Disclosure: I have been compensated to share the Girls Scouts Healthy Habits Journey as part of the Together Counts initiative. My family’s healthy habits and opinions are my own.
As a mom on the run with a focus on fitness, food and family, I understand the importance of balance. I love sweets and fried food just as much as my kids do, but I also realize how important it is to consume these guilty pleasures in moderation. Therefore, I try to model for my kids how to fuel our bodies with the right types of foods, the occasional splurge and maintaining a healthy active lifestyle.
Even with the occasional splurge of sweets and high-fatty foods, there needs to be a balance in the calories we consume with the calories we expend. With cycling as a family and running in races like the Girls Scouts of West Central Florida Thin Mint Sprint, we achieve this balance.
As a mom of two Girl Scouts, I was thrilled to learn about the launch of the Girl Scouts of the USA’s Healthy Habits Journey Program and the Together Counts™ campaign, a nationwide program by the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation to inspire active and healthy living through physical activity and nutrition in the efforts to reduce obesity. The principle behind the program is called Energy Balance, which simply means balancing the calories we consume with the calories we expend.
The Girl Scouts are so much more than cookie sales. The Girls Scouting builds confidence, courage and character and now through the Healthy Habits Journey program, it builds a foundation for healthy, strong, physically active girls, which reflects the healthy lifestyle so many families try to adopt in their homes.
In partnership with the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, Girl Scouts developed three “healthy habits” booklets for volunteers to use in conjunction with their Journey Adult Guides. The free booklets help guide girls on their Journey as they learn to lead active, healthy lifestyles.
Through the use of these free resources for Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors, Girl Scout volunteers and families can guide girls in fun, easy ways to achieve “energy balance.”
The three Healthy Habits Journey booklets available for download include:
- Between Earth and Sky with Healthy Habits
- WOW! Wonders of Water with Healthy Habits
- Get Moving! with Healthy Habits
To learn more about the Girl Scouts Program and what girls do in Girl Scouting from patch programs to council-wide events, follow the Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital on Facebook and Twitter.
Each council offers a variety of exciting program opportunities for girls of all ages. To locate the council nearest you, see the Girl Scout Council Finder.
To explore the Together Counts program and how you can get your school and community involved, visit the Together Counts website and blog. Follow Together Counts on Twitter and Pinterest.
This Tuesday, September 9th at 9:00 pm EST, join me for a Mom It Forward #GNO #HealthyHabits Twitter Chat on to discuss the Girl Scouts and Together Counts.
