Role Model What your kids see in your health and weight would be their role model. A child who has one overweight parent has a 25% greater chance of being overweight or obese himself/herself. If both parents are overweight the risk of becoming an overweight adult jumps to 50%.
Use Positive Language Negative feedback damages confidence and self-esteem. Egg your children on with compassion. For example, use a phrase like “let’s take good care of our bodies as a family” instead of “you’re a fat pig who needs to lose weight”. Emphasize the foods that should be eaten, not on forbidden foods. Instead of saying “that’s bad, don’t eat that”, say “let’s pick fruits from the vegetable garden and whip up a nice, delicious fruit salad!”
Make healthy eating a family affair According to the renowned Archives of Family Medicine journal, eating together as one family increases the chances of eating better. Children who report frequent family dinners have healthier diets than their peers who don’t, the study showed. It’s also a good idea to stock your refrigerator with fruits, nut, veg, low fat cheese and other healthy snacks in case your kids want to raid the fridge.
Breakfast Is Essential One good way you can ensure your children stay active and perform well in school is to feed them a breakfast rich in protein, starch and healthy fat content. Studies also indicate weight loss being difficult for people who do not eat breakfast.
Get physical with the family Make exercise and sports and other related activities a regular family thing. Go for a nice 30-minute summer stroll after dinner and make it into something your children will be excited about. You can encourage your children to join the neighborhood Little League or pee wee soccer team because most people of all ages enjoy sports, and having something fun to do encourages people to continue at it. If you can’t afford dance school, you can simply play the latest up-tempo music in your house and organize your own kiddie dance party?
Never Say Diet Getting your child on a diet is a self-destruct mechanism for his or her self-esteem, and a sure path to your child developing some form of eating disorder. Lifestyle changes are far more effective than any fad diet you may read or hear about.
Serve the right portions only Serve your children just the right-sized portions – do not open your kids’ eyes to the techniques of family or buffet-style eating. When exposed to so much food it is easy for your eyes to be bigger than your stomach. Set the right example and control yourself from giving yourself a second helping, lest you want your kids to ask for seconds even if they’re full.
Achieve peak physical condition with these weight training tips.