The GeoPalz team chatted with Maria Quiban of Mommy Loves Tech, and we are thrilled to now see GeoPalz as a feature on the site!

Taken from Mommy Loves Tech

For the full interview, hop over to Mommy Loves Tech to see Maria Quiban as she gets to know our staff and the super cool GeoPalz products.

Hillel Mazansky, founder of GIANINC – an organization endeavoring to address the growing obesity epidemic through guided imagery and nutrition – has given his full support to Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative!

Hillel’s work places him alongside children suffering the consequences of obesity, and he speaks passionately about the numerous effects of the disease.

“This epidemic needs to be stopped,” Mazansky said. “Not only are these children at risk for other major diseases, but they suffer from psychological conditions as well. They are tormented by their classmates, and they cannot participate in sports activities due to physical limitations. This often leads to psychological problems and more compulsive eating.”

The responsibility to affect systemic change does not lie with children, who simply follow the examples of adults and work within the resources provided by adults.

“This change needs to start in the home,” Mazansky said. “Parents have a large influence on their children. We all need to fight obesity together as a family.”

Hillel offers 5 tips to help initiate change, and GeoPalz offers a fun and unique pedometer to help incentivize kids and adults to walk, walk, WALK!

What Parents Can Do:

1. Remove the television from your house

2. Set an example by eating healthy foods

3. Limit time spent on video games and computers

4. Play outside with your children

5. Involve kids in sports and other physical activities

Taken from: http://dss.sd.gov

The coolest aspect of the 5 options, is that at least four of them help families to not only be more active, but also enjoy more quality time together!

In Farmington, Minnesota, Meadowview Elementary has gone leaps and bounds ahead of, well, most of the country, in changing the school’s culture of physical activity. According to the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, in an effort to raise test scores, Meadowview handed the reins to P.E. teacher, Joe McCarthy.

Each morning for months, McCarthy had the students spend 15 minutes running or shuttling from side to side in the gym. It wasn’t any type of punishment, but part of a growing trend in education that focuses on increased physical activity to improve learning.

Continue reading to learn so much more!

Recently, numerous studies coming out of the CDC, Harvard, The University of Illinois, and, as cited in a previous post, the University of Rome, have routinely found that increased physical activity helps to improve retention and concentration, thereby affecting academic skills (i.e., reading and math) and test scores. In fact, in Naperville, Illinois – a western suburb of Chicago – they are setting the pace for the kind of academic standards educators would like to see throughout the entire country!

In 1999, a few years after starting an emphasis on physical education, Naperville students were tested and ranked sixth in math and first in science — in the world.

IN THE WORLD! Time to sit up and take note because Meadowview Elementary and Naperville Central High are two incredible role models for schools everywhere. If you think your kids are needing that extra incentive, consider what GeoPalz has to offer!

The cool, happy-go-lucky blog, Life with my Boys, featuring a fun mom and her three kids, “Monkey,” “Crackers,” and “Baby,” is hosting a GeoPalz giveaway that ends in 3 days and 11 hours! So, no hesitating, there are 388 names in the pot and it’s time to get yours in there as well!

Taken from Life with my Boys

The Life with my Boys family is taking daily strides (literally!) toward healthier lives, through great foods and by being active, active, active! Like with so many families, these choices don’t come easily, but they do produce results worth striving toward.

Taken from Life with my Boys

Through their experience using a GeoPalz pedometer they discovered fantastic features worth bragging about! Including durability, the time and date function – which resets steps to zero at midnight, and the interactive, online resource for tracking steps, as well as an option to track each member of your family!

Read on for the full review…

Way to go Life with my Boys! We are thrilled to learn that GeoPalz pedometers are helping to encourage and support your family’s physical wellness!

Join the movement toward an active life with GeoPalz!