Are you stuck with ideas on how to get your kids physically active? Are you worried about their current fitness level? Do you need to help them maintain a healthy body weight? Below are nine tips to help you encourage a healthy and happy kid.
- Be supportive. Children know if they are overweight and don’t need to be reminded or singled out. They need acceptance, encouragement and love.
- Set guidelines for the amount of time your children can spend watching television or playing video games.
- Plan family activities that involve exercise. Instead of watching TV, go hiking or biking, wash the car, or walk around a mall. Offer choices and let your children decide.
- Be sensitive. Find activities your children will enjoy that aren’t difficult or could cause embarrassment.
- Eat meals together as a family and eat at the table, not in front of a television. Eat slowly and enjoy the food.
- Don’t use food as a reward or punishment. Children should not be placed on restrictive diets, unless done so by a doctor (for medical reasons). Children need food for growth, development and energy.
- Involve your children in meal planning and grocery shopping. This helps them learn and gives them a role in the decision making.
- Keep healthy snacks on hand. Good options include fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables; low-fat cheese, yogurt or ice cream; frozen fruit juice bars; and cookies such as fig bars, graham crackers, gingersnaps or vanilla wafers.
- Focus on small, gradual changes in eating and activity patterns. This helps form habits that can last a lifetime.