Looking for the perfect gift to give your teen this year for his or her birthday? Try signing them up at your local fitness center.

Generation I is becoming more and more sedentary, as evidenced by the growing rate of obesity among adolescents and teens. The internet offers interactive entertainment that far exceeds the passive form of viewing offered by TV, making it a round-the-clock obsession for some kids. Consequently, this physical inactivity is making youth and teens heavier and more out of shape in greater numbers than ever before.

Battle back against the lure of websites like Second Life by offering your teen more of a real life. Get them to the gym. Sign them up. Maybe even throw in a few sessions with a personal trainer to help them along. Get them motivated and get them moving again!!

Have you ever heard of the game Second Life? It's a virtual world experienced via the computer, much like popular video games. People immerse themselves in this world by trying to build an online persona called avatars. In fact, lifetime accounts can be purchased for $225.

But unlike other games, Second Life offers a world where people's avatars can do just about anything -- even seek therapy. CBS has a remarkable story about a woman who suffered from agoraphobia, which kept her locked inside unable to even go shopping at the grocery store. But after signing up for an SL account and building a character named "Baji," Patricia sought help.

She took virtual therapy sessions from a real life therapist, right there inside the game. Patricia was able to engage social interactions with other residents in ways she could never do outside this virtual world. By using Second Life as a testing ground for new experiences, she overcame the fear that kept her from living a fulfilling life. In case you were wondering, psychologists charge about $100 a pop for these online sessions. We live in changing times, and it's comforting to know platforms like Second Life exist that can reach people who may never have been able to seek help otherwise.

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The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life is a big deal in my town, and this time of year local fund raisers for the event hit a fever pitch. All across the country communities are participating in this event to celebrate cancer survivors and to raise money for the American Cancer Society. But did you know there's another way you can participate in the event, without ever leaving your house?

Second Life, a popular online virtual community, kicked off it's third annual virtual Relay for Life this weekend. Participants can participate through avatars, which are virtual people who will gather at an online park and participate in the event. Donations will reach $90,000 this year and will also celebrate the opening of the American Cancer Society's virtual headquarters inside Second Life, which will provide information, education, and a place for people to form support groups.

And remember, participating in the virtual Relay for Life certainly doesn't disqualify you from joining the events in "real life." Not only will you raise money for a great cause, you'll also boost your own fitness by walking with your team for 24-hours straight.

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