Fitness is Fun!
April 2008

Greetings from the office of the President's Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program! You have received the April 2008 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.

Fitness Questions of the Month for April:

What are your favorite high-intensity outdoor activities?

Please respond via E-mail to The President's Challenge at preschal@indiana.edu. We'll include the most insightful responses in the May issue of Fitness is Fun. Be sure to view the responses to March’s 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!

PCPFS NEWS:

The National President's Challenge
A HEALTHIER NATION: “IT’S EVERYONE’S CHALLENGE!!!”
The PCPFS launched the National President’s Challenge on March 20, 2008. This physical activity challenge is helping Americans of all ages “Spring into Action” by utilizing the President’s Challenge web site to track physical activity – ‘A Healthier Nation: It’s Everyone’s Challenge!” For information on how individuals, families, organizations, schools, businesses, and industries can make their state the most active and have their Governor recognized as one of the top five, just log on and check your state stats on the US map. Check your state stats daily, weekly, and encourage all to participate. The Challenge is taking place from March 20th to May 15th. For more information go to http://www.presidentschallenge.org/national_challenge/.

Join PCPFS and Celebrate May’s National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
With the warmer temperatures, May provides an opportune time to encourage individuals to get out and get moving. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) invites organizations to help spread the message about the importance of physical activity and sports throughout May in celebration of National Physical Fitness and Sports month.

Saucony Run For Good Foundation Offers Funding for Children's Running Programs
Deadline for Applications: June 13, 2008.
Established to help end childhood obesity by providing financial support to nonprofits across the United States that support children's running and fitness programs, the Saucony Run For Good Foundation is accepting applications for its grant program. Saucony, Inc., a subsidiary of the Stride Rite Corporation, is a global supplier of performance athletic footwear and apparel. The grants are open to nonprofit organizations that initiate and support running and fitness programs for kids. Eligible applicants are programs whose participants are 18 years of age or less, have 501(c)(3) status, and can demonstrate that their program positively impacts the lives of participants through their increased participation in running. The foundation has two grant cycles per year, with up to seven awards granted each cycle. Grants are in amounts up to a maximum of $10,000 each. To learn more visit: http://www.sauconyrunforgood.com/.

Women's Sports Foundation Seeks Applicants for Ambassador Team Awards
Deadline for Applications: July 18, 2008.
The Women's Sports Foundation's Ambassador Team Awards program will provide a total of $50,000 in grants to teams of female high school students that demonstrate leadership in their communities by inspiring girls to get involved in sports and physical activity. Teams will create their own projects designed to get girls in their local community to be physically active. To be eligible, teams must be school, amateur, community, and/or nonprofit affiliated teams whose members are all of the following: female; enrolled in 9th-12th grade; and residents of the United States, its territories, or protectorates. Twenty teams will be awarded $2,500 each. Team awards are to be used for equipment, apparel, travel, or training costs for the team. Prizes will be made payable to the school, nonprofit institution, or 501(c)(3) organization. To read more please visit: http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/cgi-bin/iowa/funding/featured.html?record=34.

School Health Policies and Program Study 2006
The Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) published in the Journal of School Health the findings of the School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2006. SHPPS 2006 is the largest and most comprehensive assessment of America’s school health policies and programs to date. This report describes key school health policies and practices across all eight school health program components: health education, physical education and activity, health services, mental health and social services, nutritional services, healthy and safe school environment, faculty and staff health promotion, and family and community involvement. To read more on the use of the President’s Challenge and Fitnessgram in this report please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/SHPPS.

Healthy People 2020
PCPFS, as co-lead with the CDC of the Physical Activity and Fitness Objectives of Healthy People 2010 is embarking on the development of a vision and focus for Healthy People 2020. An interactive process, public opinion is welcomed via written and oral comments at regional hearings which will take place this spring in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Fort Worth, DC, and San Francisco and end on May 28th in Washington, D.C. You can view updates and schedules at http://www.healthypeople.gov.

PCPFS Physical Activity & Fitness Research Digest
The PCPFS Fitness Research Digest is published quarterly by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The March 2008 issue focuses on the Potential of Parks and Recreation Departments in addressing physical activity and fitness. To subscribe to the Digest please visit http://www.presidentschallenge.org/misc/news_research/research_digest.aspx.

Acting U.S. Surgeon General Galson and NIH Director Zerhouni Announcement
Acting U.S. Surgeon General Galson and NIH Director Zerhouni announced expanded efforts to address the nationwide childhood overweight epidemic. A new partnership between the National Institutes of Health’s We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition (program and the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) will expand efforts to address the epidemic of childhood obesity. In addition, three major cities – Boston, Pittsburgh, and Las Vegas – will be designated as We Can! Cities. We Can!, a science-based national education program to help children ages 8-13 stay at a healthy weight, is now being implemented in more than 450 community sites in 44 states. We Can! is a science-based national education program developed by the National Institutes of Health – a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – to help children ages 8-13 stay at a healthy weight through improving food choices, increasing physical activity, and reducing screen time.

For more information, visit: http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov or call toll-free 866-35-WE CAN (866-359-3226).

UPCOMING EVENTS

Meetings and Hearings

President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Council Meeting
Date: May 14, 2008
For more information visit: http://www.fitness.gov

Healthy People 2020 Regional Hearing
Date: May 28, 2008
For more information visit: http://www.healthypeople.gov

NATIONAL CHALLENGE

Participants Spotlight

Rick: Columbia, TN
This past February, the City of Columbia Parks and Recreation Department started teaching a Wrestling class after the community showed interest. With the help of two coaches and a volunteer, each week the class covers conditioning ideas provided by the President’s Challenge and teaches their students the proper way to wrestle to avoid injury. The class not only focuses on the techniques of wrestling but also provides their youth with the knowledge of strength training, flexibility, proper nutrition, and weight management. The youth are enjoying the class and are learning how to eat right, work out correctly, and work hard to achieve goals. Rick, Head Wrestling Coach, wants to provide these young men the same principles he learned in high school to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Mr. Fisher states, “Our goal is to impart them to these youth athletes for a lifetime of fitness and better health.”

Jessica: National Challenge
After joining the National Challenge, Jessica’s goal was to lose 17 pounds by exercising five times a week and eating healthier. Ms. Ring’s motivation was to lose weight before her sister’s wedding and to be able to fit into a swimsuit for the summer. After starting a class at a neighboring park and recreation center called Zumba, Jessica has already lost seven pounds and 2-2 ½ inches from her waist. Jessica has also motivated her friends and family to exercise by bringing them to her Zumba class. Jessica is continuing motivating more of her friends and family and is having more fun exercising with a group of people.

Fitness Becoming A Lifestyle
A recent National President’s Challenge participant has been training for a mini marathon that takes place in less than forty days. Stephanie Powell, a trainee for the 2008 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon has been staying physically fit and building endurance in the final month of preparing for the race. The race will take place in Indianapolis on May 3rd, 2008. (Visit http://www.500festival.com/marathon/ for more information). Being an athlete throughout her adolescence, Stephanie decided to continue being physically active and make fitness a part of her everyday lifestyle. In order to keep her on track, she set a goal of participating in the Mini Marathon. Upon preparing for the race, Stephanie stayed motivated by getting advice from people who knew her best. Her dietician told her not to worry about speed, but to instead think of increasing time and distance each week. “That just stuck in my head whether it was five more minutes, or five miles,” Stephanie said. She also consulted her doctor who told her not to worry about how fast and how much, focus on how often. Someone who runs six miles twice a week does great, but its even better to run three miles five times a week. Stephanie considered this advice and started training, running five to seven days a week. She started out running three miles at a time and is now up to eight. Her ability to stay motivated comes from the advice she received as well as her commitment to an active lifestyle. As she crosses the finish line, she will be rewarded with knowing that she has accomplished a long time goal of staying fit and being active.

FITNESS QUESTION OF THE MONTH

The National Challenge began on March 20th. If you are participating in the challenge, what goals do you hope to achieve? What are some ways you might be trying to get your family, friends or co-workers involved?

Fitness Question Responses for the Month of March:

I am trying to get my future husband involved by reminding him that when we go on our honeymoon he will be in better shape to climb the hills in Belize if he starts working out now. I am taking my own advice I tend to hit the gym three days a week, if I miss a day I walk at home to make up for it
~Jennifer

My family and I have just joined the gym and my 16 year old daughter and I will be running the race against racism here in Lancaster, PA at the end of April. My son is now running for his school track team and my husband is lifting and running again. Hopefully, I have inspired them to get more physical fitness in there daily routine.
~Francoise

My goals are very simple - improve my fitness level, loose unnecessary weight, get my BMI index to a healthy level and generally speaking just want to feel good about myself. The Presidents Challenge campaign helps me keep track of my progress and raise the plank even higher than I have initially planned.
~Serguei

The biggest hurdle I overcame just recently was quitting smoking. I can tell you that for the past 2 weeks food tastes better, my stamina is up and I have an overall feeling of a better lifestyle. Smoking was bringing me down and I knew that it was bad for me. Since I quit, I have started running again. I used to run 2 miles in the Army in under 12 minutes. I liked that feeling. I am glad that the President's Challenge was created because I find it is a good motivator to know our Commander-in-Chief is behind us. I thank him for the motivation and look forward to bettering my health and being well rounded fitness wise and employment wise.
~John

One of my primary goals is just to get back to being active again. Last year, I was going to the gym 4-5 times per week. I told myself I was going to take 2 weeks off, but it has stretched to several months. I am noticeably more tired and sore since I have stopped working out than when I do work out regularly.
~Allison

I have lost 100 pounds in the last 14 months and getting active has been an important part of that. My new goal is to increase my fitness level and stamina. This program gives me a place to record my activity and be responsible to someone, even that unseen system administrator, to this commitment. I have two on-line friends, we met in a weight loss forum, who are also participating and we will be checking up on each other.
~Ann

I have joined the Challenge and two of my friends have joined with me!! My goals are:

To lose 20 pounds by July (I started exercising more last March and have lost 33 1/2 pounds so far).
To improve my energy level
To take stress off my body-especially my knees.
Last but certainly not least, I hope to help encourage my friends to stay active. They are senior citizens and motorcycle buddies and I hope they can ride with our group for many years to come. Since Mike is already in his 70's and Mary Lou 60 something, they need to keep those bodies flexible! So I challenged them to join me in your challenge!!

~Sara

My goals for the challenge are to: 1)improve my conditioning, 2)increase strength, and 3)have fun with family. My current strategy includes walking between 4 and 5 miles per day, periodically incorporating pull-ups and/or pushups into my walks. I also encourage my son to have push-up contests with me, or ride my back while I do push ups. I’ve invited some of my coworkers to join me for lunch-time walks, pointing out how easy and beneficial it is to walk. Some have joined me on the walks. Also, a couple times per week, my daughter invites me to run with her, and help improve her running ability so she can improve her performance in school gym class. My credo is that taking time to exercise is a lifetime investment.
~Stuart

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! April 2008

Fitness is Fun!
April 2008