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Greetings from the office of the President's Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program! You have received the August 2009 issue of Fitness is Fun, the official email distribution of the President's Challenge. These monthly emails 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.
Fitness Question of the Month for August: What is your favorite group activity and why?
Please respond via E-mail to the President's Challenge at preschal@indiana.edu. We'll include the most insightful responses in the September issue of Fitness is Fun. Be sure to view the responses to the July Fitness Question near the end of this newsletter.
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!
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 PCPFS NEWS:
Results are in for the 2009 National President's Challenge! Alaska won for the second year in a row with 261.8% participation. Washington D. C., Guam, Maryland, and Wyoming were the runners-up. More information is available at http://tinyurl.com/ksu384. To see how your state ranked in the competition, check out the President's Challenge website at http://tinyurl.com/2rtlr9.
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President's Challenge NEWS: The President's Challenge is now on Facebook!
We have started a new group on Facebook called "President's Challenge." This group will provide members with instant news items that relate to the program, and will also announce new program events. To join the group, you must first register your own Facebook profile at http://www.facebook.com. Upon successfully registering, please perform the following steps to join the group. 1. From the home screen, find the search box in the top right corner 2. In the search box, enter the terms "President's Challenge" 3. Find the group with the President's Challenge logo, and click on the logo 4. Once in the group page, click the link under the logo that says "Join Group"
Upon completing those steps, you will be ready to start receiving the most up to date information about the program and chat with others about all things PC!
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Presidential, National and Participant Emblems Changes
We now have Presidential, National, and Participant Emblems featuring 2009 embroidered on them. We suggest getting these collectible versions of emblems in order to commemorate the year that the award was earned. Earlier this year we began to phase out the Presidential Emblems #1-12. These items have now sold out. For information on how to obtain the 2009 emblems visit https://www.presidentschallenge.org/order_center/index.aspx.
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New Certificate Designs Coming Soon
Beginning in the fall 2010, new designs for the Presidential, National and Participant Physical Fitness Awards will be available. We are very excited about these changes and look forward to offering an updated design. Look for information on these new designs on our website and in the 2009-10 program booklet.
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
ACTIVITIES
National Fitness Trade Show
WHERE: Grand Sierra Resort - Reno, NV
WHEN: August 18-20 2009
The National Fitness Tradeshow will be happening simultaneously with the Club Marketing and Management Services Convention hosting the educational seminars and conference meetings. The tradeshow draws a large population of fitness professionals and buyers and is a great place for lead generation since it coincides with the Ms. Fitness USA and Ms. Fitness World competitions. For more information, please visit http://www.msfitness.com/NationalFitness/TradeShow/NFTS/nfts.html  Exercise USWHEN: October 1, 2009 WHERE: Across the United States Join a national initiative to combat childhood obesity. Exercise US is a new program encouraging children nationwide to contribute to ten hours of continuous exercise on October 1st. Students across the United States will be exercising from 8 a.m. (EST) to 3 p.m. (PST) Sign up for a fifteen minute segment on the project's website at http://www.lensaunders.com/exerciseus/index.html. SCW Mania(s)
SCW Fitness Education's MANIA fitness conventions bring industry leaders to the backyards of fitness professionals throughout the country. Each convention offers a vast array of workshops on every fitness topic imaginable, ranging from personal training to Pilates, from yoga to pregnancy, and from aquatics to aging. Additionally, specialty areas such as kids programming, biomechanics, nutrition, and sales and management are offered.
Dallas MANIA August 28-30, 2009 Fairmount Dallas 1717 N Akard St Dallas, TX 75201
 Midwest MANIA
October 2-4, 2009
Hyatt Regency O'Hare
9300 West Bryn Mawr Ave
River Road at the Kennedy Expressway
Rosemont, IL 60018
Boston MANIA
November 13-15, 2009
Sheraton Ferncroft Resort
50 Ferncroft Rd
Danvers, MA 01923
"Get Out" Conference (AAPAR)
WHERE: Gunstock Mountain Ski Resort - Laconia, NH
WHEN: December 3-5 2009 Teachers, professors and recreation professionals are encouraged to attend the first-ever winter "Get Out" conference at the Gunstock Mountain Ski Resort in Laconia, New Hampshire. Sessions will include: dressing properly for winter sports; how to purchase and fit equipment; teaching snow sports at your facility; starting a snow sports club; and the basics of snow sports, taught by certified instructors. Community leaders, snow sports instructors and snow sports industry leaders are expected to attend the conference, in addition to physical educators and recreation professionals. For more information, please visit http://www.aahperd.org/aapar/template.cfm?template=getout.cfm.
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SPECIAL FEATURE:
Recently gathered data from the President's Challenge website shows great participation and progress across the country. Over 394,000 people are registered for the program! The charts below show states with the most registered users, with California in the lead, and favorite activities for the majority of users. As shown, many people prefer walking, running and bicycling, but others have found ways to include activity into their daily lives with household tasks, lawn mowing and gardening. Congratulations to all the participants, and keep up the great work.
Number of Registered Users (Top Ten States)
Top Ten Activities for Adults
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NEWS AND RESEARCH:
Being active may help lift sense of hopelessness
Reuters
Reutershealth.com 
A new study from Kuopio University Hospital in Finland shows more active men are happier in general than their less active counterparts. Helplessness, seen in this study as separate from depression, was proven less prevalent in males who got more than a specified amount of exercise per week. Physical side effects of helplessness also decreased in the more active men. To read more, please visit http://www.reutershealth.com/en/index.html.
PCPFS E-Newsletter
As many as 3.8 million sports and recreation-related concussions occur each year. Signs and symptoms may not be immediately apparent. The "Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports" initiative has a wide variety of free web-based and printed materials to help coaches, parents, and players recognize the symptoms of concussion and ways to ensure proper treatment and follow-up. As the summer sports season gets underway, don't forget to share these valuable resources with your colleagues, friends, and family members. To read more, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/concussioninyouthsports/.
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
PCPFS E-Newsletter
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS WITH MARJIE:
Marjie Gilliam is a Corporate Advocate and columnist for the President's Challenge. Marjie is an internationally syndicated fitness columnist and freelance journalist, and has authored thousands of articles devoted to health and wellness. Occasionally we will be featuring one of her articles.
Sun Protection! Part Two:
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with 1 million cases being diagnosed each year. As you learned in last month's column, it is important to prevent overexposure to the suns harmful rays by dressing properly and applying sunscreen regularly.
Sunscreen products work well if used according to manufacturer's directions, and work either by chemically absorbing UV rays or deflecting and bouncing them off the skin. It is important to apply sunscreen before heading out so that it is properly absorbed.
Although ultraviolet A rays can travel most deeply into the skin, both UVA and UVB rays can cause a sunburn. UV rays are strongest in the summer months, between the hours of 10:00 and 4:00, at higher altitudes, and locations close to the equator. Tip: Keep in mind that even when it is overcast, up to 80 percent of the sun's rays can still pass through clouds and fog. They also reflect off of sand, water and snow.
Avoiding overexposure to UV rays is important for everyone, but especially so for children and those who:
- have been previously treated for skin cancer or who have a family history
- have fair skin, light colored eyes, freckles or moles
- live in tropical or subtropical climates or at high altitudes (UV radiation increases 4% to 5% for every 1,000 feet above sea level)
- work outdoors
- have certain autoimmune diseases or have had an organ transplant
- take certain medicines (check with your doctor)
- have had sunburns (increases skin cancer risk, especially melanoma).
Infants less than 6 months should be kept out of direct sunlight and protected from the sun using hats and protective clothing.
One in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. Recreational exposure is about equal between men and women, although men have more occupational time in the sun. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, men over 40 have the highest amount of UV ray exposure. Skin cancer is also the number one cancer in men over 50, ahead of prostate, lung and colon cancer.
The main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, which is the most deadly form. UV rays are linked to 90% of non-melanoma skin cancers and 65% of melanomas.
Melanoma often develops in a new or pre-existing mole and is most commonly found on the back, buttocks, legs, scalp, neck, and behind the ears, although it can appear anywhere. An estimated 20% to 40% of melanomas develop from an atypical mole, making early detection and treatment extremely important.
Here are the ABCDE's of skin cancer detection:
- Asymmetrical. The two sides of a suspected lesion do not match.
- Borders are irregular, uneven or blurred.
- Color varies.
- Diameter is greater than 6 mm (the size of a pencil eraser).
- Evolving. The mole or skin lesion looks different from the rest, or you notice that it is changing in its shape, size, or color.
Other things to look for include, smooth, scaly, shiny or waxy lesions, brown or black streak underneath a nail, or having a sore that repeatedly heals and then reopens.
Get into the habit of performing regular skin self-exams. If you notice any change to your skin, contact your physician immediately.
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FITNESS QUESTION OF THE MONTH:
Fitness question responses from the month of July: What precautions do you take while enjoying outdoor activities in the sun and heat during the summer?
Fun in the sun takes a little planning. I'm sure to put on sunscreen as a morning ritual. My summer run is also more pleasant when I get up early and run with 300+ friends at the Lawrence Dog Days on the KU campus. It's a free activity with a volunteer retired police officer leading the way. We call our fearless leader Red Dog. Getting up early helps to beat the heat and inspiration is gained when kids from ages 6-80 run past me!
~Julie D.
I wear sun screen and also apply an over-the-counter medicine for poison ivy for any outdoor activity. I also drink plenty of water and sit in the shade at some point if I plan to be outside for a while.
~Barbara B.
Precautions to summer lover: try to avoid the sun between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Drink a lot of water and take water along while walking, and use a hat as you enjoy outdoors.
~Aisha B.
Drink plenty of fluids with electrolytes to keep yourself
hydrated during your activities. I would also suggest keeping protein bars readily available to replenish your body's energy throughout the day. I would intermittently take rest periods in the shade to let your body cool down.
~Jennifer C.
My mom and dad are both skin cancer survivors so skincare has been a prominent health issue in my family. I have very fair skin, and so my parents always emphasized the importance of using Sun Block with an appropriate SPF everyday! I think that using sun block, or at least a daily moisturizer with SPF everyday, is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself later in life. Not only does it prevent skin cancer, but it also prevents wrinkles! Who wouldn't want to look younger and feel better?
~Meredith R.
When enjoying outdoor activities during the peak of the day, I will either limit sun exposure to less than sixty minutes or wear a long sleeve, but gauze-like, breathable cotton material to protect my skin from exposure.
~Whitney E.
In addition to other things, my family and I make sure at least one cell phone is fully charged before heading outside for an activity.
~Candice K.
Pay attention to your body! If you get dizzy or light headed get out of the sun or find some air conditioning, if possible.
~Patti D.
I either do all of my outdoor exercise early morning or later evening. I watch for the temperature to drop a bit in the evening and always make sure the heat index isn't in a dangerous range. You can find a chart online at http://www.marathonguide.com/training/coachmindy/heat.cfm.
It is also nice to sometimes freeze a small wet hand towel and put around your neck. Refreshing!
~Karen
I love clogging. Lots of exercise, noise, and fun!
~Claudia S.
My most unique fitness regiment is taking my 9-month-old Jack Russell mix to an open field and trying to catch him. To date I have not caught him without using a treat!
~Michele D.
I just turned 60-years-old on June 5th. My most unique activity to stay fit is thus: In order to celebrate being 60 and fit, I performed 60 push-ups, 60 sit-ups, and 60 lunges for 60 days. On my 60th birthday, I did 60 minutes on the treadmill, and 59 other exercises to make 60 in total, performing 60 reps of each exercise. Including the 60 minutes on the treadmill, it took me 2 ½ hours to complete. I had to keep moving with no rest period in between sets. I feel great! This gave me a tremendous sense of accomplishment.
~Karen F.
My most unique activity to stay fit is medieval historical martial arts, specifically Destreza, which is a 17th century Spanish-style swordplay (or fencing), mainly founded by Don Jerónimo de Carranza in the late 16th century.
~Amber C.
The kids and I like to play driveway hockey. Sometimes my wife will grab a stick, but we usually play two on one with one goal and one goalkeeper. Sometimes we use a ball, other times we use a street hockey puck. Our driveway has a nice flat area for both basketball and hockey.
~Michael H.
For me and many others, Taoist Tai Chi is the complete workout. Through gentle turning and stretching movements, we practice the dual cultivation of the mind and body. ... Working on balance, coordination, relieving stress, connection of the mind and body, increased circulation, strength, and as a load-bearing exercise we build bone strength as well - have I mentioned fun.
~Sun Tzu
I have to say spending time with my 3-year-old granddaughter helps me to stay fit in a very unique way. A typical day includes a lot of play time, which includes pulling a wooden wagon for miles filled with toys and supplies for a simple lawn picnic and racing her back each block. Much time is spent in the pool splashing and playing motor boats. Getting down to her level involves hours of level play; squatting, standing, running, jumping, chasing, hopping, and laughing. If you want a good workout, I'm sure any grandparent would agree, a day with the kids is the way to go.
~Diane L.
A group of employees has formed a volleyball team. We play after work... Weather permitting; we are able to get in three games and quite an aerobic workout. No one takes it too seriously and the opportunity to meet fellow employees is a bonus.
~James S.
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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.
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SPOTLIGHT ON PRESIDENT'S
CHALLENGE ADVOCATES:
Sweat Every Day
The Monroe County Community School Corporation (MCCSC) of
Bloomington, IN launched this program to encourage all students in the corporation to be physically active each day. Funded by the Foundation of Monroe County Community Schools (FMCCS), Sweat Every Day had its own web page that linked directly to the President's Challenge online tools. Students kept track of their physical activity and earned President's Challenge awards made possible by the FMCCS.
This unique program serves as a model for other school corporations and organizations that are looking for ways to encourage their own students to Sweat Every Day! To view this website visit http://www.mccsc.presidentschallenge.org. For more information on how your district can get involved email preschal@indiana.edu.
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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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