Balance Food and Fitness Program

Staying fit and healthy can be a balancing act: which foods to eat more of, which to eat less of? How much physical activity is required and what kind of activity?

Helping Nebraskans find that balance is the goal of a seven-week program sponsored by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension beginning in February. “Creating Balance with Food & Fitness” is a series of weekly interactive sessions to be broadcast on the World Wide Web on Tuesdays in February and March.

Participants can watch the classes live, or as recorded presentations anytime their schedules allow. They can participate from home, organize their own groups, or join groups that will be participating at some Extension offices around the state. Registration starts now and will continue until January 30.

There is a fee. Space is limited. After Jan. 30, 2012, the registration fee increases. UNL Extension in Box Butte County is hosting the recorded sessions at 5:30 pm on Mondays, February 13 – March 26 at the Extension Office, 415 Black Hills, Alliance. For more details, contact Jeanne Murray at 762-5616 or jmurray1@unl.edu.

“Creating Balance with Food & Fitness” is designed to help build skills that adults need for healthy living. Participants will learn about health indicators, such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They’ll set goals to maintain health, learn about which foods to reduce and which foods to increase, and how to be more physically active.

“You can take the class alone; get together with co-workers or friends; or a combination of both, depending on your schedule,” said Jeanne Murray, Extension Educator at UNL. “Come to the Extension office on Monday evenings to be part of a group session.”

“Creating Balance with Food & Fitness” will consist of weekly webinars each Tuesday from noon until 1 p.m. CST (11 a.m. to noon MST) for seven weeks (Feb. 7 through March 20, 2012). Recorded sessions will be available for those who want to watch it later at their convenience.

Either way, all that’s required is a computer with an internet connection and a web browser, such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. The on-line sessions use the Adobe Connect platform, where participants in the live webinars can submit questions to instructors and interact with other participants. There will also be on-line support where participants can post their thoughts and interact with instructors and other participants and have access to handouts, links and additional resources.

People who have taken earlier classes have listed some of the benefits they received. Examples include, “… educational, engaging and very affordable. It was a great foundation for life-long changes,” “A great part of this program was the option to attend class or participate on your own time. It covered a variety of areas needed to complete a healthy body,” and “It was fun to meet in a small group with others of my age to eat our balanced lunches and work out during the demonstrations.”

Tai Chi Easy

Tai Chi is a gentle activity that helps posture, flexibility, circulation, improves balance, provides stress relief, boosts the immune system and helps with mental focus.

Classes will be on Tuesdays starting January 10 from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. at the UNL Box Butte Co. Extension Office, 415 Black Hills Ave, Alliance and continue until May 24. For more information and to register, please call 308-762-5616.

Farm Land Leasing Agreements, Reports, and Land Market Information

AgrAbility Helps Keep Farmers, Ranchers with Disabilities on the Farm

UNL Extension and Easter Seals Nebraska are partners in a program that helps farmers and ranchers with disabling injuries or other health-related conditions become independent enough to carry on and succeed at their profession. For more information, please see the High Plains Journal article on AgrAbility.

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