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Take 12 Steps for Health


Take 12 Calendar

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH
'TAKE 12' THIS MONTH?

May 2013

STEP 5: Get Outside

Enjoy the nice weather by visiting the farmer's market, taking a walk or playing a sport.

Tap Into Your Inner Child

Drop your adult inhibitions and bring out the child within yourself. Watch how children play and how imaginative they are and allow yourself the freedom to have the same creativity and fun. Incorporate adventure into your daily life with a few play activities, such as:

  • Swinging and sliding at a playground
  • Picking wild flowers
  • Blowing bubbles
  • Running through a sprinkler
  • Geocaching
  • Riding a bike
  • Jumping on a trampoline
  • Doing cartwheels

Adult Sports

Even if you have never participated in organized sports before, there are several reasons you could benefit from joining an adult sports league.

  • #1: Break out of your normal exercise routine.
  • #2: Learn or hone a new skill.
  • #3: Develop new friendships and connections.
  • #4: Rekindle a love for sports.

From baseball to lacrosse, cricket to dodge ball, there are multiple sporting opportunities in Fairfax County.  Some organizations play competitively, while others are recreational.  For a full list of organizations, please visit:
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ncs/athletics/sportsdirectory.htm.

Play at the Parks

There are many opportunities to play outside at your local park.  Fairfax County parks are great places to try something new!  Make sure to follow established guidelines to assure good stewardship of the parks’ natural and cultural resources.

  • Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called “geocaches” or “caches”) anywhere in the world.  A typical is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and “treasure” (usually toys or trinkets of little monetary value).  Geocaching is allowed in many Park Authority parks.
  • Fishing is legal in Park Authority waters unless posted signs say otherwise.  Catch small or largemouth bass, catfish, sunfish, and many more.  Lakefront parks such as Burke Lake, Riverbend, Lake Fairfax, or Walney Pond are great places to cast a line.
  • The Summer Entertainment Series presents a summer-long calendar of shows, concerts and movies appropriate for the whole family.  Performances range from children’s puppet shows to big band, jazz, bluegrass, rock, classical and world music.  Events are held in local parks and are free of charge.
  • Miniature Golf is just like stroke-play golf, minus most of the frustration.  The simple, fun style of mini-golf is prefect for all ages and ability levels.  Whether the hole involves a treacherous windmill or a choice of three holes, mini-golf is one of the best ways to relax with some friendly competition in the summer.  Courses are available at Oak Marr, Lake Accotink, Jefferson Falls, and Burke Lake parks.

Try Something New!

  • MIND: Play a game of chess or checkers.
  • BODY: Practice yoga, tai chi or stretching outside.
  • WELL-BEING: Take 15 minutes daily to listen to the sounds of nature and become in tune to your environment.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

Healthy Strides
Click for Details

All events are free (unless indicated with a "$") and require advanced registration.
To register , please email Take12@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Healthy Workshops and Events are always being added!
Check our events calendar often for great opportunities in the community.


Check back often for upcoming 'Take 12' workshops and events!


'TAKE 12! STEPS FOR YOUR HEALTH IN 2013' PROGRAM SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

Sponsors

Take 12 Steps to Health

The Take 12 program is free and anyone can participate at any time. This program is designed to:

  • Help you accomplish healthy goals each month, with tips to keep you going for the duration.
  • Give you access to information - free workshops are available each month on different healthy topics and bulletin boards loaded with information are posted at all the RECenters.
  • Provide an opportunity for you to experience fitness and wellness programs offered across Fairfax County.
  • Empower you to make important lifestyle changes... you can do it!
  • Plus, sign-up to receive the monthly e-newsletter, packed with recipes and healthy tips, upcoming events, and opportunities to achieve your Take 12 goals!
ASK LIZ ITTNER  LIZ ITTNER

Have a question? Email Liz Ittner, FCPA's Fitness & Wellness Expert, and your question will be answered in the monthly "Ask Liz Ittner!" column. Send questions and comments to: Take12@fairfaxcounty.gov. "Ask Liz Ittner!" is supported by a team of experts in the health, wellness, and fitness fields, including the FCPA Fitness Directors.

Question:

Who is Liz Ittner and what is 'Take 12'?

Answer

Thanks for stopping by the 'Take 12' Web page! My name is Liz Ittner, and I serve as the Fitness and Wellness program coordinator for Fairfax County Park Authority. Without boring you, I have 10+ years of experience working in the fitness field, and have been working at FCPA since 2007. I am happily married and have a young son. Fitness and wellness have always been a passion of mine and I take my responsibility of promoting a healthy lifestyle through the 'Take 12' program very seriously.

12 months, 12 healthy goals. Take 12! is a free health and wellness awareness program. Take 12! helps you make better decisions about your health one month at a time. Each month is dedicated to one healthy goal with credible information for achieving it and a guide for forming healthy habits. Build upon each goal from month to month and by the end of December, you will have developed a sustainable balance in your health.

So what are you waiting for - sign up for our e-newsletter, come to a workshop, and grab a calendar… take your first step to better health today!


 

Take 12 Newsletter
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Take 12 Steps for Your Health in 2013 Calendar
Download Calendar

Don't miss out on this year's great community wellness opportunities in Fairfax County! The calendar contains fitness and wellness tips, ways to improve your nutritional habits, steps you can take to become more eco-friendly, and a variety of new ideas to improve the health of this community. Also, the calendar contains an invaluable list of local resources, as well as healthful recipes, courtesy of Whole Foods Market.

Check out photos and results from 2012 Healthy Strides Community Race

Healthy Steps Archives
Did you miss out on the "Take 12" healthy steps from the years past?  Click the links below to see previous year's goals, and start your own program for better health.

2010 Steps Archive
2011 Steps Archive
2011 Calendar Archive
2012 Calendar Archive

Contact Us

Email: Take12@fairfaxcounty.gov
Phone: 703-324-8423

Mailing Address:
Fairfax County Park Authority
Attn: Take 12 Program
12055 Government Center Pkwy, Suite 425
Fairfax, VA 22035-1118

All content within www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/rec/take12/ is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Always consult your doctor if you are concerned about your health. Always consult your physician or health care provider before taking any new medication, beginning any program of exercise, or following any health or wellness advice contained herein.


Contact Fairfax County: Phone, Email or Twitter | Main Address: 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035
Technical Questions: Web Administrator

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