Sue Scheff: Teens Taking the Guard Fit Challenge Program - Get Healthy Today

We are hearing more about childhood obesity and teen obesity. More and more teens and kids are technically connected however not getting outside and exercise! Summer is almost here and it is time to get involved in physical education. During Physical Fitness Month, take the time to learn more about staying healthy and eating right.

The Guard Fit Challenge and the Physical Fitness Month

Did you know that May is National Physical Fitness and Sports month? What better time than the present to begin to help your teens understand the value and benefits of being physically fit. And thanks to the Army National Guard's Guard Fit Challenge, helping your teen set and achieve fitness goals has never been easier.

Fitness Resources for Students, Young Adults, Teachers, and Parents

Whether you are a student who is starting to think about fitness, a young adult passionate about reaching your fitness goals, a teacher who is looking to inspire students, or a parent looking for additional resources to help improve the health of your family, the videos, calculators, and other resources offered by the Guard Fit Challenge Program can help you reach your goals.

Celebrating Presidential Physical Fitness Month

During this Presidential Physical Fitness Month, why not spend some time exploring all of the resources that are available to you. Schools can bring the Guard Fit Challenge Program to their students. Students and members of the community can access resources on the Guard Fit Challenge website. And everyone can learn more about The President's Challenge.

Common FAQs about Guard Fit Challenge:

Q: The students in my physical education class are on many different fitness levels, and some may not be able to do all of the exercises in the program. Can they still participate?

Guard Fit Challenge is designed to benefit and motivate every student in your class. The Army National Guard representative is prepared with alternate exercises for students who may not be able to execute some or all of the planned exercises. The presenter also talks to the students about avoiding injury while working out, and makes sure to ask if anyone has any injuries or conditions that need to be considered before participating in Guard Fit Challenge.

Q: What curriculum standards can Guard Fit Challenge help my school meet?

Guard Fit Challenge offers high schools the opportunity to meet national standards including Movement Forms, Physical Fitness, and Setting Goals for Good Health. Visit the Curriculum Standards section of this website to learn more.

Q: I don't want to join the National Guard, so why should I care about being Guard Fit?

No matter what path you take, physical fitness enables you to perform to your potential. Participating in Guard Fit Challenge can help you develop a new physical fitness routine, improve the way you work out, and set a foundation for a healthy future.

Q: I'm an Army National Guard Soldier, and I need a fitness boost before my next APFT. What resources are available to me?

In addition to the health and fitness information on the Guard Fit Challenge website, you can also join the Army National Guard Decade of Health community to learn more about Soldier health and wellness. And be sure to check out your copy of GX magazine for monthly fitness features, and get in touch with your local Master Fitness Trainer, who can offer personal fitness advice.

Related Articles:

Parenting to Prevent Obesity
Food Revolution and Your Teens
Teens and Physical Education
Just Turn it Off
Let's Move Campaign

Read more.

Sue Scheff: Parenting to pervent obesity - Get up and get moving

Helping your kids get and stay healthy isn't always easy in today's generation. It's hard for them to resist the unhealthy snacks, sodas and fast food that seem to be all around them. It's also tough to get them away from the television and computer screens and find places for them to play outside and exercise.

As Food Revolution has hit the airwaves and Let's Move Campaign has taken off by our First Lady, parents and kids alike are becoming more aware of healthy eating and the need for exercise.

Alliance for a Healthier Generation has a comprehensive website with tips and valuable information for schools, teachers, parents and children!

Part of parenting to prevent obesity is learning to just turn it off! Screen time is not just TV, it includes watching DVDs, playing video games, texting or surfing the Internet. All that time in front of a screen crowds out time for regular physical activity-and experts say that children should get at least 60 minutes of activity or more every day.

That means there has to be a balance between screen time and physical activity. Remember, sitting in front of a screen can also encourage snacking on unhealthy foods. So start by limiting your child's screen time and you can help crank up your kids' energy, re-charge their minds and improve their health.

Be an educated parent, you will have healthier children!

Read more and learn about getting your family in motion!

Sue Scheff: Teens, Kids and Physical Education

Let's face it, more and more kids today are engrossed with their computers and cell phones. Less are participating in physical activity. Years ago a game of kick-ball in the neighborhood was a weekly or even daily event afterschool. Today with the fear of our kids being kidnapped or the kids simply more interested in their technology, teens and kids are not getting enough exercise.

Parents it is time to speak up. PE 4 Life is an organization that can help you bring more psychical education into your school district and your community.

Do you realize that schools have devalued and cut physical education to the point that the majority of children get one day of PE per week? Children today have a shorter life expectancy than their parents for the first time in one hundred years because of the epidemic of obesity, according to Dr. William Klish, Professor of Pediatrics and Head of Pediatric Gastroenterology at Baylor College of Medicine. Lack of PE at school is a disservice to your child's health. Speak up. Demand that your school offers daily quality physical education.

Use PE4life as a resource partner to enhance your school's PE program. A recent study revealed that 81% of teachers and 85% of parents favor requiring students to take physical education every day at every grade level. As parents, you can rally people in your community to get involved by ordering a PE4life Community Action kit video and show it to the PTA, the school board and other community groups. The next step is to invite PE4life to make a presentation to your school leaders, bring a team of people to train at a PE4life Academy, or invite PE4life to do an in-service for your school staff. As your resource partner, PE4life can provide these and many other services to your school as you work to get children more active and healthy.

PE4life Core Principles

We believe PE should:

• Be directed to all students, not just the athletically inclined
• Offer a variety of fitness, sport, leisure and adventure activities
• Provide a safe and encouraging learning environment
• Utilize individual assessments
• Incorporate current technology
• Extend beyond the walls of the gymnasium
• Ideally, be offered to every child every day

Today’s “New P.E.,” as exemplified by PE4life, is a health-and-wellness-based approach to physical education that caters to all students, not just the athletically inclined. Students are encouraged to pursue a variety of sports and physical activities (team and individual) – for a lifetime.

Source: PE4LIFE - visit today and learn more!

Watch video and read on Examiner.

Sue Scheff: Teens, Kids and Physcial Education

More and more kids and teens are more attached to their electronical gadgets rather than physcial activites. What happened to the past generations of playing kick ball or riding your bikes with neighborhood friends? PE4Life helps parents incorporate physical education back into your lives. Learn More:

Source: PE4Life

Parents are busy with a full workday, helping their children with homework, engaging their children in after school activities, and so on. This doesn’t leave a whole lot of time for physical activity in your own lives. Do you realize that schools have devalued and cut physical education to the point that the majority of children get one day of PE per week?

Children today have a shorter life expectancy than their parents for the first time in one hundred years because of the epidemic of obesity, according to Dr. William Klish, Professor of Pediatrics and Head of Pediatric Gastroenterology at Baylor College of Medicine. Lack of PE at school is a disservice to your child’s health. Speak up. Demand that your school offers daily quality physical education.

Use PE4life as a resource partner to enhance your school’s PE program. A recent study revealed that 81% of teachers and 85% of parents favor requiring students to take physical education every day at every grade level. As parents, you can rally people in your community to get involved by ordering a PE4life Community Action kit video and show it to the PTA, the school board and other community groups.

The next step is to invite PE4life to make a presentation to your school leaders, bring a team of people to train at a PE4life Academy, or invite PE4life to do an in-service for your school staff. As your resource partner, PE4life can provide these and many other services to your school as you work to get children more active and healthy.

The PE4life Approach to Physical Education:

Be offered to every child every day
Be available for all students, not just the athletically inclined
Provide a wide variety of sports and fitness activities to promote an active and healthy lifestyle
Assess students on their personal progress toward fitness and physical activity goals
Incorporate technology on a regular basis

Extend beyond the walls of the gymnasium to form community and business partnerships

Today’s “New P.E.,” as exemplified by PE4life, is a health-and-wellness-based approach to physical education that caters to all students, not just the athletically inclined. Students are encouraged to pursue a variety of sports and physical activities (team and individual) – for a lifetime.

Get Involved—Become a Friend of PE4life, get your community involved, sign up up for the PE4life newsletter and communicate to government leaders.
News & Info—Get the latest information on physical education, childhood obesity, exercise and the brain, youth fitness and legislative news. Also link to other great websites.
Results—Review research findings and measurable outcomes of PE programs.
Grant Info—Find creative sources of funding for the physical education program at your child’s school and a forum where you can ask questions or share your thoughts and successes.
PE4life Program Services—Find information about our Program Service Packages, how to order our services, training dates, academy locations, and testimonials.
Events–Find dates for Academy Training, National PE4life Day, PE4life Workshops, and PE Conferences.

Students in PE4life programs are inspired by the opportunity to set personalized goals and be graded on effort not athletic ability. PE4life Programs incorporate technological tools so students can develop personal responsibility through self-assessment. With these tools, students are able to set goals appropriate to their individual fitness levels and check their progress as they move forward. Gone are the days of grades based solely on a stopwatch. Today’s “New PE” places more emphasis on assessing a student’s progress toward cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance goals.

We’ve heard time and time again from parents who have attended PE4life Program Service training sessions that they wish they’d been able to participate in a physical education program like this when they were in school. None of us can turn back the clock, but we can all help make the benefits of a health-and-wellness-based physical education program available to our children.

“Kids bring their excitement about daily activity into their families. PE4life keeps kids and famillies together: the foundation of a stronger America.”–Archie Manning, Former NFL Pro Bowl Quarterback & League MVP

Parents Universal Resource Experts - Sue Scheff - Holiday Gift Ideas for Teens

Give a Friend of PE4life Membership!

With the holidays quickly approaching and the economy quickly dwindling, it's important more important than ever to purchase gifts wisely. This year, instead of wasting your money on another expensive kitchen gadget, why not give them a gift that invests in the future and improves the lives of children across the country?

PE4life is offering you the chance to purchase a Friend of PE4life subscription for a loved one. You can choose from four levels of giving - Rookie, All Star, Champ, or MVP - one for every price range. By joining this exclusive opportunity, the recipient will become an appreciated contributor to the organization that has trained teams from 38 states and five countries, impacting more than 2 million school children! Remember to visit the Pro Shop for other holiday gift ideas! Learn more.