Healthy Living For Families Program
By: Import User
Updated: February 17, 2010
Zipporah Perry and her daughter Nefantee Mayers completed the Healthy Living for Families program at the end of last year. The program aims to incorporate fun, interactive nutrition and lifestyle programs with weekly goal setting, as well as exercise and even dance.
It's a 12 week session that meets for an hour and a half twice a week. The target group is kids age 8-14. Heather Fiore, a clinical nutrition specialist and founder of the program, says that this age group is key. “It's an important age group because younger kids don't quite get the concept. A little older and they're off doing their own thing.”
On the nutrition education side, things like healthy versus bad snacks are discussed. Increasing your water consumption is also a strong suggestion. Portion sizes can also be a big adjustment you can make.
“They showed us how to substitute fat-free ingredients into the recipe versus using fatty ingredients.” says Zipporah.
The reasoning for having both parents and kids attend: it increases the chances that the information learned and the habits formed continue even after the program ends. “We remind each other of portion sizes and exercising. She'll say “you know mom we haven't been to the YMCA in a while”, positive reinforcement.” says Zipporah.
Even though she enjoyed the program and learned a lot, Nefantee says that it can still be hard sometimes: “Its hard because sometimes you can go over your limits.”
The next program starts on February 24, and its only $20 per family for the entire program.
Call 922-LINK to sign up. The program will meet twice a week at the Carlson MetroCenter YMCA at 444 East Main Street in Rochester.
It's a 12 week session that meets for an hour and a half twice a week. The target group is kids age 8-14. Heather Fiore, a clinical nutrition specialist and founder of the program, says that this age group is key. “It's an important age group because younger kids don't quite get the concept. A little older and they're off doing their own thing.”
On the nutrition education side, things like healthy versus bad snacks are discussed. Increasing your water consumption is also a strong suggestion. Portion sizes can also be a big adjustment you can make.
“They showed us how to substitute fat-free ingredients into the recipe versus using fatty ingredients.” says Zipporah.
The reasoning for having both parents and kids attend: it increases the chances that the information learned and the habits formed continue even after the program ends. “We remind each other of portion sizes and exercising. She'll say “you know mom we haven't been to the YMCA in a while”, positive reinforcement.” says Zipporah.
Even though she enjoyed the program and learned a lot, Nefantee says that it can still be hard sometimes: “Its hard because sometimes you can go over your limits.”
The next program starts on February 24, and its only $20 per family for the entire program.
Call 922-LINK to sign up. The program will meet twice a week at the Carlson MetroCenter YMCA at 444 East Main Street in Rochester.
