Lesson 8: Healthy Choices/ Self-Advocacy

We talked about what it means to make healthy choices; like eating the right foods, being active, and knowing what is healthy versus what is not. We discussed that it is okay to not always eat healthy or be active every day but that moderation is key; unhealthy choices should be limited and few. We also discussed how we can be an advocate for others to be healthy by leading by example and educating our friends and families about healthy options. For example, Brandy made spaghetti dinner with her mother and advocated to use whole wheat pasta and turkey meat instead of beef to help make the meal healthier. We discussed how good choices come with good and positive reactions and bad choices come with negative consequences. Based on the beer can and cigarettes on the form we did talk about how those unhealthy choices came with more negative consequences than other unhealthy choices such as eating a candy bar.   Tobacco use is always unhealthy and alcohol can be enjoyed in moderation but is something that we as a group agreed should not be a choice of ours for a healthy lifestyle.  The curriculum refers to a self-advocacy video for participants to view, however that video is no longer available.  We have found this video as a replacement.  You can also visit the National Gateway to Self-Determination website which has many other videos and resources.

Healthy Choices Activity:

We wanted to have two options for activities on this day so that the participants could choose which they would prefer as this demonstrated that we all have the right to make our own choices. For our activities, one group went to do strength and aerobic exercises while the other group worked on their balance and overall activity level by playing some games with noodles, cones, and balls.