Childhood obesity has been given a lot of national attention in the last few years thanks to Michelle Obama, the Let’s Move campaign and many organizations raising awareness and providing resources for reversing the trend. Among many factors, a lack of physical activity in the lifestyles of kids today is one of the most prominent causes of childhood obesity. Join us in today’s episode of NCES TV as we share how to get kids up and moving.
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By this point, I’m sure that anyone reading this blog is very aware of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative. The first lady developed this plan to attack the issue of childhood obesity in America. Obesity in America is an epidemic that is growing out of control. Although there are many different aspects of our culture that we could blame this problem on, the main issue is a lack of education on how to eat healthy and how to get active. Throughout the month of May, we are excited to be featuring a series of blogs on how to live out the Let’s Move initiative to its fullest; kicking off with this article on how to get active!
So, the question is, how do I become physically active? The answer to this question is dependent on your lifestyle. Do you have time to go to the gym? Are you able to squeeze in workout time during your busy day? If you have plenty of time to spare, getting in a good run each day or spending some time increasing your heart rate at the gym are both great options. However, the reality for most of us is that with our busy work and personal lives, we need creative ways to fit physical activity in to our already full schedule.Did you know that the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week in order to be physically active? In contrast, many of us don’t get ANY physical activity each week. Participating in some sort of cardiovascular physical activity most days each week helps increase weight loss as well as reduces your risk for diabetes, heart disease and other related health issues.
Working out at work:
This concept has come a long way from the days of strengthening your tush by squeezing your muscles together during meetings and conference calls! Fitting in a few pushups or simple squats between meetings is a great way to burn extra calories every day. Have you already got some great exercises in mind? If not, something like FitDeck cards may provide exactly the motivation you need!
Working out at home:
The whole purpose of Let’s Move is to get America’s youngest generation up and moving! So, instead of trying to figure out what to do with your kids while working out, you may find it rewarding to figure out how to work out with your kids! Many activities around the house can easily be made in to a solid workout. Try adding in some leg sqauts while you pick up toys. Or, just by carrying the laundry up and down the stairs, you’re sure to burn extra calories.
Not to mention, Spring is in the Air! What better time is there than right now to get outside? Make family walks a tradition in your house. Not only are you setting an example for your kids, it’s a great time to catch up on the day’s events and discuss your family calendar’s upcoming events.
We hope that you have found the tips in this blog helpful! It’s all about finding ways to get active and fight obesity in America, especially childhood obesity! Need some more inspiration? The experienced staff at NCES is always here to help! You can find us at www.ncescatalog.com, chat with us from our homepage, or visit us on Facebook or Twitter.
Tomorrow, April 22nd, is Earth Day and all of us here at NCES are very excited. In order for us to be healthy, our planet has to be healthy. Earth Day is a great opportunity to begin celebrating Mother Earth and brainstorming ways to keep her healthy. Have you jumped on board yet? Here are 6 ways that many Americans have started ‘Thinking Green’ to conserve our planet (Courtesy Readers Digest).
Green Driving: Roughly 1.5 million hybrid cars were sold in the US between 2004 and 2009. Most of us drive our vehicles on a daily basis. So, this is a great place to start.
Turn off the Lights: 1 in 2.17 adults claim they always keep unneeded lights off or turn the lights off when leaving a room. Not only does turning off the unused lights help save the planet, it will also have a direct impact on your electric bill.
Recycle, Reduce, Reuse: 1 in 2.38 adults claim they always recycle. But, 1 in 20 admit they never recycle. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, recycling creates jobs, reduces pollution, energy use, and conserves national resources. Many cities are currently offering new programs to encourage residents to recycle. Check with your city to see what you can do today.
Trash Can: The average American produces 1,600 pounds of garbage a year. 1 in 3.7 adults claim they always reuse things instead of throwing them away or buying new items. But, 1 in 25 admit to never reusing things. Garbage is sitting in landfills all across this country. By reducing our personal trash, we can reduce the size of these landfills.
Running Water: 1 in 3.85 adults claim they always make an effort to use less water. However, 1 in 16.67 admit they never make an effort to conserve water. The average American uses between 80 and 100 gallons of water a day. You may be asking; if water is constantly recycled through Earth’s water cycle, why do we need to conserve it? The truth is that we currently use water faster than it can be replenished. So, conserving water eases the burden on treatment facilities, uses less resources and energy and costs us less.
Vampire Power: 1 in 6.25 adults claim they always make an effort to unplug electrical appliances when not using them. However, 1 in 6.67admit they never make such an effort. The electricity used by appliances plugged in but not in use is estimated to account for 1% of global C02 emissions. Where do you start? Begin by unplugging the items around your house that you don’t use often. For example, you may only use your toaster once every couple weeks. Therefore, it doesn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. This is also a good rule of thumb for your home printer, if you don’t use it often.
Now that we have discussed the 6 things you can do to start being green around your house, let’s discuss a few things you can do to in order to start ‘Eating Green’. Eating Green is not only great for the planet but is great for our bodies as well . Some things you can do to eat green include:
There are many great resources available to help you begin ‘Living Green’. For a full list of NCES products to get you started visit our ‘Green Products’ section. Also, check out this Earth Day video created to encourage everyone to begin considering our planet when making decisions.
Earth Day is April 22nd. So, we’re starting the celebration now! Connect with us to join the celebration.
Today we are discussing the most significant changes in the U.S. Department of Agriculture‘s new nutrition guidelines; released today.
NCES HealthBeat Blog 