Posts Tagged ‘Type 2 Diabetes’

New Year’s Resolutions

G3 Health and Fitness Can Help

The New Year is a revitalizing time for reflection and goal setting, not only for you but for the whole family.  Studies show that the top New Years resolutions are about weight loss, and exercise.

Since one-third of families are fighting the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, why not resolve as a family to take on the G3 challenge, to “Get Moving, Get Knowledge, Get Healthier and Strong.”

Start with simple and fun exercises to Get Moving. Sign up for an up-coming G3 Zumba class or simply start walking. Walking is exercise! Walking prevents type 2 diabetes, strengthens the heart, is good for the brain and bones. Walking is a way for families to spend quality time together and it helps alleviate anxiety. It has also been reported to reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer.

Resolve to spend quality time with your family in the kitchen too. Here are a few quick, healthy snacks you can try together.

1. Rocky Road: Break a graham cracker into bite-size pieces.  Add to low-fat chocolate pudding along with a few miniature marshmallows.
2. Mix together ready-to-eat cereal, dried fruit and nuts in a sandwich bag for an on-the-go snack.

G3 Health and Fitness understands that to win the fight against Childhood Obesity the whole family must be involved. Our mission is to offer fun exercise classes, and provide Health and Nutrition education in the community. We will expand our program to include Parent/child classes. Exercise classes is good way for the family to spend quality time together and Get Healthy and Strong.

“Like us” on Facebook to keep up with our upcoming programs!

Have a Happy, Healthy and Blessed New Year!

Cynthia C.

Childhood Then and Now

I spent my childhood in the 1940s and ‘50s half an hour from Manhattan in a neighborhood that was made famous years later by the TV character Archie Bunker.

It was certainly no one’s idea of country living, yet my life was nothing like that of a suburban child today. After school, we would throw our book bags in the house and head for the streets for games of stickball and punchball, broken up every few minutes to let a car pass by. Or we would go to the nearby woods (later to become an apartment project) for bike rides and wrestling matches. All this would end at dinner time, when our mothers would yell for us to return for a home cooked meal.

There were no computer games. Life on the streets was probably less safe than our parents thought, but no one required us to stay within sight. McDonald’s and the other fast food places didn’t exist yet, so our portions weren’t supersized and calorie laden.

One result of all that was that very few of us were overweight. It’s amazing to realize that 65% of children and teens in New Jersey today are overweight or obese .The health implications of this problem are enormous. Type 2 diabetes, which used to be called adult-onset diabetes, is now a common condition of childhood. Most people of my generation can expect to have longer lives than their parents, thanks largely to better health care. Our children and grandchildren, unfortunately, are likely to have shorter lives because they eat worse and exercise less than us.

We aren’t about to re-create the woods and open spaces of my childhood. But we can encourage our children to get away from the computer games, go outside and maybe learn how to run a bit wild, how to invent new games, how to play with their friends. That, after all, is what being a child is about. And we can prepare nutritious food for them and try to get them to actually like it.

Bob Uris

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When I was approached to join G3 Health and Fitness I immediately accepted.  I personally have several family members who suffer from adverse health conditions due to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.  The fact is that one of every three children in America is now considered overweight or obese, and childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The results have been an increased potential for obesity-related diseases that include type-2 diabetes, asthma, hypertension, high cholesterol, bone and joint problems, and sleep apnea. It is also linked to a range of social and psychological issues including poor self-esteem, depression, withdrawal and poor peer relationships. Children and adolescents who are overweight are more likely to become adults who are overweight.

What can we do?

Encourage a healthy lifestyle

By highlighting the positive turn bike riding, walking, running into family outings.   G3 Health and Fitness has found that kids who exercise often have a healthier body weight than kids who don’t exercise. Children and teens should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity at least 3-5 days a week. Remember that children imitate adults. Start adding physical activity to your own daily routine and encourage your children to join you.

Some examples of moderate intensity physical activity include:
•    Brisk walking
•    Playing tag
•    Jumping rope
•    Playing soccer
•    Swimming
•    Dancing

Encourage healthy eating habits.

Help your children and family develop healthy eating habits:
•    Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products.
•    Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products.
•    Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein.
•    Serve reasonably-sized portions.
•    Encourage your family to drink lots of water.
•    Limit sugar-sweetened beverages.
•    Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat.

Remember that small changes every day can lead to a recipe for success!

Susan Ball