It’s the perfect time of year to wipe the slate clean and start anew. Clear out that inbox. Empty the garage. Make amends with the healthy habits you put on hold last year!

Our organization is a member of the Together Counts™ program, delivering free curriculum to schools and tips and tools for families—all about simple ways to be healthy.

Ask, Listen, Learn partners with Together Counts because of their commitment to helping kids around the country live healthy lives. We believe in the power of education, and programs like Together Counts allows classrooms the opportunity to positively influence our future: the kids of today.

Our January theme of Resolutions wouldn’t be complete without some help from these healthy lifestyle experts. Here were their suggestions to start the new year on a healthy note!

1. Start with energy balance—balancing calories you consume through food and beverages with calories you burn through exercise and activities. Kids ought to move 60 minutes each day, check out these fun family ideas for ways to get moving together.
2. Let the kids get in on meal planning once or twice a week and let them lend a hand in the kitchen. Being involved will make meal time a family affair.
3. For the new year, try packing a rainbow each week in the lunch boxes. Brainstorm with your kids which fruits and vegetables to include.
4. Get stretching! Start each day with a 5 minute stretch.
5. Making small changes and adopting healthy habits in the new year will get noticed. Kids are great imitators when they see parents and care givers doing good things for their bodies.

Pay it forward! Promote healthy lifestyles in your community by encouraging friends to visit TogetherCounts.com and enter on behalf of a local pre-school or elementary school in your area in need of a new playground and up to $30,000 in grant funding.

Do you know a Pre-K teacher? Let her know that she could enter to win up to $20,000 for her classroom. It’s easy to enter here.

Happy New Year!

*The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) or any Responsibility.org member.*