With a new study revealing that making four lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of major chronic illness, it’s not surprising corporations are taking a closer look at launching wellness programs.

According to the seven-year-plus study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, people who do not smoke, have a body mass index lower than 30, exercise for at least three-and-a-half hours each week and eat a healthy diet with many fruits, vegetables and whole-grain bread can reduce the risk of chronic illness like diabetes, heart attack, stroke and cancer by an average of nearly 80 percent.

How do wellness programs promote healthy behaviors?

Wellness programs not only help improve the health of employees by motivating them to take care of themselves, but they also reduce these alarming health care costs associated with obesity and other major health issues.

For more information on creating a wellness programs, call industry leader Taraci Motivation at 212.243.7733.

Wellness programs are hot – and that’s not surprising with the ongoing debate about health care.

Indeed, wellness programs motivate employees to stay fit and focus on living a healthier lifestyle by rewarding good behaviors with motivational gifts.

The perfect gift to help your employees meet their wellness goals? The Mio Motiva Heart Rate Watch (above) is a very good example.

Attractive enough for everyday wear, the Mio Motiva lets you set daily calorie targets and record the calories you consume.

An alarm tells you if you exceed your limit. Working out? The Mio monitors your heart rate for maximum calorie burn without any uncomfortable chest straps.

Ready to start your corporate wellness program? Call Taraci Motivation at 212.243.7733 today.

Wellness programs are quickly becoming the way many smart corporations are motivating their employees to live healthier lifestyles.

Reduced absenteeism, increased employee loyalty and a major decrease in health insurance costs are just some of the many benefits.

To reap these benefits, here are the three steps to building a Wellness Program:

Step 1: Create an incentive gift selection. Develop a catalog featuring products and services that will motivate your employees.

Step 2: Establish “wellness goals.” Some examples include target weights, quitting smoking, reducing blood pressure or lowering cholesterol. You can also include preventative check-ups as one of the goals.

Step 3: Reward points. Once your employees reach their goal, they receive points. And with these points, they can select from the variety of products and services to celebrate achieving their goals.

Wellness programs not only help improve the health of employees by motivating them to take care of themselves, but they also reduce these alarming health care costs associated with obesity and other major health issues.

Indeed, the recent release of the obesity study published in the journal Health Affairs demonstrates it’s clearly time for corporate America to take responsibility and make wellness programs mandatory!

Before I share with you the benefits of wellness programs, let’s take a look at the shocking findings from the study as reported by the New York Times:

* Obese Americans spend about 42 percent more on health care than other Americans
* Medical spending on obesity-related conditions is estimated to have reached147 billion a year in 2008. That figure represents almost 10 percent of all medical spending.
* Obese Americans spend about $1,429 more on health care each year than the roughly $3,400 spent by other Americans

How do you create a wellness program?

It’s really simple. You establish “wellness goals,” e.g. target weights, quitting smoking, reducing blood pressure or lowering cholesterol.

You can also include preventative check-ups as one of the goals. It’s not just obesity that wellness programs can help prevent. There are a wide array of diseases that can be prevented with early detection.

Once your employees reach their goal, they receive points. And with these points, they can select from a variety of products and services to celebrate achieving their goals.

What results can you expect from your wellness program?

Reduced absenteeism, increased employee loyalty and a major decrease in health insurance costs are just some of the many benefits.

Bottom line: The time is now to begin a wellness program. It will improve the health of your employees — and your company’s long-term potential!

Wellness programs are becoming increasingly popular because they motivate employees to focus on their health – which ultimately helps them perform at a higher level in the work place.

One of the more popular items to include in your wellness program is the (above) commuter bike from Trek.

Now, employees can ride to work. A rock-solid aluminum frame promises durability and with ergonomically designed grips, arms will never ache.

For more information on products and services to include in your wellness program, call Taraci Motivation at 212.243.7733.