Make the Longest Day A 5-2-1-0 Day
By Mary Kathryn Poole, MPH, program director, Let’s Move Pittsburgh
June 20, the summer solstice, marks the official start to the summer. How will you be celebrating the longest day of the year? Let’s Move Pittsburgh encourages you and your family to take advantage of the extra daylight hours and spend it outdoors engaging in healthy activities. Here are some ideas to get you started!
5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day
It’s strawberry season so don’t miss out on enjoying these ripe red berries. Strawberries are rich in vitamin C and free of fat and saturated fat, plus they are a refreshing treat on a hot summer day. Plan a fun food art activity using strawberries to making eating them more fun! Here are tasty recipes for a strawberry flower in yogurt or astrawberry landscape. You can also make a healthier fruit dip using plain Greek yogurt sweetened with a little bit of honey.
2 hours or less of recreational screen time every day
Go screen-free on this day so you can spend more time outdoors. To celebrate the extended daylight hours, plan a sun-themed craft activity outside. Use old CDs or DVDs to make these colorful CD sun catchers to hang outside your home or apartment. Make a sunny card or painting to brighten a loved one’s day.
1 hour of more of physical activity every day
Spend the day outdoors and finds ways to add movement to your routine. We suggest that you stretch your muscles and get your heart pumping with some sun salutations. This yoga term describes a series of yoga poses that are meant to acknowledge the sun. Sun salutations are great for relaxation and exercise. See this simple diagram for kids that shows how to do a sun salutation.
0 sugary drinks and more water every day
Nothing tastes better than a cold glass of water on a hot day. To get your family more excited about drinking water, decorate cups, use crazy straws or make personalized labels for reusable water bottles. Keeping with the strawberry theme, try this yummy recipe for strawberry ice cubes. When they melt, you will get a splash of strawberry lemon flavor in your H20!
We hope you have a happy and healthy first day of summer!
This article is an effort of Let’s Move Pittsburgh’s 5-2-1-0 initiative to help Pittsburgh’s youth practice 5-2-1-0 — 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 hours or less of recreational screen time, 1 hour or more of physical activity and 0 sugary drinks and more water — every day!
Learn more at letsmovepittsburgh.org/5210. Let’s Move Pittsburgh, a collaborative program of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, provides Southwestern Pennsylvania’s children and their caregivers with the knowledge, tools and support needed to make nutritious food choices and lead active lifestyles. Learn more atletsmovepittsburgh.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
