Dancing is a great way to get moving and get fit! Get a group of friends or go solo and make your own workout video.
Then go to www.empowerme2b.org to upload the video for a chance to win autographed copies of Sabrina Bryan’s newest BYOU DVD.
Hey, so this is Spencer here. The person who is behind the camera in many of the videos on here. I have been used to working out regularly throughout high school due to my involvement in the water polo and swimming teams at school. In 3 years, I whipped my weak 8th grade body into a water-pounding machine. I have been pretty bogged down lately due to IB exams and all of the other Senior year related business, so I’ve digressed phyisically.
I miss that hot bod.
SO. I have now adhered to the following workout regime, taken from my water polo practices:
- 3 x 75 crunches
- 2 x 60 supermans
- 2 x 50 obliques (ea. side)
- 3 x 25 push-ups
- 50 elbow-know crunches
- 1 or2 minutes of bridges
- 2 x 25 chair dips
This may not be the most efficient workout schedule, but it is effective for me. I don’t have a workout ball nor any weights nor pull-up bars, so this truely is the best plan.
I plan to do this workout 3 times a week. If things get easier, I have some 3lb and 5lb weights I can grab onto to increase the difficulty.
Yet, this workout is not the entire story. It is merely in addition to my true goal.
Recently, I was talking to my dad about his experiences in high school. It surprised me to find out that he was an avid bicyclist, riding several hundred miles each month. He said to me that he was in such good shape that he could ride all the way from his hometown (Stockton) to Sacramento and back with ease. That is roughly 50 miles of mind-numbing nonethingness at a crusing speed of 16 miles an hour.
He then proceeded to call me weak. I would not take that.
I swore to him that by the end of this Summer, I will be able to do as he did and conquer the pathway to the home of the Gonvernator.
This summer, I will train at least thrice a week. I plan to ride 20 miles continuously at 16 miles an hour. In addition to riding, I will be maintaining a balanced meal to ensure that I have enough protein (to build muscle) and carbs (to suply energy).
Wish me luck! Hot bod here I come!
How much junk food is marketed to youth? Is there a tendency of fast food places to be located near school campuses?
Are there a lot of options or places to eat out for someone looking for healthier options?
All the members of the Youth Advisory Board are taking on Service Projects to implement in their communities to promote healthy living.
The three projects to choose from are:
(1) Community Garden (2) Healthy Food Drive at Local Food Bank (3) empowerME @school or empowerME @ life tool education to youth
Personally, I have chosen to go with the Community Garden project. The benefits of community gardens is that it can provide healthy, accessible food for many in a community; help in the movement to “go green” and conserve the environment; make people more self-sufficient; strenghten community bonds; and are an opportunity to promote awareness of environmental and health issues through education.
Currently, I am trying to implement a program through the El Dorado Elementary garden where volunteers can help plant more variety of crops, expand out the garden, provide educational lessons about environmental sustainability and healthy living, and also to teach the students how to prepare healthy and nutritious meals from the crops that they have grown.
Childhood obesity may seem harmless. However, there are many harmful conditions that can arise as a result of obesity.
– High Cholesterol (blocks the arteries and blood cannot move through)
– High Blood Pressure (can lead to stroke or heart attack)
– Type 2 Diabetes (body cannot take in insulin and is prevented from generating enough energy)
– Apnea (trouble breathing when sleeping)
In the long term, it can even kill you by a heart attack or by a stroke. These two are listed as top killers of people in the United States. An unhealthy lifestyle is dangerous to your health. Really think twice before choosing to go to a fast-food restaurant of eat junk food.
The teens from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation are all currently filming a monthly video series about healthy living for Channel One News.
The topics are as follows:
December- Food For Thought 1 (Grocery Shopping and Food Labels); January – Food for Thought 2 (Creative Exercise and Smart Snacks); February- How Health Conscious is Your Route to School (Advertisements); March – How Health Conscious is Your Route to School 2 (Creative Ways to Make Your Route Healthy and Fun); April and May – Your Story (Personal Story on How You Live a Healthy Life)
I am currently working on getting the December video up. However, I do have the January video.
Many kids are currently on Winter Vacation. While it is a time that you should relax, don’t make that an excuse to sleep ALL day, and to play video games/watch television non-stop.
Even though I say this a lot, it is interesting how many kids do just that, including many of my friends.
Winter break is a great time to try to change your lifestyle to a more healthier one. Go outside and walk around. Go and meet your friends someone to play instead of talking to them on the phone on online.
Watch out how many chocolates/candy canes/cupcakes/cookies that you are eating. Actually count them and limit yourself to one or two cookies a day.
At those many holiday parties, limit the amount of food that you put on your plate. Many times you won’t even end up eating everything on it. Eat a little, and if your still hungry come back and put a little bit more on your plate.
Some options are better than others: pick the turkey over the honey ham, the pumpkin pie over the pecan pie, and also eat the dishes that contain a lot of vegetables and fruits.
Go have fun in indoor facilities. You can go indoor ice skating, play basketball, or go to the gym. Now, is a good time to check some of the activities that your local YMCA or Boys and Girls Club offers.
Try to stay away from that screen: television, computer, video games. Instead, why not try some jumping jacks, push-ups, or sit-ups. It will get your blood pumping and soon you will be generating your own warmth.
Try not to eat to many snacks. The thing about winter is that often you may get so bored that eating helps keeps you occupied. Also, some people like to eat in the winter because it makes them feel warm. Instead of eating junk foods, maybe try to drink some organic apple cider or having some granola bites?
Often times, bad habits are ones developed at home.
List 1- Here are some common grocery staples (from my friend’s shopping list:
– Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream
– Pack of Jones Cream Soda
– Loaf of white bread
– Peanut butter and jelly
– Oreo cookies
– Orange juice
– Carton of full-fat milk
– Salami
– Brie Cheese
What I noticed was that there were A LOT of bad foods on the list. The ice cream, soda, and oreo cookies are LOADED with SUGAR!
The white bread is made of refined grains and that is not good.
Orange juice is generally ok. Try to look for brands that don’t use so much corn syrup.
Salami and brie cheese is also ok, but don’t eat too much of it. They are loaded with fat.
Also, notice that there are NO fruit and vegetables on this list!!!!
List 2- Here is an ideal shopping list:
– Whole wheat loaf of bread
– Saltine cracker
– Block of sharp cheddar cheese
– Chicken breast or salmon
– 100% apple juice
– Non-fat or soy milk
– Celery, broccoli, carrots
– Bananas and apples
You list doesn’t have to be this exact same list given.
BUT if your normal shopping list looks like list number one, try to modify it to start looking like list number 2.
Highway to a Healthier Generation 