Commit to Be Fit Newsletter

2 December 2022/ Issue No. 228

Our Virtual Turkey was a HUGE success! Thank you to everyone that participated in this week long event. We are thrilled to announce that it was our highest participation yet with 155 participants who completed the trot in 4 different states (Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania) and even one reporting from another country, Poland! We LOVED seeing all the photos that were shared from different turkey trot experiences: walking, hiking, running, and even indoor cardio. Everyone that submitted a pic received an extra entry into our prize drawing. Speaking of prizes, congratulations to our PRIZE DRAWING WINNERS- Mark Jenkins (Fitbit Charge 4) and Owen Moon (Inspiratek Kids Fitness Tracker). Thank you again to everyone that participated! You are all inspiring!

After completing a unit on healthy breakfast and healthy snacks, the Nutrition and Personal Wellness class prepared overnight oats with an assortment of fruit and peanut butter protein bites. Check out this week's featured recipe section to see an easy overnight oats recipe!

The Fresh Food Fiesta cooking series continued this week with 2nd grade students. The young chefs prepared chocolate and vanilla parfaits with fresh strawberries.

The DECEMBER CALENDAR is now available. CLICK HERE to view.

As a friendly reminder, classes will not be held on early release days or when school is not in session for students. Be sure to join our Facebook GROUP (search Commit to Be Fit) or sign-up for our newsletters at the bottom of our website homepage (www.rappc2bf.com) to receive class updates and/or cancellations.

Location information is available on our website www.rappc2bf.com/activities

Have additional questions? Email Holly at hjenkins@rappahannockschools.us

Cash in your points for prizes or save your points for larger prizes... the choice is yours! Head over to our ACTIVITIES page. At the bottom, you will see our prize menu and buttons to "check your points" and "cash in your points." If you wish to cash in your points, be sure to do so by Thursday, December 8th. Prizes will be available for pick-up from Monday, December 12th- Thursday, December 15th. The next prize time will be at the end of January.

This semester, C2BF invited all staff members to participate in a weekly free salad drawing. This week's winners are Jennifer Goff (high school) and Lori-Anne Moss (elementary). C2BF will be delivering your free salad coupons shortly. RCPS Staff- if you haven't entered yet, be sure to visit the teacher's lounge and drop your name in the "hat" for a weekly drawing.

Pumpkin pie, chocolate pie, chocolate cake, extra cheesy mac and cheese, mashed potatoes loaded with butter………. If you’re like me, the thoughts of these wonderful foods are calling my name a little extra loud this time of year. If you’re trying to get fit, stay fit, or lose weight, the temptation of what I call good eating can be hard to overcome. I say don’t resist the temptation, embrace it! Enjoy the foods you love, but might sometimes consider “evil.” However, continue to stay active. Not active? Get active. Now is always the best time to start. Keep going with those workouts. Overall wellness likewise consists of good times, satisfaction, and celebrating with friends and family. Yes, we can have our cake and eat it too. At least I will!

Did you know that reducing clutter can help to lower stress? According to a study by the University of Connecticut, eliminating or reducing clutter can help to make us feel less anxious and more confident. When our environment is disorganized or chaotic, our minds can be overstimulated and overwhelmed. By creating a clutter-free space, we are creating a more calm, peaceful environment that promotes mental wellbeing.

To get started, start small and tackle one space at a time. This may be a room, a closet, or even a drawer. Get four boxes and label them: trash, donate, definitely keep, and decide later. Personally, I have found that the "decide later" pile allows me to declutter at a faster pace. If I'm unsure, having a box to quickly place these items keeps me on task. Once all items are in one of the piles, I can then go back to the undecided pile and make decisions. By then, I have a better understanding of what I can or cannot part with.

Have you ever heard of chia seeds? These tiny little seeds add a nutritional boost, with 2 tablespoons providing 140 calories, 11 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein, a source of Omega-3s, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. This nutritional powerhouse has many health benefits, including reducing inflammation in the body while promoting brain and heart health. Chia seeds are easy to incorporate into your diet by adding them to your morning smoothie or sprinkling them in your yogurt or oatmeal. See this week’s featured recipe using chia seeds in overnight oats. Enjoy!

Overnight Oats are a yummy, easy breakfast option. This recipe, from feel good foodie, features four different varieties, but they can be completely customized with a variety of fruits and nuts.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE