No sweat, no smell, no service.

Around this time last year we dispelled the health myth that to get any health benefit from a workout, you must feel the pain.  Today’s myth is along those lines but slightly messier.  Yes, we’re talking about workout sweat.  That salty, wet, smelly stuff that often drips into your eyes after you run a marathon (or go up a few flights of stairs). Today’s health myth: the amount you sweat is a good indicator of workout intensity.

The facts.

Today’s myth seems relatively logical.  If you “work up a sweat,” odds are you’re getting a good workout.  A marathon runner is much more likely to be dripping with sweat after an hour of activity versus someone who takes a merry stroll in the park and may return home with a glisten.

To get to the bottom of this myth, we must first answer one question: What is the purpose of sweating?  Sweat or perspiration is a salty fluid secreted by the sweat glands.  It’s purpose?  To cool the body down.

• An increase in a person’s core or skin temperature will cause the brain (the hypothalamus to be exact) to signal the body that it needs to start cooling down before things get too heated.
• The sweat glands are stimulated, sweat escapes through pores in the skin and the body’s core temperature begins to cool.
• Skin temperature begins to come down as the liquid sweat evaporates off the surface of the skin.

It’s like having your own personal AC system!

The truth.

So it makes sense that if a person works his or her muscles, core body temperature is going to rise and cause the individual to sweat. But is sweat a good measure of physical exertion?  Actually…no!  Dripping sweat is only an indicator that your body is having difficulty cooling itself.  It’s producing sweat faster than it can be evaporated.  This is not a direct indicator of how hard a person is working out.

There are many other factors that can explain why one person sweats more than another.  Genetics, age, gender, fitness level and environment are just a few.

According to the CDC, a better way to measure your level of exertion during physical activity is to use the Borg scale.  This helps individuals measure more accurately how hard their body is working.  The Borg scale takes into account a person’s muscle fatigue, breathing, heart rate AND sweating.  Visit the CDC Physical Activity website to find out additional details.

Sweat and workout quality…busted!

The folks in the UK just finished celebrating their European Safer Internet Day (SID) on February 9th.  This is an annual European event designed to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones.  But what are we doing here in the US?  PBS Kids is doing something pretty cool.

Take a test drive.

Jump into the driver’s seat and fasten your seat belts because it’s time to take an Internet driving test for FREE courtesy of PBS Kids!  Kids: take the official “Rules of the Road” test and get your own Kids Web License.  Parents and teachers: you should try the test too.  You may learn more than you think!  Here’s what the test covers:

• Meeting people online
• Downloading
• Cookies
• Sharing information
• Password protection
• Privacy policies
• Cyber bullying
• Plagiarism

The best part?  You get to PRINT OUT your very own Web Driver’s License!  I already took mine…pretty cool, right?  So head over to PBS Kids and see if you should be on the Internet super highway or not.  No tailgating and make sure to use your turn signal!

Fail the test?

So you took the test and didn’t do so hot.  No need to worry.  Maybe you were just nervous. But for those of you that want to do a little studying, try visiting the Playnormous parent pages, specifically our one on safety.  There you can learn all about how Playnormous keeps families safe.  Click on the links at the bottom of our safety page to get even more information.

Chompy-approved desserts.

We all know that Valentine’s Day is a day for chocolate lovers, and we all know from playing Pyramid Pile Up that it’s ok to splurge once in a while.  But if you’ve been one of those working hard this year to stay healthy, we have a some good sweets for your sweet for less than 300 calories each, brought to you by our Twitter friends @GoodHealth.

1. Chocolate Decadence - for the beginner chef - 315 calories
2. Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding - great with strawberries or raspberries - 319 calories
3. Raspberry-Topped Amaretto Tarts - so pretty it’s restaurant-worthy - 307 calories
4. Chocolate Fudge Pie - low-fat dairy makes this guilt-free - 272 calories
5. Chocolate-Dipped Almond Meringues - great for sharing - 48 calories
6. Chocolate-Raspberry Tiramisu - light without whipped cream - 348 calories
7. Chocolate-Toffee Puffs - chewy chocolate deliciousness - 52 calories
8. Chocolate Lava Cakes with Pistachio Cream - gooey and flourless - 232 calories

To learn more about daily healthy choices play our newest game Pyramid Pile Up where the Chompies will teach you all about food groups and discretionary calories!

Tweet, tweedle-lee-dee.

Now that we’ve finally made our big move I’ve made a couple of belated New Years resolutions for Playnormous.  At the top of that list is be more active on Twitter.  I’ve met so many amazing people on Twitter and read so many good articles that I’ve decided enough is enough.  It’s time to share all of this good social stuff with the world.  Of course, I wanted to start with you, my amazing Monster’s Blog audience.  This article comes from @LearningToday, where individualized learning programs for students are king.

Incorporating web into the classroom well.

If you’re a teacher and reading this blog, you probably have tried or are at least considering incorporating web-based activities in your classroom.  For many this is not an easy process.  Learning Today recommends that you start by asking yourself five simple questions.

1. What is the curriculum related purpose of the activity?  →  The outcome or assessment should be aligned to your lesson objectives and standards.
2. Does the Internet enhance the activity?  →  If the answer is no, find a more appropriate place to integrate the web.
3. How will students use the online resources?  →  Once students locate information, they should be asked to apply, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, or create. The activity should require them to move to higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
4. Do students have necessary information analysis/information synthesis skills or am I including these in instruction?  →  The project should not become simply an exercise in locating information. Students must have the necessary background knowledge and pre-requisite skills to complete higher level tasks or these must be included in instruction prior to the web-based learning activity.
5. Do I have the necessary time and support for the activity?  →  Double your original time estimate and always have access to technical support to resolve problems efficiently.

Try Playnormous.

Are you ready to take the internet plunge?  Why not take Playnormous for a spin?  In addition to online educational games, we have a full curriculum for each one!  We even follow Bloom’s Taxonomy to get your students thinking harder and you testing smarter.  That’s right…I have a Masters degree in health education.  We know what we’re doing around here.  So visit our teacher page, and let us know what you think!

Movin’ on up (literally).

It’s official: the Playnormous health games office has moved!  After a week of old fashioned muscle and a little physical labor, we are finally up and running in our new space.  Where did we move, you ask? Not as far as you might think.  Just down the street, that’s how far!  We’re still based in Houston but needed a little more leg room.  We are now on the second floor of a Cambridge-inspired space, right above the famous Black Labrador Pub in the heart of Montrose.  See those lit windows at the top of the picture?  Yep, that’s us hard at work.

Our new studio features hard wood floors (perfect for roller skating and bowling), a gallery space and huge conference room.  We also have a fun waiting room where you can play our Wii Fit, FootPOWR dance pad, Xbox 360, PS3 and Game Cube.

Need a snack?  If you’re in our area we recommend taking a gander down to the Black Lab for some delicious English cuisine or Kraftsmen Bakery for a hot cup of coffee and pastry (remember, fruit filled pastries don’t count as a serving of fruit). If you stop by the studio late you may find us at the Cezanne Piano Bar soaking up some culture.  We’d love to give you a tour of our new studio so please visit us any time:

Playnormous

4100 Montrose Blvd

Suite 200

Houston, TX 77006