BeWell@Work℠ Resources

• Understanding Your Plan Benefits
• Preventive Care
• Help Managing Pain
• Mental Health Support
• Personalized Health Support Services
• Nutritional Counseling
• Know Where to Go for Care
• Vermont Blue Rx^SM Pharmacy Benefits

Ready to complete a 5K this spring? Choose your goal – walk a 5K, run your first 5K, or improve your 5k run time – and download the corresponding 8-week training plan and tip sheet. If the training schedule we provided does not work with your schedule, simply download the appropriate, customizable blank template and fill out the calendar following the guidelines provided on the template.

• Walker
• Beginner runner
• Intermediate/advanced runner

Nutrition Tips

• Balance Is Best
• Balanced Snacks and Protein
• Choose Your 5k Goal
• Eat More Color
• Fabulous Fats
• Make It A Lifestyle
• Power Up With Carbs

Webinar Recordings

• Start Your 5K Training Journey with Confidence
• Overcoming Challenges & Staying Motivated

• BeWell@Work Blue Spaces Campaign Menu
• Experience Blue Spaces Healthy Habit Challenge
• Blue Spaces Healthy Habit Challenge Tracker

Paddleboard Demo Video

• BeWell@Work “Move Well” Resources
• Stretching and Strengthening Exercises for Back Health
   

• February 2025
• March 2025
• April 2025
• May 2025
• June 2025
• July 2025

Check out the campaign calendar

View the campaign calendar

View the campaign calendar

Check out the campaign calendar

We feature the American Institute for Preventive Medicine's SleepWell® Program, which includes weekly content and the SleepWell sleep tracker.

Week 1: Getting Started

Check out the Week 1 Sleepwell guide to learn more about why sleep enhancement is important, the basics of sleep, sleep problems and health conditions, approaching a lifestyle change, and more!

Week 1 Guide

Use the SleepWell Sleep Tracker to monitor and understand your sleep habits. 

Track Your Sleep

Week 2: Self Assessment and Sleep Hygiene

There are many factors that impact sleep quality and quantity. This week's guide will lay out the steps you can take to improve the likelihood of getting quality sleep. Even if you have a medical issue or take medication that impairs your sleep, addressing certain lifestyle factors may help improve your sleep.

Use the Week 2 SleepWell guide to learn more about self-assessing sleep quality, how much sleep you need, the impact of blue light and electronics on sleep, how food, exercise, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol effect sleep, and setting goals and overcoming barriers to change.

Week 2 Guide

Track Your Sleep

Week 3: Train Yourself to Sleep

In Week 3, you will start to train your mind to see your bed as a place where you sleep well. Your habits and routines get stronger as you use them. As an example, when you always watch TV in bed, you probably reach for the remote as soon as you get into bed. The good news is that you are not locked into these patterns. In fact, you can train your brain to respond to these cues in different ways.

Check out the Week 3 guide to learn more about creating a bedtime and waking routine, restricting time in bed, what to do if you're having trouble staying asleep, napping, managing the risks of shift work, stimulus control, and more.

Week 3 Guide

Track Your Sleep

Week 4: Stress and Your Sleep

During this week you will learn strategies for managing stress and relaxing before bedtime. Did you know that stress is linked to more than 50% of all sleep-related problems? You face stressors daily, but when dealing with stress for too long, your body can suffer. You will learn several techniques that you can use to relax. Like any new habit, learning these new techniques takes practice.

Use the Week 4 guide to learn more strategies to relax, how to seek downtime, practice mindfulness, address your worries through planning and problem solving, practical relaxation techniques, and more. 

Week 4 Guide

Track Your Sleep

Week 5: Building Social Support

Week 5 of the SleepWell program will help you strengthen the habits you have developed during this program. You will also learn tools to communicate with others to avoid and manage conflicts. Use this week's guide to learn more about:

• Strengthening your home team
• How to show you care
• Discussing your sleep needs with your partner
• Creating self-enhancing feelings
• And more!

An important aspect of building social support is showing friends and family that you care for them.

Week 5 Guide

Track Your Sleep

Week 6: Maintain Your Sleep Habits

In this final week of the SleepWell program, we will focus on maintaining healthy sleep habits and what to do going forward. Did creating a calming, sleep-promoting bedroom environment help improve your sleep quality and length? You can clear the clutter in other areas of your life, too. Messy work and living spaces can cause undue stress, so throw away or shred old papers, organize your desk or a messy closet, and find ways to reduce clutter on kitchen countertops.

Use the Week 6 guide to learn more about how to reinforce healthy habits, prepare for new challenges, respond to a bad night of sleep, and talk with others about your sleep improvements.

Week 6 Guide

Track Your Sleep

Learn how to plan, prepare, and cook their way to a heart-healthy diet that is both affordable and delicious. Try different activities that will support their nutritional habits.

Week 1: Heart Health

The CDC reports that heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. There are many lifestyle factors that can impact our heart health. The American Heart Association defines eight essential health behaviors that can improve cardiovascular health:

• Eat better
• Be more active
• Quit tobacco
• Get healthy sleep
• Manage weight
• Control cholesterol
• Manage blood sugar
• Manage blood pressure

The American Heart Association also provides a list of ways to improve your heart health, including:

• Balance calories with physical activity.
• Reach for a variety of fruits and vegetables.
• Choose whole grains.
• Include healthy protein sources, mostly plants and seafood.
• Use liquid non-tropical plant oils.
• Choose minimally processed foods.
• Subtract added sugars
• Cut down on salt.
• Limit alcohol.
• Do all this wherever you eat!

Week 2: Meal Planning Basics

Taking the time to plan your meals for the week can save you time and money. MyPlate.gov provides several tips to consider when you sit down to map out your plan:

• See what you have. Plan meals that use foods you already have. Look in your freezer, cabinets, and refrigerator, and be sure to check expiration dates.
• Map out your meals. Write out the meals you plan to eat for the week and use it as a guide. Be sure to list beverages and snacks, too. You can use a weekly template or download an app like Mealime. This free app will help you plan meals according to your food preferences and/or goals and automatically generate a shopping list for you to take to the store.
• Make a grocery list. Start by listing ingredients for the meals you plan to make and then cross off items you already have. Buying for the week can help you make fewer shopping trips. Meal planning apps will have this capability built right in once you select the recipes you plan to make.
  • Check out our blog, "Your Healthy Guide to Grocery Shopping", for more tips.
• Love your leftovers. Prepare enough of a dish to eat multiple times during the week or freeze some to enjoy later. Making leftovers part of your plan can save you time and money. Think about how you might add one or more additional ingredients to leftovers to make them more exciting or choose recipes that are even better as leftovers. 

If meal planning is new to you, start small. For the first few weeks, try to just plan your dinners rather than every meal. You can also plan meals for certain days. For example, dinners are planned for Monday through Friday allowing the weekends to be open to make a last-minute meal decision.

Lean on routine to simplify things even more. Designate a specific day of the week for a certain type of meal to make the planning a bit easier. Then mix it up each week with a new recipe.

Week 3: Shop Smart

The first step to saving money on your groceries is to create a food budget. Vermont food costs are significantly higher than most states. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's most recent figures, in 2021, Americans spent 10.3% of their disposable personal income on food. With inflation as it has been, one can assume that those numbers will be significantly higher for 2023.

You can get an estimate of a budget based on your family size at Spend Smart. Eat Smart. Keep in mind that these numbers are just a guideline and a budget is personal to everyone’s unique needs. The most important step is to have a budget!

Once your budget is set, try some of the strategies below to get the most bang for your buck!

1. Designate a day each week to meal plan and create your grocery list
2. Download your grocery store’s app for easy coupons, weekly fliers and online ordering.
3. Shop alone and on a full stomach to avoid any splurge spending.
4. Designate a day to grocery shop or online order. Make sure to find out when your store has produce delivered to ensure that your food will be as fresh as possible.
5. Consider swapping out a meat meal for a plant-based protein.
   1. Check out our post on tips for a plant-based diet.
6. Purchase your hygiene and household products online or at larger box stores.
7. Bring a calculator to track your purchases. If ordering online, most apps will keep track of your total.
8. Buy in bulk and be aware of the unit price of each item.
9. Shop the store’s perimeter and avoid processed foods.
10.  Compare prices across stores and learn how to use coupons.
11.  Shop produce that is in-season

Week 4: Food Prep

Prepping your food in advance has several benefits. Not only can it help save money and time, but it can also help with weight control as you portion out serving sizes and ingredients. Food prep can reduce stress when life becomes busy, and you are pressed for time in making a decision about what to eat. It also supports consuming a more nutritionally balanced diet. Follow the tips below to practice your skills in food prep.

Preparing Produce

Washing produce is an important step in reducing the risk of consuming contaminated foods and helps to reduce toxins, dirt and bacteria that may be on your produce.

• Wash your hands with warm soap and water before and after preparing fresh produce. 
• If produce is damaged or bruised, cut away these areas before preparing.
• Rinse produce before you prepare it to remove any dirt or bacteria.
• Gently rub while holding produce under running cold water.
• Use a vegetable brush to scrub firm produce like cucumbers and melon.
• Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel.
• Remove the outer most leaves of a cabbage or head of lettuce.

Chopping Fruit & Vegetables

Now that your produce is properly washed and ready to prepare, it is time to begin chopping and storing. Learning how to properly use the tools in your kitchen can be an effective way to make food prep more efficient. 

• Watch the Basic Knife Skills video to learn how to properly keep your cutting board from sliding around your counter, as well as how to safely use the knives in your kitchen.
• Watch the Basic Vegetable Cutting Skills to learn effective ways to cut and prepare some of your produce.

Storing Produce

Meal planning and food preparation can save time and money. Just as important as the preparation is the storage of the food. Set yourself up for success by using the following tips:

• Fridge Storage Tips
  • Labeling prepped items with a date so you can track when to use them by.
  • Rotate the older food items to the front so you are likely to eat them first.
  • Store highly perishable food items like herbs, greens and chopped fruit at eye-level so you remember to use them.
• Freezer Storage Tips
  • Store cooked meals in airtight containers
  • Foods with a high moisture content like salad greens or watermelon do not freeze well as they tend to become mushy when thawing.
  • Blanch vegetables before freezing.

Setting Up Your Pantry for Success

Taking the time to set up your pantry can make meal planning and prep much easier. Stock up on healthy items that you eat frequently like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Here's a list of five food groups your pantry should have:

• Vegetables: Keep a variety of canned tomatoes in stock, which can be used in soups, stews, and a variety of other recipes.
• Fruits: Dried fruit like raisins, craisins, and apricots can be great to have on hand to mix up your salads, morning breakfast, or dinners.
• Milk and Dairy Products: Dried milk can be a great back up to have in stock. Boxed milk is also available in single serving packages and can be used in lunch boxes.
• Protein: Stock your pantry with dried lentils, beans, and legumes. These are packed full of nutrients and can be used for all several meals.
• Grains: Keep a stash of oatmeal, buckwheat, and other whole grains in your pantry. Whole grain pastas are also quick and easy when feeding the whole family.

Week 5: Forming Healthy Nutritional Habits

There are many benefits to having a well-balanced diet full of nutrient dense foods. Things like improved longevity, energy, sleep, and a reduced risk of developing diabetes or other chronic health conditions are just a few.

Creating sustainable habits when it comes to nutrition can be challenging. Removing barriers, starting small, and using some behavior modification techniques can help ease the challenges of developing a healthy nutritional lifestyle. Use these two approaches to help you create sustainable nutrition habits:

1. Mindful Eating focuses on your eating experiences, body-related sensations, and thoughts and feelings about food. Mindful eating can be an effective way to slow down and become aware of the foods you are consuming which allows for more conscious decisions on the quantity and quality of the foods you are choosing.
2. Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg. The book, Tiny Habits, shares a strategy in creating sustainable habits through anchor moments, tiny behaviors, and celebrations.
   • Anchor Moment: An existing routine in your life that will remind you of the Tiny Behavior (ex: pouring your first cup of coffee in the morning).
   • Tiny Behavior: The new behavior you want, but scaled back to be super tiny and easy.
   • Celebration: Something you do to create a positive feeling
   • Create a “Tiny Recipe” using the tiny habits resources.

Learn movements, daily strategies, and alternative modalities to support living fully. Living fully means being able to participate in the activities you love with increased energy, while feeling the best in your body.

BINGO Card

Download the Move To Feel Good Bingo Card and find healthy habits on each square that can help you increase your movement, decrease pain and discomfort, and support your body for a lifetime.

BINGO Card

Weekly Movement Tip Sheets

• Week 1: Move to Feel Good – Tools for Prevention
• Week 2: Move to Feel Good – Alternatives to Tame the Pain
• Week 3: Move to Feel Good – Tips for Your Back
• Week 4: Move to Feel Good – Tips for Your Neck & Shoulders
• Week 5: Move to Feel Good – Tips for Your Knees

Additional Resources

View our Muscle Massage worksheet and learn how you can use a lacrosse ball to loosen up tight muscles and trigger points with a self-massage, also known as self-myofascial release (SMR).

Lacrosse Ball Self-Massage Worksheet

Download a 7-Minute Workout poster for a high intensity workout. You will get maximum impact if you complete the workout twice.

7-Minute Workout Poster

Every person’s way of living simply is unique. Embracing a simpler lifestyle can help us be more content with less, leading to many health benefits. Learn how to reconnect with your values and align your choices to live simply in 2023.

What Matters Most 
The goal of living simply is to focus on what matters most to you, like family, friends, and shared experiences. It’s about limiting your distractions and simplifying your life, which can also involve slowing down when needed.

What Matters Most

Becoming Unbusy
Trade your busy life for a full one. A busy life is all about piling it on, catching up, falling behind, and waking up tired to do it all over again. It distracts us from what we really care about, and who we really care about. We can intentionally choose a full life by identifying what matters and getting rid of what doesn’t.

Becoming Unbusy

Digital Detox
The average adult consumes five times more information every day in comparison to 50 years ago. We spend as much as 12 hours a day in front of computers, TV’s, phones, and other electronic devices. This can distract us from doing the things that bring us joy.

Digital Detox

Declutter
Living in a cluttered home can drain your energy and waste your time. The National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals says we spend one year of our lives looking for lost items. That’s only one of the reasons why decluttering and organizing your space could have as much of an effect on your well-being as it does on your physical space.

Declutter

Sustainable Living
Sustainable living means understanding how our lifestyle choices impact the world around us, and finding ways for everyone to live better and lighter, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). UNEP suggests making changes in the following areas: food, mobility, consumer goods, housing, and leisure.

Sustainable Living

This year we are going Back to Basics. Our offerings will help employees make the most of their time, embrace healthier behaviors, and learn to let go. The 2023 calendar features monthly observances, quarterly campaigns focused on getting Back to Basics, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont Signature Events, and more.

2023 Wellness Calendar