Thank you for funding support from the Town of Whitby’s Mayor’s Community Development Fund
Girls Inc.’s Mind+Body Program supports and promotes the whole health of girls ages 11 to 18, using a philosophy which recognizes that many factors, including physical and mental wellness, contribute to girls’ health. Consequently, the Initiative focuses on four critical content areas:
• Physical Activity: Encouraging participants to discover and view movement in a holistic perspective to connect with different activities they enjoy.
• Body Image: Reshaping the way people view their physical being and learning to appreciate their whole self.
• Nutrition: Focusing on the different aspects of food and understanding that the sole purpose being “Food is Fuel”.
• Stress Management: To gain an understanding that stress is a normal and acceptable part of life, and develop healthy coping strategies.
SESSIONS: THURSDAYS’S 5:30 – 7:00 PM TO REGISTER OF FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE EMAIL Clarissa Benedicto
FEE: $40 FOR NON-MEMBERS, $25 FOR MEMBERS- MONTHLY *subsidies available upon request
Location: Girls Inc. office 1-398 Bayly Street West Ajax, ON L1S 1P1
” In the program there were sessions on self-esteem and body image. It was here that I learned not only how to overcome my low self-esteem but how I could take charge of my body by maintaining healthy eating habits. I came to believe I had the right to accept and appreciate my body. – Evon, age 17″
Why is a healthy living program for Girls important?
Girls today face a broad range of challenges to their physical, mental, social, and emotional health: a culture of high-fat and high sugar foods; too little physical activity; media and cultural messages overemphasizing the importance of physical appearance; and unrealistic expectations and pressures from a variety of sources (including family, teachers, and peers). These challenges and
the unhealthy strategies that girls too often adopt to address or cope with them can prevent girls from reaching their full potential.
Girls deserve a supportive environment for developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and they deserve to be involved in decisions about their health. A positive youth development approach can be key to equipping girls with the knowledge, skills,
attitudes, and support for maintaining a positive sense of self and for being healthy today and throughout their lives.