Think For Yourself

 Q & A

What is “Think For Yourself?

 A mind-body health lifestyle awareness program aimed at high-school children. It  includes a fast-paced, hard-hitting, yet humorous multi-media presentation and an amazing performance/demonstration by a professional fitness athlete. Designed to be entertaining as well as informative, the presentation runs between 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Why do we need this?

 First, check out these National Institute of Health statistics:

 Obesity-related health problems cost $100 billion a year.

Obesity (BMI >30) rose from 12 to 20% between 1990 and 2000. In 2000, 61% of adults were overweight.  

Over 30,000 deaths each year are attributable to obesity and overweight.

Economic costs of obesity are over $117 billion.

Childhood obesity tripled since 1960s.

Over 33 billion is spent annually on weight-loss products and services. 

At no time in our history has there been such a decline of health in our population, with obesity-related and other preventable illness skyrocketing. Yet this is occurring at a time of unprecedented availability of fitness and nutrition resources! 

We believe the key to this situation lies with the habits and attitudes developed during youth. Yet most efforts to reach our youth, while ambitious and well-intentioned, are less than exciting. They don’t push the “buttons” that young people respond to. They're boring!  In short, to get their attention we need to be exciting.

 But we have a robust sports program, a very sound health education and highly-motivated students!

 Re-read the above. What you see on the sports field and the classroom doesn’t necessarily translate to lifestyle, particularly after a student leaves the school.

You’re quite right to point out your school’s distinctiveness though. That’s important to us: for instance, the presentation we give to a top-notch college prep school or an all-girls academy will differ from that which we give to a public “Vo-Tech” school.  When we schedule an appearance with a school, we will examine your facilities, programs and overall school profile to best tailor our presentation to your students. We seek to complement, not contradict, your existing programs.  

 What can you offer that we can’t?

 We have an automatic advantage of not being part of your faculty. That makes us different and new to the students.  We offer a unique approach, which is highly-visual, exciting, entertaining, relevant and inspiring. Rather than just a “class,” we offer a show. And we don’t just present and leave; we integrate with your existing programs and offer a resources support program. 

What is sort of program is that?

Still in development, this is a comprehensive effort to keep the ball rolling after we leave. This includes: 

             - An outline and references to motivational/instructional materials.

             -Suggestions for additional initiatives like clubs, contests, mentoring relationships and other programs launched by students and teachers

             -A website, which will include photos, articles, and other recommended media 

             -A partnership-sponsorship plan with local businesses

 Can you be more specific about the topics you address in your presentation? 

Here are a few:

               The current health crisis which affects everyone.

              Peer pressure versus individual thought and action

              The power of the mind/the importance of the written word

              Facts and fallacies about nutrition and exercise

              Basic principles of optimum eating and fitness for life

              Common-sense rationales against drugs, alcohol, tobacco and other hazards

              Why background, age, income and athletic ability don’t matter

              Why successful habits need to start early

              Remarkable examples of overcoming odds

              The revolution in female athleticism

What is/who are TEAM VALKYRIES?

TEAM VALKYRIES is an organization which promotes the acceptance of the physically-advanced female in society, by encouraging the advancement of girls' fitness, and challenging stereotypes of female athletes. 

Why the emphasis on female athletics? Is this relevant to a coed audience?

 Absolutely! Until quite recently, female sports were never taken seriously or supported. Athletic girls/women were often disparaged, discouraged from being competitive, and held to demeaning (often impossible) ideals of femininity. While boys have always been encouraged to be physically-aggressive and inspired by pantheons of sports-heroes, women, until lately, have had little. Moreover, girls/women suffer from more physical self-esteem problems than males, which leads to unhealthy dietary and useless exercise practices. Boys need to be as aware of this as much as the girls. They need to know that they can be part of the solution. And we make the solutions inspiring in a very visual way, which gets everyone's attention!-   

Stacy Simons -International Fitness Star

 Is this why you bring a female fitness competitor?

 Yes. Consider this:

1.  If picture is worth a thousand words, a personal appearance is worth a million. Nothing inspires more than  a live appearance. No amount of lecturing will come close. And today’s female fitness athlete is a  stunning package of beauty, health and athleticism. Nearly every girl/woman wants to look like her. ALL boys/men want to look AT her. She has undivided attention of any audience.

2.      Today’s emergent female athleticism is part of a social revolution unprecedented in our history. The benefits of sports and fitness for female advancement are no longer questioned. This can only further that cause.

3.      There is a wide availability of top fitness stars willing to participate in such causes. They are much more affordable, visually appealing and “relevant” than most "celebrity" professional athletes like NFL, NHL and NBA players, whose celebrity-hood tends to overshadow any message (and many of whom have questionable habits and values!).   

What is your presenter’s background?

Charles Peeples, NSCA-PT, NCBMT, who conceived and developed this program, is a Nationally-Certified Personal Trainer and Massage Therapist (www.yourlocalpersonaltrainer.net). In addition, he's a writer whose articles have appeared in such magazines as PHILLY HEALTH & FITNESS (now PHILLYFIT), MUSCLEMAG INTERNATIONAL, FLEX, IRONMAN, CURL, WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE WORLD and OXYGEN.  

As the founder of THE VALKYRIES, he's well known within the world of women’s fitness and bodybuilding for his support efforts, which gives him access to some extraordinary performers. As a former Army officer, he was a classroom instructor who also made a point of setting an example in fitness for other service personnel.  “My best qualification for a presentation like this is the fact that I was never an athlete,“ says Charles. “Until my last year of college, when I began weight-training, I was skinny, shy, clumsy and easily intimidated, so I relate to kids like that. And now I’m in my fifties, but stronger than I ever was in my twenties or thirties. I want to pass on what I wish someone had shown me when I was in my teens.”    

Charles with PHILLYFIT Publisher Jami Appenzeller