets our customers can send their clients or staff, our ongoing presence at health fairs and blood drives, or simply bringing a box of bananas to The Samaritan Inn, we remain committed to our single purpose: a healthier, happier Metroplex.

(back to Our Story)