WCHS students ready for Survival of the Fittest

Challenging themselves and others to achieve healthy eating and exercise habits is the driving force behind the Survival of the Fittest competition held at Warren County High School. Pictured are just a few of the students in this year?s competition.

This will be the third year the Teen Health Council has challenged students to find out if they have what it takes to begin healthier habits. Last year?s challenge had 280 students participating.

The benefits of the competition are clear and can be long-term.

?It only takes four weeks to start a good habit,? said WCHS nurse Debie Martin. ?While the teens are having fun competing against one another, they are also beginning habits that might continue for a lifetime.?

There are more than 250 students signed up for this year?s competition. One of those students is senior Heather Tanner who has been involved in the competition for all three years.

?I really like getting involved with this competition,? said Tanner. ?I?m into health and I want to be a nurse some day. This is a wonderful way our school gets us involved in a healthy way of living.?

Of all the challenges Tanner likes the first week the best, the water week, and the last week the least, the exercise week. She is a member of the group ?Funkies Monkies.? Although her team hasn?t won in the past, her hopes are high for her 12-member team this year.

There are 23 teams participating. Each team gets to pick their own name and students get to vote for the most unique name. Some of the other team names include Mullican?s Mayhem, Spinal Tap, Underachievers, 4 Shortyz, Fishalicious Fittness Crew, Purple Pirate People, Beauties and the Beast, Chocolate Thunda and Vanilla Lightning.

This week, students are asked to drink three to four servings (eight ounces) of water daily. According to the statistics given to the students by Martin, blood is 83 percent water, muscles are 75 percent water, the brain is 74 percent water and bones are 22 percent water. Although water does not provide energy, it is the medium in which all energy reactions in the body take place.

Each week following, the students are asked to add a new challenge to the last.

? Week two ? Walk 20 minutes daily. The goal for an average person is 10,000 steps per day. Walking an extra 20 minutes each day will burn off seven pounds of body fat per year.

? Week three ? 5ADay the Color Way. This challenge is to add five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Students will be encouraged to add fruit or vegetables to their breakfast, lunch and dinner, substitute their normal snacks with fruits or vegetables, and drink 100 percent fruit juice or vegetable juice.

? Week four ? School day workout. Students will be asked to make the action of sitting down twice before they actually do which will work out the lower body. While at their lockers, the students are asked to lift their books over their heads which will work their upper body.

The competition will last until March 2. The progress of the students will be kept on a large board in the high school?s main lobby.