YouthN2Fitness

Atlanta organizations start a campaign to teach kids healthy habits!

By Kalin Thomas

Just after First Lady, Michelle Obama, launched her “Let’s Move” campaign against national childhood obesity, two Atlanta organizations have teamed up to help get kids active. BOUNCE Fitness and YouthN2Fitness joined forces to host the First Annual Healthy Habits Health Fair at the Georgia World Congress Center this past weekend. Founder and CEO of Bounce Fitness Marielle Porter said,

“About one-third of the American population is clinically obese, so we need to get it under control at an early age. I realized children aren’t as active as they used to be when I worked for the YMCA and had a 5th grader who didn’t know how to jump rope. So I wanted to get the old-school fun back into fitness,” she said.
Porter, whose background is in cheerleading and dance, met Kyle Green while working with the Boys and Girls Club. Green is the executive director of YouthN2Fitness and has a BA in exercise science. “Don’t let the TV and videos take over your child’s life. Get your kids into after-school programs that do outside activities,” said Green.

Porter and Green offer an after-school fitness program to all Metro Atlanta schools free of charge. The program includes dance, cheerleading, and an exercise program that includes running, push-ups, sit-ups, and aerobics. They also hope to add an after-school soccer team. Porter says she’s seen the change in students.
“At the beginning of the year, I’ll have kids run around the gym and they can’t breath or they’re falling to the floor, but as the year goes on they ask to run and ask to do push-ups, and their excitement grows,” she said. “We’re also planning a summer camp targeting Finch Elementary School this June,” adds Green. The Summer Camp will cost $200 for six weeks. Parents can enroll their children through either of the websites: www.youthn2fitness.org, or www.bouncefitness.org.

The health fair was small, but well-attended by children who seemed to find the most fun in the physical activities like the cheerleading demonstration, playing with the health information ball, and doing exercises for backpack safety with chiropractor, Dr. Carly Greenfield Tokar, who was also one of the vendors.

Other vendors included: massage therapists, chiropractors, Juice Plus, Atlanta Parent Magazine, blood pressure screeners from Georgia State’s exercise science program, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, and the Fulton County Department of Health.

Vendor Arian Moore is the publisher of the free health magazine, Enliven Atlanta. “Our magazine, which can be found at YMCA’s, recreation centers and doctors offices, offers readers workouts, healthy eating, cooking tips, and success stories. That’s why I decided to partner with YouthN2Fitness because I have a passion for seeing our youth get healthy.”

Green says he hopes to add more vendors and more activities like dance and martial arts demonstrations at future health fairs. He adds that they haven’t left out the adults. They’ll be offering an $80, six-week boot camp for adults starting March 29th at Stone Mountain Park.

“I want to teach adults routines that they can learn and do at home on their own,” said Green. The summer camp for kids and boot camp for adults help pay for the free after-school program. Green and Porter also plan to send Michelle Obama information about their programs in hopes of working with the White House to fight childhood obesity.

They both offer the following inexpensive tips to get parents and children back on track with health eating and exercise:

• Keep your refrigerator stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables
• Learn to cook healthy foods through free programs like the University of Georgia Extension Program or Fulton County Department of Health’s REACH for Wellness Program.
• Turn off the TV while eating
• Exercise during TV commercials
• Play outside: jump rope, swimming, bicycling, roller skating, running
• Exercise or walk as a family

Green says making exercise a family activity will make a big difference in the success of decreasing childhood obesity.