COORDINATED SCHOOL HEALTH

WCS 90 Day Wellness Challenge

Purpose – The purpose of this challenge is to encourage healthy habits.  If it is a healthy habit, this challenge wants to provide the opportunity to count it. 

Points are earned in the areas of nutrition, strength training and activity and must be recorded at least once within each 7 day period.   

This WCS 90 Day Wellness Challenge is strictly an optional/voluntary program made available to WCS employees who have gone through the registration process.  WCS is not responsible for any outcomes or results from participating in this wellness challenge.  Experts agree that any person participating in physical activity/exercise program should be physically able and seek a doctor’s advice before starting though WCS bears no financial responsibility for any charges associated with medical expenses or doctor visits.

Nutrition – Points are earned when you can answer yes to the three daily questions:

1.    Did I eat at least 3 servings of vegetables today?

2.    Did I eat at least 2 servings of fruit today?

3.    Did I drink my recommended fluid intake?

What counts as a serving?  General rules of thumbs include a measuring cup size or a small to average adult-sized fist. 

Resources include   http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/what/index.html   which is the CDC’s guidelines and http://nutrition.about.com/od/fruitsandvegetables/f/servingfruit.htm which answers the question in regards to the USDA requirements. 

There are differences, but use whichever one benefits which is true for any credible source.  The emphasis is on fresh produce, but canned and frozen can also count. 

Nutrition Labels - Do not get confused with nutrition labels and their reference to serving size.  This criterion is related to percentages of nutrients and calories. 

What counts as fluid intake?  The emphasis is on water since there is great health benefits associated with water.   For the purpose of this challenge count all fluids except carbonated beverages (which does include diet drinks) and alcoholic beverages. 

Can I count fruit or vegetable juice as towards serving(s) of fruit and vegetable and fluid intake?  Yes, but it is recommended it be 100% juice and be careful since juices can be high in sugar. 

Not going to be concerned whether it is considered more fruit, vegetable or starch – if it is considered a healthy food, then use it. 

Nutritional tips include:

• Begin early in the day with fruits and vegetables and eat them during the day to curb hunger.   Fruits and Vegetables, though healthy and lower in calories, still have calories.  Adding to a person’s diet without subtracting other foods or increasing activity can lead to weight gain.  If not currently getting 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, then substitute them for those foods higher in calorie, sugar, and fat content.  Substitution can lead to weight reduction. 
• Look to reduce hidden calories found in additives to coffee and other high calorie energy and sport drinks

Strength

Strength – Points are earned by being able to answer yes to strength training the major muscle groups of the body (arms, shoulders, chest, abs, lower back, lower body and hips) 2-3 times per week.  There is no minimum standard on reps and sets.  Start at your own pace and build up.  Always better to start slow, “ease” into the activity and see how the body responds by the following day.

Strength training is related to resistance. 

• Resistance begins with body weight which is an acceptable form of strength training and resistance can be increased in a variety of ways; weights, dumbbells, rubberized resistance bands, plastic water bottles filled with water or sand, etc. 
• Resistance can also come in the form of the push/pull between body parts which is called an isometric strength exercise.  Pressing and holding two hands together or clasping fingers and attempting to pull them apart creates the resistance and is an example of an isometric exercise.

There are ways to adapt exercises to meet a person’s needs and current level of fitness.  For example, the push-up is a good body weight strength exercise for the chest, shoulders and arms.  Push-ups can be performed in the traditional manner or with knees touching (known as bent knee or modified) or in a descending manner.  Descending is when the push-up is started at the top position, arms already extended, knees off ground, body in a straight line and lowering the body slowly to the floor.  Once body is lowered, return body to top position and repeat.  If necessary, descending can also be done in the modified push-up position (knees touching the floor). 

the ourwellnesschallenge web site has strength videos as a resource plus there are many web sites to help a person find strength exercises  and develop a strength training program related to his or her current level of fitness.  A vary basic program can develop the major muscle groups and satisfy the requirements of the 90 day wellness challenge.

Strength training tips include:

• Exercise movement should be limited to the specific body part intended for that particular exercise, don’t try to include other muscles if not the intended focus of that particular exercise. 
• Maintain good balance, good body posture/alignment, good technique and good base of support
• Smooth, rhythmic movement not jerky or spastic movement
• Keep a steady head
• If not currently involved in strength training, start slow in terms of reps and sets and build-up as body adapts and develops.  Prevention of injury and excessive soreness is important to stay motivated.
• Some experts recommend alternating days between upper body strength exercises and lower body strength exercises to allow those muscles a chance to rest and build back up.  Any person taking that approach can wait until the second/alternate day to answer YES to the strength training challenge question. 
• One of the reasons strength training is so important as we age is because outside of proper calcium consumption level, it is the other known method to help maintain bone density. 

Activity

Activity – Points are earned by tracking minutes of activity along with identifying the activity as either moderate or vigorous.  As little as 5 minutes of continuous, full body activity will begin to earn points.  Participants will record minutes, type of activity, and whether it was moderate or vigorous.

The guideline for when Exercise becomes vigorous involves increased breathing, increased heart rate and/or perspiration.  Another rule of thumb is when maintaining normal conversation becomes uncomfortable. 

Since full body stretching is a health habit and is continuous from one stretch to the next, minutes spent on stretching exercises can count as moderate activity (not vigorous). 

Can an exercise be counted as both activity and strength training?   No, not for this challenge since continuous activity/exercise enhances the aerobic component and in terms of the muscles has greater benefits for muscular endurance (which is good) then muscular strength.  If counting an activity for the continuous activity component then do not count it also as a strength activity.  In order to enhance the muscular strength component, choose different exercises that focus on that element.  

Activity tips include:

• The body is designed to move so approach activity as a positive and get involved in activity you enjoy (or can at least tolerate J).
• Activity comes in many forms, not only exercise.  Lifestyle activities such as push mowing a lawn, raking leaves, vacuuming, etc., are activities that can count for this challenge. 
• Any movement the body is not accustomed to can produce soreness.   Start slow, see how the body responds and work up from there.   One of the biggest mistakes that a person can make is to start too hard and too strong when the body is not prepared for that type of movement.  Even the most basic of movements if not performed in some time will produce soreness.  Excessive soreness or injury decreases motivation.  
• The body needs a day of rest.  Research indicates the body is more prone to injury and breakdown when exercising daily, particularly when it is vigorous activity.  The minimum recommendation is 3 times per week and the maximum is 6 times per week. 
• Remember the general rule of thumb is that any appropriate activity is better than no activity at all.  People need to stay away from the mindset “if I cannot meet the minimum then I might as well do nothing.”  The body is designed to move and needs movement. 
• Big improvements can result by taking those first small steps of healthy habits.