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Preschoolers Nationwide Take A Healthy Plunge Into Spring

NOVI, Mich., March 20, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Thousands of Learning Care Group’s preschoolers are shaking off the winter doldrums today in the latest example of the company’s Grow Fit healthy lifestyle initiative at work: doing the Bunny Hop! Children at Childtime, Tutor Time, Children’s Courtyard, La Petite Academy and Montessori Unlimited are greeting the first day of spring with a simultaneous nationwide rendition of the beloved dance. More than 75,000 children and staff are slated to participate in the event at their own schools as part of Grow Fit. Now in its second year, the program aims to ensure children have the energy to learn and positions them for future success.

Making Healthy Lifestyles a Priority

Since its launch in October 2012, Learning Care Group’s Grow Fit program has become part of the school culture not only with fun special events, such as today’s localized Bunny Hop preschooler flash mob, but with daily lessons. The comprehensive initiative provides a clearly defined structure for nutrition and physical activity. While Grow Fit is a formal company policy, children and teachers alike continue to enjoy championing the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle.

“Through Grow Fit, we’ve prioritized nutrition and fitness as a foundation for supporting children’s healthy development and preventing childhood obesity, as well as chronic disease later in life,” said Learning Care Group CEO Barbara Beck. “We’ve made a commitment to give children the knowledge, motivation and experience to pave the way for a lifetime of healthy habits.”

In February, Learning Care Group reaffirmed its dedication to ensuring a healthy environment for the children in its care by joining the Partnership for a Healthier America and committing to meet the Let’s Move! Child Care standards.

What’s on the Menu?

Children at every Learning Care Group school are developing their palates through a well-balanced menu that features a host of fruits and vegetables, plenty of lean proteins and whole grains, and a variety of multi-cultural foods. Healthy nutrition habits are emphasized every day, including the importance of drinking water and following appropriate portion sizes. Offerings such as turkey tacos, Waldorf fruit salad and hummus (chickpea dip) and baked pita chips have become favorites, and children look forward to exploring new menu items. The spring/summer menu, coming in April, will include new offerings such as Cuban Beef Picadillo served over brown rice, Thai King chicken served over whole wheat noodles, and Cobb salad.

Learning Care Group has already made some dramatic progress through Grow Fit, under the guidance of a registered dietician. In just one year, the company has cut the equivalent of 5 semi trucks worth of sugar from children’s meals just by serving more water and reducing the amount of juice. While working to eliminate fried foods from the menu, the company sought a healthier alternative to the typical chicken nugget, a kid favorite. Now, just by switching from a breaded and fried nugget to a grilled chicken nugget, the company will trim 2,800 lbs of fat — more than a ton — in one year. That’s roughly the weight equivalent of a small car.

This is How Kids Grow Fit

Grow Fit follows the tenets of the Let’s Move! Child Care effort in the fight to prevent childhood obesity:

— Physical Activity: 1-2 hours of physical activity through the day, including outside play when possible– Screen Time: 30 minutes or less weekly at school; 2 hours or less daily at home; None for children under 2 — Food: Serve more fruits and vegetables. Eat meals family style whenever possible. Don’t serve fried foods.– Beverages: Access to water throughout the day. No sugar-sweetened drinks. For children 2 and older, low-fat or non-fat milk. No more than one 4-6 oz. serving of 100% juice per day.– Infant Feeding: Support all parents’ decisions about infant feeding. Breastfeeding mothers can provide their milk to their infants and are welcome to breastfeed during school time.

The company is already meeting a majority of the program goals, and also is providing educational support for parents to make healthier choices at home. Check out Learning Care Group’s Grow Fit program in action[1] and our Grow Fit Daily Dance Break[2].

About Learning Care Group, Inc.

Headquartered in Novi, Mich., Learning Care Group provides early education and child care services to children ages 6 weeks to 13 years within its portfolio of brands: The Children’s Courtyard, Childtime Learning Centers, La Petite Academy, Montessori Unlimited and Tutor Time Child Care/Learning Centers. Learning Care Group operates more than 900 schools (corporate and franchise) across 36 states, the District of Columbia and internationally, and has a system-wide capacity to serve more than 100,000 children. For more information, please visit www.learningcaregroup.com[3]

A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=24260[4]

References

  1. ^ Grow Fit program in action (www.globenewswire.com)
  2. ^ Grow Fit Daily Dance Break (www.globenewswire.com)
  3. ^ www.learningcaregroup.com (www.learningcaregroup.com)
  4. ^ http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=24260 (www.globenewswire.com)

Original Story Here

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Comments

  1. Reply

    What Is A Healthy Lifestyle? Im doing this assignment in science and i was wondering what do u need for a healthy lifestyle

    1. Reply

      A healthy diet is obviously an important factor. The best way to start is to simplify your diet, this means instead of focusing on calorie counting, reduce the size of your portions at each meal. Cut down on fats and carbohydrates. Make sure you are getting enough fresh fruit and vegetables daily. Reduce your intake of soda and caffeine. You will soon start to notice that you feel healthier and have more energy.

      Exercise is probably the second most important aspect to change. Exercise has a number of benefits including improving your mood, reducing chronic health problems, maintaining a healthy weight and boosting your energy.
      Stress

      Reducing your stress levels is key to a healthier lifestyle. You can cut down stress by recognizing the cause of your stress, changing your habits and not making excuses for maintaining high stress levels. Practices such as yoga, tai chi and qigong are great ways to help you control stress.
      Sleep

      Regular sleep is much more important for your health than many people realize. If you are not getting enough sleep you will feel irritable, find it difficult to concentrate, be more prone to illness and feel fatigued and lacking energy all the time.
      Substance Use

      If you are a smoker or consume alcohol on a regular basis, you are already reducing your chances of a healthy lifestyle. Smoking increases your risk of a number of diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Drinking depletes your immune system and can cause liver damage. Talk to your doctor about improving your lifestyle by reducing your alcohol intake and quitting smoking.
      Prevention

      Preventative health measures are one of the best ways to ensure that you do not succumb to serious illness. Preventative health care such as regular screening, reduction of risk factors and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and high cholesterol.
      Socializing

      Social activities are an important part of a healthy lifestyle. All work and no play doesn’t only make you dull, it increases your stress levels and can lead to depression. Recreation time is good for stress and can improve energy levels, as well as helping balance emotions and build strong connections between friends and relatives.
      Time Out

      Take time out. Whether it’s a ten minute break during your work day, a few hours during a busy family weekend to put your feet up or a relaxing vacation to get away from it all, everybody needs time out. Allowing yourself some time to put work and other stressors such as money on the back burner and to pamper yourself it reenergizing and good for you overall health
      Relationships

      Healthy personal relationships are vital to good health, whether its your partner, family members of close friends. Everyone needs someone to turn to sometimes and just knowing that you have a network of supportive loved ones around you can help keep you emotionally strong.
      Positive Thinking

      Self acceptance as an important factor for a healthy lifestyle. This means thinking positively about yourself and accepting yourself for who you are, warts and all. Maintaining a positive self image helps boost your confidence, prevent depression and reduce stress.

  2. Reply

    Why Is Healthy Lifestyle Important?

    1. Reply

      Everyone would have individual reasons why a healthy lifestyle is important, but here are some general ones:

      *Because health is wealth! Inasmuch as you cannot place a monetary value on healthy, vibrant life.

      *Because true health significantly reduces your likelihood to succumb.

      *Because you don’t want to have discomfort laying in some bed in the hospital when all you had to do was cook healthy meals at home to strengthen all systems in your body.

      *Because you don’t want to have to pay super high medical bills for being rushed to the hospital because of a stroke or heart attack. Remember the phrase: Pay now, or pay later. You could either pay a little more for healthy foods (grass-fed meats, fresh, organic produce, fresh milk, etc) or pay a boatload of money in the future for chemotherapy, surgeries, etc

      *Because you just want to feel good all the time and be able to play with your kids and grandkids, travel the world, accomplish your goals, look good – pretty much enjoy life!

      REMEMBER: your health is not only an asset, but a liability.

      Read Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price and begin to learn about true health.

      Wishing you the best in health.

      Mr. Obie
      http://www.ObiesHealthyFitness.com

  3. Reply

    How Can I Live A More Healthier Lifestyle? Hi everyone I am a 18 year old girl who is about to start college in a few weeks. Basically I want to start living a healthier lifestyle, because I want to have more energy than I do now since I am going to have a busy schedule this semester. Do you know of any exercises that I can do at home that could keep me in shape. Also how can I change my eating habits, as of now I just eat whatever I want. I’m 5’0 and weigh 148lbs which is about 30lbs overweight for my height I think.

    1. Reply

      Tips of a Healthier Lifestyle:

      Give your body the energy it needs
      Stay physically active
      Be positive and make your mind fresh all the time by being happy
      Keep your mind and body free of harmful drugs and alcohol.
      Practice safe living habits
      Get regular health care

      Diet Tips for Healthier Lifestyle: Avoid the tobacco, alcohol, drugs always and also caffeine most of the time. You may be consuming junk food mostly up to now. But that not makes a healthier lifestyle. Make yourself feed on the foods that are healthier like fiber foods, protein based, probiotic based, seeds, nuts, grains which nourish you well and provide the good nutritional value to your body. Also drink adequate water to have a well-balanced hydrated body.

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