WAKE UP PEOPLE
What smart choices
can we make for our bodies?
EXERCISE
WALKING AND BIKING TO SCHOOL
Did you know that the town of Warren received a Safe Routes to Schools federal grant of $349,000 for bike path bridge construction, crosswalk, bike racks, signage and promotional activities to support Hugh Cole School and Kickemuit Middle School?
Caroline Wells, the Director of Planning and Community Development for Warren, spearheaded this effort. Although most of the grant goes to the construction, HC and KMS will receive approximately $17,000 for bike racks and biking safety activities. After speaking with Caroline, it appears that bike helmets may be included as well. This is a wonderful wellness and safety initiative for the district.
Did you know that walking to school is one of the cheapest, greenest, and easiest things for parents and children to do to improve health and well-being? More of us should take action now to make children more physically active, to prevent storing up of health problems that manifest later in life, and here are some other ideas.
Walking to school is promoted by creating and publicizing safe routes to school. Additional safety is achieved by traveling in packs; parents can help their children organize neighborhood walking groups.
In addition, neighboring parents with children in the lower grade schools can walk behind their children and engage in adult conversations, while keeping enough distance behind their little packs. This concept of a "walking bus" gives the children and additional sense of security, along with some independence in developing their socialization skills with peers.
A community biking effort can further be encouraged by installing bike racks in downtown areas, where riders can safely lockup their bicycles.
In eighth grade, our house was the before-school meetup place tor my son and his four neighborhood friends. The boys would arrive on their bikes and shoot hoops until the self-appointed time for the posse to "ride out".
ShapeUp Rhode Island has recently introduced a successful motivational walking program, designed especially for kids. Girls love to walk and talk. Boys, on the other hand, are naturally competitive, and love to compete with one another over who gets the highest number of steps on racked up on the pedometer. Contact Colin or Jenna at ShapeUpRI to learn more.
Walking and biking are healthy acitivities for family time. Rhode Island has a beautiful network of biking paths that continue to expand, as well as an endless variety of hiking trails and kayaking routes. To learn more about Rhode Isalnd's network, go to netwalkri.com.
Follow these links to read up on interesting studies about walking to school...
Children Who Walk to School are Less Stressed in Exams
U.S. Travel Data Show Decline in Walking and Biking to School has Stabilized
A Kid's Eye View of the Walk to School
BENEFITS OF WALKING
More people choose walking for exercise over any other athletic activity. It's easy and benefits your body in so many positive ways...
+ Burns calories
+ Tones muscles
+ Increases cardio-respiratory fitness
+ Reduces risk of breast and colon cancer
+ Prevents Type 2 Diabetes
+ Improves cognitive function
+ Maintains high bone density
+ Alleviates symptoms of depression
Walking can also boost your energy, confidence, and joy. By learning proper alignment and balance, you can improve the energetic balance for your body. By breathing more fully into your lungs, you increase your body's intake of oxygen, refreshing both your body and your mind. And as you imagine breathing into your heart, you elevate your emotions and your soul.
If you like to walk or would like to get back into walking, please visit our affiliate website on netwalking.
EXERCISING FOR ENJOYMENT
What kind of exercise is fun and creative? It's NIA!
NIA (Neuro-muscualr Interpretive Action) is an engaging whole-body fitness program that blends elements of tai chi, yoga, and jazz and modern dance to build up our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energies.
After being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness in 2004, Sandra Fontana turned to NIA, at a therapists suggestion, to help restore balance, reduce stress, and remove toxins from her body. Sandra was rewarded with an experience of total freedom that comes from personal expression and with the gift of remission from Lymphoma. Having been a dancer all her life, Sandra went on to become an inspiring Certified NIA Instructor.
NIA choreography is simple to learn and allows for interpretation. It is a low impact, full-body workout, set to a wide variety of enjoyable music. Explains Sandra, "All energy comes through the feet, from the earth... sense that you're bringing in the energy, feel the energy... be in the moment... don't put pressure on yourselves, we have enough of that in the world." And, indeed, Sandra moves with energy, ease, and grace.
Additional benefits include weight loss, enhanced flexiblity, and improved posture. What's more, the classes are fun; everybody has a good time! Sandra teaches classes Saturday mornings at 9:30 and again at 10:30 at the Johnston Senior Center on Harford Avenue in Johnston, RI, and Wednesday evenings at the Santosha Yoga Studio in Cranston. She is also available to teach school gym classes or health clubs classes. To find out about NIA classes in your area, go to http://www.nianow.com/.
What kind of exercise is fun and creative? It's NIA!
NIA (Neuro-muscualr Interpretive Action) is an engaging whole-body fitness program that blends elements of tai chi, yoga, and jazz and modern dance to build up our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energies.
After being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness in 2004, Sandra Fontana turned to NIA, at a therapists suggestion, to help restore balance, reduce stress, and remove toxins from her body. Sandra was rewarded with an experience of total freedom that comes from personal expression and with the gift of remission from Lymphoma. Having been a dancer all her life, Sandra went on to become an inspiring Certified NIA Instructor.
NIA choreography is simple to learn and allows for interpretation. It is a low impact, full-body workout, set to a wide variety of enjoyable music. Explains Sandra, "All energy comes through the feet, from the earth... sense that you're bringing in the energy, feel the energy... be in the moment... don't put pressure on yourselves, we have enough of that in the world." And, indeed, Sandra moves with energy, ease, and grace.
Additional benefits include weight loss, enhanced flexiblity, and improved posture. What's more, the classes are fun; everybody has a good time! Sandra teaches classes Saturday mornings at 9:30 and again at 10:30 at the Johnston Senior Center on Harford Avenue in Johnston, RI, and Wednesday evenings at the Santosha Yoga Studio in Cranston. She is also available to teach school gym classes or health clubs classes. To find out about NIA classes in your area, go to http://www.nianow.com/.
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