| Fitness and Nutrition | Information | Troop Meetings | Main Event |
Printable PDF file of Meeting Plans & Ideas for Fitness & Nutrition
OBJECTIVES
This month’s activities should:
- Define the importance of fitness.
- Teach Scouts about good nutrition.
- Explain how wellness is related to fitness.
- Emphasize the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
- Teach positive ways to reduce stress.
- Show Scouts how to work toward lifetime fitness.
LEADERSHIP PLANNING
As a leadership team, you may want to discuss the following items when choosing fitness and nutrition as your program feature during your planning meetings.
- Should we spread this module out over several months?
- Do we know any personal trainers?
- Do we know anyone who teaches yoga or tai chi?
- What activity will we do for the “Get Out and Play” meeting plan (week 4)?
- What type of race should we participate in for our main event?
- What other skills and training are needed to participate in our chosen race?
- How might we include a camping or overnight component for the main event?
PREOPENING IDEAS
Preopening Ideas on Troop Program Resources
- As Scouts arrive, invite them to play hacky sack. Challenge them to see how long they can keep the beanbag in the air.
- Set out a display of food packages. Have Scouts study the labels and list the strange ingredients they find. Challenge them to find the longest, scariest-sounding ingredient names.
- Show Internet videos illustrating relaxation techniques.
- Set up game space, and do warm-up and stretching exercises.
OPENING IDEAS
Opening Ideas on Troop Program Resources
GROUP INSTRUCTION IDEAS
Getting Into Shape
- Define what it means to be in shape.
- Explain the components of personal fitness.
- Discuss reasons for becoming fit.
- Explain body composition and how it is measured.
Nutrition and Diet
- Discuss what makes up a nutritious diet.
- Learn about the MyPlate approach to eating.
- Discuss how good nutrition is related to the other components of personal fitness.
- Define calories and explain three macro-nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats).
- Discuss the importance of water.
Stress Management and Relaxation
- Discuss the causes of stress, problems stress can cause, and positive and negative ways people try to reduce stress.
- Discuss the negative effects of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
Get Out and Play
- Discuss guidelines for playing your chosen sport safely and fairly. Discuss how to balance teamwork and individual effort.
SKILLS INSTRUCTION IDEAS
Getting Into Shape
Learn the proper techniques and advancement requirements for the following exercises:
— Strength: push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups
— Flexibility: hurdler’s stretch
— Endurance: standing long jump, 1/4-mile run or walk
Learn the proper techniques and advancement requirements for the following exercises:
— Strength: pushups, sit-ups, and pull-ups
— Flexibility: sit and reach
— Endurance: 9-minute or 1-mile run or walk
Learn the proper techniques and advancement requirements for the following exercises:
— Strength: pushups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and squats
— Flexibility: sit and reach
— Endurance: 9-minute or 1-mile run or walk
Nutrition and Diet
- List what you ate for the last two days. Evaluate how that fits into the MyPlate concept and whether it represents a balanced diet.
- Do the activity above.
- Learn how to read food labels.
- Compare the calories of similar products.
- Discuss how to lose weight.
- Do the activity above.
- Learn about nutrition software and smartphone apps.
- Keep track of foods you eat with an online diet tracker.
- Set goals and track them for the next month.
Stress Management and Relaxation
- Practice stretching and breathing.
- Under the direction of a trained instructor, learn basic yoga.
- Under the direction of a trained instructor, learn basic tai chi.
Get Out and Play
- Explain the rules of soccer.
- Explain the rules of ultimate.
- Explain the rules of lacrosse.
BREAKOUT GROUP IDEAS
Discussion Topics
- Review the requirements for the SCOUTStrong PALA Challenge. Find out how your group could take advantage of this opportunity to get more fit.
Getting Ready for the Main Event
- Menu Planning (if applicable)
- Duty Roster Planning (if applicable)
- Patrols discuss what special items they will need for the main event.
Preparation for the meeting’s game or challenge
GAME AND CHALLENGE IDEAS
Library of Games and Challenges on Troop Program Resources
- Body Composition and Fitness Evaluation
– Materials: Measuring tape, stopwatch, sitand- reach box, scale, skin fold calipers (optional), bioelectrical impedance device (optional)
– Method: Evaluate each Scout’s fitness and body composition for the appropriate advancement that they are working on (Tenderfoot, Personal Fitness merit badge, Quest Award, or Presidential Fitness Award). Test body composition, aerobic function, strength, and flexibility. Set up several testing stations, and do tests round-robin style. Record the results to be used for comparison at later dates as appropriate to the advancement being worked on.
– Note: Since most awards require multiple tests over time, this activity could be repeated at several meetings or offered as a preopening activity.
- Know Your Food Groups
– Method: Have the group stand in a large circle, and have one Scout stand in the middle and be “it.” That Scout points to anyone in the circle and names a food group. In order to remain in the game, the person selected must name a food in that food group within three seconds, or else he must sit down. The last Scout standing becomes “it” for the next round.
- Ultimate
– Materials: Flying disc
– Method: In an appropriate setting, divide into two teams. Identify the play boundaries. This game is played by passing the disc from player to player until it reaches a team member in the scoring zone. Focus on team play.
CLOSING IDEAS
| Fitness and Nutrition | Information | Troop Meetings | Main Event |