Hitch Fit Living Magazine Volume 2 - September/October 2015 | Page 50

Are You an "A" Student?
by Diana Chaloux - LaCerte

Hitch Fit Kid Sydney Knoche

What is the first thing that comes to mind when I ask if you are an “A” student? Probably visions of your last report card!
What if I told you that you can be an “A” student, just by exercising every day? That’s right! The “A” that I’m talking
about has nothing to do with your grades, this “A” stands for Active!
So how can you tell if you are an “A” student? It’s simple really. How much exercise or physical activity do you get in a
day? If you exercise or are physically active for at least 30-60 minutes each day then you qualify as an “A” student!
That may seem like a lot of time! But keep in mind that exercise comes in many shapes and forms. You can get exercise
when you are alone or when you are with friends. You can exercise at home in your bedroom or on the playground at
school! Exercise can mean riding your bike, walking up and down the stairs, playing a team sport like basketball or
soccer, jumping rope or doing jumping jacks, dancing, jogging or walking, working out with weights, chasing your
brother or sister around the yard, climbing trees, playing hopscotch with your pals or swinging across the monkey bars,
and those are just a few examples! With all of these fun options you will rack up 30-60 minutes of activity in no time!
So why would you want to be an “Active” student? Actually there are a lot of great reasons! Staying active keeps your
body healthy, it will also keep your muscles, as well as your heart and lungs strong! Being active and exercising can
make you feel better both inside and out, it can improve your self confidence and put you in a good mood! In fact, when
you exercise your brain releases chemicals called endorphins (en – door – funz), which actually make you feel happier!
Being an “A” student will help you get in better shape, it will help you reach and maintain a healthy weight, if you enjoy
sports it will help you perform better at those as well. When you exercise and are physically active on a regular basis you
will even be able to stay more alert in class, and that is great for working on the other type of A, the grade!
In order to be an “A” student, you also need to eat healthy! Healthy foods provide your body with energy and that is
exactly what you need in order to stay active! When you make nutritious food choices it helps your body to grow strong
and allows you to reach your full physical potential. These foods also help you keep your body at a healthy weight!
It is very important to avoid eating junk foods which are high in fat and sugar because they will do just the opposite to
your body! They will make you feel tired, cause you to gain weight and they will not help your body develop as it should!
As an “A” student you should be eating lots of healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grain cereals and
breads, meats such as chicken and fish, dairy products such as yogurt and milk, and plenty of water!
If you are convinced that you want to be an “Active” student, but aren’t sure where to start, here are a few suggestions.
Figure out what activities you enjoy doing the most, maybe its sports, maybe it’s dancing or biking, only you know the
answer to that question! Make a list of these activities and start doing them as frequently as possible. Take some time and
talk to your mom or dad about ways they can help you become more active on a daily basis. I’ll bet your teacher or your
friends can give you some good ideas too.
By now you can see how much fun it is to be fit, healthy and active! So what are you waiting for, get out there, move
your body and become an “A” student today!
Quick Quiz! How much can you remember from this article?
Answers:
Active!
30-60
True!
Endorphins
Eat Healthy and Nutritious Food!

Questions:
What does the "A" stand for in this article?
How many minutes of exercise should you get per day to be an "active" student?
True or False - You can Exercise alone or with friends.
What is the name of the chemical your brain releases when you exercise?
In addition to staying active, what do you have to do to be an "A" student?