Taking small steps can make it easier to reach your bigger goals of improved health and wellness.
Photo by Lisa Huber

LifeSynch, a Humana subsidiary, offers extensive health behavior resources, including behavioral healthcare, employee assistance program (EAP)/work-life services, behavioral pharmacy services, health coaches and Web-based wellness tools. As part of their commitment to change health behaviors and improve lives, LifeSynch’s health coaches will be contributing a series of articles that demonstrate how easy it can be to make a healthy change.

It’s that time of the year when we start talking about New Year’s resolutions. Some are large, some are small and some are simply unreachable. We are so motivated to make improvements as a new year approaches that we often set the bar too high, which inevitably leads to failure and disappointment.

Each January, according to a recent study, approximately 1 in 3 Americans will make a resolution. While about 75 percent of us stick to the goals we set for at least a week, only 40-45 percent are still on target six months later. Why is it so hard to stay on track?

I believe that the biggest problem is how we set goals in the first place. Why not set smaller goals so that we can celebrate a quick success that will motivate us to take the next step toward a larger goal? For example, let’s say my goal for the first week is to cut back on my sugary drinks. If I currently have two sugary drinks a day, my initial goal will be to cut back to one sugary drink a day. That doesn’t sound too difficult, right? If the first week’s goal was achieved, set a new goal, such as cutting back to two sugary drinks a week.

The point is to set realistic goals. If you know that you aren’t going to be able to cut sugary drinks completely out of your diet, then don’t set an initial goal to do so. You’re setting yourself up for failure.

Here are a few other ideas to get you started:

• Drink more water: Most of us should drink more water and don’t come close to the recommended eight 8-ounce glasses a day. If you don’t drink much water now, then you will probably want to start out with a goal of drinking a much smaller amount and work up to eight glasses.
• Run a 5k: My fiancé has set a goal to run a 5k every month, but I’m not asking you to do that right away. Instead, set a goal to run a 5k within the next three months. Make it realistic to your lifestyle. Check out this couch to 5k program for tips and inspiration.
• Challenge yourself to try something new every month. For example, have you ever had spaghetti squash or quinoa? They are both delicious and healthy.

I want to challenge you to think outside the box and come up with a resolution that you will be successful in keeping. Celebrate once you’ve met that goal. (But don’t reward yourself with cake! Indulge in something you love that is going to make you feel good about your success.) Now get out there and take just one step toward a healthier new you.

Ramona Cash, a site administrator for the personal health coaching program for LifeSynch, a subsidiary of Humana, has a bachelor’s degree in health education and a master’s degree in health science. She is also a certified health educator. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her bike, going to the farmer’s market, and cooking healthy recipes for her food blog, “Keep It Fun and Healthy.”

U.S. service members, shown here at the 2012 Humana Challenge, will once again be offered free grounds admission and access to the Humana Military Outpost.

The Humana Military Outpost will host active duty, Reserve and military retirees at the 2013 Humana Challenge in partnership with the William J. Clinton Foundation.

“We are proud to host members of our country’s military at the Humana Military Outpost as our guests; they deserve the opportunity to have a fun and relaxing time with us while watching many of the world’s best golfers up close,” Humana Challenge Executive Director and CEO Bob Marra said. “The Humana Military Outpost is another way we are carrying on the legacy of our tournament founder, Bob Hope. His passion for this golf tournament and unwavering commitment to entertaining the troops were legendary.”

The Humana Military Outpost, introduced during last year’s inaugural Humana Challenge, is a private hospitality pavilion offering climate-controlled indoor seating, outdoor patio seating and complimentary refreshments. The tournament also will offer free grounds admission to active military and veterans and their dependents.

Humana is looking forward to next month’s activities, the action on the course and welcoming veterans to the 2013 Humana Challenge Jan. 14-20 in La Quinta, Calif.

“We’re excited to once again host military men and women at the Humana Military Outpost,” said Mike McCallister, Humana’s Chairman and CEO. “Humana’s close connection to our Armed Forces dates back to the 1990s when Humana Military Healthcare Services was formed. Today, we’re proud to administer health coverage for approximately 3 million active duty and retired military through the TRICARE program.”

Related links
Media Day kicks off 2013 Humana Challenge
Humana Challenge Website
Humana Challenge Twitter
Humana Challenge Facebook

Humana associate Alison Woodcock enjoyed a ride in an IndyCar during a fundraising event for Racing For Kids on Dec. 11 in Louisville, Ky.

A partnership with national nonprofit Racing For Kids® gave Humana associates an opportunity to donate $10,000 to help sick children while experiencing the thrill of racing through downtown Louisville, Ky., in the back of an IndyCar.

“As a company we focus on a lot of important issues,” said Mike McCallister, Humana CEO and Chairman of the Board, as he kicked off the Dec. 11 fund-raising event. “One of them is health and well-being, and especially the education and health of children. We love this program. It moves around the country, visiting children’s hospitals, taking a little of their pain and distraction away from them in a really fun way.”

Humana hosted IndyCar drivers and two Indy-style racecars at a fund-raising event at Humana’s headquarters building in Louisville and asked associates to show their support for sick children. Within a few hours, associates had donated $10,000 to the program. Any associate who donated $100 was offered a ride around the block near Humana’s headquarters building in an IndyCar. Associates who gave $15 were invited to sit in an IndyCar parked in the Humana building lobby, and had their picture taken.

“Since 2004, the support of Humana and Mike McCallister has been critical to the success of Racing For Kids,” said Racing For Kids CEO Pat Wright. “I cannot over-emphasize that fact. There are thousands of hospitalized children who our drivers were able to visit and whose days we were able to brighten because of the support of Humana and The Humana Foundation.”

Founded in Detroit in 1989, Racing For Kids helps fund the health-care needs of children. Hospital visits form the heart of the program, with professional drivers visiting with sick youngsters, posing for pictures, signing autographs and handing out prizes. Drivers like Danica Patrick, Tony Kanaan and Al Unser, Jr. have participated.

The Bell County community shows support for Team Up 4 Health by joining in program activities with their family and friends at the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival.

Humana announced today the positive and tangible community impact of Team Up 4 Health, its two-year, health-and-wellness pilot program in Bell County in southeastern Kentucky in partnership with Microclinic International and the Bell County Health Department.

Launched in July 2011, Team Up 4 Health is a first-of-its-kind program in the United States that seeks to curb preventable chronic diseases – heart and kidney disease, cancer, stroke and hypertension, among others – by helping people eat better, exercise more and work together to encourage healthier choices.

Bell County (population: 28,725) was tapped for the pilot because it ranked among the areas with greatest need and residents voiced a desire to try a fresh approach to preventing chronic diseases. Like many states throughout the country, Kentucky has seen an increase in the number of residents with preventable diseases. The Centers for Disease Control noted that Kentucky’s rate of obesity has climbed to 31 percent, five percent above the U.S. average.

Team Up 4 Health is triggering positive change in Bell County. At the end of the pilot program’s first year, 97 percent of program participants registered saw health improvements.

How do they do it? With the help of peer-to-peer influence and the power of community. Participants were grouped in microclinics – a group of two-to-six people who work within their broader social network to achieve individual and collective health goals. Participants worked together to prevent and manage a chronic condition and received fitness and nutrition counseling, watched healthy-cooking demonstrations, and visited grocery stores with nutritionists.

Team Up 4 Health also worked with the Bell County Health Department and community center to create a positive circle of influence and collaboration within the broader community. As a result, one local restaurant changed its menu to offer healthier choices with fresh local ingredients. And Bell County is now home to two new fitness parks, an organic community garden and a pavilion where families gather for celebrations.

The program’s second year, which began in September, promises even greater strides. Twice as many Bell County residents – more than 500 – are participating in the second phase than took part during the first year.

Humana Hope, available via Humana Facebook, is a new program aimed at promoting lifelong well-being with a virtual card that gives you the opportunity to commit, inspire and share.

Every participant in Humana Hope writes a wellness goal on a virtual card in which he or she completes a sentence that begins with the phrase, “I promise myself…”.   Chuck Stephens of Humana’s Enterprise Social Media team explained, “Once you’ve written down your promise, you can then post the Humana Hope card in our online gallery. You can also tag someone whom you’d like to inspire to join you or who might help you keep your commitment.”

Humana Hope has already proven successful with its test audience – Humana’s own associates. “We weren’t sure what kind of response we’d get, but the feedback was tremendous,” Stephens said. “Within two weeks, we had requests for thousands of Humana Hope cards, and we’ve been thrilled to see associates making and sharing promises of all kinds.”

Among the Humana Hope promises made during the pilot program:

• To slow down and enjoy my blessings
• To write a novel
•  To live in the moment, to laugh and love more.
• To continue workouts through Nov., Dec. and Jan. There are no excuses!

Humana is starting the public campaign now in part to give participants some momentum in advance of both the holiday season (when people may be inclined to neglect their long-term wellness goals) and the traditional resolutions of health that come with a new year.

There is no fee to participate, no contest associated with the program, and Humana Hope is open to Humana members and non-members alike.

“With Humana Hope, we want to help people become healthier and achieve lifelong well-being and to create a community around those ideas,” said Stephens.

Many of the participants in Humana’s internal pilot campaign printed displayed Humana Hope cards at their desks, others carried them around as symbols of their commitment. “One Humana associate wrote on her card that she wanted to keep running, and so she folded the card up and kept it with her while running her first half marathon in cold, rainy weather,” said Stephens. “She told us she had a great time and was proud of herself for sticking with it.”

If you want to create your own Humana Hope card, go to: https://apps.facebook.com/humana_hope/.

Recipe Refresh Challenge participants Liz Della Croce of TheLemonBowl.com, Marla Meridith of FamilyFreshCooking.com, Meredith Steele of InSockMonkeySlippers.com, Robin Sue Joss of BigRedKitchen.com, Paula Jones of Bellalimento.com and Leslie Green of TheHungryHousewife.com.

HumanaVitality recently brought six top food bloggers to Chicago for the Recipe Refresh Challenge. The Challenge was part of the ongoing promotion of the Vitality HealthyFood™ program, which incentivizes healthy eating by offering a 5 percent savings at Walmart on healthier food products, such as fresh fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy.

The savings on items displaying Walmart’s Great for You™ icon can make it easier for families to make healthier choices and healthier meals. This program is just one way that Humana and HumanaVitality is wokring to  help members achieve lifelong well-being.

During the Recipe Refresh Challenge, participants worked in teams to create a healthy, after-school snack using available pantry items. Then, the bloggers participated in an individual dinner challenge where they put a healthy spin on a beloved comfort food recipe. The bloggers’ dishes were judged on taste, presentation, nutritional value and creativity.

At the end of the Challenge, Robin Sue Joss of Big Red Kitchen walked away as the top winner and Liz Della Croce of The Lemon Bowl took home the prize for first runner-up. Get the recipes for Robin’s Fork & Knife Pizza Burgers with Garlic Parmesan Oven “Fries” and Italian Coleslaw and Liz’s Sweet and Smoky Turkey Chili.

Congratulations and thank you to all participants! For more information about Vitality HealthyFood or the Recipe Refresh Challenge, please connect with HumanaVitality on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Volunteers work together to build a one-of-kind, multigenerational playground at the Las Casas apartment complex in Coachella, Calif, on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012.

The swing of the first golf club may be a few weeks away, but the 2013 Humana Challenge is already teed up and off to an impressive start.

More than 100 people attended Humana Challenge media day on Dec. 5 at the tournament site in La Quinta, Calif.  “We’re thrilled by the enthusiasm the Humana Challenge has generated,” said Humana Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Tom Noland. “Everyone at Humana is looking forward to the opportunity to work with our partners to share Humana’s message of participatory well-being.”

Golf great Phil Mickelson announced he’ll return for a second consecutive year to the PGA TOUR event, which starts January 17 and is co-sponsored by Humana and the William J. Clinton Foundation. Mickelson’s 2012 Ryder Cup teammate Brandt Snedeker, currently ranked number nine in the world, will also compete, as will last year’s Humana Challenge champion Mark Wilson.

“Having Phil, Brandt and Mark on board already bodes well for the strength of our field again this year and provides further proof of the appeal of the event,” said Humana Challenge executive director and CEO Bob Marra.

“I’m honored to be the champion last year and to be back,” Wilson told the crowd. He shared the story of a local friend who attended last year’s tournament. “He took it upon himself after that tournament to walk 3,000 steps a day.  And he’s lost 70 pounds (and)… feels like he’s in the best shape of his life.” Wilson said his friend “really credits the Humana Challenge and what they did last year in improving awareness of the importance of exercise.”

This story is one of many examples of how the Humana Challenge is about much more than golf. At the 2012 tournament, Humana gave out pedometers with the promise that if spectators and visitors would log enough steps during the event, The Humana Foundation would donate $500,000 to local charities.  Participants met the challenge, and The Humana Foundation made the donation to the Family YMCA of the Desert and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley.  That contribution paved the way for the Dec. 1 construction of a multigenerational playground in the Las Casas apartment complex in nearby Coachella, Calif.

As with previous playgrounds that Humana has sponsored with KaBOOM!, the playground has elements of a traditional playground for kids but also includes features designed for adults, such as exercise stations and a walking track.

Constructed by more than 200 volunteers in less than six hours, the playground effort wowed observers like Martha Jimenez, who serves on the board of the Family YMCA of the Desert.  Jimenez told The Desert Sun newspaper, “So many people came out today and the impossible became possible.”

Las Casas is the first of two playgrounds Humana is helping construct in the area; the second will go up in January just before the opening of the Humana Challenge. Humana also provided funding for a new recreation facility at the San Felipe Community and Migrant Housing Complex in Oasis, Calif., earlier this year.

At the start of Humana Challenge week, the Clinton Foundation will host its second annual Health Matters: Activating Wellness in Every Generation conference, the anchor event for the Clinton Health Matters Initiative (CHMI).  Among the expected attendees at the conference and the tournament are Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett (who will perform) and former President Bill Clinton.

The Humana Challenge was named 2012 Sports Event of the Year by Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily.

Humana takes a balanced approach in its efforts to create a golf event that’s both fun for players and fans and also serves to promote lifelong well-being.  Humana offers participants and spectators healthy food concessions, pedometers and a family fit area, among other features.

That balance is summarized in this quote from defending champion Wilson: “You’ve got to live well and enjoy life, but also be conscious of what is good for your performance.”

Related Links:

• Video: Playground built in advance of Humana Challenge
• Humana Challenge website
• Humana Challenge Twitter
• Press Release: Phil Mickelson to begin his PGA TOUR season at Humana Challenge for second straight year
• Video: Mirage in the desert – Building a Multigenerational Playground

Stay on track with your health goals during the holiday season.

LifeSynch, a Humana subsidiary, offers extensive health behavior resources, including behavioral healthcare, employee assistance program (EAP)/work-life services, behavioral pharmacy services, health coaches and Web-based wellness tools. As part of their commitment to change health behaviors and improve lives, LifeSynch’s health coaches will be contributing a series of articles that demonstrate how easy it can be to make a healthy change.

The holidays are a special time of year, but the celebrations can derail our healthy eating goals. Statistics show that most Americans will gain one pound during the holidays. That may not seem so bad, but even if you gain only one pound during one season of the year, that’s still adds up to a big difference in 10 or 20 years. And let’s be honest, most of us will gain a pound or two here and there at other times of the year if we are not careful. The reminders below may make it a little bit easier to stick to your goals and prevent you from gaining an extra pound or two during the holidays.

Don’t drink too much
Holiday drinks, especially those containing alcohol, can contain a lot of calories especially if you aren’t paying close attention to how much you are having. You may also drift over to the buffet table a little more often if you are drinking a little more than you should. Try drinking more water and replacing 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. And as another alternative, check out this wonderful hot chocolate recipe during the holidays:

No-Sugar-Added Minty Hot Cocoa

• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1-2 teaspoons Agave natural sweetener
• Dash of salt
• 1 cup of 1 percent milk
•  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Mix cocoa, natural sweetener and salt in large mug. Heat milk in microwave for 1-1/2 minutes, until hot. Gradually add hot milk to cocoa mixture in mug, stirring until well-blended. Stir in vanilla and peppermint. Yields 1 serving. (more…)

It’s no secret that grandparents often play an important role in the lives of their grandchildren, but a recent survey commissioned by Humana demonstrates that the younger generation has a surprisingly strong behavioral influence on the older generation.

Seventy-eight percent of 1,001 grandparents participating in the survey* say their adult grandchildren motivate them to stay healthy.

“This study reveals that these two generations are looking to one another for health inspiration,” said Tom Liston, President of Humana’s Retail Segment. “Grandparents have great life experience, and it’s encouraging for young people to see them staying active. Today’s grandparents are encouraged to see their grandkids taking health more seriously – as the survey shows 30 percent would tell their adult grandchildren to take better care of their health.”

Survey highlights include:

• 30 percent of grandparents say that if they could give one piece of advice to their adult grandchildren, it would be to take better care of their health. A close second, with 27 percent, is to spend more time with family.
• 45 percent say their adult grandchildren’s generation is more healthy than their own.
• 53 percent say their adult grandchildren have the same work ethic and determination that characterized their generation.
•  54 percent believe their adult grandchildren are more career-focused than their own generation.

The survey also showed that grandparents are inspired to stay healthy through time spent with their grandchildren and that technology is helping them remain connected.

• 45 percent said technology has brought them closer to their grandchildren.
• 20 percent said Facebook helps them stay in touch with grandchildren.

 *The survey was conducted by third-party research vendor, Edelman Berland, in late October and November, 2012. The custom survey includes a nationally representative sample of 1,001 people ages 65 and over with at least one grandchild between the ages of 18 and 34. Margin of error is ± 3.1 percent.

Hurricane Sandy battered the East Coast last month, shattering homes, communities and lives. Area residents quickly began to pick up the pieces and rebuild, but recovery from the devastating superstorm will take time and continuing support from all of us.

In the aftermath of the storm, there have been heartbreaking stories of unimaginable grief and hardship. There also have been stories of courage, compassion and generosity as emergency workers, families, friends, neighbors and others pulled together to save lives and preserve hope. Among those going the extra mile are caregivers and other staff members of New York-based SeniorBridge. Even though some of them also lost property, power and transportation, their dedication and commitment to the seniors they serve never wavered.

“It is in these times of crisis that our true colors show,” said Eric C. Rackow, MD, who leads the combined SeniorBridge/Humana Cares organization.

Some examples of dedication exhibited by SeniorBridge staff:

• When a 64-year-old wheelchair-bound, insulin-dependent woman living with diabetes and a wound requiring daily dressing changes, insisted on staying in her beach-side apartment in a mandatory evacuation zone despite pleas to leave, her SeniorBridge caregiver negotiated many hurdles to deliver needed supplies and then stayed by her side for four days without power or heat.
• A 97-year-old New York woman with advanced dementia and very limited mobility lost power and water in the 24th-floor apartment where she lived alone. Despite transportation issues of their own, two SeniorBridge caregivers made their way to the apartment, walked up the 24 flights with only a flashlight to guide them to deliver water and food and remained in the home for 48 hours to ensure her safety.

“I’m exhausted and mentally drained … but I feel fortunate being able to see how my work helps people,” said Tatiana Pagan, a SeniorBridge scheduling coordinator in New York said a few days after the storm.

To read more stories from SeniorBridge associates, click here.

Related link:

• Humana Foundation Pledges Matching Donations to Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts