Fit Together Highlights
Celebrating a Summer of Smoothies!
The Fit Together Blender Bike has been busy this summer! The bike blends 😉 the fun of biking with the deliciousness of a healthy smoothie, making it a great attraction at community events. This summer it’s been put to good use by our friends at Connecticut Foodshare, Hartford HealthCare, Beekley Community Library, and others.
🎥 Watch Hartford HealthCare’s Joan Palmer giving the bike a whirl [FT Facebook]!
Renting the Blender Bike
If you are interested in renting the blender bike for a community event, you will need to:
- Review the Blender Bike Manual
- Complete the Blender Bike Agreement
- Transport the Blender Bike from our location in Torrington, CT.
For more information, see our Rent the Blender Bike page.
Simple Smoothie Recipes
If you are just looking for smoothie recipes, we’ve got you covered too. Check out our:
- Blue Banana Smoothie Recipe [PDF, English and Spanish]
- Fit Together Berry-licious Smoothie Recipe [PDF]
Exploring a Torrington Treasure
The John Brown Trail, located on the west side of Torrington, is a tranquil, 1.7-mile walking trail that includes a 1,000-foot boardwalk and the birthplace of famed abolitionist John Brown. The trail forms a loop and is accessible via John Brown Road (The John Brown Birthplace) or University Drive (Five Points Art Center).
Visitors can park at the Five Points Art Center (the former UConn campus) at 855 University Drive, and then walk between the main Arts Center Building and the Agricultural Exchange Buildings, where trail signs become visible. The hike is relatively flat and is dog-friendly.
The Torrington Historical Society and Five Points Arts Center jointly own this fantastic community resource, and the Torrington Trails Network installed the beautiful boardwalk. This is another excellent example of a collaborative effort to encourage healthy activity in our community. Great job to all involved!
🎥 Haven’t visited the trail? Hike along with Nate Nardi-Cyrus, Fit Together Steering Committee Member and Torrington Assistant City Planner, over on the Fit Together Facebook Page.
Healthy Activities in September
Fit Together members and partners are always hosting healthy activities throughout Northwest Connecticut. Check out September’s featured events, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates:
- Sundays, 9-10 am, through 10/25 – Community Flea Market with FREE Wellness Hour – a program from Winsted Recreation and Zen Den Center featuring rotating community-led fitness and wellness activities such as yoga, HIIT, sound baths, and more! See Flyer [PDF] and follow Winsted Recreation Facebook for updates.
- 9/19, Time TBD, Firefighter Health Screening – free cancer screenings for volunteer firefighters. Litchfield County Fire School, 605 Burr Mountain Rd, Torrington. See Flyer [PDF]
- 9/26, 10 am – 3:00 pm, Fall Foliage Festival – a fun family event on Main St in Winsted, CT, with arts and crafts, live music, a car show and more. Fit Together volunteers will be there! See Flyer [PDF]
- Winsted Active Aging Senior Center – September 2026 Newsletter [PDF] – There are so many free and inexpensive healthy activities available for seniors 55+ in Winsted, CT.
If you have a healthy event to share, please let us know at fittogether@how2fitkids.org.
Kids’ Corner – Supporting Healthy Weight
September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month AND National Fruits & Veggies Month. Supporting a healthy weight in children can be a challenge, but fruits and vegetables can be part of the solution. When children eat a diet that includes the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, they are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.
Of course, a variety of other factors play a role too. Getting physical activity daily, factoring in enough sleep, and drinking unsweetened beverages are all key to achieving a healthy weight. Learn more about this important topic and find helpful tools below.
Childhood Obesity Facts
- A healthy weight is based on a child’s height and age. Use a BMI Calculator from the CDC to learn the ideal range.
- 1 in 5 children in America are obese.
- Childhood obesity can lead to chronic illnesses including type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, joint pain, breathing conditions, and liver damage.
Childhood Obesity Resources
- Follow 5-2-1-0 – support optimal weight for all family members using this helpful framework:
- Preventing Childhood Obesity: 6 Things Families Can Do – tips and additional weight management resources from the
- Childhood Obesity – a comprehensive guide from the Mayo Clinic.
- Fruits & Veggie Recipes – find recipes and tips on adding more fruits and veggies to your child’s diet.
Worksite Wellness Tip – Yoga is for Everyone
September is also Yoga Awareness Month. If you are a Fit Together follower, you know that we often promote free yoga programs throughout our NWCT community. If you are new to this form of exercise, you might be wondering what’s all the fuss.
Turns out yoga is not just good for your body, it helps support your mind too! It combines challenging physical poses with deep breathing that helps to unite the body and mind. This combination is effective at not just building muscle strength, enhancing balance, and burning calories, but also in creating a deep state of relaxation in the body. Not to mention – it is fun! And, best of all, it is suitable for everyone. No matter your age, gender, or fitness level there is a yoga program that can work for you.
Yoga Benefits
Research compiled by the National Institutes of Health suggests yoga can help individuals to:
- Improve Overall Wellness – by relieving stress, supporting healthy habits, and improving mental/emotional health, sleep, and balance.
- Relieve Pain – including pain in the neck, low back, and knees (osteoarthritis), as well as migraine or tension headaches.
- Reduce Weight and Obesity
- Quit Smoking
- Manage Anxiety or Depression
- Relieve Menopausal Symptoms
- Treat Substance Use Disorders
- Manage Chronic Disease Symptoms
[List modified from “Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety” from the NCCIH. ]
Yoga in Northwest Connecticut
The local parks & recreation departments and the NWCT YMCA all have yoga programs offered throughout the year.
The Winsted branch of the NWCT YMCA has a new program staring this month called “Yoga for Bone Health.” It meets Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 am with instructor, Judith Ehrman- Shapiro. It is an Iyengar Hatha yoga style class that includes both floor work on the mat and standing yoga postures. Postures are held longer to stimulate bone density and growth. Check out Judith’s schedule here.
- Winsted / Winchester CT Recreation – Website ; Facebook [See September Healthy Activities above for their community wellness event which features free yoga.]
- Torrington CT Parks & Rec – Website ; Facebook
- Sanctuary Power Yoga – Website ; Facebook
- Litchfield CT Parks & Rec – Website ; Facebook
- Burlington CT Parks & Recreation – Website ; Facebook
- Harwinton CT Parks & Recreation – Website ; Facebook
- Goshen CT Recreation – Website ; Facebook
- New Hartford CT Parks & Recreation – Website ; Facebook
Free Yoga Resources
- Free Yoga from FitOn – an app that includes a large collection of free yoga videos along with an affordable membership option.
- Free Yoga Videos – and instructions from the US Dept of Veteran Affairs “Live Well”
- 12-minute chair yoga – a beginner-friendly practice focused on mobility
- “What is Yoga” – more details on the foundations of yoga from YogaAlliance.com
Healthy Recipes – Safe School Lunch Ideas
September also happens to be Food Safety Education Month. And, since it is “back to school” season, we are offering another combo of resources that will help you send kids off to school with a lunch that’s healthy and safe.
Safe Lunch Basics
- It is important to keep hot food hot and cold food cold, avoiding the “danger zone” of 40°F to 140°F, where bacteria multiply rapidly.
- Use an insulated lunch bag with freezer packs, or keep hot foods in a thermos.
- Be extra careful with perishable food items like luncheon meats, cheese, or yogurt, which need to stay chilled until lunchtime.
- Consider using shelf-stable foods whenever possible, such as canned tuna, hard cheeses, granola bars, nuts, seeds, or single-serving packs of nut butters (following allergen restrictions).
- Avoid risky foods like eggs or undercooked meats.
5 Safe School Lunch Ideas
- DIY Lunchables – combine lean turkey slices or grilled chicken strips with whole-grain crackers or pita wedges, cheese cubes, and cut up veggies (such as sliced cucumber and cherry tomatoes), and serve with a hummus or guacamole dip. Include apple slices for a sweet dessert.
- Veggie & Hummus Wrap – Spread hummus or bean spread onto a whole-grain tortilla and top with shredded carrots, cucumbers, and peppers (based on your child’s preference). Include orange slices as a sweet treat.
- Pasta Salad Lunch – Combine cooked whole-grain pasta with grilled chicken or chickpeas, with Parmesan cheese, and a mix of chopped veggies (cherry tomatoes, olives, and diced cucumber) and use an Italian dressing or vinaigrette to give it added zing. Serve berries or a small banana as a sweet snack.
- Turkey & Avocado Sandwich – To 2 slices of whole-grain bread, add sliced turkey breast, avocado slices, lettuce, and tomato. Include a string cheese or a small container of mixed nuts (if no allergy restrictions), and/or a piece of fruit.
- Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl – mix cooked quinoa or brown rice with black beans or grilled chicken, and top with veggies (corn, diced tomatoes, and bell peppers) and a squeeze of lime juice or a dollop of salsa. Include a cup of diced peaches in their own juice as a sweet side.
[Adapted from, Packing Kid Friendly Lunches: A Guide to Preventing Foodborne Illness. Get this Printable Lunch Guide [PDF] from the University of California]
Safe School Lunch Resources
- “Safe Bagged Lunches for School or Work” – a guide from UConn College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources
- BAC to School: Pack a Safe Lunch 101– helpful tips from the Partnership for Food Safety Education
- Food Safety – Education Materials and Information Resource – a collection of food safety resources from the USDA
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