For our Kid's Sake

The problem of obesity is not just ours. It is our children’s as well. Did you know that approximately 12 million children ages 2-19 in America are overweight? That is a lot! Who’s to blame? Our lifestyle is. We all spend way too much time in front of the T.V. and playing video games. What happened to running around outside all day? I was lucky enough to grow up in house that had a huge backyard, and lots of open space beyond that. My siblings and I hated to be inside. ...

Heavily processed foods, foods high in sugar and fat and fast-food restaurants play a factor as well. We can’t blame these things entirely, because we aren’t forced to choose them…even though our kids put lots of pressure on us.

Here are some tips to get your kids up and active and building good habits:

Variety: Provide a variety of healthy foods for your children: whole grain bread, fruits & vegetables, lean meats and low-fat dairy products. Have your kids pick out a new fruit or vegetable each week at the grocery store. One that they think looks “cool”. They’ll be more likely to eat it if it was their idea in the first place.

Turn it off: Limit your child’s TV viewing. Let them pick out one show for the day. If they’ve watched their show for the day, and want to watch something later, make them earn it by doing something active for as long as their desired TV show is.

Go for Water instead of Juice: Keep your kids hydrated with water. Especially if they are being really active. Avoid giving them too much juice, because it’s usually loaded with sugar. Instead, have them drink water with grape ice cubes (frozen grapes) They’ll love that!

Be a good example: In both what you eat and how active you are. Your kids are way more observant than you think. They are copy-cats and will want to follow the type of lifestyle you lead.

As parents and role-models we can do much to curb this epidemic of obesity in the rising generation. Let’s make the changes we need to. Our kids will thank us later!