By Ramona Cash, Personal Health Coach at LifeSynch, a Humana company

It’s a special time of year as we reconnect with family and friends at holiday gatherings. But these social events usually involve tempting treats that can derail our healthy eating goals. Statistics show that most Americans gain at least a pound during the holidays. That may not sound so bad, but an extra pound or two every year adds up.  How do you prevent the weight gain while not skipping any of the fun of the season? It can (almost) be as easy as 1-2-3.

1. Holiday parties: Don’t arrive hungry! Eat a small healthful snack, such as Greek yogurt or a handful of nuts, before you leave home. If you arrive with an empty stomach, you are more likely to stay at the buffet table and load up on sweets and fatty foods.
2. Make time for exercise: A moderate, daily increase in exercise can help offset a little holiday overindulgence. Make it fun and you’re more likely to stay on track. Incorporate exercise into your family traditions: Go for a walk instead of a drive to enjoy Christmas lights. Instead of watching TV or videos, get the whole family involved in an activity such as bowling or playing an interactive fitness game like Your Shape 2012.
3. Limit alcohol: Holiday drinks can be full of empty calories and increase the likelihood of mindless snacking. Drink more water and replace high-calorie alcoholic beverages with lower-calorie alternatives such as a wine spritzer (2 ounces of wine mixed with club soda and a little cranberry juice)

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The holidays are an important time for families to come together, which is why Humana created an infographic to show what motivates seniors to stay connected, and ways they hope to leave their legacies. Our infographic is based on a national survey conducted with the National Council on Aging.

Our study looked at how seniors and boomers across the U.S. are interacting with their families. One fascinating finding: A family holiday visit this year may have lasting impact on a loved one’s health, as 90 percent of our survey respondents say they feel “revitalized” by family time.

You can read more about our study at Humana.com or on the program’s Facebook Page.

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The Humana “Build a Legacy Tour” has been on the road the last few weeks with stops in Albuquerque, N.M., Tucson, Ariz., and Nashville, Tenn. As the tour crossed the country, more than 600 local volunteers helped build wonderful multi-generational playgrounds and family gathering spaces. Here are a few highlights from our most recent stops.

Albuquerque

• On Thursday, Nov. 3, the Tour made its fourth stop and joined forces with PB&J Family Services, the Bernalillo Senior Center and volunteers from the Bernalillo area to build their unique multi-generational playground and Family Gathering Space.
• The Albuquerque Senior Center showed strong support as volunteers came in droves to help build the playground and install the Life Trail equipment.
• Other notable attendees included Congressman Martin T. Heinrich, Bernalillo Mayor Jack Torres and State Senator John Sapien.

Tucson

• Humana volunteers came out in full force as the fifth build on the tour hit Tucson on Saturday, Nov. 5.
• Humana, Chicanos Por La Causa, the Santa Cruz Apartments and the city of Tucson did not disappoint as families joined together to build this multi-generational playground in the middle of an apartment complex.

Nashville

• On Veterans Day, the community members near United Way’s McGruder Family Resource Center came together on a chilly but sunny day to brighten up the back lot of the center, where the playground was built.
• Nan Kelley from the Great American Country channel joined the volunteer team.
• A moment of silence was observed at noon for our veterans and a color guard from nearby Maplewood High School ROTC performed a flag ceremony during the ribbon cutting.

Today is the 36th Great American Smokeout, sponsored by The American Cancer Society, which was created to help encourage smokers to quit. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease and premature death in the U.S., yet more than 46 million Americans still smoke. Have you made your plan to quit smoking…and actually followed through? If not, you are not alone. Each year, 70 percent of current smokers say they want to quit, but only six percent actually succeed at becoming smoke-free.

After smoking three packs a day for 33 years, Gary – a member of LifeSynch, a Humana company – is celebrating his first anniversary this month as successfully smoke-free. With the help of a personal health coach through LifeSynch’s tobacco cessation program, Gary has regained control of his health. To offer inspiration to others who want to quit smoking, Gary wanted to share his story. After watching this video, Gary hopes anyone who has ever wanted to quit smoking, will take a pledge today to quit  – or will make a plan to quit because by doing so, you are taking an important step toward a healthier life and well-being.

Photographs courtesy of Cheryl D. Dobbins

This weekend the Humana “Build a Legacy Tour” headed to Greensboro, N.C., for the third of eight multi-generational playground builds around the country.

Humana volunteers, the YWCA and KaBOOM! organizers braved cold temperatures and wind and rain on Saturday, Oct. 29, to start the project in High Point, about 20 minutes outside of Greensboro.

Poor weather didn’t bring down the spirit of the team, though, and they lucked out as the rain dissipated and sun started shining mid-morning.

More than 250 local volunteers of all ages – nearly 100 of those from Humana – contributed, including Dallas Mavericks center (and recent NBA Champion), Brendan Haywood, who has deep roots in the area.

Invited by Humana, KaBOOM! and the YWCA, Brendan joined the team of volunteers in constructing playground components for people of all ages, including a Triple Racer Slide, Lifetrail exercise stations, Tic-Tac-Toe Activity Wall, Rope Climber and Climbing activities.

“It is a good cause,” Brendan said. “KaBOOM! and Humana are doing a lot of good things in the community, and it’s something I wanted to partner up with and be a part of.”

In addition to helping with the build, Brendan also had the chance to meet with local children and take pictures and speak with participants.

The team was thankful to have his help and support. Thank you, Brendan!

The second of eight multi-generational playgrounds is finished in New Orleans as part of the Humana “Build a Legacy Tour” taking place this fall.

Humana volunteers, the Cleary Playground Athletic Association, Jefferson Parish Parks and Recreation and KaBOOM! rallied on Wednesday at Cleary Playground, 3700 Civic Street in Metairie, to help build a multi-generational play space for the local community.

More than 200 local volunteers of all ages, along with Humana and KaBOOM!, constructed play equipment and fitness stations in less than six hours. The Cleary Playground is the second of eight multigenerational playgrounds being built across the nation over eight weeks.

Jeff Fernandez, Louisiana senior products market president, helped kick the day off and worked with other local Humana associates throughout the day to make this community dream a reality.

Here are some more fun facts about the build:

• More than 200 volunteers from Humana and the community worked together to build this space
• More than 22,000 pounds of concrete were mixed by hand
• Volunteers will be adding 2,520 square feet of multi-generational playground space for people of all ages in Metairie.

More than 200 volunteers gathered early Wednesday, Oct. 19, in Tudor Square Park near Seattle to create a multi-generational playground. Within six hours, they had created a neighborhood legacy that will promote healthy play and well-being for people of all ages. The customized playground, funded primarily by Humana, was created with personal drawings and input from local community members – from children to seniors. 

The unique space will have senior-focused and adult elements, such as fitness stations and walking paths, to promote good posture, balance and flexibility – as well as more traditional, kid-friendly equipment to build a truly multi-generational space. The new playground is also a place where families can hold reunions, create memories and live life to the fullest. In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Humana is partnering with KaBOOM, a national nonprofit organization, to create these unique playgrounds. The first was built in Lauderhill, Fla. Seven more will be built this fall in New Orleans; Greensboro, N.C.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Tucson, Ariz.; Nashville, Tenn.; Orlando, Fla.; and San Antonio.

In addition to members of the Kent community, volunteers from Kent Parks, Recreation & Community Services, Kent Parks Foundation, Tudor Square Neighborhood Council, Humana and KaBOOM! helped create the latest playground.

Here are some more facts about the build:

• More than 15,200 pounds of concrete was mixed by hand to set the equipment
• More than 43,740 square feet of safety surfacing was moved 
• Humana Build a Legacy Tour mobile food truck was also on-site serving hungry participants fresh fruit, whole-grain bagels and bread, chocolate milk and grilled turkey dogs.

Mike McCallister (center) meets with Tim Finchem (right) and President Clinton before the press conference held at the Clinton Foundation in Harlem.(Photos by Adam Schultz/Clinton Foundation)

Humana Chairman and CEO Mike McCallister joined President Bill Clinton and PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem at a recent press conference in New York to discuss the new direction that the Humana Challenge will take in January 2012. The former Bob Hope Classic is still a premier PGA TOUR event, but in addition to the new name, it will have a new focus on health and well-being and showcase the benefits of living healthier lives.

Tournament week, Jan. 16-22, will feature a national conference on health and well-being, highlighted by a keynote address from President Clinton. The tournament provides a unique opportunity to immerse people of all ages in a variety of innovative and fun events around the theme of lifelong well-being, which makes it a perfect fit for the sponsors, Humana and The William J. Clinton Foundation. Humana and the Clinton Foundation understand the challenges we all face as we strive to live healthier, happier lives and demonstrate a commitment to helping us do just that through initiatives such as the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, multi-generational playgrounds, programs that reward healthier behaviors, a bike-sharing program and Humana Games for Health.

For more information about the Humana Challenge, read coverage of the press conference from The New York Times, USA Today and Golf Digest.

On Friday, Sept, 16, the first day of the three-day bike-sharing event that Humana is sponsoring as part of Wellness Week activities in New York, about 4,000 people had stopped by the bike station on Columbus Circle

And as the following numbers show, hundreds have already learned first-hand that healthy things can be fun and fun things can be healthy.

• Approximately 750 people rode a bike to make a smoothie.
• 1,300 people received free Humana Gear pedometers and registered with Humana fit.
• By 7 p.m. Friday, 157 people had taken a free one-hour bike ride through Central Park with their Humana vouchers.  To put that into context, the health and environmental impact of the Humana vouchers equals 389,200 calories burned.

If you want more information about this event or would like to see videos and photos scroll down and read our articles below.

“Humana is leading the charge,” said Bonnie Lowen after using her own pedal power to create a smoothie at the Humana bike-sharing station in New York on Friday, Sept. 16. (See video below.)

Bonnie and other visitors at the bike-sharing event that Humana is sponsoring at Columbus Circle as part of Wellness Week activities in New York were asked to describe their experience at the station and to tell us what well-being means to them. Here are some examples of the messages visitors left on the well-being wall when asked “What does well-being mean to you?”

• Having fun with your kids
• 60 and fit – keep it moving
• Live, love, laugh
• Being happy with what you have
• Surround yourself with family and friends
• Making every day better than yesterday – making better choices
• Exercise, family, laughter and faith
• Be fit, have fun and live fierce
• Stay active and productive
• Find balance
• Feeling good in your own skin
• Living, prosperity, surviving
• Being in total harmony (economic, social, love life)
• Be a Fruit Loop in a world of Cheerios