Heart Healthy Generation
This week I had the honor to address students at a middle school in a small Wisconsin town. These kids have raised 25-thousand dollars for the American Heart Association over the past five years. I talked with them about their "Hoops for Heart" fundraising efforts and shared some alarming statistics about their community in NW Wisconsin. That area of their state has the highest rate of heart disease mortality compared to the rest of Wisconsin.
Before I ended my talk I shared with them my personal commitment to accept the BFL challenge and get heart healthy. Many of then had seen my transformation on television over the past year and a half...remembered when I was fat and were excited to learn that I had won the 2004 Challenge.
I then challenged them to adopt their own program of exercise and nutrition to become the first heart healthy generation of the new millinium.
Our kids are our future. They are smart kids...if we can instill in them the BFL principles of exercise, nutrition and goal setting we could dramatically reduce future health care costs and make America stronger.
I don't want to exclude the millions of adults out there who still have the will and the power to transform...because I know that what ever the age we can transform our lives and our health...I'm living proof.
But try as we might to inspire them...many adults aren't up to the challenge.
Thankfully...most kids are!
Just think of the legacy we could leave...if each of us can challenge just one child to turn off the cartoons and get active, eat one less fat laden fast food burger, eat their veggies and take charge of their personal health!
My challenge to you today---is to find one child or teen to inspire and help them build a healthy routine of exercise and good nutrition.
It would be such a small investment that would pay off big time when these young ones become adults.
Before I ended my talk I shared with them my personal commitment to accept the BFL challenge and get heart healthy. Many of then had seen my transformation on television over the past year and a half...remembered when I was fat and were excited to learn that I had won the 2004 Challenge.
I then challenged them to adopt their own program of exercise and nutrition to become the first heart healthy generation of the new millinium.
Our kids are our future. They are smart kids...if we can instill in them the BFL principles of exercise, nutrition and goal setting we could dramatically reduce future health care costs and make America stronger.
I don't want to exclude the millions of adults out there who still have the will and the power to transform...because I know that what ever the age we can transform our lives and our health...I'm living proof.
But try as we might to inspire them...many adults aren't up to the challenge.
Thankfully...most kids are!
Just think of the legacy we could leave...if each of us can challenge just one child to turn off the cartoons and get active, eat one less fat laden fast food burger, eat their veggies and take charge of their personal health!
My challenge to you today---is to find one child or teen to inspire and help them build a healthy routine of exercise and good nutrition.
It would be such a small investment that would pay off big time when these young ones become adults.
posted by M. | 2:22 PM
|
1 comments
