The Health Blog

A serious problem in our culture is the skyrocketing weight gains of our nation’s youth. For too many of them the problem has gone well beyond the socially acceptable “cute and chubby” and has transitioned into a case of morbid obesity. Merely taking note of the proliferation of fast food restaurants and other readily available sources of nutritionally poor foods that have gained popularity recently in order to come to the realization that such food sources are detrimental to our children. Parents often lead very busy lifes and it can be much easier to “grab and go” instead of taking the time to plan out and cook a well-balanced family meal.

Food is not the only problem that keeps our kids overweight. Lack of movement and exercise is also a significant factor in the current childhood obesity epidemic. Think about it. When many of us were kids, we spent much, if not mostWhen we were children, we spent most of our playtime outdoors, playing corkball, handball, and swimming. Today’s kids spend much of their time watching TV, surfing the web and playing all sorts of video games. One can presume that the current fear of kidnapping is an important reason adults no longer allow their children to wander freely about the neighborhood these days. However, by protecting our children from perpetrators by leaving them inside most of the time, we may be putting them at risk of health problems due to obesity. Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem.

There are a wide variety of things a parent can do to motivate their kids to engage in more physical activity. One of the most powerful ways to encourage kids to exercise is to exercise regularly yourself. Even during a child’s infant years, it is helpful for them to see you exercising, taking walks, and generally making physical activity a priority in your schedule. If they grow up with a parent who enjoys being active, they will think of activity as a fun and an important part of your life. Of course that stay at home dads and people who have a home based business might have an advantage accomplishing this kind of thing.

You might also think of ways to make physical activity an enjoyable time for your entire family. Can you think of activities all of you can do together that both adults and children will enjoy and get all of you moving about? Perhaps you could install a basketball hoop somewhere around your house and start playing basketball with your children. If your children love to run, you might consider playing tag – a game that even older elementary school kids seem to enjoy. Perhaps your child is fascinated by tennis. Consider enrolling him or her in tennis lessons. If you can find something that inspires your kids to engage in physical exercise you are well on your way to having a healthy child.

Although you may not have thought of it you might also consider allowing your kids to work through exercise videos. Try to locate exercise videos that are geared towards kids and do those exercise routines with your kids. Why not get healthier yourself while your kids get healthier too! And remember to always have a good time. Children love to experience the laughter of their parents in a positive, upbeat atmosphere.

It’s important to remember that no two children are completely alike. Perhaps your child is not athletic. Don’t push your child to exercise in ways that are unnatural for them. Success or failure in certain activities is not the issue at all when helping your child to exercise. Instead, it’s most important to instill in your children a real and positive habit of treating exercise as an enjoyable part of their life. So have a good time exercising with your kids and allow for a variety of exercises throughout the year. You will be helping your child to become a happy, healthy adult!