Goshen News, Goshen, IN

October 15, 2008

New class to help families make healthy changes


A new nutrition and fitness program offered by Goshen Health System this fall aims to help children and their families make healthy lifestyle changes — focusing on issues from self-esteem and inactivity to shaping positive attitudes about diet and exercise.

Teaching healthy habits at an early age, said Norma Monik, Healthy Generations’ fitness and nutrition coordinator, is easier than trying to unlearn bad ones.

Family Fun with Food and Fitness, offered by Goshen Health System's Healthy Generations is designed for families with children ages 5 to 8. The four-week program focuses on teaching children and their parents or caregivers about healthy eating and physical activity.

Beginning Oct. 27, classes will meet on Mondays from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. in the Arbor Conference Center at Goshen General Hospital. The cost is $25 for the four sessions.

Weekly classes include a nutrition lesson/activity, a fun physical activity, and a recipe demonstration/snack time. Both the child and parent will learn key nutrition concepts and participate in various physical activities to support a healthy lifestyle. Classes are taught together by a registered dietitian and an RN certified and has a degree in fitness and nutrition.

For more information, call 535-2855 or e-mail fitnessandnutrition@goshenhealth.com.

Healthy Generations, Goshen Health System's community outreach program, offers a number of community events from health screenings and health fairs to its worksite wellness program, Get Fit Get Healthy.

Additional programs include CPR/First Aid classes, EMS training, Diabetes Education, Childbirth Education, Fitness classes and Nurse on Call, the 24 hour Triage and Health Information Line. For more information contact Healthy Generations at 535-2621 or visit www.goshenhealth.org.