Earn Your Presidential Active Lifestyle Award

Take a look at this other blog...
http://www.letsmove.gov/blog/2010/09/10/earn-your-presidential-active-lifestyle-award/

Earn Your Presidential Active Lifestyle Award

Posted by Kori Schulman on September 10, 2010
Everyone has a part to play in improving nutrition, physical activity and health of our families and communities. Kids and families across the country are invited to join First Lady Michelle Obama in participating in the President’s Challenge.

“To show everyone just how much fun it can be, I will be working to earn my Active Lifestyle Award. I’m going to do it. And I want kids across the country to join me.” – First Lady Michelle Obama

Physical activity is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. Adding more activity to your daily life can be easy and fun – and now you can earn an award for being active. To earn your Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA), all you need to do is document your active exercise each day (60 minutes/day for children and 30 minutes/day for adults), 5 days a week, for six weeks.

Join the President’s Active Lifestyle Program, here’s how:

1. Make the commitment (this can be a family or team effort)
2. Sign up online, print the activity log PDF or start a group
3. Log your activity
4. Earn your award

With over 100 activities to choose from, there’s something for everyone! Record your activities and track your progress for 60 minutes a day/ 5 days a week for youths under the age of 18 or 60 minutes a day for adults. You can even compare your progress with others who are taking the President’s Challenge.

The President’s Challenge not only helps you stay active – it also gives you a little extra motivation while you’re at it. That’s because you can earn special Presidential awards recognizing your accomplishments.

We’ll be updating this blog post with the First Lady’s progress, so check back.

Kiwi lil' power pack

KIWI fruit
This tiny, nutrient-dense fruit packs an amazing amount of vitamin C (double the amount found in oranges), has more fiber than apples, and beats bananas as a high-potassium food. The unique blend of phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals found in kiwifruit helps protect against heart disease, stroke, cancer, and respiratory disease. Kiwifruit's natural blood-thinning properties work without the side effects of aspirin and support vascular health by reducing the formation of spontaneous blood clots, lowering LDL cholesterol, and reducing blood pressure. Multiple studies have shown that kiwifruit not only reduce oxidative stress and damage to DNA but also prompt damaged cells to repair themselves.
Kiwifruit are often prescribed as part of a dietary regimen to battle cancer and heart disease, and in Chinese medicine they are used to accelerate the healing of wounds and sores.
How much: Aim to eat one to two kiwifruit a day while they're in season, for the best taste and nutrition. California-grown kiwifruit are in season from October through May, and New Zealand kiwifruit are available between April and November.
Tips: Kiwifruit contain enzymes that activate once you cut the fruit, causing the flesh to tenderize. So if you're making a fruit salad, cut the kiwifruit last.
The riper the kiwifruit, the greater the antioxidant power, so let them ripen before you dig in.


Content provided by:Caring.com http://www.caring.com/?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=partnership

Champions & Winners

Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them -- a desire, a dream, a vision.

Muhammad Ali, American Boxer

What makes a "Winner" and a "Champion"?

We see a lot of people at the top of their game, and at the same time, they are often not "ideal role-models" for our youth.

Over the next few posts, we will explore characteristcs and tendencies of "true" winners and champions.

I can't help but know that I may not be able to do justice to this topic, and at the same time, there are folks that "make a difference" out there.

Let's start with those folks who "make a difference" and rarely , if ever, receive recognition.

Sports/Athletic Trainers & Managers:

Athletic trainers, make a commitment to help athletes stay healthy so they can perform "in the game."

"Athletic trainers help prevent and treat injuries for people of all ages. Their patients and clients include everyone from professional athletes to industrial workers. Recognized by the American Medical Association as allied health professionals, athletic trainers specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of muscle and bone injuries and illnesses. Athletic trainers, as one of the first healthcare providers on the scene when injuries occur, must be able to recognize, evaluate, and assess injuries and provide immediate care when needed. Athletic trainers should not be confused with fitness trainers or personal trainers, who are not healthcare workers, but rather train people to become physically fit." - Bureau of Labor Statistics

Attached is an source that captures the essence of what a trainer does.:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos294.htm

"Athletic trainers apply protective devices such as tape, bandages, and braces."

- Bureau of Labor Statistics

Winter Games

It is hard to compete with all of the media in covering the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

One thing is clear; the spirit of competition is alive and well.

Favorite links for you to check out the games:

http://www.crazybloggincanuck.com/

http://www.vancouver2010.com/

http://www.nbcolympics.com/

Enjoy the combination of amatuers, pros...

...super stars...

athleticism & art...

passion & excellence!

Love it or Leave it...

If your going to 'cheat', then go for it...
Do you fall into the high statistic of people who have already given up their 2010 New Year's "fitness" resolution, or are you still on track? As we head into the second big "challenge" relating to food, Valentines day, it is a curious time to see how we "stay the course" or veer off. We all know we blew it on Super-bowl Sunday, and that really doesn't count, (like in golf it was your "mulligan").

So, is it chocolates and a nice, yummy dinner...and extra work in the gym for you?

Who can truly enjoy the day, with this looming over your head??? You Can...don't beat yourself up if you get off plan in one-day. Deprivation theory never works when it comes to eating and nutrition (at least that's what the experts say, whoever they are).

The important thing for you is not to stress out over that extra few calories you consumed...as they say, "Rome wasn't built in a day." Your healthy plan isn't a "one-day" thing either, it IS a lifestyle.

LOVE IT: In my book, if you are gonna 'cheat' on your plan, then go-for it, and make it something you really desire (that's food wise, you know what I mean.) Get something spectacular that is soooo good to you that you love it and it makes it worthwhile when your "sweatin' to the oldies" later.

LEAVE IT: If you are going to beat yourself up and stress out over that chocolate truffle or cheesecake, it won't be enjoyable, so leave it and chug that glass of water instead.

As always, Hugs and Kisses are zero calories, (except the candy kind).

Remember whatever your goals and dreams are...YOU CAN DO IT.