Fitness Tips Every Teen (& Parent) Should Read

By Sarah Walls

There’s a lot of good reasons for teens to engage in exercising regularly and stay fit. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that students who are physically active tend to have better grades, that higher physical fitness levels are associated with improved cognitive performance, and that those who participate in physical activities have fewer disciplinary problems.Yet many teens and their parents have questions about fitness that may be holding them back. “The benefits of being a fit teen are plentiful, but it’s important to also know how to help reduce injury risks and stay motivated over the long haul,” explains Coach Sarah Walls, personal trainer and owner of SAPT Strength & Performance Training, Inc. “Being fit and healthy is more than just exercising, so it’s a good idea to learn more about what you need to do to be healthy all around.”

Here are 5 fitness tips every teen should read:

1. Eat brain food. This is the good stuff, which is the unprocessed, whole foods, which include things like salads, poultry, lean meats, eggs, healthy fats, etc. Unprocessed foods are packed with vita-

2. Train to be more useful. Going to the gym to work on your “abs” and “beach muscles” is usually done with endless sit-ups and biceps curls, but you can get the same effect by training to be more athletic, faster, and generally more useful in life, which means working to get your entire body stronger specifically for you.

3. Go into Do Not Disturb mode. A big part of mental fitness is the ability to step away from the phone calls, texts, and Instagram feeds. Your mind will keep you feeling better when you walk away from those things more often.

Appreciate that nothing happens overnight. When embarking on a fitness routine, it helps to celebrate the small victories that come with the little daily improvements.Yes, you may want to get a big bench press or increase your vertical jump by several inches - both are worthy pursuits, but both also take time and dedication. Learn to love the small changes and watch how they lead to meeting big goals.

5. Beware of the changes. Fitness has changed a lot in 20 years, so be careful whose advice you take. There are plenty of well-intended coaches and parents who dole out advice that is at best antiquated and at worst downright dangerous. Listen to your body, ask questions, and seek out expert advice when you need it! “The teen years are a great time to work on fitness and for laying the foundation for a healthy body and future,” added Coach Walls. “The more you know about what it takes, the less you are looking for an overnight fix. Getting fit, whether you are a teen or a senior citizen, takes time, patience, and dedication. But it’s worth it!”

Promote your race event in any bi-monthly edition of Suburban Family Magazine and receive an enhanced listing in the FITNESS EVENTS section. For more information or to reserve your space call 630-863-7183.

Sign up for an endurance race. Take on a new challenge, support a good cause or run/walk/roll for the health of it. Be certain to select an event within your range of conditioning and consult a physician before beginning any exercise program. NOTE: The 2023Annual Race Guide can be found on our website. Check back for updates in every bi-monthly issue.

July

SATURDAY, JULY 1

Liberty 5k Run/Walk. Morris. grundypads.org

Stars and Stripes 5K. Tinley Park. tinleyparkdistrict.org

TUESDAY, JULY 4

Run For Freedom 5k. Antioch. cm.antiochchamber.org

4 on the 4th 4-Mile Run. Elmhurst. 4on4th.com

Firecracker 5K Run/Walk. Warrenville. warrenvilleparks.org

SATURDAY, JULY 8

Savage Race. Chicago. Savagerace.com

Heroes Funtastic 5K. Geneva. shopgenevacommons.com/event/heroes-funtastic-5k

FRIDAY, JULY 14

Mutt Strut VIRTUAL 3 Day 5k for Homeless Animals. muttstrut5k.itsyourrace.com Night Trail Run. Lemont. forgeparks.com

SATURDAY, JULY 15

Quadruple Dog Dare. Sugar Grove. worthyourmile.com Big Ten 10K. Chicago. btnbig10k.com

SUNDAY, JULY 16

WALK for Pancreatic Cancer. Naperville. lustgarten.org/naperville

THURSDAY, JULY 20

Sundowner 5K Run, Splash Dash, and Kids’ Races. Joliet. jpdrun3.com

SATURDAY, JULY 22

North Shore Taco 5K Fun Run, Walk and Stroll.

Highwood. Celebratehighwood.org

Margarita Mayhem 5K. Elk Grove Village. Runsignup.com

The Forge: Lemont Quarries Off Road Triathlon Lemont. forgeparks.com

Road Warrior Race. Carol Stream. worthyourmile.com

Kids’ Triathlon. Wauconda. waucondaparks.org

SUNDAY, JULY 23

Adult Triathlon. Wauconda. waucondaparks.org

SATURDAY, JULY 29

CowaLUNGa 3 Day Bike Ride. Gurnee Mills. resphealth.org

Kids Team Dri Tri. Oak Brook. obparks.org

SUNDAY, JULY 30

Park Center Sprint Triathlon and Aqua Bike Race. Glenview. glenviewparks.org

KIDS Strong Kids Triathlon. Wheeling. Wheelingparkdistrict.com

August

SATURDAY, AUGUST 5

Bubble Fun Run. Park Ridge. Compasstocare.org

SUNDAY, AUGUST 6

Sprint Triathlon, Duathlon, Bike, and Kids’ Triathlon. Naperville. napervilletri.events

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12

Girl Scouts National S’mores Day

Saturday, August 12 from 10AM - Noon

1.5-mile run/walk Kids fun run at Camp Greene Wood. S’mores after party to follow. Families can participate in either event. www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org

Lupus Walk. Naperville. Lupuswalkil.org

Whipper Snapper Youth Triathlon. Arlington Heights. Ahpd.prg

Tour de Cure Ride. Pottawatomie Park. tour. diabetes.org

SUNDAY, AUGUST 13

Run the Crossroads Grande Park 5K. Plainfield. Raceroster.com

SATURDAY, AUGUST 19

Rugged Maniac 5K Obstacle Race. Grayslake, WI. ruggedmaniac.com

Run The Rails Race. Elburn. Facebook.com/runtherails Stan’s Donut Run. Chicago. Donut5k.com

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20

Alpine Races. Lake Zurich. Alpinerunners.com

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26

Chicago Triathlon Sprint and Kids’ Triathlon. Chicago. chicagotriathlon.com

Tough Mudder Obstacle Race. Rockford. toughmudder.com

SUNDAY, AUGUST 27

Fort2Base Race 10 Nautical Mile or 3 Nautical Mile. North Chicago. fort2base.com Chicago Triathlon Sprint and Kids’ Triathlon. Chicago. chicagotriathlon.com

Bike for the Kids. Elgin. easterseals.com

Bartlett Lions Day Dash 5k/10k – Bartlett. Raceroster.com

Save The Date

American Lung Association

LUNG FORCE Walk

Walk with us to help end lung disease!

Saturday, September 16th 8:30am -12:00pm

Cantigny Park | Wheaton, IL www.LungForce.org/Chicago

NAMIWalks Kane-south, Dekalb and Kendall Counties

Saturday October 21 at 8:30am

All proceeds benefit your local NAMI Affiliate

NAMI KDK

Peg Pond Center Pavilion

151 N Island Ave, Batavia IL 60510 www.namiwalks.org/kdk

Small Steps, Bold Strides

Make

September 16, 2023 9am

Cantigny Park|Wheaton, IL

Register for free at LUNGFORCE.org/Chicago

Heel Pain, Foot Pain & Plantar Fasciitis

Ankle Fusions, Ankle Replacements & Ligament Surgery

Emergency Breaks, Sprains & Fractures (Skip the ER!)

Orthotics, Bracing & Diabetic Inserts

Pain, Numbness, Tingles & Other Odd Symptoms

Kids' Foot Pain & Sports-Related Injuries

By Rebecca Hastings

Teaching your child how to do double-digit addition or about World War II is important. But those are limited skills and facts. Teaching your child to love learning offers them a lifetime of discovery, far outside the classroom.

Here are 18 easy ways to foster a love of learning in the middle of everyday life.

Reading not only has physical and emotional benefits but there is also concrete evidence that it helps brain development and academic growth. With so much possibility, reading is the perfect way to help kids fall in love with learning.

While reading to your children has many benefits, letting them see you read shows kids that reading is forever. It’s not just for babies. It’s not just for school. Read in front of them (and Facebook doesn’t count).

Time outside provides opportunities for fine and gross motor development, risk-taking, and exploring, all of which prove beneficial to learning. There is also a direct correlation between time outside and stress reduction, confidence building, and exposure to different stimulation.

The brain benefits of music are numerous. Plus, music can bring joy and relaxation, and help them express ideas.

True learning goes far beyond grades in a classroom. Show them you believe that.

Give kids the opportunity to explore the things they love. If your child is into trains right now find books about trains, build a train, draw a train, and watch trains at the train station. Allow your child to guide their learning through their passions. Let them know when you discover something new. “Wow, I never knew that popcorn could burn so quickly. I wonder why.” Kids need to see that we are always learning, even in the ordinary.

I know, as a parent, it feels like all we do is answer questions. So start asking. “How did that bird know I just put birdseed out?” or “Why are there police officers guarding the construction workers?” Questions are the foundation of learning.

I know it can be painfully slow, but letting them pay at the store and count change is real-life learning. And if you use plastic for all your payments, talk about how that works too.

Encourage them to think freely about things, without boundaries. Some of the best ideas started with wild wondering!

School keeps kids busy learning good things. But there is less room for play on a regular day. Giving kids the opportunity to play with no agenda allows them to be better thinkers.

Math facts are foundational for good mental math, but kids don’t always want more schoolwork. Make math facts fun by asking them when you’re doing something else like driving, hiking, making dinner. Make it easy, fun, and short!

Even as kids get older, picture books can provide unique learning opportunities. Increased connection with the text, vocabulary, and a more sensory approach to reading helps the experience be enjoyable and beneficial.

Visit the sea or a mountain. Spend time at the free art museum or check out the historical house in town. Experiences make learning part of life and create a schema, a personal framework for learning.

Giving kids the chance to create through art, music, science, or any imaginative play helps them develop better thinking skills that translate far outside the classroom.

Helping with adult tasks gives kids new skills and shows them the need to learn throughout life. Cooking, taking pictures, changing the oil, doing laundry all show kids that there is always something new they can do.

Often. Let them see that failure is part of learning. Recognizing failure as part of the learning process rather than an end to learning shows kids to keep going. Demonstrate that it’s ok, even good, to fail because it’s all part of the learning.

It’s one of the simplest things you can do with endless possibilities. Read to learn, for fun, and life.