I was just watching an interesting documentary on Netflix this weekend and thought you might find this interesting.
Fast food, video games, an increase in sugar consumption and too much TV, combined with a decrease in exercise, have put today’s children in an obesity epidemic!
Currently, 1 in every 3 children are considered overweight by the American Obesity Association and that figure is expected to grow to 1 out of every 2 children within the next few years.
This is a sad, and amazing fact that all parents are going to have to deal with. And we are here to help!
At Premier Martial Arts, one of our primary goals for our Kids Karate program is to not only increase their level of physical fitness but to teach them fitness concepts that will stay with them for life. We develop healthy children with healthy minds so they have the energy and fitness to be leaders and succeed in life’s challenges.
You can help your child develop healthy habits early in life that will bring lifelong benefits.
As a parent, you can encourage your kids to evaluate their food choice and physical activity habits. Here are some tips and guidelines to get you started.
Here is a great article written by the American Heart Association that you will find helpful.
Top 10 Tips to Help Children Develop Healthy Habits
1. Be a good role model – You don’t have to be perfect all the time, but if kids see you trying to eat right and getting physically active, they’ll take notice of your efforts. You’ll send a message that good health is important to your family.
2. Keep things positive – Kid’s don’t like to hear what they can’t do, tell them what they can do instead. Keep it fun and positive. Everyone likes to be praised for a job well done. Celebrate successes and help children and teens develop a good self-image.
3. Get the whole family moving – Plan times for everyone to get moving together. Take walks, ride bikes, go swimming, garden or just play hide-and-seek outside. Everyone will benefit from the exercise and the time together.
4. Be realistic – Setting realistic goals and limits are key to adopting any new behavior. Small steps and gradual changes can make a big difference in your health over time, so start small and build up.
5. Limit TV, video game and computer time – These habits lead to a sedentary lifestyle and excessive snacking, which increase risks for obesity and cardiovascular disease. Limit screen time to 2 hours per day.
6. Encourage physical activities that they’ll really enjoy – Every child is unique. Let your children experiment with different activities until they find something that they really love doing. They’ll stick with it longer if they love it.
7. Pick truly rewarding rewards – Don’t reward children with TV, video games, candy or snacks for a job well done. Find other ways to celebrate good behavior.
8. Make dinnertime a family time – When everyone sits down together to eat, there’s less chance of children eating the wrong foods or snacking too much. Get your kids involved in cooking and planning meals. Everyone develops good eating habits together and the quality time with the family will be an added bonus.
9. Make a game of reading food labels – The whole family will learn what’s good for their health and be more conscious of what they eat. It’s a habit that helps change behavior for a lifetime.
10. Stay involved – Be an advocate for healthier children. Insist on good food choices at school. Make sure your children’s health care providers are monitoring cardiovascular indicators like BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol. Contact public officials on matters of the heart. Make your voice heard.
I found this documentary very interesting because of the focus on health and fitness we present the children that train here at Premier Martial Arts. Everything from our curriculum of Karate, Kickboxing, and Krav Maga, the different techniques, exercises, to our style of instruction increases children’s strength, stamina, and flexibility thus building a strong foundation in fitness. Premier Martial Arts takes great pride in knowing and understanding we not only teaching our students to defend themselves but to develop life long habits for fitness. We keep them safe inside and out!
