Fitness is Fun!
January 2007

Greetings from the office of the President's Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program! You have received the January 2007 issue of Fitness is Fun, the official e-mail distribution of the President's Challenge. These monthly e-mails will keep you updated on our programs, activities of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) and other current information pertaining to health and fitness.

PCPFS NEWS:

Federal Government Physical Activity Guidelines to be ready in 2008
The Bush administration announced efforts to develop guidelines for physical activity. When the guidelines are ready in late 2008, federal health officials hope they will help people live healthier lifestyles, which in turn, could slow soaring health care costs.

The government already provides recommendations about exercise. The new MyPyramid, for example, recommends 30 minutes of daily physical activity, 60 minutes of daily physical activity to prevent weight gain and 90 minutes of daily physical activity to sustain weight loss. In addition, the Surgeon General issued a 1995 report that contained recommendations on exercise.

Officials said the new guidelines, however, would establish a process where the best science on physical activity would be routinely evaluated. Dr. Douglas Kamerow, a member of the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Childhood Obesity, said his panel recommended the physical activity guidelines. While most obese people know they should eat less and move more, scientific guidelines could be helpful. For more information, please visit this link

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2006pres/20061026.html.

The 2007 HealthierFeds Physical Activity Challenge is on the way!
The Office of Personnel Management is teaming with the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports to host a HealthierFeds Physical Activity Challenge. Participants will be federal agency staffs from the 3 branches of the Federal Government, retirees and family members of the employees. A contestant must choose between the Active Lifestyle program (30 minutes a day, 5 days a week of moderate activity, or the Presidential Champion program (regular vigorous activity). The challenge is a fun way for participants to start or continue physical activity that fits their lifestyle, and helps their agency become a HealthierFeds champion! The Challenge also encourages a spirit of "healthy" competition by tracking agencies according to the levels of employee participation over the entire competition period. The challenge begins January 22nd and continues through March 18th. For more information about The Challenge visit http://www.opm.gov/healthierfeds/ or email your questions to worklife@opm.gov.

Special Note to HealthierFed Participants: If you already have a Challenge account, or you registered before the January 22 start date, you may need to manually add your Group ID# to ensure that you join the right group. For information on how to obtain your Group ID# and add yourself to your group please get in touch with your HealthierFeds Point of Contact (POC) for your department. If you do not know your POC please email healthierfeds@hhs.gov.

General Mills Grants for PALA Awards
A unique partnership between the President's Challenge and General Mills Community Action is allowing eligible schools to receive free Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) emblems and certificates for eligible students at their school. Through the General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids program, General Mills Community Action will provide Presidential recognition to eligible low socioeconomic status schools (up to 25,000 students) and the President's Challenge will list the school on our Web site, http://www.presidentschallenge.com/ as a "General Mills Challenge School." In order to be eligible for the awards, students must meet the PALA requirements of being physically active 60 minutes per day, five days a week for six weeks. Also, if 35% of the student population earns the PALA award two or more times during the school year, the school will automatically earn the distinction of becoming a President's Challenge Active Lifestyle Model School. If you are a low socioeconomic status school, fill out the application at http://www.presidentschallenge.org/advocates/gen_mills_sponsorform.pdfand send it in to the President's Challenge office.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The 2007 President’s Challenge Spring Exhibit Schedule

California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance
Sacramento, CA; March 1-4, 2007
http://www.cahperd.org/

American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance
Baltimore, MD; March 13-17, 2007
http://www.aahperd.org/

National Association of Elementary School Principals
Seattle, WA; March 29-April 2, 2007
http://www.naesp.org/

Special Camp Fair, New York City, January 27, 2007

Parents and caregivers of children and teens with disabilities can plan ahead for summer with the wealth of information offered at the 22nd annual free Special Camp Fair on Saturday, January 27, 2007, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, 405 W. 59th Street, New York City. (Entrance to Fair is on Columbus Ave. near W. 60th St.) The Fair is presented by Resources for Children with Special Needs, Inc., 212-677-4650. Visitors to the Fair will receive a free copy of the Camps 2007 Guide which is also available by sending a check for $25 plus $8 postage and handling to Resources for Children with Special Needs, Inc., Dept. PR1, 116 E. 16th St., 5th Floor, New York, NY 10003.

Abilities Expo, San Antonio, TX, January 26-28, 2007

Abilities Expo provides information on independent and assisted living products for persons with disabilities. For a list of upcoming expos, go to http://www.abilitiesexpo.com/IAEBrandManager/v42/index.cvn

NEWS AND RESEARCH

Winter Feels Good

Winter Feels Good (WFG) is SnowSports Industries America’s national awareness campaign to educate the public about the health, fitness and social benefits of snow sports. Now entering its fourth year, WFG serves as a resource for learning and enjoying winter snow sports as part of a healthy lifestyle. WFG’s website contains ideas for educators to educate the public about how to become involved and make snow sports part of a healthy lifestyle. Activities such as cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing burn more calories than walking or running at the same speed, while alpine skiing and snowboarding can burn as many as 600 calories per hour. You can earn a President’s Challenge Award by combining snowshoeing, alpine skiing, and/or cross country skiing with any other physical activity. Children, teens and adults can pick from two programs, Active Lifestyle of Presidential Champions. For find more information on this program visit http://www.winterfeelsgood.com/.

Teammates for Kids Foundation Now Accepting Grant Applications
The Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation is a non-profit corporation created to develop and implement innovative concepts that raise money for children’s charities. The Foundation contributes funds to selected organizations that effectively serve and benefit children with an emphasis on health, education and inner city services. The Teammates for Kids Foundation accepts proposals for grants from nonprofit organizations that specialize in working with children. Next grant deadline is due February 1, 2007. To view an application visit http://www.teammatesforkids.com/apply_for_grant/apply_grant.htmto start

Mileage Club Encourages Students To Stay Active
Instead of spotting students swinging from monkey bars, and chatting with friends at recess, students are choosing to use their recess to exercise. At Barry Elementary in Clovis, New Mexico, Physical Education teacher Jennifer Modisette began the Mileage club to help her students become active every day of the school year. The Mileage Club gives children the option to use their 30-minute recess to run, jog, or walk laps. Students receive marks on their hands for every lap they complete. After recess, they simply record their total laps on their mileage card. Participating students win number tokens, wrist-bands and t-shirts. Students at Barry Elementary were later given another challenge; to walk a combined 3,105 miles (the distance from San Francisco, California to Norwood, Maine). Students reached their goal in only 3 months!

FITNESS QUESTION OF THE MONTH

Have you or someone else motivated a group of children or adults to lead a healthier life? Email us your story at Preschal@indiana.edu and it could be featured in next month’s newsletter!

Fitness Question of the Month for December

Are you making any healthy New Year’s Resolutions for 2007? If so, what actions are you going to take to keep yourself motivated?

I am going to be diligent with my food journal. That way I don't forget what I have eaten, AND I can later look back to see what works for me and what doesn't.
~Cory

I am going to start exercising and eating healthy with a friend from work. We can easily keep each other motivated because we are around each other all day. So, if one of us eats unhealthy or gets lazy on exercising, we will quickly notice!
~Cindy

Fitness Question of the Month for January:

More businesses are requiring their employees to participate in some kind of exercise regime. Why do you think participating in an exercise program should or should not be a work requirement?

Please respond via E-mail to The President's Challenge at preschal@indiana.edu We'll include the most insightful responses in the November issue of Fitness is Fun.

REMINDERS:

Remember to fill out State Champion, Model School, and Demonstration Center applications to ensure that your students are rewarded for their hard work! For more information, including application deadlines and guidelines, please visit http://www.presidentschallenge.org/educators/school_recognition.aspx.

SPECIAL THANKS

We would like to extend a special thanks to all of the President's Challenge Advocates. Please visit the Advocates area on the http://www.presidentschallenge.org/ web site to see how companies, organizations and groups are making a difference with the President's Challenge.

FEEDBACK

We would like to hear from you. If you have any topics that you would like to see addressed in Fitness is Fun or any comments regarding this list, please let us know. You can provide them by emailing us at preschal@indiana.edu.

To view past issues of Fitness is Fun visit our website: http://www.presidentschallenge.org/. Enter the site by choosing the appropriate category, then click on "news/research".

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Fitness is Fun! January 2007

Fitness is Fun!
January 2007