Move It Monday: Fun Family Fitness

November 12, 2019 by Leave a comment

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Happy Healthy Monday from our friends at the Monday Campaigns!

There’s nothing like a little friendly competition to bring the family closer. So why not turn your plain-old, ordinary exercises into a family fitness challenge.

Experts recommend individuals spend at least 150 minutes per week exercising or being active, so we’ve compiled a list of exercises that can easily be converted into fitness challenges for you and the whole family to do together. Completing one or two of these challenges a week will help you satisfy that weekly workout requirement. Group challenges inevitably motivate you to push yourself a harder, and they can even help you squeeze out an extra rep (or two or three).

The cherry on top is that these fitness challenges don’t require any hardcore workout equipment; all you need is maybe a few chairs, some floor space, and a few willing participants.

Check out five of our favorite challenges.

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Take a Meditation Walk

November 7, 2019 by Leave a comment

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Daily stressors often engage us in the internal chatter of our thoughts. Being in the moment by connecting fully with the outside world brings you back to the simple joy of being. Walk with sensory awareness, and enter the bliss of living now.

  • Begin with a comfortable stride.
  • Breathe deeply, observing the sensation of your breath flowing through your nostrils.
  • Focus on the soles of your feet meeting the ground, noticing pressure changes as you stride.
  • Observe the air’s texture and temperature against your body, savoring its scents and taste.
  • Hear the surrounding noises, letting sound waves roll up against your ears and detecting sounds of humanity and of nature in general.
  • Discern the chirping of birds, the buzzing of insects, and the rustling of leaves, and soak up the energy of life around you.
  • Allow sights to touch your eyes, absorbing colors, shadows, and variations of light and keeping your gaze soft and gentle.
  • Continue to explore your senses with every step.
  • As you finish, relish your oneness with the pulse of life.

(From The Walking Deck by Shirley Archer)

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Try-outs for the NEW Girls Competitive Basketball League are Wednesday, November 6th

November 1, 2019 by Leave a comment

Middle School Girls Basketball Flyer (002)

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Healthy Monday: Stay Safe while Exercising in the Dark

October 29, 2019 by Leave a comment

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From our friends at The Monday Campaigns:

It’s dark and you’re jogging along the side of the road. All you can think about is summiting that final hill.

And then it happens.

A car speeds by just as you’re reaching the crest. The driver doesn’t see you; you don’t hear the roar of the motor. Fortunately, the car narrowly whizzes past you.

As the clocks turn back and the days get shorter, exercising outdoors becomes more dangerous. To avoid any new potential hazards, we’ve compiled a list of safety tips for working out at dusk, dawn, and every time in between.

Filed under City of Decatur, Decatur Active Living, Exercise, Healthy Monday, Monday Campaigns

3rd Annual Walking Past the Dead Tree Tour is Rescheduled for November 2

October 29, 2019 by 4 Comments

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Saturday 10-19-19 Rescheduled for November 2, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Decatur Cemetery, 299 Bell St. Decatur GA, 30030

Learn about trees in the Historic Decatur Cemetery; walk a trail showcasing 8 trees with an Arborist stationed at each tree to tell interesting facts and stories.

Free event with donations accepted for Women Arborists of the Southeast scholarship fund and Friends of the Decatur Cemetery. There will be a limited number of event T-shirts for sale.

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Active Living Halloween Walk is October 24

October 22, 2019 by Leave a comment

Halloween Walk

Take a walk with the Pedestrian committee of the Active Living Board to see Halloween decorations in Decatur neighborhoods.

Walkers will receive free Halloween necklaces and glow wear to “Be Bright and Be Seen.” Costumes are encouraged but not required.

Meet in the parking lot of the First Christian Church and be ready to walk at 7:30 pm. All ages are welcome.

For more information click here.

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Third Friday Bike Ride: Halloween Edition!

October 14, 2019 by Leave a comment

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Join Decatur Active Living for the Halloween edition of the Third Friday Bike Ride on Friday, October 18.

Dress up and/or decorate your bike and ride 6 miles around Decatur neighborhoods. Meet at the Decatur Recreation Center. Come at 6 pm and meet the folks from Mountain High Outfitters in Decatur. They will have water, snacks, coupons and more!

Be ready to put wheels down at 6:30 pm. This ride is not recommended for small children as we ride at and adult pace.

After the ride we will visit a local restaurant for refreshments and camaraderie.

Bring your water bottle, bike lights, and be sure to wear your helmet.

For more information, click here.

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GLOBAL VILLAGE WELCOME WALK 2019 FOR REFUGEE GIRLS’ EDUCATION 

October 11, 2019 by Leave a comment

When: November 2, 2019 at 10 a.m. at Refuge Coffee (4170 E Ponce de Leon Ave, Clarkston, GA 30021)

From-Clarkston-to-Decatur2x-e1568233427154Walk for a cause! Now in its seventh year, the Global Village Welcome Walk, presented by Ameris Bank, is a chance for community members to walk alongside Global Village Project (GVP) students, parents, staff, and volunteers to support refugee girls’ education. The 4.8 mile walk along the PATH Trail will begin at Refuge Coffee and finish at Global Village Project, a school located in Decatur Presbyterian Church (205 Sycamore Street, Decatur, GA 30030). Afterwards, join us for festivities at the Finish Line Celebration, featuring face painting, the Big Burgers and Wings food truck, school tours, a performance by the GVP Chorus, and more!

Welcome Walk Promo PhotoThis year GVP aims is to bring together 300 walk participants for their largest walk yet. Every dollar raised makes it possible for GVP to provide life-changing opportunities to young refugee women who have survived persecution, war, and violence. GVP relies on individual donations so that their students can attend free of charge. Show your support by registering today!

Cost: $25; $15 with student discount. All participants will receive a t-shirt. To register or donate please visit: http://bit.ly/RegistrationWW19

Global Village Project is a nonprofit, accredited special purpose school that prepares refugee girls with interrupted schooling and limited English to excel in high school and fulfill their dreams.

 

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For More Information Contact:

Erin Alred

erinalred@globalvillageproject.org 

www.globalvillageproject.org

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Qigong/Tai Chi for Rest and Relaxation at Ebster Recreation Center

October 10, 2019 by Leave a comment

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Decatur residents Neil Norton & Steve Dorage, and their colleague Drew Bracewell of Clarkston share 60 years combined experience in Qigong/Tai Chi in Decatur. They started their first class at Decatur Recreation Center ten years ago. A new Qigong/TaiChi class is being offered on Wednesdays at the Ebster Recreation Center at 12 pm, taught by Neil Norton. Neil, a twenty year plus cancer survivor, shared, “I wanted to give an opportunity for people with more flexible schedules to relax in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, often when we need a breathing practice the most.”

Steve started Tai Chi 4 L.I.F.E (Longevity, Increased Balance & Strength, Flexibility, and Energy) in 2014 with the hope of creating a community of Tai Chi practitioners similar to what you might see in China. Steve shares his vision, “We would love to see a Decatur park full of community members moving together on World Tai Chi Day on April 25th, 2020.” Last year Tai Chi for L.I.F.E. had over 20 people including 6 instructors at Legacy Park. With busy schedules and stress around every corner, Drew believes, “we need a time and place to be just be present to help balance out our busy lives with breathing and gentle movements.”

Steve, Drew, & Neil share a teacher, Dr. Michael Jamison for whom they have been training with for 20 years. In addition to Tai Chi training, several times a year they organize all day Dao Yin workshops at the Decatur Recreation Center with him. Dao Yin is a practice mostly on the ground that cultivates internal energy that Qigong and Tai Chi are derived from.

Neil and Drew work as Arborists, and Neil is the Executive Director of Georgia Arborist Association, while Drew has expanded his interest in wood and Tai Chi through the construction of Tai Chi swords. Both have practiced other types of martial arts with a focus on Tai Chi and Qigong over the last 20 years. Steve worked in the health care industry and recently retired and now focuses on his family, practice, and Tai Chi 4 L.I.F.E. He has been practicing Tai Chi for over 30 years. Steve states, “Similar to saving money for retirement, Tai Chi benefits compound as you age, the earlier you start, the greater the return.”

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Sharing the PATH or a Trail

October 9, 2019 by Leave a comment

Since the path can be congested it’s important to follow the same rules as everyone else in order to have a safe and enjoyable time.

•    Be courteous
•    Know the rules of the trail you are using
•    Give a clear signal when passing
•    Be cautious and yield to crossing traffic
•    Always be predictable by riding in a straight line
•    If you are riding while it is dark, be sure to use lights
•    Only use half the width of the trail
•    Keep it clean

Enjoy Biketober and stay safe!

Filed under City of Decatur, Decatur Active Living, Exercise

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