What could be better than sunshine, crisp air and the smell of nature? This fall head outside as a family and make being active a priority.
1. Doing yard work is a can be a lot of fun and a great workout. Did you know that raking leaves for one hour can burn close to 250 calories? Not only does it burns calories, it’s also a great way to develop stronger connections between your family and start some new fall traditions.
2. Head to your backyard, a local park or even a wooded trail to do some creative learning. Create a scavenger hunt or gather leaves and make a leaf collection.
3. Did you know walking at a brisk pace for one hour can burn 100 calories? Enjoy a walk as a family and observe the sights and sounds of the great outdoors. You can do this in your neighborhood, or head to a local trail or orchard.
4. Fall isn’t always great weather, but a rainy day doesn’t have to limit your exercise. Stay inside and play twister, Dance Dance Revolution or maybe it’s as simple as cranking up the radio and having a dance competition.
Hundreds of cyclists, thousands of spectators and tons of fun! That is what last weekend’s Priority Health Grand Cycling Classic was all about…..the love of cycling. This week’s show takes you inside this event, which brought out thousands of people from around the region to take part in the festivities.
Over 200 men, women, professional and amateur cyclists participated in this 1.2 kilometer race that wound through the streets of downtown Grand Rapids. One of the highlights of the afternoon was the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Kids Race. The race was a chance for 250 kids ages 2-9 to take a stab at the course.
This week’s show covers all the racing action along with ways that you and your family can get more involved in the sport. Enjoy the show!
One of my favorite West Michigan events is coming up on Saturday, September 6th. It’s the Priority Health Grand Cycling Classic! Bring the whole family down to watch top cyclists from around the country race at speeds up to 40 mph on the brick streets of downtown Grand Rapids! Racing action starts at 10:30 a.m. and continues throughout the day.
Plus, the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is sponsoring a FREE kids bike race for little ones 9 and under. The first 100 kids to register will get FREE Bike Helmets too!! Find out more the Grand Cycling Classic and the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital kids race at www.priorityhealthclassic.com
Make sure your child is healthy and well before they head off to school. Here is a healthcare college checklist so you don’t forget anything!
· Physical Exam: It’s not required but it is a good idea to get a comprehensive examination by your family’s healthcare provider before heading off to school. At this visit, you can discuss immunizations, getting copies of medical records and transferring prescriptions.
· Immunizations: Check with your healthcare provider to make sure all recommended immunizations are up-to-date. Make sure your student brings a record of their immunizations to school.
· Medical Records and Prescriptions: Students should have a record of all immunizations, allergies, chronic medical conditions and medications, including doses and reasons for taking the meds. Read all »
Do you love to ride?!? Well, Priority Health is offering a free Women’s Cycling Clinic on Tuesday, August 12 for anyone that wants to learn more about the sport of cycling. You don’t have to be a pro to get in on the action. The clinic is open to women who are novice or recreational cyclists or even those who do competitive racing.
Workshop topics include nutrition, injury prevention, gear profiles and tips from the pros. Also, bring along your bike for a complimentary evaluation. The fun takes place from 6-9pm at the David D. Hunting YMCA is downtown Grand Rapids. For more information or to pre-register for the event, visit www.priorityhealthclassic.com.
The beach can be a great place to kick back and relax. It can also be a great place to get the entire family up and moving. Here are some ideas to get the entire family active next time you’re at the beach.
Throw a football, frisbee or start a game of beach volleyball.
Take a walk down the beach.
Have a sandcastle building competition.
Have a race doing the “crab-walk” or “bear-walk” in the sand.
Start your own beach olympics. Have stations set-up in the sand where the kids can do jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups and run in place. Have them spend 30 seconds at each station and then rotate.
What’s most important is that you’re having fun as a family!
This summer make sure your kids know the “rules of the road” when heading out in your neighborhood to bike. Here are things that our friend, Jordan Smitter, a Priority Health professional cyclist, suggests.
First and foremost make sure your child wears a bike helmet whenever going for a ride.
Make sure that your child has the appropriate footwear. Sandals and open toed shoes should never be worn when riding a bike.
At the beginning of each summer, take your family’s bikes to a local bike shop to make sure they’re in good working order.
Make sure you that your child knows where the breaks are located before going for a ride.
Talk to your child before they go out alone. Make sure you know where they are going and how long they’ll be out for.
When riding in a neighborhood make your child is aware of cars. Not only cars in the road, but those in the driveway.
When crossing the street or an intersection, make sure your child always looks left, right, and left again before crossing.
While on the road, every family has to stop for bathroom breaks, snacks and time to stretch their legs. In this week’s show, Priority Health and Meijer showed us how pit stops can also be a time for health and wellness.
Prepacking health snacks in a cooler is much healthier than swinging through the local drive-thru. Some easy snacks include baggies full of raw veggies, fruit, chex mix, granola bars, juice boxes and bottled water. Stop at a local park or rest area and create or own picnic. Or, if you’re in a rush, you don’t even need to stop to have these treats.
Long roadtrips can meet antsy kids in the car. Even if it is just a stop for gas, the family should get out of the car and do some stretches. If you have more time at a park or rest area, toss a frisbee or volleyball back and forth, jumprope or even play some paddle ball. If you do this three times during the day or ten minutes each, that is thirty minutes of exercise you’re getting while on the road.
“How often do you lol with your tweens and teens? I recently read a survey that found 68% of parents communicate with their kids by text messaging. And in talking with local teens many feel their relationships with their parents are stronger because of it!”
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What could be better than sunshine, crisp air and the smell of nature? This fall head outside as a family and make being active a priority.
