Fitness and health tips for teens

Crunch fitness manager Rachel Reddish recently led a fitness and health class with students from St. Ignatius School, a private, tuition-free middle school in Hunts Point in the Bronx. The objective? To teach the female students about healthy living and to show them some exercises.

According to William Coker, Crunch’s East Coast regional director of fitness, Crunch has hosted such events before, and hopes to continue to do so in the future.

“Crunch always loves having young people come and learn about fitness and health in a fun and positive way,” he said. “We also often find that our personal training staff gets as much out of these visits as the students do.”

Schools that want to partner with Crunch should contact Coker at william.coker@crunch.com.

Reddish shared with amNewYork the information she taught the teens.

1. “Make sure you’re staying active. Technology has come a long way with computers/iPads/video games, but getting sucked into things like that is an easy way to become very unhealthy. Be active for at least one hour a day. Go play outside! Join a sports team!”

2. “Weight loss ... is not the focus. Make sure you are eating healthy meals that include fruits and vegetables along with protein such as chicken and turkey. [Eating well] and being active every day, as mentioned before, is very important.”

3. “Always start your day with breakfast. It will fuel your body and provide the energy for a great day.”

4. “Exercises that only require body weight are very easy to do anywhere. Some examples are: lunges — stationary and walking — burpees [alternating between standing and the plank position], squats, sit-ups, push-ups and wall sits.”