Let’s Get People Moving!

Exercise is so important to health, yet most Americans lead sedentary lives and only 20% of adults and adolescents meet the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

Here are some ways you can promote physical activity to your clients, students, or employees:

  1. All ages benefit. From preschoolers to octagenarians, movement makes a difference. Tailor your message to the age group you’re working with.
    • The Move Your Way campaign has free materials like short videos, social media messages, graphics, and GIFs (many in Spanish) that target different populations, including adults, older adults, parents and kids, and pregnant/postpartum women.
  2. Any movement counts. Simply sitting less is a step in the right direction and has benefits. The same goes for the movement you do while cleaning the house or playing with the kids.
    • Be Active Everyday Your Own Way is a simple handout with guidance for kids and adults. It also shows that everyday activities like walking the dog and washing dishes counts as movement.
    • Home Exercise poster is a light-hearted reminder that you don’t need to join a gym or run a marathon. You can get movement throughout your day and in the comfort of your own home.
  3. Take advantage of transitions. Going back to the office after working from home due to the pandemic is a great time to start a new exercise habit. The same goes for other life transitions like having a baby or starting a new school year.
  4. Find a health motivator. Exercise has so many immediate and long-term benefits that everyone is bound to relate to at least one of them.
    • Not sleeping well? Diagnosed with high blood pressure? Dealing with anxiety? Physical activity has immediate effects on these issues.
    • Worried about your risk of developing cancer, diabetes, depression, or dementia? Physical activity has long-term effects on these conditions (and many more!).
    • 3 Prong Exercise Plan to Stop Prediabetes is an example of targeting a health condition many folks might be worrying about.
  5. Manage a health condition. Exercise can help…
    • Decrease pain for those with osteoarthritis.
    • Reduce disease progression for hypertension and type 2 diabetes.
    • Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
    • Improve cognition for those with dementia, multiple sclerosis, ADHD, and Parkinson’s disease.

Hollis Bass, MEd, RD, LD

 

Are Your Holidays Healthful? A Quiz

Do you keep your holiday celebrations good for your health? Find out with this brand-new quiz!

Questions:

Dancing at a Party1. What is the most featured item in the display of foods at your holiday party?

a) Cookies
b) Meats
c) Fruits and vegetables
d) Cheeses

2. True or false? I make sure to get at least some physical activity during most days of the week.

3. Some smart ways to control portion size at meals include…

a) Making a healthy plate.
b) Sharing a meal
c) Being aware of the calorie content of the foods you purchase.
d) All of the above

4. True or false? I make sure to eat a healthful high-fiber breakfast every morning.

Answers:

Holiday Platter1. c) Fruits and vegetables
For the most healthful holiday celebration, make fruits and vegetables the start of any buffet you set up. You can keep things simple with crudités and some yogurt-based dips, or you can get fancy and roast up your favorite vegetables and serve them on a platter, drizzled with a little bit of sauce and garnished with parsley. Add bowls of berries and sliced fruit too!

2. True
To stay healthy during the holidays, it’s wise to sneak in a little physical activity whenever you can, even though things are busy. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, “Being physically active is one of the most important steps that Americans of all ages can take to improve their health.”

Check the Label3. d) All of the above
If you’re having a holiday gathering at a restaurant or coffee shop, check out any nutrition information that’s available online. Make sure that the portion size of what you want to order is reasonable. If it’s not, look for alternatives. Then, if you want to get or make something that only comes in a large portion, share it with a friend or family member. Finally, if you’re picking up a treat for a holiday gathering, check the labels! Use the Nutrition Facts to calculate serving size, nutrient content, and much more! Making a healthy plate will help you put your foods in the right proportions, too.

4. True
Starting your day off with a balanced and high-fiber breakfast is a smart way to stay healthy this holiday season. After all, breakfast is associated with a lower BMI, fewer calories consumed during the day, and a better diet. Plus, a healthful breakfast not only gives you energy, but also increases cognitive function. Some ideas include high-fiber cereal with nonfat milk, and fruit, or lowfat yogurt and fruit, or egg whites and fruit. A smoothie made with fruit and skim milk is also a great start.

How did you do? Do you know the nuts and bolts of staying healthy during the holidays?

Display of the Month: 10,000 Steps

10K Steps DisplayWe all know that regular exercise comes with some serious health benefits. After all, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, “Regular physical activity reduces the risk of many adverse health outcomes. […] Health benefits occur for children and adolescents, young and middle-aged adults, older adults, and those in every studied racial and ethnic group.”

There are lots of ways to promote regular exercise to your audience, and one of my favorites is with a compelling display! Here’s what you’ll need to make your own…

The Materials:

The Activities:

  • Are You Physically Active? Quiz
  • Brainstorming: How Can YOU Become More Physically Active?

Display ActivitiesThe Details:

To set up your space, first arrange your table. Flanking it to one side, add the 10K Steps Banner and Stand. To balance it, set up your easel and brainstorming space on the other side of the table. Top the table with the How Much to Work It Off Poster on a Tabletop Easel and fan some of the Balancing Diet and Exercise Handouts out in front of it. If you’re doing the Are You Physically Active? Quiz, arrange those on your table as well. Put your prizes (the 10K Steps Wristbands and 10K Steps Buttons) in an obvious spot at the front of your table, then take a step back and survey the scene. How does the display look? Make any necessary shifts, then get ready for your activities.

For the Are You Physically Active? Quiz, distribute copies of the quiz handout to your participants. They can either take the quiz individually and quietly, marking their responses on the paper, or you can do a survey and walk everyone through each question together, having them call out or raise their hands with their answers. Help everyone score their quizzes and discuss the results. Are they physically active? What activities do they do that are best for their health? Why?

Then turn the discussion over to the second activity: How Can YOU Become More Physically Active? Talk with the group. What is a typical day like? When are there opportunities to squeeze in a little exercise? Can people take a walk at lunch? Go for a jog after work? Swim after dinner? What would work within their lifestyle? Offer prizes to people who participate in the discussion, and record any notable answers in the brainstorming space that you have set up. If there’s time, talk about the stumbling blocks on the path to an active lifestyle. How can people overcome the obstacles that can get in their way?

Additional Resources:

There are lots of other ways to help your audience get the exercise they need. Don’t miss these other wonderful resources that promote physical activity.

And here’s a free printable exercise handout, just for you! It’s perfect for just about any display.

Balancing Diet and Exercise

More Displays of the Month:

And don’t miss these amazing 10k resources from the Nutrition Education Store!