The attendance variability, however, had no negative effects on the camp on Monday. There was always a plentiful amount of healthy snacks such as hard-boiled eggs, carrot sticks, and watermelon slices for the kids to munch on during their snack breaks.
These snack breaks were also the time allotted to provide the kids with nutritional education. The kids learned about fat and its effect on the body, good and bad protein, different carbohydrates, and they also learned to read and analyze nutrition labels on food products.
“This program, for us, is about giving the kids freedom of choice,” commented Jon Weber, a certified nutritionist and instructor at the camp. “I gave them options, the freedom to choose. I said, ‘You don’t have to follow what I say but at least you’ll have the education and maybe someday down the road you’ll consider it. But they’re all considering it now. The feedback is incredible.”
The kids actively participated in everything from Pilates to games of Capture the Flag, and eagerly answered questions about nutrition, which earned awards at the end of the week.
“The activities are really fun to do, and I also like exercising a lot,” said Maya Alvarez, a camp attendee. “But the most important thing [I learned] was the nutrition because I didn’t really eat healthy before this at all. Now I read the label of all the things I eat.”
The effects of camp were even visible at home.
“They are much more aware of the things that we eat,” said Audra Parrott, a parent whose children attend the camp.
“The other day my son was doing push-ups and sit-ups all on his own,” she said.
The camp runs Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon at Two Strike Park on Rosemont Avenue. For more information, www.fitnessclubforkids.com.
