Every January, Americans reflect on the past and look to the future, often setting drastic health-related New Year’s resolutions they struggle to keep; an overwhelming 92 percent of resolution-setters failing to see them through. This year, actress, author and TV host Alison Sweeney and the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council aim to curb that trend, releasing findings from a poll fielded by ORC International*, and ringing in the New Year with a sweepstakes and motivational campaign challenging Americans to trade their lofty resolutions for more realistic lifestyle changes.
Healthy 2015 – swap lofty New Year resolutions for little changes, Alison Sweeney
Healthy 2015 – swap lofty New Year resolutions for little changes
Choose Little, Win Big
ORC’s research revealed that four out of five Americans (82%) believe that making small lifestyle changes is a more effective way to improve health than making major changes that might require more self-discipline.
“Instead of setting big New Year’s resolutions, I encourage people to set small and sustainable goals,” said Sweeney. “Whether that means drinking an extra glass of water each day, signing up for a 5K, or adding blueberries to your usual oatmeal or yogurt, it’s the little changes that will add up to a healthier lifestyle over time.”
Among the changes poll respondents indicated as being easy to keep are spending more time with family (79 percent) and eating more healthy foods like blueberries (72 percent).
Ditch Deprivation, Ditch Frustration
While New Year’s resolutions have the tendency to make both men and women act irrationally or adopt a defeatist attitude, the poll found little changes make people feel more confident (61 percent), more likely to make additional positive changes (60 percent) and happier (58 percent).
Healthy 2015 – swap lofty New Year resolutions for little changes
Diets, on the other hand, tend to create unnecessary drama:
• A third of women (32 percent) and almost a quarter of men (20 percent) have given up on a diet completely after slipping up
• One in seven (14 percent) have snapped at someone because their diet was making them crazy
Additionally, respondents found it easier to add healthy foods like blueberries (50 percent) and broccoli (51 percent) to their diets than to eliminate things like gluten (16 percent) or dessert (33 percent), suggesting deprivation is not the best method for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Little Changes Sweepstakes
• Entering the Little Changes Sweepstakes for a chance to win prizes like a trip for two to LA for the Little Changes Kitchen Challenge with Alison Sweeney and a variety of gift cards,
• Accessing year-round Little Changes inspiration, tips and recipes and
• Subscribing to monthly emails that serve as Little Changes reminders.
Visit www.littlebluedynamos.com for more details.