(BPT) - When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, most people start with great intentions, but catch themselves falling off track sooner than expected. By February, nearly half of Americans have already failed to keep their resolutions1. Resolution makers understand the importance of developing good habits and maintaining a well-balanced lifestyle — whether that means exercising more or cooking healthier meals for themselves and their families — but hectic schedules can make it difficult to practice healthy habits regularly. And when it comes to eating well, recent research2 shows that one in four families skip healthier purchases often due to price.
To address these issues, HumanaVitality® has introduced Vitality HealthyFood™, an engaging way for HumanaVitality members†* within approved states to get on a healthier path and save 5%*** on Great For You™ healthier food purchases at Walmart®**. HumanaVitality is also bringing practical wellness tips to life by partnering with registered dietitians and family nutrition experts, Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex, founders of MealMakeoverMoms.com.
When looking for ways to balance wellness within busy schedules, developing a realistic action plan can help achieve goals. Starting with reachable goals, drawing inspiration from others and having fun along the way, can get you on the fast track to healthier living. Follow these tips from HumanaVitality and The Meal Makeover Moms to develop a fun and practical plan to stick to your New Year’s resolution:
- Develop good habits by starting small. If your goal is to exercise more, start with a 10 minute bike ride or moderate paced walk. To build a good habit try and exercise at the same time each day that will help develop a routine. Once you’re able to accomplish this goal, consider increasing activity – for example, jogging or riding a bike for 20 minutes. The same approach can be used with healthy eating. Start by making a commitment to add one vegetable to each meal, and continue to add more healthy options as your family develops a greater appetite for them. Then, gradually introduce healthy “meal makeovers” to their favorite dishes, such as using whole wheat noodles and ground turkey when preparing spaghetti and meatballs.
- Draw on inspiration from family or friends. If you’re looking for inspiration, find someone who wants to accomplish a similar goal and work together to meet the goal. You can easily use several online resources and HumanaVitality members can tap into a variety of resources — from a health assessment to a personalized wellness pathway. Making a fun, spirited bet with a friend to see who can accomplish their resolution and who will fall off track can be great motivation too!
- Keep things fresh and fun. Many healthy living goals are quickly thrown aside when they become a daily chore. When this occurs, try adding new activities to your plan, like changing-up your workout regimen to incorporate different exercises, preparing for a family run together or conducting a family cooking contest featuring better-for-you recipes. Continue re-evaluating wellness goals and exploring new activities to keep wellness plans exciting and fun.
For more wellness tips and healthy recipes visit HumanaVitality on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.
1 “Auld Lang Syne: Success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year's resolvers and nonresolvers,” University of Scranton. Journal of Clinical Psychology, Volume 58, Issue 4, March 2002.
2 “It’s Dinnertime: A Report on low-Income families' efforts to plan, shop for and cook healthy meals," Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters: No Kid Hungry, December 2011.
† The Vitality HealthyFood program is not available to all HumanaVitality members and is only available with certain plans or products offered by Humana. HumanaVitality members must be 18 years of age or older to be eligible to participate in the Vitality HealthyFood program.
* Bronze Vitality Status™ is required unless you have HumanaVitality through a Medicare Advantage or a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plan.
*** The Vitality HealthyFood program is only available at Walmart Neighborhood Markets and Walmart retail stores. Sam’s Club stores and Walmart.com are excluded from the Vitality HealthyFood program.
**For a listing of all qualifying Great For You healthier foods, visit the Vitality HealthyFood page on HumanaVitality.com or check Walmart.com, or call the number on the back of your ID card.
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