Family Fitness

As part of an effort called Joining Forces, which supports U.S. service members and their families, fitness professionals can donate personal training time, fitness classes, equipment and DVDs to military personnel. The American Council on Exercise is facilitating this fitness component of Joining Forces.

So far its members have pledged over 100,000 hours of their time to be redeemed by activated, soon-to-be activated, or recently deployed military reservists and National Guard members and their immediate families. If you qualify, visit ACE to look for trainers in your area who are offering services.

Thanks to all our military service members and their families this Memorial Day weekend.

With Memorial Day weekend almost here in the U.S. (and Victoria Day just over in Canada), it's time to kick off summer! I have six suggestions to help you make this summer your family's most fun yet, with an emphasis on outdoor time and active play. At our house, we are looking forward to visiting the pool, going for bike rides, and just enjoying the lovely weather, longer days, and (shhhh) lack of homework.

You can also find information and advice on shaping up for summer across the About network. What's on your plate for summer 2012?

_{Photo: Digital Vision}

My city just created its first StoryWalk. It's a joint effort between the parks and rec department and the library, and I love the concept: Pages from a children's book are laminated, attached to stakes, and placed along a walking path. Families follow the path to share both a story and a walk together. Adorable!

The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg Hubbard Library. It's now spread to dozens of other U.S. states as well as locations in Canada and Bermuda. Visit the link above for more information if you're interested in bringing a StoryWalk to your community.

Having just received notice of the fee for my daughter's skating team next year, I am very familiar with this issue: Kids' sports are expensive, and not just for private leagues or clubs. Results from a recent C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health show that 61% of kids who participate in school sports must pay a fee (independent of transportation and equipment costs) to play. Only 6% were able to have fees waived.

As might be expected, only about one-third of kids from lower-income families participated in sports, while more than half of kids with higher-income parents played sports. Results are based on a representative sample of parents of kids ages 12 to 17.

Overall, the poll found, participating in sports costs parents almost $400 per child, of which an average of $93 went to school fees. Read more about saving money on youth sports, and let me know if you have cost-saving suggestions to add.

Do you subscribe to any "flash sale" websites--the kind that offer short-term deals on specialty items, like designer shoes, kids' clothes, or housewares? I've never been tempted, since I just don't tend to shop that way. I shop for what I need, not what's on sale.

However, a new player on the flash sale scene got me to fork over my contact info. It's called Lucky Chic and (maybe you guessed this?) it specializes in health and fitness brands and products. I've only just begun to check it out, but the site promises deals on activewear, electronics, vitamins and supplements, beauty products, and fitness equipment. I compared the retail value listed on Lucky Chic with manufacturer's sites, and found them to be accurate; the sale prices were typically 50 to 60 percent off.

To join, just enter your name, email address, and zip code, then tick off a few boxes stating your favorite workouts and activities. You'll then see relevant deals, typically available for 2 to 3 days only--after which they're replaced by a new set of offerings.

Have you found good buys on flash sale sites? Any advice for newbies?

What's that? Via his foundation, chef and healthy eating advocate Jamie Oliver is organizing Food Revolution Day this Friday, and dinner parties are part of the celebration. "Food Revolution Day is a chance for people who love food to come together to share information, talents and resources; to pass on their knowledge and highlight the world's food issues," says the Jamie Oliver Foundation. To participate, you can host a party featuring fresh ingredients (no boxed or processed foods please!).

Or, search for a food event near you. Restaurants, farmers' markets, groceries and food businesses are sponsoring tastings, cooking demos, and other events celebrating healthy, whole, local foods. Schools and companies can also participate by signing a pledge to promote food education. The entire event is also a fundraiser for foundation projects in the U.K., the U.S., and Australia.

Early this week I injured my wrist while ice skating. Yes, at my age; yes, in May; yes, my wrist and not my ankle. At the figure skating club's annual ice show, moms are invited to participate in a special number with their skaters. My daughter has been wanting me to do it for three years, and I finally said yes--only to tumble backwards during my second practice, breaking my fall with my left wrist. (But not before also hitting my head. Ouch.)

My wrist isn't broken, but it is sprained and sore. My doctor gave me a brace and told me to ice the wrist twice a day. I remembered my stash of Arctic Ease cooling pads, which turned out to be perfect for the job. Within about a day, I noticed improvement in my pain and swelling. So I'll be back on the ice for tonight's performance. Wish me luck!

Eleven- to thirteen-year-olds will have a new Little League division, and field, to call their own starting in 2013. The league's international board of directors approved the new division this week. It will feature a 50-foot pitching distance and 70-foot base paths. The "50/70" infield dimension is considered a bridge between the 60'/90' standard baseball diamond and the 46.5'/60' infield dimension used for younger Little Leaguers.

It has been tested as a pilot program since 2010. Little League International is now preparing rules and regulations for regular season and tournament play for this division, which has not yet been named. If you're the parent of a baseball player, how do you feel about this new division?

_{Photo: Ryan McVay}

Is your child signed up for summer camp yet? While enrollment is closed at many camps, some still have openings. Check into city-run programs or late-summer sessions. If your child is interested in sports camp, her coach may be able to suggest some options--or may even be running a program himself.

Once you've shelled out your deposit, you can start preparing your child for camp. You'll need both practical tips (suggestions for what to pack) and advice for emotional preparedness (to keep homesickness at bay). Has your child participated in sports camps? Share your advice for other parents in the comments below or on Facebook.

_{Photo: Barry Austin}

I'm sure you've seen the question posed: How can the U.S. struggle with both obesity and poverty at the same time? How is it that children in lower income families are overweight, if their parents don't have enough money to buy food? In fact, the two conditions are often related. Healthy, nutrient-dense food can be expensive and hard to find, and children who eat two meals a day at school may be getting too much fat and sodium.

Recently released research also shows another connection between poverty and obesity. Low-income mothers can suffer from "food insecurity," or a fear of not having enough food for their families. When they do, they may create feeding patterns and habits in their babies that can lead to obesity later--practices such as adding cereal to babies' bottles and bottle-feeding instead of breastfeeding (breastfed babies have an easier time learning to regulate their feelings of hunger and fullness, so they stop eating when they are full).

"Understanding the reasons why poverty puts families at greater risk of obesity is essential to addressing the epidemic," said the study's lead researcher, Rachel Gross, MD, assistant professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and The Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York. The study will be published in the journal Pediatrics.