Finding a Healthy Balance ~ Staying Active and Healthy in the Winter!

A special thanks to the Dr Pepper Snapple Group for partnering with Being Frugal and Making it Work for today’s post. All opinions are my own.

With every new year comes new promises, new choices, and New Year's Resolutions.  Finding the balance between everything that life throws your way can prove to be a challenge.  Healthy living depends on balance, balancing the calories you consume through food & beverages with the calories you burn through physical activity. 

 

Instead of making resolutions (that I probably won't end up keeping), I try to strive to make better choices each day, even if it's just one.  Something as simple as choosing to drink a glass of water with a slice of lemon in or walking to check the mail instead of driving.  

During the summer months it's easier to be active due to the weather.  However, as a parent, I know how important it is to be active with my kids year- round.  That's why we don't let the cold winter weather keep us inside.  We play in the snow, have snowball fights, build forts, go sledding, and so much more...

 

I recently had the opportunity to join an amazingly informative discussion with the Dr Pepper Snapple Group and I learned some pretty interesting facts. Here are just a few things that I learned:

• DPS is the third largest beverage manufacturer in the U.S., but the LEADER in flavors  
• DPS sells more than 50 brands of carbonated soft drinks, teas, juices, mixers and other premium beverages
• Out of its 14 biggest brands, 13 are #1 or #2 in their respective category
• The majority of the business is in soft drinks and it’s an area of growth and strength
• 6 of the top 10 non-cola soft drink brands in the business and a 40% share of the non-cola market
• If you aren’t drinking a cola, there’s a pretty good chance you’re drinking one of DPS’s products

 

We’re faced with the reality that kids and young people aren’t given the same opportunities to burn the calories they consume through daily physical activity.

• Only 20% of children live near a park
• Two-thirds of kids get less than an hour of play a day
• Kids are increasingly time-crunched, with 12 fewer hours of free time per week
• Disadvantaged inner city youth participate 40% less in sports and fitness
• Recreational time is increasingly spent on devices
• Kids 8-18 spend an average of 7.5 hours per day on media

Did you know that sugar-sweetened soft drinks are unique contributors to obesity but only 7% of the average daily caloric intake is from soft drinks. Check out LetsClearItUp.org to learn more about facts vs myths...  you might be as surprised as I was!
 
As part of industry-led initiatives with the beverage industry, DPS took full-calorie beverages out of school voluntarily through the School Beverage Guidelines, which have reduced the calories in beverage shipments to schools by more than 90%. 

Which Dr. Pepper Snapple Group beverage is your favorite?