Child Obesity: It's a Family Matter!

Unfortunately, child obesity is increasing in the United States.  As parents, we have the responsibility to teach our children the importance of exercise and proper nutrition.  Life gets busy and with the convenience of drive-thru restaurants and microwavable instant foods, it’s easy to get away from cooking a nutritious meal.  However, we have to make the time.  It’s important to our own life and health and important to our children.  “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6.  This verse is often used when referring to training our children up in spiritual matters, but it can apply to many other areas of life as well.  If we teach our children the importance of exercise and good nutrition now, they will develop a healthy lifestyle!

 

 

Below are some tips to help you address this serious issue:

 

*Implement family fitness time into your schedule! Exercising together not only allows you to bond with your children, but it also makes health and fitness a family matter as opposed to something you are imposing onto your children.

 

*Take advantage of the good weather and do outdoor activities. 

1. You can go out for a family walk/jog around the neighborhood or in a park. 
2. Take the kids to a playground to play but don’t sit down and watch them.  Take that time to walk or jog around the playground.  This way, you can still keep an eye on them but burn some calories at the same time. 
3. Go bike riding! If you have bikes for your kids, but not yourself, then you can have them ride their bikes while you jog beside them. 
4. Have access to a pool?  Turn it into a friendly competition and see who can swim the fastest.  Do some water aerobics by doing jumping jacks or running in place. The water resistance really helps burn calories, and to the kids, it will appear as if you are simply having fun jumping in the pool.
5. Do some calisthenics! Jumping rope can be a great family activity. You can do jumping jacks, leg lunges, toe touches, etc…

*The weather is horrible and you can’t go outdoors? Not a problem!

1. Do a workout DVD.  My girls love spreading out in the living room and exercising to a workout DVD with mommy.  I’m always amazed by their ease of learning the moves and their creativity of making up their own moves when they can’t do the ones on the DVD! J  Its lots of fun!
2. Calisthenics can also be done indoors.  In addition to the ones listed above, try incorporating some abdominal crunches and push-ups.
3. Grab some weights! You can do biceps and triceps curls.  Don’t have free weights around the house? That’s okay, get creative and find some items in your house that you can lift.   

A huge part of family fitness is good nutrition.  Here are some tips!

1. Have your children cook with you!  They can help you measure out ingredients, stir the pot, and depending on their age, they can even help you chop up some veggies! They will be more prone to eat (or at least taste) foods they’ve helped prepare.
2. Get your children to try new foods.  Some kids can be really particular about trying new foods especially veggies.  Tell them they have to try it at least once.  If they don’t like it, they don’t have to eat the whole thing but they do have to try it.  Learn which veggies they prefer and focus on making those.
3. Monitor their food portions.  They don’t need a whole bowl of pasta.  You can reduce the pasta in half and give them a veggie or cup of fruit on the side. 
4. Don’t let them raid the pantry! I find that when my girls are bored, they are more likely to go get extra snacks.  In those cases, find an activity for them to do and keep them entertained.
5.  Keep healthy snacks accessible.  Instead of having them reach for a handful of cookies, give them a piece of fruit.  Even when they do want some cookies, be the one to select some to give them. Read the nutritional facts so you know what a serving amount is versus giving them free reign to the bag.

 

We all love our family and want them to be healthy and strong.  Let’s pray to God to help us make good decisions daily and to make exercise and good nutrition a lifestyle for the benefit of our family!