Create a healthy lifestyle for your kids!

Posted by bodybuilder

Posted: June 23, 2008 - 9:24 am

Every kid needs a role model right? The first influences in a child's life are their parents and other family members around them. Setting healthy examples at a young age is the best way to start your child on the right path for life. Kids are like sponges, absorbing EVERYTHING around them- good and bad, so make sure you are setting healthy examples in your own lifestyle....they are watching you like a hawk.

Introduce them to new things...

I'm old-fashioned in the way that I think every kid needs to be outside playing, moving their bodies and using their imaginations- all the while building self-confidence, this is how I grew up. I didn't have a computer until I was in College, we only saw cans of soda on special occassions and I believe we were the only kids on the block who had a dust-covered Atari from the 80's instead of Nintendo or X-Box.

It's obvious that snacking on junk food all day while sitting in front of the T.V. is a recipe for childhood obesity, so how can we instill a healthy lifestyle in our kids?

First of all, limit their "inside" time- especially on a beautiful Alaskan day (we have a short summer you know). Take them for a bike ride, hike or do things in your own backyard. If you have a trampoline, encourage them to get on it (and be safe). Jumping on a trampoline doesn't even seem like work it's so much fun! The kids will get their little hearts beating and can work on their balance, agility and leg strength- Bruce Lee frequently trained on a trampoline to hone is Martial Arts skills. You can also set up your own obstacle course in your yard with old tires, cones and an agility ladder. These are all things that are simple, cheap and effective.

Get the kids outside!

Secondly, don't be afraid to have them try new things. They look to you to guide them and they trust what you set before them. Get them involved in a diverse amount of activities and let them decide what they enjoy doing and motivate them to try different things if they aren't thrilled with an activity.

They will sleep good tonight!

Lastly, ditch the fast food, soda and other sugary junk food. Save them for special occasions so they aren't consumed in large quantities and made a part of the daily diet, they are not necessary and lack the nutrients a young body demands. Replace soda and other sugary drinks with water, let them pick out their own water bottle that they can decorate with stickers and encourage them to take it with them wherever they go. Kids need plenty of lean protein, healthy fats like peanut butter, fruits, veggies and complex carbs to facilitate growth and cognitive function.

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