Friday April 17, 2020

Health & Wellness Newsletter

As we continue to navigate the effects of COVID-19 on all of our lives, Special Olympics Connecticut is offering athletes new ways to stay active, healthy and connected through virtual health and fitness opportunities. Find out more here .

SOCTFit5 Facebook Group Recap

We are closing in on Week 3 of our SOCT Fit 5 Facebook Group 8-week Challenge ! Check out all of the great resources that were shared this week with the group below. Click Here to Join the SOCTFit5 Facebook Group

Movement Monday Get moving with these Fit 5 Level 3 Exercises! Repeat this video three times a day, after each meal, to reach your Fit 5 goal of 30-minutes of physical activity each day! Click here for the Fit 5 Level 3 video!

Take-a-Walk Tuesday Officer Dave Maliar from Cheshire Police Department and Connecticut Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics encourages everyone to get out and walk! Just a month ago, he walked all the way up Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise awareness for Special Olympics Connecticut! Click here for a message from Officer Maliar! 

WWE Workout Wednesday Follow this video with Shannon Shape and Special Olympics Massachusetts Health Messenger, Beth for a great celebrity workout! Repeat this video twice to meet your Fit 5 exercise goal of 30-minutes of physical activity! Click here for this celebrity workout!

30-Minute Thursday A very special guest is back to help us dance our way to the Fit 5 exercise goal with a  Zumba  class! This Live with Lisa Zumba class is a great 30-minute workout that feels like a party! Click here to start dancing!

Fit Foods Friday We are thankful for our friends at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) department of Nutrition for leading our Fit Foods Fridays! This week, USJ shared information about healthy snack options to eat at home including a recipe for oatmeal energy bites! Click here for the recipe!

Strong Minds Saturday Miss Connecticut 2018, Jamie Hughes from T he Hometown Foundation, is here with a message of motivation! Jamie wants to share with everyone how she is staying motivated and managing stress at home Click here for a message from Jamie!

UCEDD COVID-19 Survey

UConn Health Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education is conducting an online, anonymous survey to find out how families and caregivers with children, youth or adults with disabilities are doing during this unprecedented crisis with COVID-19, what issues they are facing, and identify gaps in the current communication and public health messaging about COVID-19 specific to this population. The title of this study is “The knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of parents of children with disabilities in response to COVID-19” . It will take up to 15 minutes to complete. If you have any questions about this study, please contact Dr. Mary Beth Bruder ( bruder@uchc.edu ) or Dr. Tara Lutz ( lutz@uchc.edu ). The study has been approved by UConn Health IRB (20X-185-2).

Click here to participate in the UCEDD COVID-19 Survey

Sports & Local Program Updates

Coaches Corner The National Federation of State High School Associations offers a free Sports Nutrition course. Proper nutrition can optimize athlete's overall health and athletic performance. This course contains practical tips on how you can model & teach proper nutrition to your athletes. Click here to start the Sports Nutrition course!