This month's guest blogger is our very own, soon-to-be-mom, Caitlin Massey. This is the first of her blogs this month and today it is dedicated to all the parents out there.
Are you a parent? If so listen up. Health and fitness are quickly becoming nonexistent in our kid's lives. Between sitting all day in class, fewer schools valuing PE, rushing from here to there and grabbing whatever meal you can find on the side of the road, and a technological society kids are quickly learning that health and fitness is not important. It's no surprise that 1 in 3 American adolescents are obese and by 2020, 75% of the American population will be overweight. It is estimated that the obesity epidemic adds 40 billion in health care costs per year. Ouch! And that number will only grow as inflation and the obesity rates increase.
It's time to take action and your kids need you to step up and lead
by example. Take a look at the above list of contributing factors to the
childhood obesity rate (sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, fast paced
lifestyle). Any of those ring a bell? You teach your kids about health everyday
with the decisions YOU make. That means you can change their future and
protect your kids from weight-related chronic illness, poor self esteem, lower
levels of concentration, and the ongoing "battle with the bulge". Here are a
few ideas you can start with to get your kids active and teach them a healthy
lifestyle from an early age.
Are you a parent? If so listen up. Health and fitness are quickly becoming nonexistent in our kid's lives. Between sitting all day in class, fewer schools valuing PE, rushing from here to there and grabbing whatever meal you can find on the side of the road, and a technological society kids are quickly learning that health and fitness is not important. It's no surprise that 1 in 3 American adolescents are obese and by 2020, 75% of the American population will be overweight. It is estimated that the obesity epidemic adds 40 billion in health care costs per year. Ouch! And that number will only grow as inflation and the obesity rates increase.
- LEAD BY EXAMPLE. Your kids watch what you do and what you eat. The first place to start changing your kid's habits is by changing your own.
- FIND OUT WHAT YOUR CHILD LIKES. Kids don't exercise like we do. They don't see the long-term benefits and initially don't care about improving their health. But they do like to have fun! The more fun you can inject in exercise, the harder, faster, and more frequently they will participate in it. So find a way to make a game out of it.
- TAKE CHARGE. You are the parent so exert your right to be. Limit TV and computer time and make sure your child eats their veggies before leaving the table.
- CHORES. Any sort of physical activity will get their muscles moving...and make less work for you! Have your kids help with vacuuming, sweeping, or yard work. Not only will it get them up, it will also instill good work ethics and values.
- GO OUTSIDE. Let them move while enjoying the great outdoors to build an appreciation for outdoor activities. The greater this appreciation the less they will be tied to a computer or video game.
- KEEP IT POSITIVE. If exercise is fun, it is never a chore. Be sure to keep the emphasis off weight and on being active or being the best they can be. If exercise is viewed negatively or as something at which they can fail kids will avoid it. The goal is to not only teach healthy habits but to instill them in a positive way so physical activity will never be something they dread.
No comments:
Post a Comment