Free, at-home program promotes health, exercise and nutrition for children and families
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (June 2, 2015) ? Even though school is out and kids no longer have their routine physical education classes, parents can keep them active this summer with the newly launched Hy-Vee KidsFit website. Hy-Vee, Inc. designed this free, online program to help kids and families make health, exercise and nutrition priorities in their everyday lives.
Hy-Vee KidsFit is an interactive health and wellness website for children, teens and families that offers a free, online personal trainer. The workouts and activities featured on KidsFit require no equipment or gym memberships, making it accessible to children and teens of all skill levels. The website ? www.hy-veekidsfit.com ? also features fun workout videos, nutrition blogs written by Hy-Vee dietitians and health lessons.
"At Hy-Vee, we want to make it easier for kids and families to make healthier choices. With its easy, fun format, Hy-Vee KidsFit inspires families to establish good fitness and nutritional habits in their daily lives," said Andy McCann, executive vice president and chief health officer at Hy-Vee.
"We know that not every child has the access or interest to play organized sports. We hope a broad range of kids can use the free KidsFit tools to stay active and healthy. Even children who participate in sports can benefit from having equipment-free workouts and tutorials on their computers or phones," McCann added.
The program was developed by certified personal trainer Daira Driftmier, who also serves as the online fitness coach on KidsFit.
"I am excited to help children and families learn more about health, exercise and nutrition," Driftmier said. "My goal is to inspire the next generation to commit to making healthy choices. I want kids to see that fitness is fun and show them how to make it part of their daily routine so they can be healthy for life."
As part of KidsFit, children ages 7-17 and their families can sign up for the 5-Week Challenge, which provides kids with a structure to take control of their personal health and fitness. Participants will earn virtual trophies and badges to help monitor their progress during the 5-Week Challenge, and they will be encouraged to stick to their goals through Driftmier's videos.
Hy-Vee KidsFit was recently introduced at the Exercising Your Character event in Des Moines, Iowa, which teaches fourth- and fifth-grade students about physical fitness, goal setting and character development. To celebrate the announcement, more than 7,300 children from 82 Iowa schools attempted to break the Guinness World Record for most individuals performing jumping jacks simultaneously.
For more information, visit www.hy-veekidsfit.com, or follow Hy-Vee KidsFit on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hyveekidsfit.
###
