12 Days of Fitness keeps youth active

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Janiqua P. Robinson
  • 23d Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  'Tis the season where holiday cookies, cakes and pies become increasingly abundant and decreasing temperatures keep children indoors.

The Moody Youth Programs began hosting the 12 Days of Fitness, a program designed to give children a better idea of how to stay fit. Children meet with dieticians twice a week at the YP and learn the importance of eating healthy and staying active.

"The 12 Days of Fitness is broadening their scope of what exercise is. We're showing them a variety of ways they can be active so they don't think that staying fit and active is limited to lifting weights and running laps," said Katie Presler, a local dietician and YP volunteer.

Erin Locke, 23d Medical Group health promotion dietitian, created and directed the program, which began Nov. 5 and ends Dec. 17. So far, participants have played soccer, capture the flag and basketball as well as jumped rope, danced Zumba and completed a timed run.

Locke incorporated the activities into the 12 Days of Fitness program while looking for a new way to approach healthiness this holiday season.

"I have consistently had about 23 participants," said Locke. "I created [the program] by looking through [various] company newsletters and events they did to get employees active during the holidays and I thought what a great idea; I could do that at the [YP]."

Before each session, the children warm up by doing various aerobic exercises to get their bodies moving and blood flowing. Presler or Locke then tell the children the planned activity for that day and the activities ensue.

"I truly hope that [the kids] know the importance of [exercising] and that it can be done in a variety of ways," said Locke, who typically visits the YP once a month to talk about the importance of healthy eating and exercise. 

Locke also incorporated the 5210 Healthy Military Children guideline into the 12 Days of Fitness in addition to the exercise aspect.

Each number in the acronym 5210, represents a recommendation to help children stay fit. The five is the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables children should eat every day. The two means two or less hours of electronic use every day, the one is one hour or more of physical activity and the zero means zero drinks with added sugar every day.

For more information on the 12 days of fitness and the 5210 Healthy Military Children guideline, contact the base dietician at 229-257-1470.