Newton News: Fitness for Kids

Newton Police are searching for this man who reportedly robbed Walgreens in Newton Corner on Monday evening at 630pm. He is described as a white male, over 6 feet tall, heavy build and was wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt with Patriots on the front, grey sweatpants with a stripe down the side and white sneakers. The suspect showed a knife to the male pharmacist demanding drugs. After obtaining an undetermined amount, he started to flee the store but was involved in a confrontation with another male employee. The suspect kicked the employee (transported to an area hospital) and fled the area on foot. Anyone having any information is urged to contact Newton Police at 617 796-2100 or use our tips line at 617 796-2121. Childhood obesity is on the rise. One way to conquer it is through exercise and proper nutrition. The My Gym Children’s Fitness Center in Newton offers youngster the chance to learn a healthy lifestyle all while having fun. Ana Bottary has more.

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By Jon Poorman

• Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years.^{1, 2}
• The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2010. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to 18% over the same period.^{1, 2}
• In 2010, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.¹
• Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors.³ Obesity is defined as having excess body fat.⁴
• Overweight and obesity are the result of “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed—and are affected by various genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.^5,6

Link to story: http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/20957788/my-gym

by Tara D

The Greater Boston community is rich with parents who make a difference in the lives of local families. We’ve decided it’s high time we started recognizing those parents, people like Ryan T. Debin, new owner of My Gym in Medfield.

We interviewed Ryan because we wanted to know more about him and his exciting new adventure with My Gym. We also had to find out how, as a 13-time Boston Marathoner with four kids, he manages to do it all.

Read on for the first interview in our new series, Poppins Parents, with Ryan T. Debin (RTD), fitness dad extraordinaire.

MP: Very briefly, for those who don’t know about My Gym – What is it, who participates in your programs, and what are some of the highlights of what you offer?

RTD: My Gym is a children’s fitness center where kids from 6 months to 13 years come to develop physical and cognitive skills in a fun and energetic atmosphere.  We offer birthday parties, camps, and weekly classes where little ones learn balance, strength, coordination, flexibility and social skills.

MP: What did you do professionally before you acquired My Gym of Medfield?

RTD: I studied finance in school and my career has always been linked to banking & finance; however, I have always been passionate about running service businesses.  Three months after graduating from Boston College, I took over a small real estate service company in Newton.  Although real estate is very different than children’s fitness, the common link is a business rooted in providing exceptional service.

MP: How did your acquisition of My Gym of Medfield come about, and why did you decide to embark on this new adventure?

RTD: My oldest boy is 6.  He started going to My Gym when he was 6 months old.  Our family was always drawn to the programs and content of what My Gym offers and we felt like we wanted to be a continued part of bringing this to the community.  I have always loved kids and this felt like a great way to have a positive impact on their lives.

MP: How actively involved are you in the day-to-day workings of the gym? Do you lead any classes or special events?

RTD: It’s only been a few weeks and there is so much to learn.  I plan to focus most of my time promoting the gym and outreach to the community.  I will lead some classes, parties and camps, but before I can give myself the green light I will be going to the corporate offices in California to spend 3 weeks learning the programming.  Instructors at our facility have 6 and 10 years of experience so I have much to learn, but I am excited!

MP: How has this new endeavor with My Gym changed you and your family?

RTD: It has definitely brought my wife and I closer together.  We work on many ideas together and it has been fun.  My boys are still a little young to fully understand what is involved, but we talk about the classes and brainstorm ideas as a family.  The best benefit of their involvement is that I can get real-time honest feedback from kids of their experiences.

MP: What are your four boys’ favorite things to do at My Gym?

RTD: I asked them directly and there was a little debate between the zip line, the trampoline and the ball pit.  But, the one thing they all agreed on was that they love Mr. Matt and Ms. Michelle.

MP: You have run thirteen consecutive Boston Marathons. Why did you decide to run the first one, and what has kept you going back every year? With four kids, how do you manage your time to allow for marathon training?

RTD: I ran the first one on a bet (no one thought I could finish).  I still can’t believe that I did it.  I keep going back each year to raise funds and awareness forHorizons for Homeless Children.  This is an organization that is so dear to my heart.  I had the good fortune to be invited to join the board of directors and I am so excited to be a part of the organization and all that it provides to children that are less fortunate.

How do I manage to find time to train?  Well, partly by waking up at 4:15 AM to go to boxing classes in Boston or long runs in the countryside.  But, there is absolutely no way that I could do it without the support of my wife, Jennifer.  It is clearly getting harder each year, but I am looking for ways to stay active and train with my children.

MP: What makes My Gym different from other active programs for kids?

RTD: Let’s face it… there are so many different things pulling for your kids attention.  My Gym offers a dynamic program unmatched in the area of Children’s fitness.  The layout of the gym changes each week.  The instructors spend hours preparing for lessons.  At the end of each class, we asses the classes to make sure that we are delivering something that really gets kids excited about coming back.

MP: How do you think My Gym enriches the lives of children and families?

RTD: In many ways, we are all reflections of our experiences.  My Gym offers kids an outlet for fun and excitement in a structured and safe setting. Many of our classes involve parents and children often bond with their parents from their experiences in class.  Programs like our Sibling Class offer a great way for families with multiple children to experience the fun of My Gym as a family.

MP: What is your advice to parents for keeping kids active?

RTD: The easiest way to do this is to find things that your kids love to do.  I find that my boys feed off my excitement.  So, instead of asking your kids if they want to go to the movies, try asking them if they want to go on an adventure hike through the forest.  If you are ever stuck and need help thinking of an idea, just go to Boston.MommyPoppins.com.  There is a great list of 100 Things to do in Boston with Kids.  My family is well on our way to checking off all the things on that list.  Of course, you can always try out a My Gym.

For more information about My Gym of Medfield’s programs, or My Gym’s other Boston area locations, visit My Gym of Greater Boston.

Source: MommyPoppins.com

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif.  (Grassroots Newswire) <Date> – The holidays offer special opportunities for family time: parties, visits from relatives, holiday traditions and more. But the child fitness experts at My Gym Children’s Fitness Center say that the New Year also brings an opportunity for family time – if parents and caregivers resolve to schedule regular time with their children for active play and other fitness activities.

“Parents need to focus on fun when they plan physical activities so that their kids will look forward to this special ‘family time’. This helps kids develop a positive attitude toward fitness that they will carry into their adult lives,” said Chief Marketing & Entertainment Officer for My Gym Enterprises, Matthew Hendison. “And, when families make it a point to schedule time for physical fun, they are teaching their children that fitness is important – just as important as other family priorities, like work, school, church or volunteering.”

LetsMove.gov offers ideas and tools to help families make and keep a resolution to add family fitness activities to their everyday schedules.  Even a simple change like taking a 30-minute walk after a meal three times a week offers real benefits in fitness – and family togetherness.  Schedule one of the walks for a weekend morning, or break it up into two 15-minute walks in the morning and the evening, and this simple goal becomes doable even on hectic weekdays.  The key, according to Hendison, is to set specific goals (not “walk more” but “walk 15 minutes after dinner every Tuesday and Thursday”) and make physical activity a priority, not something that you do “if you have time.”

Other ideas from Let’s Move to incorporate fitness activities into everyday living include:

• Park at the far end of the parking lot and count with your children the number of steps from the car to your destination. Write the number down and see if you can park even farther away on your next stop.
• Establish a “screen time” family competition. Challenge the family to see who can do the most push-ups or jumping jacks during commercial TV breaks.  (Limit “screen time” to no more than no more than two hours of computer or television time per day unless it’s related to work or homework, with no screen time at all for children under two years of age.)
• Start a new family tradition: Celebrate special occasions – birthdays, anniversaries – with something active, such as a hike, a volleyball game, or a Frisbee^® match.

By involving the whole family in learning about the importance of fitness and good nutrition, My Gym Children’s Fitness Centers are committed to combatting one of society’s most troubling problems: the growing trend toward childhood obesity.  Combining innovative physical early learning/pre-gymnastic classes with state-of-the-art facilities, My Gym Children’s Fitness Centers help children develop the skills, confidence and positive self-image needed to become healthy young adults.

“We work hard to keep the ‘fun’ in ‘fitness’ and focus on movement and individual progress to keep kids focused on their own personal goals,” said Hendison. “This non-competitive approach sets every child up for success and keeps kids excited about moving and learning about their own capabilities.”

To schedule a free trial class, or for more information about all of their programs and schedules, please visit www.mygym.com.

About My Gym Enterprises

Established in 1983, My Gym is a leading fitness center destination for children with more than 260 locations worldwide, including international locations in China, France, Canada and Brazil among others. More than 30 additional locations are planned to open worldwide in the next 12 months. My Gym combines innovative, early physical education/pre-gymnastics classes with state-of-the-art facilities to empower children – ages 6 weeks to 13 years – by helping them acquire the skills, confidence and positive self-image needed to become healthy young adults. My Gym’s award winning, structured, noncompetitive, and age-appropriate classes and birthday parties enhance children’s overall development through games, music, exercise, sports, gymnastics, puppets, special rides, and fun. The children gain strength, balance, coordination, fine and gross motor proficiency, agility, flexibility and social skills. In 2012, My Gym launched their new interactive Building Blocks Program to all enrolled children aged 2.5 years and older.  The Program helps children work toward specific milestones in their physical, cognitive and emotional development and then celebrates their achievements with stickers, progression ribbons, medals, trophies, graduation certificates, and more in periodic Building Blocks Acknowledgment Ceremonies.  The My Gym television show, “My Gym At Home” airs on BabyFirstTV, a 24/7 channel focusing on children’s development. For more information about My Gym and the location near you, please visit www.MyGym.com.

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by Rob Lancit

Over the last few years, My Gym Children’s Fitness Centers have experienced tremendous growth in Canada, bringing on several new franchise owners.

My Gym’s secret to success is their passionate franchisees and dedicated employees. The new franchisees come from a variety of backgrounds, but they all share a dedication to health and fitness of children. Tanya Ardron, My Gym Maple Ridge franchise owner, also owns a fitness centre for adults and feels the My Gym concept compliments it well.

“We believe that getting children to love fitness early, will better their chances for an active lifestyle as adults. When we started to research franchises we came across My Gym. After seeing classes in action, and meeting My Gym Enterprises we knew we found what we had been looking for” says Ardron who opened her location in January 2009.

Tamara and Sean Dollinger, My Gym Winnipeg franchise owners, bought into the business after the birth of their third child. When asked about what attracted them to the business, Dollinger told us: “We fell head over heels in love with the programming- we were blown away. Our children were over the top excited and so inspired by My Gym”.

The couple who opened their My Gym just last month noted, “It took us no time at all to realize how very badly Winnipeg needed a My Gym”!

Karen Davies, a member of the franchise team from Richmond HIll Ontario explains they “found the My Gym Enterprises team to be fully committed to nurturing young children and helping them to succeed. It was this dedication that made the decision to become part of the My Gym family an easy choice”. Davies and her partners will be opening their second location, this time in Markham Ontario, next month.

Adriana Lopez and Alfonso Quiroga will be opening their My Gym location this January in Langley, British Columbia. Their enthusiasm for My Gym is infectious. “We were looking for a business, and exceptional one, the best one. One were we could have fun and make good money at the same time. Something fresh, happy, friendly and dynamic, but formal and professional too.”

Lopez sums up the feelings of My Gym’s franchisees well when she says: “We wanted the best! And we found everything and more at My Gym!”