WEBSITES:
President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports http://www.fitness.gov

President's Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program
http://www.presidentschallenge.org

IN THIS ISSUE:
Burger King teams up with The President's Challenge
General Mills Grants
Stretching: A key component of your exercise program
News Release: Youth Sports Leads to Increased Activity in Adulthood
Study: Morning exercise can make you sleep easier
Wheaties, The Breakfast of Champions, and The American College of Sports Medicine join together to promote fitness
Holiday Fitness and Nutrition Tips
Physical Best Health Fitness Specialist Certification Workshop
Interactive Tools
Special Thanks
Track state legislation concerning physical activity or nutrition

Burger King teams up with the President's Challenge
Burger King Corporation is teaming up with the President's Challenge to help America's kids get active and stay fit. Many schools will have the opportunity to participate in the President's Challenge through the sponsorship of Burger King Corporation. To learn more about how Burger King Corporation is bringing The President's Challenge to schools visit: http://www.burgerking.com/presidentschallenge.

General Mills Grants
The General Mills Youth Nutrition and Fitness Champions Grants were announced at The American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference & Exhibition (Oct 24-28, 2003). Grants are available to non-profit, community-based groups that develop creative ways to help young people improve their eating and physical activity patterns. 50 grants of $10,000 each will be awarded in the spring of 2004. Visit www.generalmills.com/foundation for grant guidelines and the application. Proposal applications must be received by February 2, 2004.

The 50 grants are part of the General Mills Champions Program, a joint initiative among The American Dietetic Association Foundation, The General Mills Foundation, and the President's Challenge to improve youth nutrition and fitness across the United States. The goal of the General Mills Youth and Fitness Champions Grants is to support organizations that work with their communities to encourage young people, ages 2-20, to improve their eating and physical activity patterns. Grants will be awarded to non-profit organizations for innovative programs that demonstrate the greatest need and likelihood of sustainable impact on young people's nutrition and activity levels. Grant proposals should include at least one physical activity behavioral objective and at least one nutrition behavioral objective.

For more detailed information regarding the General Mills Youth and Fitness Champions Grants, grant applications, background and resource information please visit the General Mills Foundation website at www.generalmills.com/foundation. For additional information on physical activity/fitness awards programs please visit the President's Challenge website at www.presidentschallenge.org/earn_awards. The American Dietetic Association, the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, provides information on nutrition and health at www.eatright.org.

Stretching: A Key Component of Your Exercise Program
By adding stretching to your regular activity you will be able to increase your flexibility, improve circulation, have better posture, relieve stress, and enhance your coordination. According to many experts stretching can also reduce your risk of injury during activity. Stretching to improve your flexibility and prepare your body for exercise should focus on major muscle groups, such as the calf, thigh, neck, and shoulder. Stretching should be included after your warm-up and after the completion of your workout. In order to maximize your stretching potential there are stretching essentials that need to be followed. These include holding each stretch for at least 30 seconds, eliminating bouncing, focusing on a pain free stretch, and relaxing and breathing freely. Keep in mind that stretching may not be advised if you have contraindications to exercise or certain injuries. You may need to consult a doctor or physical therapist if you have a chronic injury. Additional instructions on how to incorporate stretching into your daily routine can be found at: http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/HQ/01447.html.

News Release: Youth Sports Leads to Increased Activity in Adulthood
The December issue of the ACSM's Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise contains the results of a survey that indicates participation in sports during childhood may lead to a more active adult. For more details on this study go to http://www.acsm.org/publications/newsreleases2003/youthsports120703.htm

Study: Morning Exercise Can Make Sleep Easier
A recent study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle examined the relationship between exercise and sleep habits. The study originated from an earlier study that focused on the effects of exercise in reducing the risk of breast cancer. Researchers found that women who exercised or stretched in the morning had a more peaceful night's sleep compared to those who exercised in the evening. Women who participated in the program rode an exercise bike or walked moderately five days a week for 45 minutes. The participants who chose to stretch did so for an hour once a week under supervision and for 15 to 30 minutes three times a week independently. The reason for a more peaceful night's sleep could be caused by an increase in activity hormones, lactic acid byproducts, or a raise in body temperature. To learn more about this study visit: www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/diet.fitness/11/24/fitness.sleep.ap/index.html

Wheaties, The Breakfast of Champions, and The American College of Sports Medicine Join Together To Promote Fitness
Wheaties has recently joined forces with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) to promote health and fitness for all Americans. As a result of this partnership, information on the latest fitness and health tips, as well as up to date scientific data to help motivate individuals to be active will be provided on Wheaties boxes and at www.Wheaties.com. ACSM is regarded as "the most trusted source of fitness information in the country." Wheaties and ACSM are also offering a free e-mail bulletin for subscribers that will provide additional fitness information. To read more about this partnership connect to: www.wheaties.com/latest_news_articles/Wheaties%20and%20ACSM%20join.htm

Holiday Fitness and Nutrition Tips
During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season it is not uncommon for people to gain weight due to a lack of exercise, lack of motivation and an increase in holiday goodies and treats. Here are some fitness and nutrition tips that will allow you to fight the holiday bulge all the way to the New Year.

• Make time and schedule exercise sessions. Take time to write down and keep track of your activity and progress.
• Don't put your fitness goals on hold until the New Year.
• While it is great to have improved fitness as a New Year's resolution, do not abandon your current fitness goals.
• Recognize the importance of portion control when eating, sample small portions of dishes rather than large helpings.
• Don't skip meals or arrive at parties on an empty stomach.
• Carry healthy snacks for trips and outings.
• Eat slowly and enjoy your food!

Physical Best Health Fitness Specialist Certification Workshop
The next certification workshop will take place on December 17, 2003 in Washington, DC. For more information or to register visit: http://www.aahperd.org/physicalbest/template.cfm?template=schedule.html

Interactive Tools:
If your goals include weight loss or fitness, self.com provides several interactive tools to help get started and track your progress. Losing weight and staying fit can be made easier with the use of the body fat % calculator, a calorie burning calculator, an activity database, an activity finder, and a target heart rate calculator. To learn more about these features visit: located at http://health.yahoo.com/nutrition_fitness/.

Special Thanks
We would like to send a special thanks to all of the President's Challenge Advocates. Please visit the Advocates area on the www.presidentschallenge.org website to see how companies, organizations and diverse groups are making a difference with the President's Challenge.

Track state legislation concerning physical activity or nutrition
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) provides online access for those who are interested in tracking state legislation that deals with physical activity or nutrition. If you are curious as to what is going on in your state go to: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DNPALeg/SearchV.asp?SubjectID=2.

FEEDBACK
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