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My CNN FitNation Summit 2008 Report (part I)
List of posts in 2008 CNN FitNation Summit Report
OK fellas, now that I believe my body recognizes that I’m back in my home time zone, I’ve decided to give you guys the first part of my experience being part of this year’s CNN Fit Nation Summit.
Unlike my initial interview with CNN, I knew that I was going to be attending the summit close to a month before the event. Of course I was excited and felt very honored that out of all the success stories they have showcased on thier site and Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s weekend show, House Call, they decided to highlight my fat loss story. However, I really didn’t know what to expect.
So, I take an early flight out of LAX headed to the Big Apple. A couple of days before I left, I made sure to check how the weather was going to be in NYC. Before I actually checked, I had thoughts of strolling through Time Square and Central Park with a light coat and maybe a hat on. Man, I had no idea that I would have to buy gloves, a scarf, and a new overcoat for my trip since the weather was unseasonably cold.
The flight to NYC wasn’t that bad, and once I got my luggage, I met another person who was also being honored at this year’s summit — Todd Sisneros. Unlike me or Karen Daniel, the third person spotlighted at the summit, Todd’s story isn’t one of personal fat loss. No, Todd won an award at last year’s Fit Nation Summit because of the workout DVD that he’s created for kids and their families. (Watch Todd’s CNN’s Fit Nation report here.)
Todd is a PE teacher in Nevada who believed that with the reduction in physical education programs becoming the norm, he felt that kids needed a way to get the PE experience outside of the classroom. To solve this problem, Todd grabbed his home video camera and used his computer’s DVD burner to duplicate his Mr. “S” DVD Workouts for Kids. He used his DVD burner to burn a copy for every kid in his elementary school!
After winning the Fit Nation’s grand prize of $5000 last year, Todd invested in better cameras and editing equipment. He also received donations from The Legacy Foundation and the Rotary Foundation of Laughlin Project. With these donations, Todd has produced a second, and more polished, version of his DVD that he is trying to get school districts to purchase for their students and provide it to them FREE of charge! That’s right, Todd is not trying to make big bucks off of this DVD. He told me that he is more concerned that kids who may not have access to playgrounds or who may live in an unsafe environment have access to some sort of tool that allows them to understand the importance of fitness in a fun and exciting way.
Todd’s DVD is a workout along style DVD that introduces kids to many fitness movements and techniques that they will eventually use as they get older and remain active. Mr. “S” DVD Workout for Kids includes quizzes, kid sized workouts, a family learning section, and even a workout for the entire family. So, there’s no watching your kids exercise while you sit on the couch feeding your face, Mom and Dad!
Besides this being a great DVD and project, Todd is a really cool and down to earth guy! We hit it off right away on the ride from the airport to the hotel, and I’m glad that Matt, the CNN producer, booked our flights so that we landed around the same time because the topic of childhood obesity has really been on my mind lately.
Since I’ve been on my fat loss journey, I’ve made sure to include at least one section in all of my composition classes on the obesity epidemic I believe we are experiencing in this country. Well, for the last couple of semesters, my students and I have been talking about childhood obesity and the alarming rates at which it continues to grow. I guess it finally hit me that if we have generations of kids dying before their parents, then what kind of society are we going to be left with?
Fellas, do me a favor. If you know anyone whom you think would be interested in helping to spread this DVD project to other school districts around the nation, please send them to Todd’s website: www.teclubfitness.com. He is currently looking for other funding sources, and please keep in mind that Todd wants to provide these DVDs FREE of charge to kids and their families. Here’s his CNN Interview:
In the next installment of my report, I’ll introduce you guys to Karen Daniel, who is an incredible woman that just happened to lose close to 200 pounds!! Oh, and she didn’t have weight loss surgery either …
You can read about her story and watch her Fit Nation video here.
