Schedules are busy but physical activity and proper nutrition is paramount to a fulfilling, productive life. Leading by example is the best way to teach your children and teens what they should do instead of simply telling them to eat fruits and go outside to play. A family gym membership with an active child care facility is an excellent avenue for everyone to increase their level of exercise. Keeping snacks and refined foods out of the kitchen encourages better nutrition.
Children
Sedentary, overfed kids are likely to become sedentary, obese adults. Childhood fatness and obesity brings not only torture from classmates but also diseases atypically found among youngsters. Type II diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are becoming more prevalent in kids as a result of minimal physical play and horrendous dietary habits. Neighborhood pickup games, friendly chases across the yard and bicycle rides to school are essential for weight management and optimal bone development. Preparing and eating as many of your meals at home helps your child learn proper nutrition while decreasing her intake of fatty, salty and sugary foods commonly found at your local eateries.
Adults
If you are bombarded by the demands of family life, work and money management, exercise and healthy eating may be at the bottom of your list of things to do. Moving physical activity and nutrition to the very top of your list will increase your energy, relieve stress and reduce your risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. Putting off a consistent exercise routine and dietary modifications not only increases your risk of such diseases but also invites associated issues including kidney disease, difficulty breathing, unusual swelling, a stroke and a heart attack.
School and Work
You and your children probably spend a significant amount of time at work and at school. This means you all are likely to be sitting and snacking on junk food. Pack a lunch for yourself and your child using whole grains, high-fiber fruits, portable vegetables and unsalted nuts. A family-friendly meal might include a sandwich with whole-wheat bread, natural peanut butter and an all-fruit spread. Add ½ cup of peeled orange sections or sliced apples. Finish the meal with ½ cup of carrots or celery sticks and a slice of low-fat cheese.
Make a List
Getting rid of the old and implementing the new may seem daunting at first. Make a list of all the things you need to do, but focus on one change. Incorporate this change into the dynamics of your life for the next three weeks. Then, add another change. For instance, complete a 10-minute family walk before school while waiting for the bus. Or, eat two servings of fruit per day.
References
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Disease Prevention Means a Commitment to a Totally Healthy Lifestyle; Neil Sol, Ph.D.; January/February 1999
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Your Clients Are What They Eat: Balancing Weight with Diet Part 1; Gary Miller, Ph.D.; January/February 2005
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Obesity: America's Growing Epidemic; Shelby Rush, M.D.; November/December 2004
- "ACSM's Health and Fitness Journal"; Lifestyle Choices Influence Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome in Children; Jerome Brandon, Ph.D. and Larry Proctor, Ph.D.; July/Aug. 2008
- "American Council on Exercise Certified News"; Exercise in the Prevention and Treatment of the Childhood Onset of Adult Disease; Natalie Digate Muth, M.D., R.D.; December 2008/January 2009
- American College of Sports Medicine: Fit Society
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