Tag Archives: Active

I am part of the Mom It Forward Blogger Network and this post is sponsored by the Together Counts/Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital. As always my words and views are 100% my own.

Some of my greatest memories growing up are from great times had as a Girl Scout. The activities, crafts, learning experiences and outdoor adventures have remained with me all my life. Those experiences inspired me to lead my daughter’s Girl Scout troop. Seeing the Girl Scouts as both a scout and a leader showed me what awesome resources there were for girls and their leaders. I remember going to many leader trainings and the sense of camaraderie was so heartwarming.

I learned some great life lessons and values in my time as a scout and as a leader I tried to do that for the girls I was leading. I am excited to share the collaboration of the Girl Scouts Nations’s Capital and the Together Counts program. Together Counts is a program by the “Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation” to reduce obesity through active and healthy living. Inspiring physical activity and good nutrition are the fundamentals of this program.

Balancing Act:

The principle behind the Together Counts is called Energy Balance, which just means balancing the calories we consume with the calories we expend.

Energy In: the calories you get from eating and drinking.

Energy Out: the calories you burn from physical activities.

Now that Summer is officially here, some great ways to get Energy Out are camping, hiking, swimming, biking, planting gardens, mowing lawns, running, community service and so much more. Just getting out and being active makes such a difference. See our list below for inspiration and ideas how to get that Energy Out!

Great Resources:

Girl Scouts in partnership with the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation developed three “Healthy Habits” booklets.  These free booklets are an excellent resource to use with Daises, Brownies, Juniors, Girl Scout leaders, volunteers and their families to guide them in fun, easy ways to achieve “energy balance.” They provide inspiration and ideas to help girls learn the habits and lead healthy, active lifestyles.  The Healthy Habits booklets are helpful for volunteers to use in conjunction with their Journey Adult Guides.

The 3 Healthy Habits booklets available for download include:

• Between Earth and Sky with Healthy Habits – girls learn about the many plants, trees,and animals that flourish in nature, and also build important leadership skills.
• WOW! Wonders of Water with Healthy Habits – girls discover the many forms and paths that water takes and how to protect it. They also learn how to engage in teamwork,speak effectively to convey a message, and inspire others.
• Get Moving! with Healthy Habits – girls learn how to use their energy to protect Earth’s energy and build important leadership skills.

Girl Scouts

My involvement with the Girl Scouts has been such a treasured time of my life as well as my daughter’s life. I love that Health and fitness have been part of Girl Scouting since girls ran foot races in 1912! Camping is essential to Girl Scouts mission. It is about the outdoors, and developing a deep appreciation for nature. I can recall many enjoyable, active outdoor activities and camping trips. Girls enjoy camping with their troop or attending a Girl Scout day, evening or resident sleep-away camp. From high adventure with kayaking, archery and rock climbing to traditional camps with crafts, singing, hiking and cooking over an open fire, Girl Scout camps give girls an opportunity to grow, explore, and have fun under the guidance of caring, trained adults. Find your local council to enroll girls in camp programs.

Girl Scouts’ leadership program is girl-led. And Girl Scouts sure do a lot with guidance from caring adult mentors! From national badge programs to council-wide events, each council offers a variety of exciting program opportunities for girls of all ages. Volunteers are supported with program level and subject training courses online and in classroom settings. There is a lot of peer-to-peer support and mentoring, and quality publications to support the delivery of high quality programs. To locate the council nearest you, see the Girl Scout Council Finder.

Follow Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital on  Twitter and Facebook for council information including awards, photos, resources, highlights from council events and volunteering as well as partner content for Together Counts!

Helpful Links:

• Together Counts Website –The website is consumer friendly—aimed at parents and educators and provides resources, tips, recipes and more.
• Together Counts Blog – The Together Counts blog is the main source of all consumer-friendly news including HWCF campaigns, announcements and content from HWCF partners around the topic of healthy eating habits and incorporating more physical activity.
• Together Counts Twitter – On Twitter, Together Counts shares everything from digital assets(video, infographics) to industry or conference news related to food in addition to campaign and partner news.
• Together Counts Pinterest – Together Counts’ resource for sharing recipe inspiration from across the network, family activity ideas and pins from partners that relate to family eating and activity including Girl Scouts, Healthy Dining Finders, etc.

Would love to have your thoughts on this great collaboration as well as any of your experiences as a scout or leader you would like to share in the comments.

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