MNOHS logo 7-1-2013

Media Contact: Sara Przybylski, EAFocus Communications, 248.877.9200, sara@eafocus.com

Rochester, Mich. – June 13, 2014 – Erin Olsen, an exercise specialist and certified wellness practitioner and well coach with MedNetOne Health Solutions, a Michigan-based healthcare management organization, says the key to families getting and staying healthy and active is finding the right combination of exercise and making smart food choices at the same time. Olsen provides the following tips for collective family fitness and well-being:

1. Get kids involved in meal preparation. Always make a list before grocery shopping and have children help. Make sure the list includes vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and fruit. Talk to your kids about starting a garden in the backyard or using vegetables that are in season. Make meal planning a fun family activity by having kids find a healthy recipe using vegetables of their choice. Look to websites such as www.cookinglight.com, www.eatingwell.com, or www.choosemyplate.gov to find some new recipes.

2. Stay hydrated and cool off. Especially in the summer months, it is important to stay hydrated. Olsen says avoid sugary beverages such as pop, Gatorade (surprisingly!), sweet iced tea and juice and aim for at least eight cups of water a day. Add flavor and a nutritious punch to water with frozen berries or fresh lemon.

3. Make exercise fun, not a chore. Not everyone in the family has to do the same exercise. Allowing children to have a say in what they do for exercise will empower them, viewing exercise as their choice. Also, because children look forward to ’play dates’, such get-togethers can be turned into ’exercise clubs’ with their friends. Adults can set up races such as a mini ‘Tour de France’ or a walking/running club. Keep things fresh by getting involved in summer sporting events in the community, too. Join sports teams, walk/run in community 5k and 10k events, or enroll children in summer camp. The more time spent involved in an activity, the better.

4. Set goals and rewards. Setting specific goals helps families stay on track and planned rewards provides motivation. Fun summer reward options include going to a professional baseball game, ’camping in the backyard’ or planning a metro park excursion.

5. Be creative and try new things. To avoid burnout of the same routines and exercises, create a family activity calendar. Encourage all family members to put their favorite activity on the calendar during the week. Create relay races, obstacle courses or bring back old games that may have been forgotten such as Kick the Can, Spud, Cops and Robbers, Sharks and Minnows or Lightening.

“Getting and staying healthy doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive,” Olsen said. “Making a lot of small changes adds up to a big result – a healthy lifestyle! By setting schedules and goals, families can track their progress and have a memorable summer in the process.”

To learn more about healthy tips and exercise, visit the MedNetOne Health Solutions website.

About MedNetOne Health Solutions:
MedNetOne Health Solutions (MNOHS), a leader in advancing the development and implementation of the Patient-Centered Medial Home (PCMH), is a healthcare management organization for primary and specialty care physicians and behavioral health specialists that provides administrative infrastructure and clinical support and programming to develop and sustain high performing, patient-centric practices while meeting government healthcare reform mandates. Learn more at http://www.mednetone.net.

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