The Curse of Video Games...Or So I Think

By Ciara Cappo

Let's play a little game. I want you to think back, way back to when you were in elementary school. What were some of your favorite recess games? After school games? Personally, I can remember playing red rover, swinging on the monkey bars and at home we would ride our bikes or roller blade with the neighborhood kids. Hopefully you can remember those great childhood memories and how fun it was to be a kid! These days kids are becoming more and more sedentary, meaning they aren't getting out of the house and playing. Instead they're staying in the house, playing video or computer games. Even more so with mobile devices enabling kids to fixate on their games in the car, at the restaurant table, basically everywhere. 

It is no coincidence that childhood obesity is currently at an all time high. I can think back to when I was a kid and played Nintendo. It was introduced to the United States in 1985 and was very popular when I was a kid, this was almost thirty years ago. The CDC reports that in the last 30 years childhood obesity has more than tripled. Alright, perhaps there is no direct correlation here because there are a lot of factors that contribute to childhood obesity besides video games. However the increasingly sedentary lifestyle of children is no doubt a contributing factor to childhood obesity. 

What can we do to help the increasing incidence of childhood obesity? For starters I think we should encourage our kids to have fun and play outside. For children this can be a perfect way to burn extra energy. My nephews and nieces love to play outside with pogo sticks, bikes, skate boards and the rip stick. Often times outdoor activities can give children a great challenge they may not get at school. Along with lots of energy burning playtime, kids should be getting healthy meals that provide the proper nutrients for their growing bodies and non sugary snacks to keep them going throughout the day. Fresh fruits make a great snack and often when cut up in bite size pieces, make it fun to eat. Taking a moment to remember what it's like to be a kid and have fun can often help adults realize exactly what it is that kids need to grow, be healthy and strong. 

Live life and enjoy!

Improve Your Life Through Exercise

By Matt Moore

Do you feel sluggish in the morning and you just don’t want to get out of bed?

When you are awake, do you spend most of your time sitting in front of a TV clicking through the channels and not really using your time wisely?

Is your idea of exercise, one that involves going and getting the mail?

If you answered yes to any one of these questions, then you’re well on your way to realizing your full potential.

Let’s take a journey.  Now, you may be asking yourself, “Yeah I know about exercise, but it makes me tired, sore and sometimes cranky.” I bet you have come up with many excuses to avoid going out and exercising.

Such as… it is too expensive to join the athletic club near me?  I don’t know what to do, to even get started?  Or the favorite excuse of everyone, “there is just not enough time to do exercise in my schedule?”

Well here are some answers to get you motivated and well on your way:

1)      Exercise will improve your overall health, by lowering your blood pressure, and decreasing your risk of stroke.

2)     If done on a regular basis you could experience weight loss, and an increased self image.

3)     It will give you the needed energy to go out and do the things that you have always wanted to do. Such as, go camping or hiking in the mountains, play with your kids, or just being able to run up the stairs to answer the phone without being winded.

4)     The best part is that exercising is “free” you do not need a fancy gym membership, just go out for a stroll, run, jump, and play in the park, do some yard work, park in the furthest spot away from the store you are going into.

All it takes to get yourself up and out of the house is some initiative of your own.

I hope that you are now more inclined to go out and enjoy the day and I challenge you to get off the couch and enjoy yourself in the activity you choose to do!

Just remember, there is no special pill on the market today that will give you the benefits that exercise can.

AWESOME NIGHT!

Left-->Right:   Jason Kim, Carling Mcmichael, Alison Stamos, Tomilyn Thornberry, Taylor Cox

Last night, we sent a crew of five people over to San Jose Family Supportive Housing to hold our weekly program. When we arrived, the kids were doing their homework in their classrooms and when they realized we were there; they ran out screaming, "They're back, they're back!" The group had an awesome time with the kids, teaching them some core values of nutrition, exercise, games, and a ton of fun. We have begun to implement our program on a weekly basis at SJ FSH and are looking forward to sending another group of students over next Thursday!