Fit Family Challenge Spotlight Families Make Positive Progress

Two families get moving toward their challenge goals.

In April we introduced two families, the Howes and the Hills, who are committed to getting more active and eating right with their children. Both families have put specific plans into place with the help of the Fit Family Challenge experts, and are incorporating changes that can impact their health for the better. Read below to see what they have accomplished so far.

The Howe Family

 Jennifer, Tyler, 9, Molly, 6, and Todd Howe after the Color Vibe 5K in April.

Training has begun for Jennifer, Todd, Tyler and Molly Howe who have decided to run a 5K as a family by the end of the Fit Family Challenge in June. Fitness expert Devan Kline created a training program for the family to help them reach this big achievement.

Excited about the positive health changes, the family is eating out less, packing healthy lunches with fruit and healthy snacks, drinking a lot more water, and is more aware of how they are spending their time, Jennifer says.

“We have all been a little more active. The hard part has been taking the time to plan everything out with our schedules. This has forced us to become organized, which is a good thing," she says. “We are also keeping each other accountable.”

They have a menu board so everyone knows what's for dinner. New foods are going on the kids’ plates, with the understanding they may not like it, but they have to try a few things.

Tyler, 9, and Molly, 6, also now have responsibility charts so they know what they need to accomplish each day. Online shopping is helping them to save time and cut down on splurges. “They only give you what you order,” Jennifer says.

The Hill Family

Riding her bike to school has become a regular activity for 9-year-old Lena Hill-Sherfield. Ami Hill is excited to see daughter Lena embracing the program with gusto, and she’s tagging along walking beside Lena on those morning bike rides. The mom-daughter team has also purchased a few games that they can play together, including a Velcro toss and a new kickball, and they are taking advantage of the the track and a hopscotch court at their apartment complex.

Fit Family Challenge nutrition expert Tricia Azra has helped Ami and Lena incorporate more healthy foods into their diets, including using fruit to make smoothies that Lena loves.

“The best part is Lena’s investment in her own health and fitness,” Ami says. “She’s excited because some of these activities and healthy snacks are her own ideas. I don't have to convince her to do anything she isn't already excited about trying.” She is also about being a role model for other kids and their families, Ami says.

Fit Family Challenge wellness coach Maureen Carlomagno is helping Ami think deeper about her own goals — what she wants to achieve and a reasonable timeline to stick to. “I am getting the impression that I will walk away with much more from this program than I originally expected — that’s a great thing.”

Read weekly updates from the Howe and Hill families on the Fit Family Challenge blog.