Why a Fitness Camp?

Transitioning from elementary school to middle school it is stressful and scary, and nobody really “prepares” you for it. Along with being scary, in most school districts the students lose recess and P.E. and without these in middle school there is a higher chance of not exercising and not having a healthy exercise routine, making it harder to focus in school and increasing BMI levels. When I went from elementary to middle school I needed to create my own exercise routine which was hard to do and on top of this, I didn’t really have any motivation because the insecurities from media made me feel like I shouldn’t try because I would never look like the models/stars in media.

There are many causes of this issue. First, losing recess and P.E. transitioning from Elementary to middle school. In middle school, you aren’t required to take P.E. every year and there is a variety with more unhealthy food at lunch. This causes an increase in BMI and weight. Along with this, many girls don’t really know how to exercise without a P.E. teacher or instructor telling them what to do. Next, Media and other peers become increasing important and are often something that girls compare themselves to. Also, as girls start or are going through hormonal changes that sometimes lead to weight gain they can start feeling more insecure. Being knowledgeable and prepared can help them be more self-confident with themselves and make good eating choices and give them opportunities and ideas to create new fun and sustainable physically fit life choices.

In my community, there is a loss of P.E. and recess when transitioning from elementary to middle school, in the U.S. that also occurs, and researchers see the link between loss of recess with increased obesity. The rate of exercise with 10-year old’s fall by 4.6% with Girls more inactive than boys. The study conducted at Vanderbilt University shows that children who learned about physical activities and nutritional value had decreased BMI and had more healthy lifestyles than those who have not learned. An article discussed a study of recess and physical activity at school, showing that the schools across the nation with physical activity as a requirement benefited the academic achievement and focus of the children. Overall, Recess and physical education makes a difference for students’ long-term health.

Students are losing daily recess time when transitioning from elementary to middle school. We also see an increase in depression and stress starting more often in middle school. All of this is also evident around the world in schools and school systems like the one in Redmond.