Each year we invite staff and academics to jumpstart their well-being during the start of the winter season.

This year, we are participating in Health for the Holidays - an virtual activity tracker and campaign to help you build sustainable healthy habits this winter. This 4-week challenge offers helpful tips and resources, as well as yummy recipes to support you and your health goals during this chilly time of year. 

Join the UC Davis team and represent us in the UC Health for the Holidays Challenge. Participate individually or create a team of 4-40 colleagues. Earn points by recording activities such as moving more (with your favorite tracker on your mobile or desktop device), choosing healthy foods and showing gratitude.

This year's challenge will run Thursday, November 25, through Sunday, December 22! 

Registration opens on November 1

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Health for the Holidays?
• This lighthearted wellness campaign can help everyone have a healthier, happier holiday season. As you log daily behaviors you “paint" magical winter scenes from around the world — while building sustainable habits to end the year with more energy and stronger feelings of joy and hope.
• How does it work? 
• As you record daily health behaviors, you “paint” a winter scene — brushing on more color and detail — while earning inches of snow. The more you do, the more your painting comes to life and the more snow builds up, reinforcing your healthy holiday accomplishments. Every week there’s a new scene — with surprises that inspire you to keep at it until you finish each painting.
• What is the goal?
• You'll record 3 types of daily behaviors: Be Active, Eat Healthy, and Gift Box. When you record at least 6000 steps, complete at least 2 nutrition habits, or perform a simple Gift Box behavior (there's a new one each day), you add an inch of snow (up to 3 inches a day). Your goal is to pile up 60 inches of snow (15 inches a week) over 4 weeks. When you log any activity, you can watch your holiday scene develop and follow how you fare against other participants on the Individual Leaderboard.
• Is there a mobile app?
• Log activity, view recipes, “paint” winter scenes, and track your team — right from the palm of your hand. The Health for the Holidays mobile app automatically syncs with your online account... just log in using the same email and password.
• How do the activity trackers/apps sync to my Health for the Holidays account?
• After you register and connect a device or app to your Health for the Holidays account, it’s simple. Just put your device on in the morning, then each time you sync it with your computer or app and log into your Health for the Holidays account, you can see your steps add up.
• Can I log manually if I’m using a tracking device?
• Yes. Even if you have a device connected in Health for the Holidays, you can still manually record steps with the "log drawer."
• If my activity isn't measured with a tracker - like cycling - how do I count steps?
• You can use the Step Converter in the Log drawer. Enter the activity and minutes, then Health for the Holidays does the conversion for you.
• How do I get credit for my everyday movement if I'm not using a tracking device?
• You’ve recorded your dedicated exercise minutes, but what about your movement throughout the day? You can manually add 2000-4000 steps for incidental movement each day, based on how active you were:
  • 2000 steps: I mostly stayed at my workstation except for occasional breaks.
  • 3000 steps: I moved a moderate amount, getting away from my workstation for short walks several times.
  • 4000 steps: I moved a lot, with frequent short walks to perform my job.
• If I have a disability, can I still participate in Health for the Holidays?
• Yes; Health for the Holidays' self-paced, flexible design fits people of all abilities. If walking isn't possible, be as active as you can in whatever ways you enjoy. If you're unsure which activities are best, check with your healthcare provider. The National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability offers specific ideas.
  
  In Health for the Holidays, you can get credit for activities that don’t track steps by using the Step Converter in the Log drawer. If your activity isn’t listed, estimate your steps based on the closest in intensity (light, moderate, vigorous). An odometer can gauge distance in a wheelchair; 5 miles of pushing generally equals 10,000 steps (2000 steps/mile).