Maurie Cofman, a personal trainer, health coach, and fitness instructor, was inspired to take action at her grandson’s school after reading Michelle Obama’s autobriography, Becoming. Learning about the programs that the former first lady started to help kids learn healthy habits was right in line with Maurie’s own goals for her family, so she searched the Internet to find out how to get involved with children’s health.

After reading about Action for Healthy Kids and joining our Healthy Kids Network, Maurie reached out to her 10-year-old grandson’s school to talk with them about implementing some new, healthy initiatives. While the school was unreceptive to the idea, that hasn’t stopped Maurie from continuing to take action for her own family and kids everywhere by sharing information and encouraging healthier food and exercise choices.

Maurie believes that part of her job as a health professional is to help people adopt a healthy lifestyle that is available to everyone. One way she does this at home is by modeling healthy behaviors. “I take my grandkids to the Healthworks Children Museum here in St. Louis. I encourage them to play sports and be active—we go to the playground a lot. I have even taken them grocery shopping with me to show them where the produce section is, and I explained what items would be a better choice over another.”  In addition, Maurie uses an extremely benefical technique to develop kids’ healthy eating habits: She has her grandkids help her cook dinner and has taken them to cooking classes for kids.

Says Maurie about her efforts, “My kids and my grandkids all know what a healthy lifestyle I live, so they tend to tease me about it, acting like they aren’t listening to me. And yet my 10-year-old grandson signed up for a running program, and his mother told him that Grandma Maurie will be proud and happy—he agreed!”