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The United States Professional Tennis Association, in association with its Tennis — for the health of it! initiative and Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, is on board for Together Counts, a nationwide program to inspire active and healthy living.

The idea is to get families and community members to take a simple pledge. Eat at least one meal and do at least one activity together every week. We believe that together we can make a difference — in the country, in our communities and in every family.

The USPTA’s Tennis — for the health of it! initiative, which started in 2008, promotes the great health benefits of playing tennis, and fits well with the goals of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation to provide resources to encourage energy balance and reduce obesity, especially childhood obesity, which is carried one step further with Together Counts. The sport of tennis and its tremendous health benefits (both physical and psychological) make it a key activity to help youth (and all age groups) achieve energy balance.

The main goals of USPTA’s Tennis — for the health of it! initiative are to make the general public aware of the tremendous health, fitness and psychological benefits of tennis and encourage people to get out and play the sport as a part of their regular fitness regimen. An activity such as tennis that is also social and fun can serve as a great alternative to gym workouts or as an additional activity in a fitness regimen. In addition, the USPTA and its members are the delivery force through which the public can receive these benefits through lessons and other tennis activities. For more information visit tennis-health.com.

The ways to fulfill the Together Counts pledge are endless. They can be as creative as organizing breakfast with neighbors or family followed by a round robin tennis tournament or as simple as sharing a meal, then going for a walk. The important thing is that you do them together.

If you take the pledge as a family, involve your kids: Let them choose activities they enjoy and give them a say about what’s on the menu. This way they will gain a sense of ownership and look forward to together time.

The overall goal is to find a balance between the calories we consume and those we burn, to strike this balance regularly and have some fun. This way, getting more active and healthy becomes easy.

Founded in 1927, USPTA strives to raise the standards of the tennis profession while promoting greater awareness of the sport. USPTA offers 70 professional benefits to its more than 15,000 members worldwide, including certification and professional development. With more than 300 days of educational opportunities throughout the year, USPTA offers the most comprehensive continuing education program in the tennis industry. For more information, call 800-877-8248 or visit uspta.com.