My Healthy Challenge Success Stories
My Healthy Challenge is challenging YOU to adopt healthy habits! Tell HKC Your Story!
Each month, individuals, families, schools, and youth groups are challenged to send us your wellness success story which automatically enters you in a random drawing for a gift package worth $100 of Healthy Kids Challenge idea booklets and resources great for classrooms or youth groups.
All you have to do is follow one or more of the monthly My Healthy Challenge suggestions, click on the "Tell HKC Your Story" newsletter button above and submit your success!
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Some of those who have “taken the challenge” and reported their success stories are presented below.
A Healthy Tribute
My mother passed away two years ago this past August. I had spent a lot of time with her in her last year of life. When she passed away, I had extra time on my hands, besides being a physical education teacher. So, I asked myself what I could do with my time. I decided to start a before school exercise program and name it M.O.M., Morning of Movement. I knew the acronym would be used alot at school, and my mom would be honored. After thinking a little more I was afraid our older students would not respone to the M.O.M. program. So I changed it to P.A.C.E., Physically Active Choices to Enjoy. The program was up and running one month after my mom passed away. We averaged 120 students , in grades 4-8 coming to the gym on Tuesday, Wednesday and, Thursday to jog, walk, jump rope, speed stack, hula hoop, and do calisthenics. This year we average 85 and they are starting as soon as the school doors open. We have lots of students running a mile before school starts. I believe my MOM would be proud.
Carol Sherman -- School Physical Educator
Mom Encourages Eating Fruits & Veggies the FUN Way
We incorporate a lot of fruits and vegetables into smoothies. My kids eat one every day that usually has 3-5 different fruits and veggies. We also like to do stir-fry or roasted veggies with 3-5 different veggies mixed in so there is something each child likes, plus something new to try.
We also love to add fruits and vegetables to ice pops! One of our favorite recipes includes a peeled zucchini, a peeled cucumber, cut up pineapple and fresh lemon juice. You don't even taste the veggies and they are super refreshing on a hot day!
Emily Barker -- Healthy Mom, Idaho
Healthy Library Storytime Activities
For the first three story times during June, we served cookies and juice. For the last one, we offered oranges and Sun Chips and they were very popular! One mother specifically thanked us for having healthy snacks. She said her kids don't like sweets. As part of story times, we used plastic fruit and vegetables for a word game with the puppet play "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." Children were asked to pick a fruit or vegetable and then come up with another word that started with the same letter. They could then put the fruit/vegetable "into" the old lady's stomach. They loved it!
Lisa Moreland -- Director Caldwell Public Library, Kansas
School-wide Physical Activity Fun!
We started a month long exercise program to start our morning at school. Once a week, the whole school participates in the "Chicken Fat" exercise CD. At first, I think the kids thought this was a lame idea. Now they look forward to this activity. Some of the teachers commented that they would like to have this activity every day. The PTSO bought two Big Bird costumes for the staff and principal to were and surprise the students when they are exercising.
Lori McNutt --
Kids Learn Healthy Portions at YMCA Afterschool Program
I am a Registered Dietitian and consultant for the Jewish Guild for the Blind. I've been going to the local YMCA afterschool programs to teach a class on healthy portions to kids. Due to the January Challenge, Fruits & Veggies - Every Day the Tasty Way, we have recently talked about the importance of fruits and veggies and I ask how many the kids eat. I teach them how to make a healthy snack, rolling a banana in cocoa powder along with shredded coconut. It's an easy and tasty snack! I did this for a class last month and am doing it again in the last of the Y's programs in the West Roxbury, Dedham and Needham areas of Boston.
Joan V. Czarnowsk-Hill -- Boston, Massachusetts
Active Play at the Library
We made Game Day at Your Library more than just sitting around with computer games and board games. With inspiration from HKC, I set out stopwatches and a hula hoop and the kids held a hula hoop contest on their own. I also had an agility/balance contest where participants followed cues and tried to out last their peers in order to win posters and sports cards from our Sports Illustrated for Kids magazine. Some went outside and tossed a Frisbee® , and everyone had fun acting out clues for a game of charades. Promoting healthy activity is important to me...now I know I CAN and SHOULD do it through my role as library director in a very small library!
Jody Suiter -- Macksville City Library, Kansas
Family Focuses on Healthy Habits
I have been trying to implement some of the August challenge ideas with my family. My husband has successfully switched to water at meals instead of soda! He drinks soda occasionally when we go out or while he is at work, but he is realizing that it is harder to keep the weight off as he is getting older and soda was something he could easily cut from his diet. My family was out of town enjoying a continental breakfast at our hotel. We each had a different type of single serving box of cereal. I was eating granola and my husband and two kids were eating more sugary cereal choices. My husband noted that my cereal had more calories, but I showed him my box contained 2 servings, not one like his. We compared the food labels of all 4 packages to discuss the nutritional value of our choices. I am personally working on challenge #3 because I know a lot of the time, I eat based on habit or emotions. I am reading a book called Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink that is very interesting and describes a lot of research done regarding how we eat. Thanks for all you do and keep up the great work!
Shelley Rich -- Wichita, Kansas
Healthy Choices for Friends and Family
I am a school nurse in Kansas and have been doing things with my co-workers as well as with my own family. I put together a [healthy challenge] within our district (we have 80 employees that are competing). We have lost a total of 320 pounds between us all - since January 7th! My husband is a teacher in the district and he has lost the most at his school! We've been weighing our food and watching portion sizes. Snacks consist of low fat cheese, fruits, veggies and we have cut out soda almost completely....Water is a hot commodity in our home! ...None of us are what one would consider overweight, but we want to be healthier. Heart disease and cancer are huge in our families and we want to minimize our risks as much as possible. Exercise is becoming more and more of a family event - that way we get fit and are able to have quality time with one another. Thanks for the ideas and for helping me try and stay on track.
D'ana-- Hutchinson, Kansas
Simple Shopping Plan
I want to eat more fruits and vegetables, but have found it hard to have what I want on hand. I know I should be writing a good grocery list each week, but haven't gotten there. So for now, I came up with a list of canned, fresh, and frozen vegetable I want to make sure I have on hand all the time. Before I go to the grocery store, I check that list to see what I need to re-stock. It worked! Now I'm eating more fruits and vegetables.
Sara-- Glendale, Arizona
Healthy Holiday Switch
During December I needed to focus on something healthy, but easy to do, so I picked the “water-wise” habit to start. For the month I chose water instead of a high sugar or caffeinated beverage daily. I did feel better and I think it made me more aware of what beverages I typically drink and how much. Thanks for getting me to stop and think about what I drink!
David-- Fort Worth, Texas
Outdoor Activity Feels Great!
For the January Beat the Blues Challenge, I chose to get outside as much as possible during the daylight hours for the month. I made a conscious effort to get outside to walk and play with our dog. Even in the cold, it felt good to move and was a great break during the day!
Dixie--Ohio
Small Steps Contribute to Healthy Change
In regard to the Challenges in general, I am striving for more variety with my physical activities--yoga, weight training and cardio. I was doing okay with fruits, but am adding more veggies and whole grains to every meal. At the beginning of the week, I bag up individual servings of fresh veggies I can grab for lunch at work or as a snack at home.
Melisa--Colorado
Learn how to make simple, healthy changes, and earn some really great prizes. Sign up for My Healthy Challenge!
