The combination of poor eating habits, lack of exercise, and too much television and video games is linked to a continuing and frightening rise in childhood obesity. As parents, we must face this issue by becoming active participants in our children’s lifestyle habits.
The prospects for an overweight child can be grim. Overweight children are significantly more inclined to become overweight adults. Unfortunately, not only will they bring their excess weight into adulthood, they will also bear the extra risk factors for weight-related health issues such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
What can we do to help our children become physically and emotionally healthy adults? Because children look to their parents for love, guidance, and role modeling, it is the responsibility of parents to instill healthy eating and lifestyle habits in their children by following those healthy habits themselves. Use the guidelines listed below to help you and your children become healthier.
*SET THE STANDARDS. Parents need to know the facts about healthy eating habits in order to teach their children. Promoting healthy eating habits promotes a healthy body image for your children. Parents who follow healthy eating habits themselves can help protect their children against the possibility of eating disorders.
HEALTHY EATING TIPS:
*Follow the dietary guidelines for healthy eating.
*Guide the choices for your family rather than dictate foods.
*Encourage your child to eat when hungry and to eat slowly.
*Do not place your child on a restrictive diet.
*Avoid the use of food as a reward.
*Avoid withholding food as punishment.
*EAT TOGETHER AS A FAMILY. Expect everyone to sit down together at the table. This can be a huge challenge but it is a great way to observe your children’s eating habits and spend some quality time together. Since this is probably the only time during the day when everyone is together, use this time to connect with your children.
*EAT HEALTHY MEALS. You and your children should eat three well-balanced meals of average size each day. (Make sure everyone eats something for breakfast.) Serve fewer fatty foods. Prepare foods that are baked, broiled or steamed, rather than fried. In addition to a small serving of lean protein, provide large servings of vegetables and/or salads.
*DRINK LOTS OF WATER. You should encourage your child to drink four to six glasses of water each day, especially before meals. Water has no calories and it helps you feel full. Other drinks can include diet sodas and low-fat milk. Avoid letting your children drink regular soft drinks or bottled fruit juices, as they are high in calories.
PROVIDE CHOICES. Get rid of all the junk food in your cupboards and fill them with healthier choices. Always have plenty of raw fruits and vegetables, and whole grain cereals available for snacks. Kids will eat what is available to them, not necessarily what is good for them. Avoid using high calorie or high fat foods for snacks, especially chips, cookies, cakes, and candy bars.
DESSERTS. Serve fresh fruit as a dessert and avoid frequent eating of ice cream or cake or other high calorie foods.
SINGLE SERVINGS. Avoid serving seconds of the main course or desert. You can eat more salad or other vegetables if still hungry.
REDUCE FAST FOOD. You should limit how often you allow your children to eat fast food, as it is usually high in fat and calories.
CHECK FOOD LABELS. It is not necessary to count calories, but you and your child should become more educated about the foods you eat and how many calories they contain. You should begin to routinely check the nutrition label of the foods that your family is eating. You want to try and eat foods low in calories and also low in fat. Be careful of many low fat or so-called diet foods, as they can still be high in calories even though they are low in fat.
BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION:
It is important to modify the behaviors that have caused your child to become overweight and prevent weight loss.
*NEVER EAT WHILE WATCHING TELEVISION. This sets an unhealthy precedent that turns food into a mindless pastime instead of an important part of your time together as a family.
*LIMITING TELEVISION. You should limit television viewing to about one or two hours each day (this includes playing video games or using the computer). Watching television encourages lack of exercise and exposes the viewer to fatty food commercials. Set aside a certain amount of time that can be devoted to those pursuits. Be consistent in your expectations and rules.
*FIND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO TOGETHER. Introduce your children to the joys of physical activities. Play outdoors sports and/or games. Go on daily walks, go bicycling or skating together as a family. If it is something that everyone enjoys, children are more likely to want to do it instead of feeling obligated.
If you are concerned that your child is overweight, following the guidelines listed above can help your child become a healthier weight. Changing unhealthy behaviors is the first and best step to becoming healthier.
EXERCISE SUGGESTIONS:
Be physically active. It is recommended that children have 60 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. Even greater amounts of physical activity may be necessary for weight loss or the prevention of weight gain.
Plan family activities that provide everyone with exercise and enjoyment. Provide a safe environment for your children and their friends to play actively. Encourage swimming, biking, skating, ball sports, and other fun activities.
IS YOUR CHILD AT RISK FOR EATING DISORDERS?
Consider the following behaviors as early signs of potential problems:
*Is your child reluctant to eat with the family?
*Is your child irritable and moody most of the time?
*Does your child skip meals?
*Does your child feel ashamed of his/her size?
*Does your child spend a lot of time in the bathroom before, during or after meals?
*Does your child severely restrict foods?
*Does your child have a poor self-image?
*Has your child lost or gained a considerable amount of weight?
If you can answer yes to several of these warning signs, talk to your child. Communicate your love and support for them. Try to find out how they feel and why they feel that way.
If you must, look for outside support. The first place to go for assistance is your child’s doctor. There are also many organizations and support groups that can help you and your child work through these issues.
In summary, to raise healthy children, the primary role of parents is to be a good role model. Nurture your children by spending quality time with them and letting them know how much you love and support them. Eat healthy foods together and participate in regular physical activities as a family. The result will be physically and emotionally healthy children.
Thank You For Visiting Our Blog, FEEL BETTER AND LIVE LONGER!
The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.
Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:
For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).
I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.
The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.
I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.
Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!
MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:
1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.
2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.
4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.
5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)
The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.
Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:
For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).
I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.
The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.
I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.
Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!
MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:
1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.
2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.
4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.
5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)
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