This week we catch up with Nate!

An incredible eight-year-old boy who talks about his day, including his experiences at school....from recess being too short to playing with friends on the playground, (note, he's too cool for games like chasey! 😉)

From being a Telethon 2024 star to all his extra curricular activities, Nate is a busy boy - focused on high performance sports cars, he has a hard time choosing between Bugatti's and Ferrari's, his love for running and running ever faster and his dream of being richer than Elon!

Fitness is a big part of Nate's life - right now, he's made his own goal to learn how to trap and kick a ball! The best thing is that Nate just has a lot of fun playing, being active and spending time with his friends, family and loved ones!

We're joined this week by special guest, Taj and his mother, Danica!

The conversation focuses on Taj's life, particularly his passion for footy (AFL) and whilst he is a big fan of the Geelong Cats, he is happy to support the West Coast Eagles if they're playing of course! 😉

Taj shares a recent highlight when he got the opportunity to play during halftime at Optus Stadium when the Dockers recently took on Collingwood. Whilst the result wasn't what the home team had hoped for, it was an outstanding game for Taj who kicked two goals! It is just so wonderful to hear from both Taj and Danica about what this moment meant for them.

Beyond footy, Taj and Danica talk share their perspective on fitness - what it means to them and why they prioritise it. Between Taj and Danica, they describe benefits that include improved strength, mental health, enjoyment and sleep.

This episode is for everyone. For researchers - Taj's insights tell us what is important. For clinicians, this episode is about how we can support children like Taj. For parents, it is the encouragement to find community activities to get involved. For kids, it's about the shared experience and for the wider community, it is a call to action for inclusivity because as Taj puts it, inclusion is the best feeling, the feeling of being part of a team.

This week's F word is Fitness!

Mobility is medicine and this week, we talk about what movement means for our bodies. This is relevant to all of us because long, uninterrupted sitting is not great for our health. Our goal is to break up long periods of sitting to move more and be physically active. Movement is great for our lungs, digestive system, bones, muscles with social, emotional and cognitive benefits! It certainly makes us feel better too thanks to the lovely release of endorphins.

Join us as we talk about what Fitness means for our kids as well as how Healthy Strides got it's name!