2 minute read
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Health & Fitness
Health & Fitness
for the Family
Your guide to creating healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
By Lyndsay Fogarty
The holidays are over and you're settling back into your normal routine. Now is the time to push harder for your health by setting realistic goals for the year ahead. Why not get the kids on board with this fresh start, too?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular physical activity, that's 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily for children ages 6 to 17 years old, has many benefits. This includes improving cardiorespiratory fitness, building stronger bones and muscles, controlling weight, reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, and reducing the risk of developing health conditions such as high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, among others. Physical activity is also associated with better grades and improved cognitive performance.
When combined with a well-balanced diet, you're giving your child a head start on a healthy future. Here are some tips for creating healthy habits as a family.
Get Moving
Help your child find an activity that he or she enjoys doing. Whether you're jumping together on the trampoline in your backyard, going for a bike ride around the neighborhood or taking the dog for a daily walk, being excited for the activity is an important factor to sticking with it. Would you continue doing something that you didn't like? Neither would your child.
Connect in the Kitchen
Ask your child to help you prepare your family's meals. Getting involved with creating a healthy menu, selecting fresh fruits and vegetables at the grocery store or farmer's market, and prepping snacks or meals together before the week gets started gives your child a sense of purpose. If he or she has a hand in making the healthy choices then those healthy choices will likely become habits.
Be a Role Model
Children are always observing adults and will notice your choices and behaviors — both positive and negative. They will know you snuck a handful of cookies instead of taking just one. They see you getting into your workout gear before leaving the house. They see you reach for water instead of soda with your meal. This means they will likely mimic what you're doing, good or bad.
Reward Good Behavior
Just make sure your reward system isn't focused on food. Did your child go outside to play for an hour? Did he or she get an A in gym class? Instead of celebrating a job well done with ice cream or a pizza dinner, buy your child something off of his or her wish list instead. Having something tangible will be a constant reminder that the hard work paid off.
