Fitwize 4 Kids Works Health into Youth Lives

Looking for a fitness alternative for your children? Consider in Ashburn, which offers a holistic approach to health and fitness aimed primarily at children.

"I wanted to be part of a program that deliberately focused on children," said founder Karen Mitchell, an Ashburn resident. "As a substitute teacher in Loudoun for many years, I've observed the rise in childhood obesity and diabetes, and was determined to do something about it. And part of the solution is to teach kids that being physically active can be fun."

A rising number of children seem to be suffering these problems, which may surprise some people who point ot the variety of competitive sports now available to children.

"Competitive sports are wonderful," Mitchell pointed out. "I was a competitive gymnast and remain a competitive athlete myself, as are all my children. But what about children who don't compete in sports? Many children don't participate competitively, either because they lack the confidence or the interest to attempt sports.”

That's where a program like Fitwize can help, Mitchell said, explaining that training sessions focus on various aspects of fitness from strength, agility and cardiovascular fitness to yoga and flexibility. All of Fitwize’s after-school programs incorporate exercise into daily activities, Mitchell said.

Half of the Fitwize exercise area is devoted to an array of fitness machines, much like any you would find in a commercial gym, but scaled down for younger users. The other half is a devoted open area that can be used for anything from warm-ups to interval training to sport-specific drills. The gym is adding an ExerPro sports wall where active members can see their goals posted.

"Members set their own goals," Mitchell said. "This is important, because so often children get used to being told what to do and how to do things without internalizing them. We want our members to make fitness and health part of their lifestyles, so setting their own goals and meeting them before setting new ones is an important element.”

Not that setting goals gets in the way of fun.

"We never forget that our clients are children. It has to be fun for kids to keep doing it. Many of our members don't want to leave after their sessions, and can't wait to come back,” Mitchell said. “Many of our classes are run by physical education professionals who are knowledgeable about both fitness and how to keep things fun and engaging."

While good health requires fitness, fitness itself is not enough, Mitchell warned.

"We also retain a professional nutritionist who educates the members about the importance of their food choices, in ways they can understand," he said, pointing to a visual on a stand, showing a graphic of various foods on a plate. "Here is this week's lesson, which is focused on portion sizes.”

Portion sizes have grown tremendously during the past two decades, Mitchell said. “Talking to children about calories and ounces makes no sense, so this gives a picture of healthy portion sizes they can actually see and understand,” he said. “It's one of many tools children can use to make smart food choices in their daily life."

Fitwize 4 Kids, as the name implies, does not exclude young athletes.

"Our program can benefit young athletes to develop a base of fitness and strength that can only help their sports performance," Mitchells said.

In the end, which directions her members go is up to them.

"Some members who were initially turned off from sports find that with increased fitness comes increased confidence and ability, and they transition successfully to competitive sports,” she said. “Others who don't go that way can still make fitness and good health part of their lives, even if they never compete."