Benefits Announcements:

New Wellness Participants

Wellness participants with coverage that went into effect after 11/1/09 have 60 days to complete the Biometric Testing and Health Assessment.

For more information visit the Wellness Plan page.

________________________________________________

Waiting for your Insurance card?

For a temporary card, register with our Group #709715 and your social at www.myuhc.com .

Please note: Our dental and vision carriers don't provide ID cards, but all of their information can be found here on the Contacts page.

________________________________________________

Benefits Saving Guide

Are you looking for ways to save on your Benefits? The Benefits Saving Guide helps you find out how DriveTime's programs help you save money!

_________________________________________________

Benefits Calendar

March is Nutrition and Weight Control Month

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "the key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight isn't about short-term dietary changes. It's about a lifestyle that includes healthy eating, regular physical activity, and balancing the number of calories you consume with the number of calories your body uses" (2/2010 Healthy Weight - it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle).

You do not have to deprive yourself the foods you love. Enjoy these foods in moderation and be sure to balance your diet with plenty of fresh and unprocessed fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, lean protein and fish, low-fat dairy, and fiber. Staying in control of your weight now will contribute to good health in the long-run.

Healthy eating does not mean tasteless or boring meals. In fact, the more you eat fresh and whole foods, the more your taste buds will come to crave these naturally delicious foods and your body will thank you in the form of more energy and a stronger immune system.

Weight control is challenging, but not impossible. Losing weight requires a lifestyle overhaul. The American Dietetic Association recommends the following small changes that can add up to big results.

Downsize Your Dishes. Use smaller plates and bowls to help you eat less. We tend to fill up the dish we're using and then eat it all. Our brains also think we are getting more when the same amount of food is placed in a smaller dish.

Savor Your Meals. Eating slowly helps you consume only what your body needs to feel satisfied. Eating too quickly, in less than 20 to 30 minutes, leads to overeating and feeling uncomfortably full afterwards.

Leave Some Food on Your Plate. This is especially important if you grew up in the "clean plate club." By leaving even a few bites, you can focus more on your internal signals of satisfaction and less on eating food just because it is there.

Don't Eat Out of a Bag or Box. When you eat out of a package, you are likely to keep eating until it's all gone - no matter how many servings the package actually contains. Pour one serving into a small bowl.

Choose Your Glass Wisely. Here's another place where our eyes play tricks on us. When glasses are short and wide, we tend to fill them with more fluid and to drink more. Use a slender glass for any beverage except water.

Rethink Your Drinks. High-calorie beverages like soft drinks, juice drinks, energy drinks, specialty coffees and alcohol add calories just like solid foods. Whenever possible, replace these drinks with plenty of water.

Visit the ADA at eatright.org