Small Changes For Health 2019 Program
Thanks for joining us for Small Changes For Health 2019! The overarching theme for this year is “Better with a Buddy”.
Your journey to better health will be easier with an accountability partner: someone who can challenge you to stay on track and push you to do your best. Having a friendly competition with your buddy can help you complete the weekly challenges too. While the program activities can be done solo, bring someone along for the journey and reap all the benefits having a partner can provide.
The 2019 Small Changes For Health program is now underway, but it is not too late to join! Click the button at the bottom of this page to get started.
If you've already signed up for Small Changes For Health 2019 or if you signed up in 2018, LOG IN HERE. You don't need to sign up again.
This ten-week, online program is a great way to jump start your body and mind into healthy living. Each week is comprised of a small change related to physical activity and a nutrition tip. Additional handouts, videos, and materials are also provided to coincide with each week. You can individualize this program as much as you want, in order to make it fit you and your lifestyle. In addition to the weekly small change and nutrition tip, you will also be asked to answer one question at the end related to the content you just learned about.
Achievement Badges & Contest Entry
Once you complete each step, you will receive an electronic badge. These electronic badges will serve as your entry ticket into the grand prize drawing for a trip. Click here for the contest details.
In order to get prepared for each week of this program, check off the following items before you begin
- Check with your doctor to ensure you are cleared for physical activity
- Get yourself a good pair of shoes for walking or running
- Get some light weights to use for weight-bearing activities (Note: canned foods or full water jugs can be used; resistance bands can also work)
- Get yourself a reusable water bottle so that you can carry water with you
- Purchase some fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds to incorporate into healthy meals and snacks
Healthy Behaviors
This year’s Small Changes for Health program is designed to work on healthy behaviors. We want you to incorporate more healthy behaviors into your lifestyle, which is reflected in the weekly challenge. These challenges are designed to focus on a health-related behavior that, if incorporated on a regular basis, will enhance your overall health. Challenge yourself to complete each one for the assigned week. If you find the challenge activity to be of benefit to you, you are encouraged to make it a regular part of your life. Physical activity will remain a part of the Small Changes weekly activity.
Course Content
Week 11: Keep Healthy Habits Going!
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Bonus Healthy Habit Challenge: (OPTIONAL) Schedule at least TWO preventive visits, screenings, or immunizations and add it to your calendar. You don’t have to go during this week, just get it scheduled.
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Small Change: Walk or run for 40 minutes on 3 days + 1 cross-training activity on 1 day this week (OPTIONAL but we encourage maintaining)
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Bonus Power Up! Connect to Let’s Move! STL for year round tips to keep healthy habits going.
- Bonus Healthy Habit Challenge: (OPTIONAL) Schedule at least TWO preventive visits, screenings, or immunizations and add it to your calendar. You don’t have to go during this week, just get it scheduled.
- Small Change: Walk or run for 40 minutes on 3 days + 1 cross-training activity on 1 day this week (OPTIONAL but we encourage maintaining)
- Bonus Power Up! Connect to Let’s Move! STL for year round tips to keep healthy habits going.
Week 1: Move More and Feel the Benefits
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Small Change: Walk/run for 20 minutes on 2 days this week
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Healthy Habit Challenge: Set 1 short-term (10 week) physical activity goal and 1 long-term (6 month) physical activity goal.
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Power Up! If 20 minutes on 2 days this week is too easy for you, adjust the small change from 20 to 30 minutes on 2 days this week
- Small Change: Walk/run for 20 minutes on 2 days this week
- Healthy Habit Challenge: Set 1 short-term (10 week) physical activity goal and 1 long-term (6 month) physical activity goal.
- Power Up! If 20 minutes on 2 days this week is too easy for you, adjust the small change from 20 to 30 minutes on 2 days this week
Week 2: Be Compassionate to YOU
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Small Change: Walk or run for 20 minutes on 3 days this week
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Healthy Habit Challenge: Write down 2-3 common negative thoughts you have and then create a more positive replacement you could say instead.
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Power Up! Pay attention for when you use your negative thoughts. What do you do next? Don’t judge it but write it down.
- Small Change: Walk or run for 20 minutes on 3 days this week
- Healthy Habit Challenge: Write down 2-3 common negative thoughts you have and then create a more positive replacement you could say instead.
- Power Up! Pay attention for when you use your negative thoughts. What do you do next? Don’t judge it but write it down.
Week 3: Make a Beverage Swap
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Small Change: Walk or run for 20 minutes at least 4 days this week
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Healthy Habit Challenge: Swap out 1 sugar-sweetened beverage for plain or infused water on 3 days this week
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Power Up! Already limiting sweetened drinks? Try a flavored water recipe. Serve with three family meals to get everyone involved.
- Small Change: Walk or run for 20 minutes at least 4 days this week
- Healthy Habit Challenge: Swap out 1 sugar-sweetened beverage for plain or infused water on 3 days this week
- Power Up! Already limiting sweetened drinks? Try a flavored water recipe. Serve with three family meals to get everyone involved.
Week 4: Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
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Small Change: Walk or run for 20 minutes at least 3 days this week and add in a cross-training activity on 1 day
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Healthy Habit Challenge: Add a fruit or vegetable to each meal on at least 3 days this week.
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Power Up! Try a NEW fruit or veggie this week. Ask a friend or coworker for ideas of how to prepare or cook it.
- Small Change: Walk or run for 20 minutes at least 3 days this week and add in a cross-training activity on 1 day
- Healthy Habit Challenge: Add a fruit or vegetable to each meal on at least 3 days this week.
- Power Up! Try a NEW fruit or veggie this week. Ask a friend or coworker for ideas of how to prepare or cook it.
Week 5: Maximize Your Energy with Balanced Meals
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Small Change: 20 minutes for 3 days - walk/ run* + 1 cross-training activity 1 day
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Healthy Habit Challenge: Eat 3-4 balanced* meals and snacks on at least 3 days this week
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Power Up! Are you already eating balanced meals? Let’s look at the timing. Do you eat when you are hungry or go long stretches between meals or snacks? Choose one day this week to tap into your hunger and adjust meals/snacks so you eat regularly (~ every 3-4 hours).
- Small Change: 20 minutes for 3 days - walk/ run* + 1 cross-training activity 1 day
- Healthy Habit Challenge: Eat 3-4 balanced* meals and snacks on at least 3 days this week
- Power Up! Are you already eating balanced meals? Let’s look at the timing. Do you eat when you are hungry or go long stretches between meals or snacks? Choose one day this week to tap into your hunger and adjust meals/snacks so you eat regularly (~ every 3-4 hours).
Week 7: Vary Your Protein
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Small Change: Walk or run 30 minutes on 3 days + 1 cross-training activity on 1 day
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Healthy Habit Challenge: Swap one of your regular proteins (like chicken, beef, and pork) for either fish or a vegetarian protein on 1 meal this week.
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Power Up! Swap one of your regular proteins for fish, or a vegetarian protein on 3 meals this week.
- Small Change: Walk or run 30 minutes on 3 days + 1 cross-training activity on 1 day
- Healthy Habit Challenge: Swap one of your regular proteins (like chicken, beef, and pork) for either fish or a vegetarian protein on 1 meal this week.
- Power Up! Swap one of your regular proteins for fish, or a vegetarian protein on 3 meals this week.
Week 8: Reduce Stress and Improve Mood
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Small Change: Walk or run for 40 minutes for 3 days + 1 cross-training activity on 1 day this week
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Healthy Habit Challenge: Try 1 stress relieving activity for at least 10 minutes on 3 days this week
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Power Up! Partner up with a friend or family member when doing a stress relief activity at least 1 of the 3 days.
- Small Change: Walk or run for 40 minutes for 3 days + 1 cross-training activity on 1 day this week
- Healthy Habit Challenge: Try 1 stress relieving activity for at least 10 minutes on 3 days this week
- Power Up! Partner up with a friend or family member when doing a stress relief activity at least 1 of the 3 days.
Week 9: Build Your Support Network and Connect to Resources
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Small Change: Walk or run 40 minutes for 3 days + 1 cross-training activity on 1 day
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Healthy Habit Challenge: Identify 1 new support to add to your network - this could be a group class, individual, or community agency that supports you in your path to better health
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Power Up! Schedule a self-care activity with your new support
- Small Change: Walk or run 40 minutes for 3 days + 1 cross-training activity on 1 day
- Healthy Habit Challenge: Identify 1 new support to add to your network - this could be a group class, individual, or community agency that supports you in your path to better health
- Power Up! Schedule a self-care activity with your new support
Week 10: Take A Clean Air Break
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Small Change: Walk or run for 40 minutes on 3 days + 1 cross-training activity on 1 day this week
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Healthy Habit Challenge: Create a smoke-free environment at home, and in the car. Tell others that these places will now be smoke-free
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Power Up! Look for 1 new way to reduce exposure to toxins from smoke.
- Small Change: Walk or run for 40 minutes on 3 days + 1 cross-training activity on 1 day this week
- Healthy Habit Challenge: Create a smoke-free environment at home, and in the car. Tell others that these places will now be smoke-free
- Power Up! Look for 1 new way to reduce exposure to toxins from smoke.