Fit Together Highlights
Welcoming in 2026
As we wrap up an exciting 2025 and welcome in this new year, we are reflecting on what we have accomplished and what we still hope to achieve, including the following:
- Environmental Change Projects – installing 2 additional pieces of exercise equipment this spring on the Winsted section of the Sue Grossman Greenway.
- Health Communications Efforts – expanding this website, sharing healthy local activities on social media, and offering supportive resources via our newsletter.
- Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) Policy Advocacy – partnering with local government and area schools in support of health initiatives.
- Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) Annual Grants – funding innovative nutrition and physical activity projects led by area organizations.
We continue to be thankful for all the support of our Steering Committee members, partner organizations, and those of you who follow and support our work in Northwest Connecticut!
Kids’ Corner – Building Healthy Habits
Helping children build healthy habits sets them up for success. Positive habits can lead to greater health and well-being later in life, for both you and your child.
The most important first step is to not get overwhelmed. You don’t need to make big changes all at once. Start small and build on what is already working.
One of the best places to begin is with simple guidelines. That is why we love the 5-2-1-0 model. It offers 4 basic principles to build your habits on. Review the 5-2-1-0 basics or jump right in to each step for practical ideas:
- Eat 5 or More Fruits and Vegetables
- Choose 2 Healthy Screen Time Habits
- Get 1 Hour or More of Physical Activity
- Drink 0 Sugary Drinks
More Healthy Habit Resources
For more support in building healthy habits, the following resources can help:
- Tiny Habits – Start Tiny – learn how to incorporate tiny habits, including a free 5-day program to get you started.
- 12 Healthy Habits for Families – helpful suggestions from the Mayo Clinic.
- 10 Healthy Habits to Teach Kids – easy tips that can be built into your daily routine from Health Partnership Clinic.
- 7 Healthy Habits to Teach Your Kids – basics from Scripps Health.
- Life’s Essential 8™ for Kids – printable PDFs from the American Heart Association on 8 elements of health.
Worksite Wellness Tip – Move More
The start of a new year is a great time for setting new goals at work. But we’re not talking productivity or KPIs. We want you to prioritize your health. Committing to moving more pays off in many ways.
Being sedentary, which often happens if your job requires sitting at a desk, can lead to a variety of health issues like heart disease, weight gain, back or neck pain, and poor mental health. In contrast, more physical activity improves mood and helps to maintain flexibility and strength.
Following are some tips to help you incorporate more movement into your day:
- Take scheduled breaks – At least once an hour, pause to stand, stretch, and shake out your body. [Find simple stretches here.]
- Incorporate movement snacks – These short bursts of activity can really add up. [Check out 57 movement snack ideas]
- Have walking or standing meetings.
- Try a standing desk.
- Use a walking pad or under desk bike pedals.
- Walk the stairs vs. taking the elevator.
- Use fitness trackers to stay motivated.
More Movement Resources:
- Fit Together’s “One Hour of Physical Activity” page
- Easy Movement Snacks to Keep You Active – from the AICR
- 12 best office exercises and stretches to do at your desk – from Hinge Health
- ‘Movement snacks’: 14 quick exercise ideas for a busy day – from Hinge Health
Healthy Recipes – Meal Prep for Less
Meal prepping can take some of the worry out of the dreaded question, “What’s for dinner?” Planning meals can also help you save money! This is especially true with this January’s recipe resource from BudgetBytes.com, a blog that focuses on meal prepping recipes that are both healthy and economical.
- Budget Friendly Meal Prep – A wide variety of meal ideas that can be prepped quickly or made in advance and frozen for later.
- 15 Recipe Meal Prep Ideas — These recipes come together super quick and some use just one pot.
More Meal Prepping Help
- Meal Prep Guide – meal prep basics from Harvard’s “The Nutrition Source”
- A Beginner’s Guide to Healthy Meal Prep – info to get started with meal prep from the Cleveland Clinic. It includes 75 Meal Prep Ideas.
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