You may recall we have recruited 10 willing volunteers to take part in the Mumsnet PruHealth Vitality Experience - this is running until mid March. This is the feedback thread for the participants to share their feedback with you all.
As PruHealth are so very keen for as many MNers as possible to experience the benefits offered by their Vitality programme each week there will be an incentive (see below for chance to win a £50 Nectar card) offered to non participants to read how the volunteers are getting on and to share your own tips, experiences and opinions. Bookmark this thread and keep an eye out for updates across the next few weeks....
PruHealth say "We believe the more you look after yourself, the healthier you feel. That's why we offer our customers Vitality when they buy our health insurance. Vitality is the world's largest incentive-based wellness programme and can make getting and staying healthy both easier and cheaper, but also reward you for all of your hard work!"
The Vitality Experience kicked off in style at PruHealth HQ in London on Friday 17th January. Here participants were given everything they need for the experience - including a Vitality Healthcheck, advice on healthy eating from a qualified nutritionist and an exercise plan designed by a personal trainer.
Each week participants will be presented with a new Vitality benefit - from earning additional Nectar points when you buy healthy foods at Sainsbury's, taking advantage of discounts at Virgin Active or treating the family to a trip to the cinema! Vitality aims to make healthy living fun, easy and rewarding.
Here's the full schedule of the Vitality Experience:
Week 1 - Get Gyming - Kick start your January resolutions with a free 2-month pass to a Virgin Active gym and £50 to spend on new gym gear at Sweatshop.
Week 2 - 5-a-Day - Get £50 worth of Nectar points to spend on healthy food choices at Sainsbury's.
Week 3 - Step It Up - Get motivated to increase your daily step count with your new FitBug pedometer.
Week 4 - Family Treat - Take the family out on a trip to the cinema with £40 worth of vouchers to either Cineworld or Vue cinemas.
Week 5 - Half-Term & Half-Time - Check in with your personal trainer for a free 1hr session to boost your gym routine.
Week 6 - Discounts Dispensed - Get £25 worth of vouchers to test drive our up to 50% cashback at Lloyds Pharmacy benefit.
Week 7 - Choose Your Reward - Take your pick between discounts to Merlin attractions, National Trust parks or travel with Eurostar, Mark Warner or Mr & Mrs Smith getaways.
Week 8 - Wrap Up - Finish the Vitality Experience with a day of pampering at Champney's spa.
Week 1 - Get Gyming
Vitality Experience Participants: please share on this thread:
How you found the welcome day - what did you enjoy, what worried you, how did you find meeting other MNers? Why did you want to take part? Pick three words to sum up the day.
Please share how you're getting on with the gym: have you been before? What did your family think / say? What did you buy with your Sweatshop voucher? How did you feel the next day? Do you think it's given you the push to start going regularly? How do you fit it into your schedule?
Non Participants - gyms and you - discuss!
Now that we're in the middle of January, how are your resolutions for a fitter 2014? Share your stories and thoughts about gyming and you and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £50 pre-loaded Nectar card (prize draw Monday 27th at 9am) NOW CLOSED
Week 2: - is all about healthy food choices (w/c 27-1). PruHealth with Vitality members can earn five times the amount of Nectar points they normally would by buying certain foods. As well they earn 1 Vitality point for each £2 is spent on healthy foods once they have linked their nectar card to their account.
Vitality Experience Participants - please share on this thread: At the welcome day you had a presentation from Sally Nash, the nutritionist with EnergiseYou -
~ What would you say was the key message you took away from her presentation and what did you learn?
~ What healthy foods have found their way into your trolley since then and what are you planning to buy this week with your Nectar card?
~ How's the rest of the programme going - we'd love to hear what you've done!
Non Participants - what's your best tip for including your 5-a-day in family meals? NOW CLOSED
~ Share your best tips for getting the 5-a-day into family meals or share a fruit or veg packed recipe on this thread and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £50 pre-loaded Nectar card NOW CLOSED
Week 3
The third week is about increasing the number of steps you take every day and finding ways to fit 'steps' around your lifestyle. PruHealth with Vitality members can earn points for the number of steps they take each day. Start earning once you've taken over 7,000 a day - the more steps, the more points.
Vitality Experience Participants: please share on this thread:
~ How are you getting on with your new FitBug pedometer?
~ How many steps are you taking each day? Does this surprise you? Disappoint you?
~ What tips can you share for increasing your steps per day.
Non Participants - what's your best tip for increasing the steps you take each day? Add your comment below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £50 pre-loaded Nectar card! Share your top tips for making it easy to get more steps into your daily life on this thread and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £50 pre-loaded Nectar card (prize draw Monday 10th Feb at 9am). NOW CLOSED
Week 4
Family Treat Week
PruHealth say "The very heart of Vitality is focussed on wellness and making healthy choices cheaper, easier and well-rewarding for our members. The weekly cinema ticket incentive is one of our most popular as it gives members the opportunity to treat themselves to a night at the cinema as a reward for their efforts to lead a healthier lifestyle. Small changes, big rewards."
Participants please share what film you are seeing or have seen with your Cineworld/ Vue voucher and what treats you like to enjoy generally with your family. How do you think the treat and reward element of the PruHealth with Vitality plan works?
Non participants...with half term coming up what treats do you have in store for your family? What are your families fav films?
~ Add your comment and you will be entered into a prize draw where one person will win a £50 preloaded Nectar card. Prize draw Monday 17 Feb at 9am. NOW CLOSED
Thanks and good luck
MNHQ
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PruHealth Vitality Experience - month 1 feedback thread with WEEKLY prizes for non participants.....
AnnMumsnet · 20/01/2014 09:58
I did my second gym visit this evening. It was a bit of a palaver getting out of the door (phone stopped working, couldn't find earphones, forgot to put tea in the oven, DS needed homework assistance, was halfway to the car when I realised I still had my slippers on), but I made it eventually.
MUCH quieter on a Friday night versus Tuesday, but the flipside of that is that there were no classes of any interest. So I did a 25 minute run on the treadmill (managed to drop my phone, which shot off the back of the treadmill; luckily no harm done, although there were a few sniggers
). Then I wandered around the gym machines, but realised I couldn't remember how any of them worked and was too embarrassed to ask. So I did a covert "stalk" of a woman who looked a similar age to me, watched how she used each machine, and followed her. After that, I did 10 minutes rowing, then ended with some of the lovely stretches we learned last week.
Didn't see any pigeons.
It has been a really busy week, but I'm hoping to go three times next week. I'm slowly feeling more at home.......
Our Tesco sells almond butter. No idea where it is on the shelves because I order online. More-ish, isn't it Kewcumber ? 
I went to the gym twice yesterday - Twice! What are you doing to me Mumsnet & PruHealth?? Ds was booked in for a crèche session in the morning, so I did a bit on some of the equipment. He cried leaving the crèche which makes me look like a great parent to hang out with
I was back last night for my introduction - I ended up with one of the personal trainers leading it which was great & possibly a better workout programme for me. He left me feeling really positive- Though my thighs are going to get put through their paces!
Was back again at 9 this morning as dd was booked onto a club active class which she enjoyed but has left her wanting to lounge on the sofa after her exertions! It was good because it got me back in & working out. I'm liking the family-friendly aspect at the gym & it is helping me build in more workout time.
After not getting on so well with my fitbug - I finally got over 10000 steps yesterday! Makes me realise how sedentary my job is.
Oh the plate sounds like my type of exercise...:-)
Do you think a Chinese supermarket would sell coconut oil - £3 for 500g is significantly cheaper than £6 for 250g. Thanks for the tips on sourcing the almond butter etc....I know exactly where the 'free from' aisle is in our supermarket but have never had reason to go down there....
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I have some coconut oil lurking in my cupboard that I haven't used yet - so what's that all about?
If you have a good blender, something like a bullet or even a vitamix, you can make your own nut butters. We make homemade peanut butter and planning to try almond and cashews at some point. We also make homemade coconut milk when I run out.
Willemdefoeismine, eating healthy is expensive :( I don't diet as such, but eat healthy - eat high protein, lowish carb, low sugar and try to eat my normal fat allowance. I afford it by going shopping most days and buy whatever is reduced! I freeze some. Fish for breakie, steaks or chicken for lunches, buy whatever fruit and veg is reduced and stick in in smoothies.
manfalou, have you considered running? Running combined with some strength exercises with all that lovely equipment would soon get you there. Couch 2 5k is an excellent plan.
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