Follow the Leader!

Think your community has what it takes to be a provincial leader in eating healthy and being active? Of course they do! We can all make simple changes to lead healthier lifestyles and set good examples for our families and communities by doing so. All of us know having healthy behaviors early in life is really important for good health. To complement that, community settings are a great place for children, youth and families to be active, eat healthful together, and have fun while doing so. This March municipalities across the province are going to have the opportunity to lead the way in promoting healthy lifestyles. There is an exciting challenge about to happen across Newfoundland and Labrador -Follow the Leader!

Starting March 1^st, Eat Great and Participate, a provincial program focused on healthy food and beverage choices for children and youth in public recreation, events, sport and community facilities, along with Municipalities NL and Recreation NL are featuring a friendly challenge to get people living well and feeling good. For communities interested in participating, municipal leaders will be given a weekly challenge to promote healthy eating and physical activity in effort to set a leading example for children and youth. What's great is this is all about health every size, and not weight loss. If you do lose weight by partaking in the challenge and changing a few habits of your own well that's great too, but it's really about taking steps to lead healthier lives. Currently on board are mayors and councillors from all over the province. Torbay, Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove, Appleton, Cambellton, Clarenville, Corner Brook, Reidville and in Labrador, Rigolet, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Makkovik, Hopedale, and Torngat Mountains Regional District are those who have signed up to set examples as leaders and have community members follow. 

What does Follow the Leader! entail? Each community will be given a kit including pedometers,  cookbook, apron and healthy eating resources. With these resources there will be challenges which will vary from week to week. Week one, strap on a pedometer and record steps for a week. Week two, add green or orange foods to as many meals possible. For the third week, participate in physical activity, say an organized sport like hockey, or perhaps simply walking and then refuel with a healthy snack. The fourth week is again an active event followed by a healthy snack but really encouraging the whole community take part. Online, www.followtheleadernl.ca will be tracking each community's progress. So not only can you see how your community will be doing, but you can also track the progress of others as well. Getting more points for your team will depend on the week. Essentially the more participation through physical activity events and percentage of community people involved will help to put your town in the lead. 

As seen in The Telegram February 20, 2012