Tinker’s Weiss family named May’s ‘Fit Family’ Published May 18, 2012 By Mike W. Ray Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The family of Lt. Col. Geoffrey Weiss, commander of the 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron at Tinker AFB, has been picked as the USAF "Fit Family of the Month" for May - which, coincidentally, is Fitness Month in the Air Force. "We enrolled in the FitFamily program three or four years ago," the colonel said. "My wife and I thought it would be interesting to see how many points our active family could earn, and we thought our kids would have fun with it, too." Participants in the family fitness program collect points in three categories: family nutrition, family fun, and family sports and fitness. Evidently the Weisses found plenty to like in all three categories. "Over the years we've accumulated almost one million points," Colonel Weiss said recently. Amid the national debate about rampant obesity and the growing incidence of diabetes, the Weiss family serves as an example of the value of proper nutrition. Anyone who has children knows how difficult it can be to get them to eat fruits and vegetables or to try other healthy foods. According to the government's new nutrition icon, consumption of fruits and veggies should be half of the dietary intake of children. Based on a 2009 study by researchers at Ohio State University, only 22 percent of children ages 2-5 meet government recommendations for vegetables, and it gets worse as children get older: just 16 percent of children ages 6-11, and only 11 percent of children ages 12-18, meet the government's guidelines. Nevertheless, the Weiss teenagers are in that 11 percent. How do they do it? Effort and planning. The favorite family snacks are fruit and nuts. "Fruit is always on the kitchen counter where it's easy to see and easy to reach for a quick bite or to put in packed lunches," the colonel said. In addition, he and his wife, Karen, lead by example. "She and I eat healthy foods such as whole wheat breads and cereals, homemade salsa, and for dessert, a fruit-and-yogurt smoothie." The Weisses also use "hunger" as the opportune moment to try new and healthy foods. "If the kids are hungry, they'll eat that salad and grilled fish you place in front of them," the colonel said. "We don't prohibit them from eating unhealthy foods - a tactic that tends to backfire in teenagers," he noted. "Fast" foods are acceptable in moderation, he said. "They just get used to eating foods that are healthy and lighter. When they eat out with their friends at a fast-food place, they find the heavy, greasy food a turnoff. Since our kids are used to healthier fare, they'll eat sparingly or select healthy choices like salads and sandwich wraps instead of the double bacon cheeseburger." Another reason the Weiss family is so fit is because they participate in athletics. For example, the colonel, his wife and their older son participated in the Oklahoma City Memorial Relay recently (their daughter is away at college and their younger son was nursing an injury that weekend). Colonel Weiss played basketball while in college, and his wife played softball in high school and now works out regularly. In turn, they introduced their children to soccer, basketball, and martial arts. Their daughter, Alison, 18, attends the U.S. Air Force Academy, where she plays lacrosse. Their older son, Scott, 17, a junior at Edmond North High School, plays soccer and basketball. Their other son, Brian, 15, a freshman at Edmond North, also plays soccer and basketball. All three children have won Oklahoma state championships in soccer, and a decade ago Brian was the Oklahoma Karate Association state champion in the 5-and-under division. All three children are "very competitive," the colonel said. "They continuously try to outdo each other in the trophy-winning department." The Weiss family remains motivated by using USAF FitFamily.com. Activities for which participants can score points include camping, mowing the lawn, washing and vacuuming the family car, cleaning the house, folding clothes, gardening, rollerblading, swimming, walking the dog, bringing a healthy lunch or snack to school or work, eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables, eating six ounces of grains, eating whole wheat bread instead of white bread, selecting healthy choices at a fast-food outlet, playing baseball or basketball, riding a bicycle, pilates, soccer, Tai Chi, tennis, working out on a treadmill, volleyball, Zumba, and myriad other events.