Could Healthtainment Be a Key to Your Health Success?

By , SparkPeople Blogger
Gone are the days of going to the library to learn more about a health condition. Most of us can quickly do an online search to learn the basics about what we are experiencing BEFORE we contact a doctor. The new MyPlate guidelines are outlined on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website with detailed guidelines for healthy eating. Before that, people could easily find similar information outlined about the Food Pyramid. There are many online sites to provide guidelines and information for healthy living. However, despite the abounding information readily available to help people live healthier lives, Americans are as unhealthy as ever before.

Communication professionals have known for a long time that there is an entertainment factor that can be used to engage an audience. Teachers began experiencing it when those of us in the Sesame Street Generation entered the classroom forcing changes in teaching methods to hold our attention in school. Now, a new survey demonstrates how popular TV shows influence viewer's health behaviors. Whether learning topical health information through Grey's Anatomy, being inspired to learn how to dance through Dancing with the Stars or coming to terms with the need for weight loss by watching the struggles of contestants on The Biggest Loser, television brings the relevance of health into our homes. We at SparkPeople.com have known that health and wellness don't have to be boring. That's why we invented the word healthtainment®.

Healthtainment® describes the motivational and positive experience people enjoy while using fun and interesting tools and features to integrate healthy habits into their daily life. When was the last time you played games and had fun learning at the same time? Children and youth do it all the time but adults may be missing out. Here are some fun and games that might motivate you toward your healthy living goals today.

Trivia - Sharpen your mind and learn more about healthy living in a few minutes.
 
Quizzes - The fun way to test your smarts and learn more about yourself!
 
Polls - Compare your thoughts and habits with those of other people.
 
Slideshows – Learn tips to healthier eating one frame at a time.
 
Cooking Videos – Let a Master Chef help you learn basic cooking techniques to create healthy recipes.
 
Perfect Produce Finder – Learn how to select the best fruits or how to prepare fall vegetables.
 
Healthy Meal Planner – Use an interactive tool to make family meal planning fun and games.
 
Mix and Match Meals – If you are only planning meals for yourself use this fun mix and match approach to create healthful, tasty, and portion-controlled meals.
 
Fitness maps – Fun interactive tools allow you to determine how far you have walked, biked, or run or to create a fun new route for your next workout.
 
Exercise Demos - Find out how to target every major muscle group and try them at the same time while viewing easy exercise demos.  
 
Health information is at your fingertips and learning new things doesn't have to be boring. Whether you're working on fitness, nutrition, goal setting or anything else, there are many ways to enjoy the health adventure. We believe that healthtainment ® can engage people into living a healthy lifestyle more than any other wellness initiative on the planet. If you believe getting healthy and having fun go hand in hand, maybe you want to Refer-a-Friend and let them begin having fun too!
 
What do you think of healthtainment? Does it make a difference to long term commitment to goals and success?