You really can learn a lot from your local library, even just by stepping through the front door. Like for example, I had no idea that May was known as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. But lo and behold the library knew this and selected a slew of fitness books to be displayed on the bookshelves right up front so that you can’t help but notice them upon entering. (Drew me in like an ant to a picnic.)
And they have this nice little sign displayed above telling me about May being Fitness month in typical local library fashion; with neon yellow colored paper and clip-art graphics. (As a former full-time graphic designer, signs like this make me want to run to the staff exclaiming like Mommy-Dearest’s Joan Crawford, “No Colored Paper!”) Moving on. So in my blog a few days ago, when I said that I was officially changing the month of May to the Get Your Rear in Gear Month, I really wasn’t kidding. (Apparently the government and I aren’t as different as I like to think.)
Upon further investigation with my pal Goog, (that would be Google to you), what I discovered was that the government has set up what they call The President’s Challenge with programs for kids, teens, adults and seniors. No one is left out here, exercise loves everyone. (Albeit unrequited love in most cases.) If you go to www.presidentschallenge.org, you can choose from two programs that are geared towards making fitness a part of your daily life. There is the Active Lifestyle program and the Presidential Champions program. I went for the Presidential Champions program which is set up as a points system where you first work towards the Bronze medal (an accumulated 20,000 points is in order here), and then onto striving towards the Silver medal (45,000 points) and then finally to the Gold medal (80,000 points). Presidential Champions is for those who are already active and are looking to raise the stakes and bring their fitness to a whole new level. (Sounds like Tony Horton talking. He’s the master-mind behind the new workout craze P90X; where X is for Xtreme! Ah Tony, you’re a cheesy dude but that’s what we love about you!) It would appear that the government is trying to let us know that we can all be Olympians in our own right with this program. (Unfortunately, once you reach your desired medal status, it won’t be presented to you by the President himself. You’ll need to order your own medal and create your own home ceremony complete with step-stool so as to elevate yourself while your kids/spouse/housekeeper adorns you with your medal. Feel free to play the Star-Spangled Banner in the background to make the experience complete.)
A program like this is perfect to set up as a corporate competition or even as a friendly family competition. The exercises that you can choose from that goes towards building up your points vary from the everyday to the not so everyday. For example, cheerleading is an activity, (I know, who knew? As an athlete in high school, my friends and I always thought that cheerleaders were the girls who couldn’t make the cut; apologies to my sister Liz here), along with whitewater rafting, frisbee, gardening and juggling; seriously. (Do you see how desperate a state we’re in with the obesity epidemic? They’re practically giving away fitness through this program.) All kidding aside, the truth is that any activity is better than none. So spread your fitness wings this month and work on getting in as much fitness as you possibly can. After all, it’s Get Your Physical Fitness Rear in Gear and Be Sporty Month!
