Evaluate Health Information and Products Common Core Standards You have arrived at Evaluating health information and products. We will be covering the Common Core Standards called 9.NPA 4. and 9.PCH.2.2 What we want is for you to be able to identify resources in your community that you can use to get physically fit. We also want you to be able to purchase fitness equipment that you will actually like and use, while avoiding misleading information. 9.PCH.2.2 Monitor the effects of media and popular culture on normative beliefs that contradict scientific research on health. 9.NPA.4 Apply lifelong nutrition and health-related fitness concepts to enhance the quality of life.

Think about it… What kind of resources do you have in your community that you can use to get fit? There is quite a bit of false fitness and nutritional information out there. How do you determine which information is reliable and will be the best for you? Do you live in the middle of nowhere? Good! Because so do I! The good news is that you have a couple of choices when it comes to getting fit. We will help you identify resources in your community to get fit, no matter where you live. We also want you to be able to learn the process of being able purchase fitness equipment.

Fitness Resources in Your Community Resources that may require travel and cost money to join Recreation - Fitness Centers YMCA Gymnastics Weight Rooms Biking - Running Clubs Dance - (Tap, Jazz, Zumba etc.) Pools Tennis, Racquetball, Basketball, or Golf Center Many of these types of places require some type of membership or fee per visit. You will want to shop around to get the best deal for your money. You will also want to take into account how far these places are from where you live. Gas is not cheap and sometimes the memberships to these places are not either.

Fitness Resources in your Community Fitness Resources near home Walking trails Biking trails Raking Leaves Vacuuming Pushing a lawn mower Xbox Kinect - Nintendo Wii- Playstation Move Free weights Elliptical, Stationary Bike or Tread Mill. You don’t have to spend a lot of money in order to get fit. Many of the items listed above you already own and give you a great workout. Not every community has a walking trail, so just walk around the outside of your house, if you do not feel comfortable walking in your neighborhood. Video games have even entered the fitness world. They have changed the perception that many people have of video games making people obese. I use a game called Fitness Evolved with some of my classes that I teach. It has weight lifting, kickboxing and even dance while helping students to learn how to use the latest technology.

Researching Fitness Equipment Things to remember when researching fitness equipment: Read the performance claims carefully Always read the fine print Be skeptical of testimonials My favorite myth about fitness equipment is that you can take fat away from one specific area of the body. That is impossible! When your body burns fat, it takes it from all over your body in a uniform way. Could you imagine how lumpy people would look if it was taken from only one area? If you do read the fine print, it will often tell you the truth. They are required by law to do that or they could be put out of business by the government. When it comes to testimonials, remember that these people are being paid to say something that may or may not be true. Even celebrities may stretch the truth if the price is right.

Finding the Right Fitness Equipment To find the right fitness equipment, ask yourself these questions: Will the equipment help you achieve your desired goal? Will you continue to use the equipment? Have you ever been to someone’s house who used their treadmill as a clothes hanger or for storage? Many people buy a piece of fitness equipment and use it for a little while and then never use it again. Before you buy fitness equipment, be sure you have a plan about how often you plan to use it. These devices are not cheap and will often not recoup your money when you sell it in a yard sale.

Purchasing Fitness Equipment Before you pay out the cash for your fitness equipment: Shop Around Find warranty, guarantee and return policy information Test their customer support Businesses love lazy people. Why? Because they do not shop around. They make the most money off of people who do not compare prices. When you go out to buy that treadmill, use as many resources as you can, such as newspapers, internet, stores and even word of mouth. You don’t want to buy a piece of junk or damaged equipment, so be sure to find out what the warranty or return policy is. Many pieces of fitness equipment have warranties and guarantees and can be returned if they are not working properly. Finally, give their customer support a call and see if they are easy to reach. If you don’t end up talking to anyone, then buyer beware!

Fitness Resources and Purchasing Fitness Equipment We have two main points that we want you to leave here with today. First, you can find resources in your community or home to become physically fit and when you purchase a piece of fitness equipment make sure you shop around and have a plan for using it. Sources: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro10.shtm