Category: Brandpoint Lifestyle

2024-12-20T15:07:00

(BPT) – Finding the perfect gift for all your loved ones can be daunting. However, choosing a thoughtful present that matches each person’s hobbies and interests doesn’t have to be difficult. Check out this curated list of tech gifts that will make the movie lovers, jetsetters, holiday hosts, gamers and students in your life feel the spirit of the season this winter and beyond.

Cinema buffs

Movie buffs and entertainment lovers need the latest and greatest tech to enjoy and share their favorite media, including new and classic holiday movies. Gift them the ultimate entertainment experience with the LG OLED evo G4. Powered by LG’s latest Alpha 11 AI processor, it brings holiday scenes to life with breathtaking realism.

Another option for a memorable gift for the cinema buffs in your life is the LG OLED B4. With stunning 4K resolution and Dolby Vision™, beloved scenes from holiday classics come to life in vivid colors and sharp details.

You can seamlessly sync either TV with the LG S95TR soundbar to take your home theater sound to a new level. This impressive nine-channel soundbar features five up-firing speakers. Combined with a powerful subwoofer and wireless rear speakers, you’ve set the stage for an immersive surround sound experience for all your holiday movie favorites.

Help your loved one transform their space into a movie theater with the LG CineBeam Q, a premium 4K Projector. Don’t let the compact and light design fool you. Despite its small size, the CineBeam Q is a powerful performer equipped with smart features for the ultimate viewing experience.

Frequent flyers

The best gift for frequent travelers is LG’s TONE Free^® T80 Dolby Atmos^® True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds. With a lightweight design, medical-grade ear gels and up to 36 hours of battery life, you can enhance your entertainment and enjoy 3D sound at home, in the gym, on the road and in the sky.

For a luxurious holiday movie experience on the go, gift the LG StanbyME Go. This lifestyle screen in an easy-to-carry case delivers a premium entertainment experience. Its built-in battery and wireless capabilities will ensure your loved one is always ready for a holiday movie marathon.

For those who travel for work, help them get the best of both worlds with the LG gram Pro 16-inch 2-in-1 laptop. As the world’s lightest 16-inch 2-in-1 laptop, the LG gram Pro is the ultimate tool for productivity and portability. Featuring a vibrant 16-inch OLED touch-screen display, this laptop brings rich color and deep blacks to work or shopping sessions.

Holiday hosts

For those who love to entertain, give them the LG StanbyME. This rollable smart touch screen is the ultimate kitchen companion, allowing home chefs to effortlessly follow recipes or catch up on their favorite shows on the fully adjustable 27-inch lifestyle screen.

During holiday get-togethers, the practical yet powerful LG XO2 speaker offers hosts and guests immersive 360-degree sound. Whether placed in the center of the dining or coffee table or taken outdoors to the patio, everyone can enjoy deep bass and crisp vocals, enhanced by customizable mood lighting, for a complete sensory experience.

If your buddy regularly hosts sports viewing events, make sure they have the LG QNED90 4K MiniLED TV. With breathtaking visuals and immersive audio, you’ll feel like you’re cheering on your team from the sidelines. You can even stay updated on your favorite teams with Sports Alert.

Daily gamers

The gamers in your life will appreciate the LG OLED evo C4 Smart TV. Its crisp, smooth imagery with fast response times and improved gaming quality with NVIDIA G-Sync can keep up with the fastest games for a seamless gaming experience. Paired with the LG SC9S soundbar, your loved one can enjoy every game with a breathtaking, lag-free audio-visual experience.

For desktop gamers, the LG UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor 32GS95UE-B makes the perfect holiday gift. This 32-inch OLED monitor is ideal for intense, fast-paced gaming, delivering a stunning 4K experience at up to 240Hz or in Full HD at an ultra-fast 480Hz. With a lightning-quick 0.03ms response time and support for G-SYNC^® and FreeSync™ Premium Pro, the monitor ensures tear-free, responsive gameplay for an immersive, unbeatable gaming experience.

Young scholars

Students will appreciate the vibrant 4K display of the LG MyView 32-inch Smart Monitor. Thanks to LG webOS, they can enjoy high-quality streaming and seamless connectivity for laptops and consoles. Smart features like ThinQ and AirPlay make this the perfect device for college students to go from studying to streaming holiday classics.

Whether going home, visiting friends or heading to outdoor adventures during winter break, make sure the students in your life bring along the LG XG2 speaker. This compact, ultra-portable speaker is designed with military-grade durability. It’s built to withstand extreme temps, rain and sand, while IP67 water and dust resistance makes it perfect for snowy strolls and holiday hikes.

To learn more about these and other must-have holiday tech gifts, visit LG.com.

2024-12-19T11:01:00

(BPT) – The last days of holiday shopping are here! You’ve made your wish list, and now you’re checking it twice to ensure your friends and family (and, on occasion, yourself) receive the best gifts possible. If you haven’t wrapped up your shopping yet and are on the hunt for a gift that’s fun and functional, look no further than the latest cutting-edge laptops as the ultimate choice for anyone on your list.

AI-powered laptops are a wonderful gift that someone can use every day for work, school and play. When looking for reliable laptops, choose those powered by the Snapdragon X Series. Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus will blow your expectations away, enabling you to enter the new year with reliable and powerful tech.

Before you hit the stores or check out your options online, take a moment to review these top four laptops for the 2024 holiday season.

1. Dell Inspiron 14 Plus

Finding a mainstream laptop that you can count on for day-to-day multitasking and casual gaming may sound like a tall order. However, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus laptop delivers all of this and more. Its slim and light yet robust aluminum design is perfect for high school and college students who need a durable and transportable device at home and on campus.

The Inspiron 14 Plus powered by Snapdragon X Plus simplifies your every day, allowing you to fly through your to-do list thanks to Copilot+. You’ll get tasks faster and find time to do what matters most with your personal AI assistant. Don’t worry about your laptop overheating from running multiple applications or gaming — this laptop is designed with advanced thermal cooling to keep heat in check, allowing you to use it on your lap comfortably for extended periods.

This laptop is a budget-friendly option for users who desire responsive performance and exceptional battery life virtually anywhere. So, whether you’re online shopping, planning your next vacation or kick-starting research for your next class project, you can do it all and do it quickly with the help of AI.

2. Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

Bring your imagination to life with this creative sidekick that knows what you need before you do. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x boasts fast processing speed, multi-day battery life and a beautiful 14.5-inch OLED high-resolution display, perfect for the creatives in your life. Best of all, it offers premium performance for all your needs.

Powered by Snapdragon X Elite, this laptop is crafted to elevate your artistry with a battery that allows you to create untethered for days at a time. The processor allows users access to features like text-to-image, advanced photo and video editing functionalities, text creation and editing feedback, and other functions that free up time to work on new creative endeavors.

Also, the built-in AI allows digital artists and designers to spend less time editing, rendering, and processing and more time creating their work to share with the world as they roam the globe.

3. Acer Swift 14 AI

The Acer Swift 14 AI laptop is like an all-terrain vehicle built for the future. Its built-in AI seamlessly integrates into your everyday PC tasks to save you time and boost productivity. This laptop is perfect for the person on your list who needs a laptop refresh with the capability to do it all.

Like other Snapdragon X Series laptops, it offers exceptional performance and is built to handle users’ most demanding tasks with ease. Whether they use generative AI tools, need to tackle intense workloads or require multitasking that doesn’t quit, this laptop stands ready to meet and exceed the challenge.

The Acer Swift 14 AI also delivers stellar connectivity. Thanks to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, along with various port options with two USB Type-C ports (supporting USB 4 and USB charging), two USB Type-A 3.2 ports and HDMI 2.1, you’ll never have to worry about keeping adapters on hand. Not to mention, the multi-day battery life and affordable price point make it an attractive choice as a present to others or yourself!

4. HP Omnibook X

Remote and hybrid work is no longer an exclusive privilege for some employees. It’s become an expected and widely adopted work style. If you work from home, on the road and in the office, you’ll need a laptop like the HP OmniBook X.

This laptop’s long-lasting battery life, premium design, powerful performance and AI are a must-have for digital nomads. The built-in AI is particularly useful for those seeking a more personalized experience. Every time you use this laptop, the more personalized it becomes.

Those who need an ultrapowerful, ultraportable and ultra-responsive laptop for marathon use will appreciate this laptop this holiday season and beyond.

You can’t go wrong by picking any of these four options. They’re powerful, portable and offer AI capabilities to keep everyone on your list creative and productive. You can purchase any of these laptops online and in person at your local Best Buy.

2024-12-19T10:35:00

(BPT) – The holiday season is the time for hosts and home chefs to shine. Of course, cooking a holiday feast for friends and family is time-consuming, and with so many moving parts, accidents do happen. However, for this year’s feasts, you can perfectly cook your holiday dishes and save time using sous vide, the preferred cooking method by Michelin-starred chefs from around the world.

What is sous vide?

Sous vide (pronounced sue-veed) is French for “under vacuum.” The cooking technique involves vacuum sealing food in a pouch and submerging it in water to slow-cook at a constant, precise temperature.

“Sous vide has been the go-to method in some of the world’s best restaurants for years — and for good reason: it brings food to the precise temperature chefs look for and delivers perfect doneness, edge-to-edge, every time,” said Signature Kitchen Suite’s Executive Chef Nick Ritchie.

Are you ready to take your holiday meals to the next level? Try one (or all) of the following sous vide holiday recipes.

1. Seared sous vide scallops

Cooking scallops can be daunting. When preparing in a pan, you run the risk of overcooking them — resulting in a chewy, rubbery texture — or undercooking them, leaving the scallops raw in the middle. However, when you sous vide scallops, you can rest easy knowing they’ll be cooked evenly.

Chef Ritchie’s recipe uses the sous vide method to infuse scallops with tarragon, lemon, olive oil and salt. After 20 minutes in the bath, you’ll quickly sear them for about 60 seconds on each side. When done, you’ll have four perfectly cooked tender scallops that will melt in your mouth. You can serve them on their own as appetizers or on a bed of risotto as the main dish.

2. Sous vide poached egg salad

For a filling and protein-forward meal for lunch or dinner, mix up a batch of sous vide poached egg salad. If you’ve never poached an egg before, no worries. A sous vide bath will ensure you have perfectly poached eggs every time.

Chef Ritchie’s mix of eggs, lettuce, radicchio, goat cheese and walnuts is well complemented by a warm bacon dressing. In addition to savory bacon, the dressing features aromatic garlic and thyme, as well as grapes!

3. Sous vide fennel-spiced pork loin chops

Pork chops are a great addition to any holiday meal, especially when they’re well seasoned. Chef Ritchie’s recipe for pork loin chops incorporates the licorice-like taste of fennel, the citrusy pepperiness of coriander and the earthy quality of rosemary.

By sous videing the pork loins, you don’t have to worry about serving a dry piece of meat. Your guests will enjoy tender, moist and juicy pork chops that are great on their own but also pair well with sous vide braised cabbage and glazed apples.

4. Sous vide poached winter fruit

Want to make a dessert that looks impressive but is incredibly easy to prepare? Try Chef Ritchie’s recipe for sous vide poached winter fruit. While this recipe calls for persimmons, it works well with most fruits, including apples, pears, quince, peaches and apricots.

You can poach fruits the traditional way on a stove, but when you sous vide fruits, the process brings out and enhances the fruit’s powerful and rich flavor. It also preserves fruit’s freshness and offers a longer shelf life, so you can enjoy this delicious dessert well into the new year.

5. Sous vide honey-thyme glazed turnips

Turnips aren’t usually the star of the show. However, this sous vide honey-thyme glazed turnip recipe may inspire you to make more meals with the humble root vegetable.

Chef Ritchie’s instructions are very simple. You’ll seal the prepared turnips in a sous vide pouch with butter, seasoning and honey. After an hour in the sous vide, you’ll pour the pouch contents onto a pan to quickly saute the turnips and reduce the glaze. Once garnished, you’ll have a lovely plate of tasty tender turnips.

Your secret weapon this holiday season and beyond

You can sous vide this holiday season and year-round with the right appliances. Luxury kitchen appliance brand Signature Kitchen Suite features the first and only built-in sous vide right on the cooktop along with gas and induction. Get professional-level results every time and capture the full, true flavors of foods. It’s the ultimate gift that meets all your hosting needs in one appliance.

To learn more about Signature Kitchen Suite and to find more recipes, visit SignatureKitchenSuite.com/en-us/.

2024-12-19T08:01:00

(BPT) – A holiday gathering wouldn’t be complete without a feast. Sharing a meal with friends and family encourages conversation and bonding, not to mention the opportunity to show off your culinary skills. However, it’s important to keep in mind that large holiday meals can easily produce food waste.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans waste approximately 30%-40% of the food supply. When cooking for a large group — like a holiday feast — it’s easy to overprepare and end up with more leftovers than you know what to do with.

This holiday season, don’t worry about wasting food. KitchenAid — the #1 mixer brand in the world* — is here to help you turn your holiday leftovers into new tasty meals. Try these five creative tips that can transform the dreaded leftovers into delicious dishes.

1. A hot meal to warm your bones

Gather leftover vegetables, meats and bones and throw them into a Dutch Oven. In no time, you’ll have warm soup or stew to enjoy on those cold winter days. You can also make stock that you can freeze and use in dishes in the new year!

2. Easy and hearty handhelds

Leftover turkey and ham make for a great protein base for quick meals. Whether you have sandwiches, tacos or wraps on the menu, repurposing your holiday protein can be quick, easy, and delicious.

Just choose your favorite or mix and match! If you have leftover cranberry sauce or roasted sweet potatoes, these can also be great additions.

3. Taters for breakfast

Do you have loads of leftover mashed or sweet potatoes? Use these tasty spuds to create savory twists of breakfast staples like pancakes and waffles.

Grab your favorite recipe and use your KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer to incorporate these sweet or mashed potatoes into the batter. After cooking, consider topping with chives or even cranberry sauce.

4. Whip up a decadent dessert

Eggnog on its own is a decadent seasonal treat. If you have leftover cartons of eggnog after your family get-together, use your mixer to transform that eggnog into whipped cream.

This eggnog whipped cream will add a rich, creamy and spiced flavor to leftover pie slices — especially pumpkin pies. Also, consider blending eggnog into frosting to top any leftover holiday cookies.

5. Layer leftovers into a casserole

Casseroles are the perfect format for leftovers. Simply layer meat, gravy and veggies into an oven-safe dish, refrigerate and reheat the next day. You can even simplify the process by creating the casserole when you clean up after a holiday gathering.

Bonus! To make these and other dishes with ease, gift yourself The KitchenAid 2024 Design Series Stand Mixer in Evergreen. It’s the perfect holiday appliance that makes cooking and baking simple and serves as an eye-catching kitchen decoration that you can appreciate year-round.

Follow these five holiday tips that will help you reduce your food waste and hopefully inspire you to create leftover dishes in the new year. To learn more, visit KitchenAid.com.

*Source Euromonitor International Limited; based on custom research conducted October 2023 for value sales (in USD) in 2023 through all retail channels.

2024-12-18T15:11:00

(BPT) – By Michael J. Sutherland, MD, MBA, FACS

Every year, more than 15 million Americans undergo surgery. For many, the prospect of having surgery can feel overwhelming, prompting worries and unease about recovery. But the process of having surgery doesn’t have to be daunting — and simple steps and habits can make a significant difference in outcomes.

At the American College of Surgeons, the largest professional association of surgeons in the world, we have a free resource, Strong for Surgery (www.facs.org/for-patients/preparing-for-surgery/strong-for-surgery/), that provides patients with practical tips to navigate their surgical journey. While there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to preparing for and recovering from surgery, practicing healthy daily habits and having candid conversations with your care team about your goals can greatly improve your results.

Eat to Heal

Good nutrition will help at every step along your surgical journey. Eating well begins by planning a nutritious meal that includes a balance of protein-rich foods, whole grains, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables — all of which play a role in nourishing the body with enough calories, protein, vitamins and minerals. We recommend eating at least three times a day, and increasing fiber intake, if tolerated. Aim to include protein-rich foods with each meal, such as lean meat, fish, poultry, beans, eggs, cheese, nuts, tofu, milk, cottage cheese and yogurt. If you cannot meet your requirements with meals, consider supplementing your diet with healthy snacks, additional proteins or vitamins. Make sure to stay hydrated, and drink sufficient water each day.

Before surgery, many patients are required to temporarily stop eating and drinking. Your care team will advise on when it is safe to resume eating and drinking. Be sure to follow their recommendations both before and after surgery and ask any questions.

Engage in Healthy Habits

Generally, the more fit and active you are before surgery, the better you will function after surgery. Your care team can work with you before your surgery to improve your fitness, which can facilitate your recovery and help you maintain your strength. Often called “prehabilitation,” your doctor may recommend exercises or refer you to specialized physical therapists who can design a therapy and exercise plan to target any physical limitations that you may be experiencing.

Other risk factors, such as smoking, obesity and high blood pressure, are also important to manage before and after surgery. Smoking can increase the risk of complications after surgery, making it harder for you to recover from anesthesia and increasing the risk of infection. If you currently smoke, ask your surgeon about ways you can quit smoking. There are many effective options to help people quit smoking, including medications and tailored programs that offer empathetic and personalized support.

Be Empowered to Ask Questions

There are many considerations when making plans to have surgery.

Our Strong for Surgery guide and Geriatric Surgery Patient checklist (www.facs.org/gsvpatient) include printable handouts that you can download and print for free to help you prepare your questions before an appointment, prepare your list of medicines and supplements, and keep track of your notes during appointments.

Together, these small steps can make a big difference in surgical outcomes — and optimize your chances to stay healthy and strong before and after surgery.

Text adapted from the Strong for Surgery guide of the American College of Surgeons (www.facs.org/for-patients/preparing-for-surgery/strong-for-surgery/).

Michael J. Sutherland, MD, MBA, FACS, is a trauma and general surgeon and the Senior Vice President for Member Services at the American College of Surgeons.

2024-12-18T08:57:00

(BPT) – By Venessa Yates, senior vice president and general manager of Walmart+

At Walmart, we put the customer at the center of everything we do; after all, our purpose is “helping people save money and live better.” Those aren’t hollow words, either. Through first-party data and insights, we’re deepening our understanding of the wants and needs of our customers to deliver more relevant and personalized experiences with that singular purpose in mind.

Nowhere is that more evident than what we’re providing our members through Walmart+. Launched during the COVID pandemic, Walmart+ was our answer to the needs of families across the nation, using the strength of our 4,600 store locations to offer more options and build deeper, more trusted relationships with our customers. That rings just as true today as we continue to add value to Walmart+ without increasing the price.

We’re doing it all while keeping our “save money” promise at the heart of our offering. For as little as 30 cents a day, our members enjoy unlimited same-day deliveries and shipping on millions of items and Early Access to events. The savings go beyond our stores too, with fuel discounts at more than 13,000 gas stations across the country and the ability to get up to 5% Walmart Cash with trips booked on Walmart+ Travel. Members even get access to thousands of movies, original series, and more with an included Paramount+ subscription, at no extra cost.

We’re listening to our members to identify new benefits they tell us will also help them “live better.” We’ve learned from our members that meal preparation can be challenging, so we partnered with Burger King to offer a daily 25% discount and a free Whopper every three months. We’ve also introduced a free online pet care benefit from Pawp that provides our members with round-the-clock access to veterinary experts. Initially tested as a limited-time offer, the overwhelmingly positive response from our members made it a clear choice for an everyday benefit.

And since we promise to help people “save money AND live better,” some benefits are giving our members the best of both. Over half of Walmart customers expressed a desire to have their prescriptions delivered along with their groceries and other items they need in a single online order. So, we’ll be rolling out free delivery on Pharmacy orders, which will be available to all Walmart+ members next year. We’re also taking some of the pain out of the returns process through Returns from Home. Members simply request a return through their account, and a driver will come to their home to pick it up.

Next year will mark our fifth year of Walmart’s membership offering and while I can’t believe how far we’ve come, we’re really just getting started. We’re redefining what membership means by listening to how our members define it, so they can “save money and live better” in a way that’s truest to them. To put it plainly, we’re harnessing the power of our purpose to infuse more personal significance into their membership. Their Walmart+.

2024-12-18T10:01:00

(BPT) – The holidays are in full swing, and with that comes a range of emotions—you may be cramming in last-minute shopping or you might already be laying back and sipping hot cocoa.

We know that choosing what to watch is hard when everyone’s holiday moods differ. That’s why Prime Video is the first-stop destination for every mood, offering a diverse collection of movies and shows to bring some holiday harmony to your home. Whether you’re laughing through the stress, cozying up for a romantic evening, or gathering the family for a heartfelt classic, Prime Video has something for everyone, making it easier than ever to connect with loved ones this season.

Not sure how you’re feeling about the holidays this year? Not sure what movie or show will really hit the spot? Well, you’re in luck because Prime Video created a quick quiz that takes the guesswork out of deciding what to watch. Find out what your holiday mood is below!

What mood did you get? Whatever mood or vibe you’re chasing this year, there’s something that everyone can agree on for a more harmonious holiday season. Choose from the below titles that best fit your mood, and don’t forget to check out the full holiday collection with even more content to enjoy. Fluff those pillows, grab your favorite seasonal snack and find your holiday harmony on Prime Video!

You’re feeling the love!

Check out a heartfelt holiday romance for all the heart melting, sappy holiday feels.

• A December Bride (2016) (available with an add-on subscription to Hallmark+)
• Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) (available with an add-on subscription to Max)
• Love Actually (2003) (included with a Prime membership)
• Sister Swap: Christmas in the City (2021) (available with an add-on subscription to Hallmark+)
• The Holiday (2006) (included with a Prime membership)
• Your Christmas or Mine 2 (2022) (Amazon Original)

‘Tis the season — and boy are you excited!

No need to reinvent the wheel, lean into the cheer and try a holiday classic. Or, maybe a baking show to lean into the festive feeling and share the love through some baked foods.

• Home Alone (1990) (available to rent or buy)
• A Christmas Story (1983) (available with an add-on subscription to Max)
• Christmas Cookie Challenge (2017) (available with an add-on subscription to Hallmark+)
• Hallmark Drama’s Christmas Cookie Matchup (2019) (available with an add-on subscription to Hallmark+)
• Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You (2017) (included with a Prime membership)

Having mixed emotions, it seems.

Take a look at Prime Video’s “non-traditional holiday movies” or action-packed holiday flicks.

• Christmas Crime Story (2017) (included with a Prime membership)
• Christmas with the Kranks (2004) (free with ads)
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) (available with an add-on subscription to Max)
• Hugo (2011) (available with an add-on subscription to Paramount+)
• Red One (2024) (Amazon Original)
• The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe (2005) (included with a Prime membership)

Looks like you might be a little stressed.

Try laughing through the holidays or holiday family favorites for something light, nostalgic or funny to relieve some of that tension and create harmony.

• A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) (included with a Prime membership)
• Almost Christmas (2016) (included with a Prime membership)
• Elf Me (2023) (Amazon Original)
• Happy Christmas (2014) (available with an add-on subscription to AMC+)
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) (included with a Prime membership)
• The Family Stone (2005) (included with a Prime membership)

You seem very calm amidst the chaos.

Ride that wave with Christmas classics or holiday family favorites that will be fun and festive, especially with the rest of your life under control.

• Elf (2003) (available with an add-on subscription to Max)
• A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) (available with an add-on subscription to Apple TV+)
• It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002) (included with a Prime membership)
• Jingle All the Way (1996) (included with a Prime membership)
• The Polar Express (2004) (available with an add-on subscription to Max)

2024-12-17T17:15:00

(BPT) – As you get older, we may sometimes feel less of a sense of community and connection. If you’ve experienced loss, are living apart from family or have challenges due to chronic medical conditions, the holiday season can be even more challenging.

There are simple, positive actions you can take — and resources available — to help you feel more connected with others, which will improve your mood and your health during this season of celebration.

SilverSneakers^®1, a fitness program specifically designed for older adults of all fitness levels, provides all kinds of opportunities for socializing through group fitness classes² and more, creating a sense of community for its members. Their trained instructors share tips to help you reconnect with others and improve your well-being and help you enjoy everything the holidays have to offer.

“Physical movement can improve your mood (and your health) and SilverSneakers is a terrific place to start,” explains Dina Sexton, SilverSneakers National Fitness Trainer. “Our program offers fitness classes to help our members experience the benefits of activity specifically for older adults with the added benefit of being in the company of other people!”

Plan your holiday activities

To prevent the holidays from sneaking up on you, decide how you’d like to spend your time. Get out your calendar and highlight days you’d prefer being alone, and which days you’d feel better spending with others. Plan to invite someone over, connect with friends and family or volunteer with organizations and/or community groups to help make those days special.

By taking the reins and planning, you’ll know what to expect and look forward to. You could also try a personal wellness challenge to jumpstart your activities and provide the motivation to stick with it! The SilverSneakers Healthy Holidays Challenge is designed for seniors, and includes new workouts, simple mindfulness strategies, and ideas to keep gym sessions exciting.

Find real-life connections

While social media and online groups sometimes provide connection with friends and loved ones living far away, face-to-face interaction can be uplifting too. Look for listings of meet-up groups, senior centers, community groups and organizations with causes or hobbies that interest you and then take the next step by putting a couple of their upcoming gatherings and events on your calendar.

It can be difficult to join a social event or activity where you don’t know anyone (yet), but remember that others may be new, too — and most groups love welcoming newcomers. Need support? Enlist a friend or neighbor to go with you.

As the holidays approach, joining a nearby community center, house of worship or volunteer organization may also help you feel less isolated. Reach out to a neighbor to meet up for coffee or reconnect with old friends who may be delighted to hear from you.

And if invited for a potluck, here are some articles offering helpful tips such as quick and easy appetizers perfect for any gathering.

Bolster that mind-body connection

Look for ways to increase your activity level that aligns with your current fitness level. Simply walk around the block or try strengthening and stretching exercises right in your chair. Research shows that even small amounts of physical activity can improve your physical health, mental health and mood.

Most importantly, exercise is also a great social activity. Joining a walking club or exercise class means enjoying the company of like-minded people — and you’ll exercise more safely, as well.

“The magic of fitness is that you can connect with others while having fun,” affirmed Sexton. “SilverSneakers offers fitness activities for every level and connects you with others at the same level too! You can also join live classes online to ensure there’s a program for you.”

With SilverSneakers, you’re welcome to attend dozens of different community classes, visit a participating fitness location³ in your area or join SilverSneakers LIVE online classes. Many health plans may include SilverSneakers in their benefits; check your eligibility. If you are not a SilverSneakers member today, you may still enjoy workout videos, plus health and fitness tips and much more. You can access class videos and articles simply by creating a free online account.

Savor alone time

Lastly, don’t forget to schedule quality “me time.” Relish days spent exactly the way you want — curling up with cocoa or tea and your favorite book or listening to music you love. Watch a movie that makes you laugh, as research shows laughing is one of the biggest mood boosters there is.

For the holidays, make the most of available resources that offer plenty to look forward to — including new ways to move, get out there and socialize. Starting with SilverSneakers, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to enjoy the season. Visit Tools.SilverSneakers.com to get started.

Always talk with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

¹ SilverSneakers is a registered trademark of Tivity Health, Inc.

² Membership includes SilverSneakers instructor-led group fitness classes. Some locations offer members additional classes. Classes vary by location.

³ Participating locations (“PL”) are not owned or operated by Tivity Health, Inc. or its affiliates. Use of PL facilities and amenities are limited to terms and conditions of PL basic membership. Facilities and amenities vary by PL.

2024-12-17T15:01:00

(BPT) – The holiday season inspires us to reflect on what we have, and what we can do for others. And while U.S. Army Soldiers have dedicated their careers to service, many still find other ways to give back and positively impact their communities — from addressing food insecurity to mentoring the next generation of female leaders.

Read on to learn about the Soldiers who are using the skills they learned in the Army to go the extra mile for others.

Saving lives in unexpected ways

Each year, about 17,000 people are diagnosed with a life-threatening disease best treated with a bone marrow transplant, but fewer than half find a match. With only 7% of the U.S. population listed on the national registry, more donors are needed to increase the likelihood for future recipients to find a match.

Sgt. Christian Sutton (pictured above) created “Operation Ring the Bell,” a Soldier-led grassroots program intended to raise awareness of bone marrow donation registration and encourage his fellow Soldiers to join the registry. By bringing his efforts to the Army, Sutton is enabling Soldiers to serve in a new way and build connection with one another by coming together under a common goal.

With the support of Army leadership and his fellow Soldiers, in just two years Sutton and his team have registered over 10,000 Soldiers to the national registry and are laying the foundation for the Army to become the largest source of potential marrow donors in the country.

Breaking barriers for the world to see

Inspired by her father’s legacy of Army service and her mother’s history competing in pageants, 2nd Lt. Alma Cooper had a strong work ethic instilled in her from a young age. When Cooper commissioned into the Army as an Intelligence Officer, she never gave up her passion of competing in pageants, and today, she represents the country as both a Soldier and Miss USA 2024 — the first ever Active-Duty service member and Afro-Latina to win the title.

The values of service, strength, and resilience she has learned in the Army all came to fruition when she won the crown. In addition to her career in uniform, Cooper uses her platform to elevate the issue of food insecurity, working with Feeding America and the Food Bank of Michigan to help underserved communities access better nutrition. But perhaps the most impactful way Cooper hopes to give back is by being a visible leader and role model with a unique path for young people — both in the Army and the pageant world — living by the words, “if you can see me, you can be me.”

Twin sisters paving the way for female leaders

Sisters Col. Clydea Prichard-Brown and Col. Clydellia Prichard-Allen are using their experiences and professional savvy to lay the foundation for the next generation of Army leaders.

Each having over 30 years of Army service, the sisters rose through the ranks from Privates to Colonels. They earned several degrees along the way, while leading Soldiers. But their ambition did not stop there. Prichard-Brown founded the Female Mentoring and Morale Program (FMMP) after noticing the need to provide a safe environment for women to freely express the challenges they were experiencing, and Prichard-Allen became the program’s Executive Director.

Established in 2020 at Fort Gregg-Adams, FMMP is a grassroots, all-inclusive program that provides personal and professional development to male and female Soldiers and civilians, with a focus on empowering women in and out of uniform. FMMP has built their network to 62 current and pending chapters across the Army.

Local response delivers major impact

The Southeastern United States continues to experience the impact of this summer’s natural disasters, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton. With record-breaking winds, rainfall and flooding, communities were left with irreparable damages. But in the wake of the devastation, thousands of Army National Guard Soldiers were deployed to relief missions across the impacted areas — delivering food and water, providing security, and clearing debris for their local communities.

National Guard Soldier Spc. Jamel Robinson provided relief services — including loading supplies, water and food distribution, and conducting welfare checks — to residents of Greenville, South Carolina, following Hurricane Helene, noting that he felt “like a superhero” to be there for someone in their time of need. He then immediately traveled to Florida to help residents prepare for Hurricane Milton by surveying vulnerable land areas before the storm and then returning after to assist and rescue those who had experienced flooding.

With the mission of responding to state-level emergencies, Robinson notes the deep bond he developed with his fellow National Guard Soldiers during the relief efforts, knowing that they were having a direct impact on their local communities.

The Army provides the opportunity for Soldiers to make a global impact throughout their career — but by using the skills, determination, and network of support found only in the force, Soldiers are also able to pursue their passions to make a lasting difference for the people and communities around them.