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Nutrition and Fitness
The winning recipe for a healthy lifestyle includes a combination of both good nutrition and physical activity. Your body needs a variety of nutrient rich foods to grow and prevent illness. And your body also needs to move and exercise every day.
Key things you need to know about leading a healthy lifestyle are:
- Eat a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables and whole grain products
- Control portion sizes and never "supersize"
- Get active for at least 60 minutes, five times a week for ages 6-18
- Avoid tobacco and illegal drugs all together
Well-nourished students have higher test scores, increased school attendance, improved concentration, and improved classroom behavior. Students, who are physically fit, sleep better and are better able to handle the physical and emotional challenges that they encounter during the day.
Start Your Day with a Good Breakfast
Breakfast Provides Benefits... Make it a Priority!
Higher Test Scores. Research has proven that children who eat breakfast have higher math and reading scores.
Improved Attendance. Studies show that students who eat breakfast are absent and tardy less often.
Fewer Trips to the School Nurse. When students eat breakfast, nurses report fewer hunger related office visits.
Improved Classroom Behavior. Students are better able to pay attention in class when they have eaten. Principals confirm that they see fewer discipline problems when students have eaten breakfast.
Better Learning. Students learn best when they have eaten a good breakfast.
More Time on Learning. When students have eaten, they are better able to concentrate and behave in the classroom. This allows teachers to spend more time on teaching and less time on discipline.
Fitness - 60 Minutes of Activity a Day...do it for life!
Fit "Fitness" into your busy day - It is important to your health and success. Whether it is walking the dog, running, or riding a bike... make physical activity one of the healthy habits in your daily life.
Get out and get active - limit sedentary activities. Student's lifestyles today are very different from their parents'. TV, video games, texting and online social networks are now replacing the neighborhood kickball game. Kids and teens are spending more time sitting and less time running, jumping and playing. Commit to staying active.
What are the Benefits? Students who are physically fit will...
- Find it easier to maintain a healthy weight
- Sleep better
- Have higher self-esteem and self-confidence
- Be more attentive in class and perform better in school
- Have proper growth with stronger bones, muscles, and joints
- Feel less stressed
- Reduce their risk of chronic disease
- Decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- Have lower blood pressure
- Have lower LDL "bad" blood cholesterol levels, and raise HDL "good" cholesterol levels
- Feel happier and have a better outlook on life!