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Health & Fitness

Make the Change to Become a Better You

I suffered from childhood obesity and now am an advocate for a healthier students, families and communities. Read my blog to see how I changed my life and how you can start to change yours!

Growing up in this area, like many children my age, I wanted to be a quarterback for the Washington Redskins.  Every year my dreams were dashed because I always exceeded the weight requirements. Because of this, I was not allowed to play football until my freshman year of high school. I wish I could say that I was close to making weight each year, but the truth is I wasn’t even close. While today I understand the safety issues with overweight players, at the time the experience was heartbreaking for me. Since I couldn’t play football, I played baseball throughout my time in school. When I got to high school, I was finally able to play football on a team. I played both sports all four years of high school and went on to have a 4-year college football career playing for both Waynesburg University and West Virginia University.

My weight topped out at 318 lbs. as a college freshman. As someone studying to become a Physical Education and Health teacher, I knew the dangers of my weight. Why am I telling you this? Because in 2006 I came to the realization that I had become a statistic, like too many other Americans, I was obese.  I decided at this point that it was time to change my life.  In that year I lost more than 100 lbs. with two simple tools: diet and exercise. It was the best decision I could have made for my future. After I had shed my weight, it became very clear to me that it was not only important that I share my story with students, but that I help them make better choices for their futures.

Making the Change in the Classroom:

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As a teacher, every year I feel I have to fight the same fight. School budget cuts continue and physical education is placed, unfortunately, on the back burner. The fact is students who are physically active perform better in the classroom, period. The two go hand-in-hand, and as an educator it is my job to promote the importance of physical education in a student’s day. The month of May marks National Physical Education Month and during this time I urge you to join me in my mission to make America’s youth healthier and instill in them a joy for fitness that will stay with them for a lifetime.

We do this in my school by using a physical education curriculum called SPARK, a research-based PE program that focuses on activities for all skill levels that can be done both in the gym class and throughout the day.  Luckily my school won a SPARK grant as part of a District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) grant. When money is tight, grants offer an opportunity to purchase resources that can help get students exercising.  SPARK offers a grants area on their website to help facilitate grant acquisition at SPARK Grants.

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Making the Change at Home:

The classroom might be where students learn the rules for games, how to be a team player, and the importance of physical fitness, but reinforcing those same concepts at home is essential to ensuring that your child has a healthy and active future. One of the best things you can do for your child is live by example. Begin working out, play sports with your child and allow them to see you being physically active. Also, invite your child to make dinner with you and make nutrition part of the conversation. Select healthy ingredients and talk about how food is fuel for the body. All of this will help your child make better choices when you are not around.

With the proper education, dedication and support, every individual can lead a healthy life.

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