Elizabeth wanted to make a change in the way she was living. She wanted to be more active, to eat healthier and to feel better about her body. But she wasn't able to motivate herself enough to see any results. Instead of giving up, she started researching summer camps that focused specifically on health and fitness.

"Before my last year of high school, I wanted to give myself one big push," says the 16-year-old.

She came across Active Challenge, a camp near her hometown of Ottawa that focuses on helping young women become more physically active while eating better and losing weight.  "It looked like a fun and down-to-earth place that would fit with my personality."

While many summer camps promote outdoor activity and active play, health and fitness camps take it a step further, focusing on educating children about exercise, nutrition and healthy habits through fun activities.

"We're a traditional Canadian summer camp in that we focus on outdoor adventure and activities, but we use that to help the girls with personal growth and development," says Jill Baxter, the director of Active Challenge.

Active Challenge offers well-rounded meals that follow Canada's Food Guide, education on balance and lifestyle choices, self-esteem-boosting workshops and intensive fitness programs.

After a summer at Active Challenge, Elizabeth felt as though she had really accomplished something. She not only lost more than 16 pounds, but also developed healthy eating habits, learned to run and enjoy physical activity, and overcame her fears in order to feel better about herself. "I remember our first running class I was in tears, I couldn't even finish," she recalls. "Now I can complete the same circuit and while it is still hard, it's so much easier than it was … The change I see in myself is not just physical–it's mental."

Our country is in a crisis when it comes to inactivity and childhood obesity, so health and fitness camps are a great way to begin educating youth, says Kelly Murumets, president and CEO of ParticipACTION, the national voice of physical activity and sport participation in Canada.

Choosing a camp that focuses on physical activity but makes it fun is the best gift a parent can give their child, she says. "These positive associations with nature and activity will not only be carried into the school year, but into adulthood as well." 

Photo: PulsePlus Fitness Boot Camp (by Andrew Tolson)