Army National Guard (ARNG) Fitness Camp

Toolkit

2 GUARD YOUR HEALTH | Fitness Camp Toolkit

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TOOLKIT OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

INTRODUCTION TO GUARD YOUR HEALTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

TALKING POINTS AND KEY MESSAGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

TEAM BUILDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

INCORPORATING GUARD YOUR HEALTH RESOURCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

CONTACT US . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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ARNG FITNESS CAMP TOOLKIT: How to Incorporate Guard Your Health Resources into Your State’s Fitness Camp

TOOLKIT OVERVIEWFitness camps serve as an effective tool for inspiring Army National Guard Soldiers to learn and adopt healthy behaviors . The camps provide a unique, impactful way to engage at-risk Soldiers and invest in the future health and wellness of our nation’s force . To support state fitness camp efforts, Guard Your Health offers actionable health and wellness tools, tips, and resources that can be incorporated into camps and used by Soldiers when they return to their homes .

This toolkit provides an overview of Guard Your Health as well as suggestions on how to incorporate Guard Your Health’s tools and resources into a future fitness camp in your state, including:

• Talking points and key messages

• Team building suggestions

• Tips for encouraging Soldiers to use Guard Your Health resources

• Sample Guard Your Health presentation

• Soldier Resource Guide focused on Guard Your Health/Army Physcial Fitness Test (APFT) resources

• Sample email to Soldiers about Guard Your Health

INTRODUCTION TO GUARD YOUR HEALTHGuard Your Health supports the Army National Guard Chief Surgeon’s efforts to build and sustain a resilient, adaptable, and medically ready Citizen-Soldier force . The campaign was designed to provide easily accessible tools and resources that promote comprehensive fitness and overall well-being for Soldiers and their families . The goal of the Guard Your Health campaign is to give Army National Guard Soldiers the information, motivation, and support they need to overcome the unique challenges they face as Citizen-Soldiers, and help them make healthy decisions for themselves, their families, and their units .

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By visiting www .guardyourhealth .com, Soldiers can access health tips, state crisis contacts, a special Guard Life section, an Ask-the-Experts feature, and resources such as workout videos and recipes . They can also access informative articles and motivational Guard stories on topics such as nutrition, exercise, stress, sleep, dental health, sexual health, tobacco cessation, illness prevention, and family resilience .

Guard Your Health is the most comprehensive, free resource available exclusively for Army National Guard Soldiers . Encourage Soldiers to take advantage of Guard Your Health’s resources during and after a fitness camp to continue working towards their health and wellness goals .

TALKING POINTS AND KEY MESSAGESUse these talking points and key messages to introduce Guard Your Health and available health-related tools and resources to Soldiers attending fitness camps or to other state leaders who are unfamiliar with the campaign .

• The goal of the Guard Your Health campaign is to give Army National Guard Soldiers the information, motivation, and support they need to overcome the unique challenges they face as Citizen-Soldiers and help them make healthy decisions for themselves, their families, and their units .

• Launched in 2013, the Guard Your Health campaign supports the Army National Guard Chief Surgeon’s efforts to build and sustain a resilient, adaptable, and medically ready Citizen-Soldier force .

• Guard Your Health aims to inform, inspire, and engage Army National Guard Soldiers and families to achieve and maintain holistic, healthy behaviors to improve their lifestyle, well-being, and medical readiness .

• The Guard Your Health website offers a wide range of information on different health topics, from fitness and exercise to nutrition and sleep health . Soldiers also can access a variety of health tools, anonymously ask health-related questions, and search for Chaplains and Psychological Health Coordinators available 24/7 in a crisis contact database .

• Soldiers can stay connected to the campaign by signing up for email updates or following Guard Your Health on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram . Soldiers can also sign up for text message updates and motivation through the campaign’s FitText program by texting FIT to 77453 .

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TEAM BUILDINGState leaders frequently mention that the success of fitness camps and the dedication of Soldiers are directly linked to how well the group bonded during the camp . Team building is important to enhance social interactions and group dynamics . The goal is to have each group of Soldiers connect during the course so they can rely on each other for support, motivation, and accountability after returning home . Encourage team building through the following suggested activities:

• Group Soldiers together for a cooking class, nutrition workshop, or morning PT based on similarities . For example, you could group Soldiers who live near one another to encourage them to connect after the camp, or group Soldiers based on lifestyles so they can share ideas on how to incorporate healthy eating or daily exercise into their routines .

• Use a Guard Your Health #WarriorReady Workout video for a group PT session and have Soldiers take turns leading the workout .

• Ask Soldiers to discuss the importance of various topics, such as staying ready and resilient, and then show a Guard Your Health personal story video to demonstrate the importance of always being ready .

Staying Fit, Staying ReadyWatch 20 National Guard Soldiers who had just rucked the 2013 Boston Marathon use their Guard training to step into action when two bombs went off at the finish line .

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INCORPORATING GUARD YOUR HEALTH RESOURCESUse Guard Your Health’s unique, actionable health and wellness resources during your next fitness camp to encourage Soldiers to keep up with their personal health goals after returning home . Whether Soldiers have a hard time eating healthy, staying motivated to workout, or passing their APFT, Guard Your Health has an abundance of resources designed to help them reach their goals .

GIVE A PRESENTATIONUse the attached presentation to provide Soldiers with an overview of Guard Your Health . The presentation acts as a guide to introduce the campaign, and can be customized with your own information to meet your fitness camp goals . The presentation includes:

• Background on Guard Your Health

• Tips for building healthy habits and setting health goals

• Sample resources from Guard Your Health, including the #WarriorReady Challenge, #ClassIRecipes, digital Drill Deck, and APFT resources

• List of ways to stay connected to the campaign, including signing up for FitText, engaging on social media, and subscribing to email updates

LEAD A DISCUSSION ON HEALTHY EATINGMany Soldiers want to eat healthier, but don’t know where to start . Lead a discussion on how to build a healthy plate, and share the Guard Your Health infographic, “Building a Healthy Plate,” for an eye-catching visual aid . Share the following nutrition tips with Soldiers:

• Fill half your plate with fruits and veggies because a colorful plate is a healthy plate!

• Look for low-fat or skim-milk dairy products, which provide protein and calcium with less fat

• Choose whole wheat and whole grain options

• Eat lean proteins, like chicken and fish, instead of meats that are high in fat

Ask Soldiers to share examples of their favorite veggies, fruits, proteins, and whole grains . Create a list and share it with the group as a reminder of healthy options .

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AMP UP PT WITH A WORKOUT FROM GUARD YOUR HEALTHSwitch up the morning PT routine with a workout from the Guard Your Health #WarriorReady Workout video series . Each #WarriorReady Workout video includes four different exercises that result in a full-body workout . The workouts require no additional equipment and can be performed anywhere . While Guard Your Health includes sample timing, the workouts can be modified based on fitness level .

Drill Deck is another easy way to get creative with a daily workout . Drill Deck is accessible on mobile devices and allows Soldiers to customize their workout based on area of the body, intensity, and duration . Consider using a #WarriorReady Workout or the Drill Deck to:

• Get a group of Soldiers together to complete a #WarriorReady workout or a 15-20 minute Drill Deck exercise routine

• Encourage Soldiers to use Drill Deck for their evening workout

• Have a Soldier choose a #WarriorReady workout for the group’s morning PT activity

• Switch up the PT routine and do two or three different #WarriorReady workouts as an alternative

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Sample – The Get Jacked #WarriorReady Workout

BURPEES – 60 secs . ARM CIRCLES – 60 secs .

SUPERMAN RAISES – 60 secs . LATERAL LEG RAISES – 60 secs .

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CONDUCT A COOKING CLASS WITH #CLASSIRECIPESMany Soldiers are hesitant to cook because they do not know where to begin or think healthy cooking is expensive . Guard Your Health’s #ClassIRecipes help Soldiers eat nutritious, balanced meals by offering simple cooking instructions and a list of easy-to-find, budget-friendly ingredients . The recipes also include photos or a video for Soldiers to follow while they create the recipe .

Boost your fitness camp by incorporating a few cooking classes to show Soldiers that it doesn’t take hours to make a healthy meal . Get started with these 15-Minute Fish Sticks:

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 1 (6 ounce) cod filet

• 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon paprika

• 1 egg, whisked

• 1/2 cup seasoned whole-wheat breadcrumbs

Directions:

1 . Preheat oven to 425°F .

2 . Whisk egg in a bowl and place breadcrumbs in a separate bowl .

3 . Slice cod filet into 6 strips . Season with balsamic vinegar, salt, and paprika .

4 . Bread each strip by dipping into the egg and then breadcrumbs .

5 . Line a baking sheet with foil and spritz with cooking spray . Place the fish strips on the tray, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until opaque throughout .

6 . Serve with a green salad (2 handfuls of spinach or mixed greens with a spritz of oil and vinegar) for a healthy dose of veggies!

Nutrition Info (per serving): Calories: 374, Fat: 8g, Sodium: 903mg, Carbs: 43g, Sugars: 5g, Protein: 31g .

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Encourage Soldiers to try these recipes and more from #ClassIRecipes when they get home . These three recipes all include video instructions to make cooking even easier:

• Whip up an easy dinner with this Turkey Meatball Bake

• Cook the One-Pot Veggie Pasta to make a healthy dinner for the whole family

• Make No-Bake Chocolate Oak Cookies and treat yourself to dessert

SHARE GUARD YOUR HEALTH RESOURCESGuard Your Health has a variety of resources, including ones that focus specifically on training for the APFT . Print out and share exercise plans and preparation guides with Soldiers to keep them motivated during and after the course . Get started by sharing these resources with Soldiers:

• Encourage Soldiers to use Guard Your Health’s APFT Calculator to determine what score they would get on the APFT and which areas they need to improve .

• Share The Ultimate APFT Run Improvement Guide: How to Cut Minutes Without Adding Miles and the 7 Days to Go: Ultimate APFT Week-Of Prep Guide for tips on how Soldiers can score better on the APFT .

• Keep Soldiers motivated with the 90-, 60-, and 30-Days to Go APFT Exercise Plans .

Distribute the accompanying Soldier Resource Guide to Soldiers before they leave the fitness camp . This guide includes information on fitness, nutrition, and behavioral health, while also providing tips on building and maintaining healthy habits . The guide also includes APFT-specific resources to help Soldiers improve their scores .

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SAMPLE EMAILSend the following sample email to Soldiers approximately two weeks after they leave the camp . This will provide an opportunity to check-in with Soldiers and remind them of available Guard Your Health resources that will help them achieve their health and fitness goals .

Hello Soldiers,

Two weeks ago you concluded the [name of fitness camp], and I’m confident that you are on

your way to achieving your health and fitness goals.

Adjusting from the camp atmosphere to your normal routine at home can be challenging, but

staying motivated and finding time to eat healthy and exercise is crucial to your success as

a Soldier. As a reminder, Guard Your Health has a variety of free resources for Army National

Guard Soldiers. Visit their website and take advantage of their actionable tips and resources,

such as:

• Exercise plans, preparation guides, and more on the APFT Max page

• Mobile workouts that you can do anywhere with the digital Drill Deck

• Workout videos and healthy recipes

• 24/7 Confidential Support Database

• Check out these two infographics for extra APFT tips:

○ What and When to Eat Before Your Next Test

○ 10 APFT Hacks

Keeping up with your health and fitness can be challenging, but it’s important to set goals and

make them part of your daily routine. If you haven’t already, sign up for Guard Your Health’s

FitText program by texting FIT to 77453 and follow the campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and

Instagram to boost your motivation.

Keep up the great work.

V/r

Name

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SHARE SOLDIER SUCCESS STORIES Guard Your Health is always looking for inspirational success stories to inspire other Soldiers to maintain health and readiness . Encourage Soldiers to share their health accomplishments following the fitness camp by e-mailing supporters@guardyourhealth .com or by going to the Guard Your Health website to submit their story .

CONTACT US

GUARD YOUR HEALTHhttp://www .guardyourhealth .com

FACEBOOK:https://www .facebook .com/ARNGHealth

TWITTER:https://twitter .com/arnghealth

TUMBLR:http://guardyourhealth .tumblr .com

Send comments or questions about any materials you see on the Guard Your Health website to webmaster@guardyourhealth .com .