Salud por Vida

If health, hope and wholeness are important for young girls trying to break a cycle of poor fitness and health practices, imagine how important these aspirations are for moms who grew up in a time and a community where sports and fitness activities were virtually nonexistent or considered unacceptable for girls.

Salud por Vida, co-located alongside the BAWSI Girls program, is designed for women in communities where obesity and diabetes are prevalent due to a lack of fitness opportunities offered in their neighborhoods.

This eight-week program provides women with expert coaching in Spanish and English with practical instruction in how to abandon sedentary lifestyles with fitness programs that are fun while increasing self-confidence and good health.

Why Salud por Vida?
BAWSI Girls, our original program, was so successful that teachers, principals and parents encouraged BAWSI to modify the activity program to meet the needs of BAWSI Girls' moms. BAWSI fitness trainers lead a weekly exercise program for women at many of the same sites and times as BAWSI Girls so that girls and moms learn about fitness and nutrition and can reinforce each others' positive behavioral changes. Teachers and other women from the community are encouraged to participate as well. BAWSI strives to increase knowledge across all age groups about the importance of physical activity that will lead to healthier lifestyles for the entire family and greater well-being for the community.

What do you do in Salud por Vida?
Salud por Vida is a women's exercise program utilizing the same foundational elements as the BAWSI Girls' program: pedometers for motivation, t-shirts for team unity and journals for goal setting. For most participants, Salud por Vida provides the first opportunity to exercise in a safe place with a supportive team atmosphere and a coach who cares. Participants learn exercises they can do anywhere, including in their own homes. They develop relationships with their coaches and team members that increase their self-confidence and make them want to try harder while encouraging their peers.

Salud por Vida elementary school sites for Fall 2010:

South Bay
Dorsa
Gardner
Bowers
Horace Mann
Washington

Peninsula
Castro
Landels

Gilroy
Rod Kelley

Salud por Vida in the Community

BAWSI encourages Salud por Vida participants to take advantage of other opportunities in the community to become healthy and active. You’ll find Salud por Vida at the Silicon Valley Marathon and 5k, the Latinas Contra Cancer Walk or taking Zumba classes with our community partners. Most importantly, Salud por Vida participants are bringing their entire family to these events, thus reinforcing the importance of fitness and physical activity with all members of the family.