Staying Fit Between Classes
June 18, 2009
Teachers focus on the fitness of the mind, but what are the best ways to focus on fitness of the body?
Physical education teacher Mike Pellet says that it is best to get in at least 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise, but there are always shortcuts teachers can take during the day to capitalize on those extra minutes, whether they be in between classes or after school. "Walking instead of talking the bus or you could bike to work"those are just some real easy ways, without going to far out of your lifestyle," he says.
Once you arrive at work, it is important to remember that as a teacher, you need to take care of your back since you are standing most of the day. "A bad back is caused from tight hamstrings," Pellet says, "So usually a leg stretch throughout the day will help with fatigue."
Pellet also suggests push-ups in between classes to help strengthen the upper body, but if this isn't a possible way to grab a little fitness during the day, at least try to take the stairs if they are available. One easy way to do this is to use a restroom on another floor.
After class, if you can get in a 45-minute aerobic work out, that is ideal, he says. "You can do step aerobics, if you need low impact aerobics, you also have aqua aerobics or spinning/cycling." He says if you are having trouble staying dedicated, try to get involved in exercise that involves groups, including adult volleyball or basketball teams.
When Pellet taught at the Schenectady school district in New York, the teachers took the teamwork to a serious level when they created a district-wide competition to lose weight. "We had a Battle of the Bulge," he says. "Each school had a coordinator, and whichever school lost the most weight won a certificate. We did that for about three months with bimonthly check-ins and everyone would talk about it."
He adds that exercise is of very little use if you do not eat right. "Eat small meals to increase metabolism," he says. And he warns to stay away from school lunches for the most part, as they can be loaded with fat and be low on nutrition. But if you cannot, there ways to salvage what might normally be a calorie-laden meal. "A big reason people get heavy is because they add the extra stuff," he says. If you get pasta, stay away from the Parmesan. If you get a baked potato, opt for the salsa instead of the sour cream and butter.
For Pellet, it is easy to stay fit, because it is part of his job. But for most teachers, their time constraints and lack of eating choices often make it harder to stay fit. In a place that should be nurturing students' bodies as well as their minds, what could your school district do to help teachers"and students"keep a healthier lifestyle?
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