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Adolescent obesity has tripled over the last two decades, so "it's neverbeen more important for teenagers to make better food and physical activitychoices," according to certified sports dietitian Tara Gidus, RD, a nutritionconsultant to the Orlando Magic NBA team. That's why Get Fit By Finals willcall on teens of all activity levels to take simple steps to help improvephysical fitness and nutrition -- such as being active for at least 60 minutesa day and drinking 3 glasses of lowfat or fat free milk each day.
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Get Fit By Finals is based on the latest federal physical activityguidelines, and draws on the fitness expertise of the NBA and WNBA trainersand the nutrition expertise of NBA sports dietitians to help teens achievetheir own personal fitness goals. New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul andPhoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi, who are the latest stars to sport thefamous milk mustache for the Body By Milk campaign, will "tip off" thesemester-long program at the NBA All-Star Game on February 12 and issue achallenge to teens to Get Fit By Finals.
"Exercise and good nutrition helped make me what I am today and arecritical in allowing me stay on top of my game," says Chris Paul, a two-timeNBA All-Star. "Along with Diana Taurasi and some of the top athletes andfitness and nutrition experts from the NBA and WNBA, we're going to give teensacross the country an assist in reaching their own personal best and helpingthem Get Fit By Finals."
Drink Milk, Stay Active and Join the Challenge
Teens can join the Get Fit By Finals Challenge at bodybymilk.com. Whetherthey're star athletes or just wanting to improve their fitness level, theprogram has something for teens of all ability levels and interests to helpthem achieve their personal goals. To help motivate teens to get involved,Challenge participants will be eligible to win a variety of prizes, includingsports equipment and a VIP experience at the 2009 NBA Finals. Participatingschools also have a chance to win a gym makeover by showing how they rallytheir students to get fit.
Exclusive Get Fit Tips and Tools
-- Exclusive NBA Training Videos: Teens can watch exclusive videos eachweek at bodybymilk.com to get the inside scoop on how the pros stay fit andhealthy. Featuring some of the best players from the NBA and WNBA, as well asNBA trainers and sports dietitians, each video covers different fitness ornutrition topics to help guide teens on the road to fitness, NBA-style.
-- Get Fit "Daily Drills": Teens can receive daily video tips from NBApros suggesting simple behavior modifications they can make each day to helpthem Get Fit. Teens can get their Daily Drills online or they can opt toreceive them via e-mail -- whatever suits them best!
-- Online Personal Fitness Tracker: To help them stay on track with theirfitness routine, teens will receive a free Personal Fitness Tracker when theysign up for the Get Fit By Finals Challenge. This exclusive online tool helpsthem log their minutes of daily exercise and milk consumption, journal theirprogress towards reaching their personal goal, and assign a "Get Fit Champion"to follow along and provide motivation. Some studies suggest journaling can bean effective way of reaching personal fitness and health goals.
-- Get Fit "To Go": Teens won't have to go far to get expert fitness tipsand exclusive NBA content. The Get Fit "widget" is a one-stop shop for programinformation, serving up weekly videos, Daily Drills and a link to theirPersonal Fitness Tracker - all from the convenience of their own socialnetwork page or desktop. Teens can grab the widget at bodybymilk.com --thenthey're good to go!
Get Fit Rewards
Getting fit can be a rewarding experience - especially with the support ofMilk and the NBA. When teens join the Get Fit By Finals Challenge, they'llreceive a special Get Fit rewards package featuring discounts on fitness gear.Frequent "mini-challenges" will encourage teens to show how they're gettingfit for the chance to bag some sweet rewards, and teens who show how they'regetting fit using their Personal Fitness Tracker will be eligible to win tripsto the NBA Playoffs and a grand prize of an all-expenses-paid VIP experienceat the 2009 NBA Finals. Plus, there are cool sweepstakes prizes for all teens,whether or not they join the Challenge.
Get the Body You Want
Being active and eating right is key to getting fit and maintaining ahealthy weight -- and it's important to think about what you drink, too,according to Gidus, who assisted with the development of the nutritioninformation for the new campaign. Regular exercise and a healthy diet thatincludes drinking lowfat or fat free milk is not only a healthier choice; itcan also help teens look and feel their best. In fact, studies suggest thatteens who drink milk instead of sugary drinks tend to be leaner than teens whodon't.
Gidus describes milk as a "nutrient-packed fitness drink" and believes itplays a powerful role as part of a physically active routine. "Milk makes agreat choice after exercise because it contains a mix of nutrients that helpmuscles recover and refuel, which may help active people get back in thegame," she says. "Milk also contains high-quality protein to build leanmuscle, calcium to keep bones strong, electrolytes such as potassium,magnesium and calcium that are lost in sweat, and fluids to help withhydration."
Get Fit By Finals encourages teens to drink 3 glasses of lowfat or fatfree milk a day to help get the nine essential nutrients active bodies need,including calcium, protein, vitamin D and potassium. "It's a simple behaviorchange that can add up to make a big difference," says Gidus. "Choosing lowfator fat free milk over nutrient void beverages is one easy way teens can cutout empty calories and in their place, get important nutrients to help themlook and feel healthy."
Get Fit With Your School
Get Fit By Finals will be encouraging schools across the country to riseto the challenge to improve teens' health and fitness. Tens of thousands ofschools nationwide will receive special Get Fit activation kits that willinclude expert fitness and nutrition videos, tips and drills from the NBA, andposters and banners of Chris Paul and Diana Taurasi for school cafeterias andgyms that will urge teens to get fit. From February through June, NBA and WNBAplayers, legends and trainers will be making stops at secondary schools acrossthe country to rally students to Get Fit By Finals.
About Body By Milk(R)
Body By Milk(R) is part of the National Milk Mustache "got milk?"(R)Campaign, a multi-faceted education program focused on the health benefits ofmilk. The campaign is managed by the Milk Processor Education Program(MilkPEP) in Washington, D.C., which is funded by the nation's milkprocessors, who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. Lowe NewYork is the creative agency for the National Milk Mustache "got milk?(R)"Campaign.
About The NBA
The NBA, founded in 1946, is a global sports and entertainment brand thatfeatures 30 teams in the United States and Canada. During the 2008-09 season,NBA games will reach 215 countries and territories in 41 languages. Theleague's worldwide reach will be reflected in the 77 international playersfrom 32 countries and territories on NBA rosters. NBA merchandise is sold inmore than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents. NBA.com averagesmore than five million daily visits, with more than 50 percent of the site'svisitors come from outside of North America.
Domestically, the NBA will broadcast 143 regular-season games on nationaltelevision during the 2008-09 season on ABC, TNT, ESPN and ESPN2. NBA TV,launched in 1999 as the first 24-hour television channel created and operatedby a professional sports league, will broadcast an additional 96 games. NBACares is the league's social responsibility initiative that builds on theNBA's long tradition of addressing important social issues in the UnitedStates and around the world. Through this umbrella program, the NBA, its teamsand players have donated more than $97 million to charity, provided more than800,000 hours of hands-on service to communities around the world, and createdmore than 350 places where kids and families can live, learn or play.
SOURCE Milk Processor Education Program
