Raising Fit Kids: Healthy Nutrition, Exercise, and Weight

For Kids, Healthy Habits Means Healthy Weights Kids don't need fad diets, radical weight-loss plans, or extreme workouts. With the right habits, you can keep a child a healthy weight, or help them slim down if they have extra pounds. Healthy Habit 1: Eat Dinner as a Family If you cook at home, you can control the menu and make it easier for everyone to eat healthy. Kids who eat on their own, especially in front of the TV, might not pay attention to what or how much they're eating, making it easier to overeat. If kids dislike certain foods, keep serving it--they may like it in time. Healthy Habit 2: Switch Off Screens Kids who spend too much time watching TV, playing video games, or zoning out with a smartphone, the odds are they are doing that instead of something healthy, like being active or getting enough sleep. Don't focus on what kids can't do, but instead on what they can. Make a list of such things like dance to music, play on a backyard playset, ride bikes, or help cook dinner--make it a habit for yourself as well to be a role model. Healthy Habit 3: Use Pedometers to Get Everyone Moving Inspire the whole family to get out as an incentive for kids to exercise. The idea is to give each family member a pedometer or activity tracker. Healthy Habit 4: Make Smart Sacks an Easy Choice Stock refrigerator with healthy snacking options to avoid kids eating unhealthy snacks. Keep portions of cut-up veggies, trail mix, or cheese and crackers as healthy snack options. Healthy Habit 5: Make Time for ZZZ's Kids who are tired, moody, or cranky, make for harder food choices like exercising and choosing water over soda. Bedtime makes it harder for teens as the body clock resets at puberty, making them more wired to stay up late. It is important to keep sleep a priority by encouraging everyone to stick to a bedtime routine, especially on weekends. Healthy Habit 6: Be Consistent Stick to a plan to encourage healthy habits about exercise and bedtime. Kids are most likely to accept rules: hesitation will make them argue and push back. Persistence helps them embrace healthy habits that will benefit for the rest of their lives. Source www.webmd.com/parenting/raising-fit-kids.