Healthy Eating Tips For Teenagers
What teenager doesn't love fast food?. Many teenagers live off a diet of fast food, chips, sweets and soda or other sugary drinks. Although it's a difficult age to encourage healthy eating, there are a few things you can do.
Here are a few tips to help your teenagers eat healthier foods:
Start with breakfast
Too many kids are starting their day by skipping breakfast. It has been proven that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Challenge your teens to start their day off right by eating a healthy, filling breakfast.
Drink lots of water
Your teen's body needs at least 6 cups of water per day. Instead of buying canned sodas or other sweetened drinks, buy bottled water and try to encourage them to drink it.
Get physical
Again, technology has become an ingrained part of children's lives. Encourage your teen to get off the couch and get moving. Any form of exercise is better than none. Remember, it doesn't have to be strenuous to count as exercise.
No more Prepackaged snacks
Popular snacks are loaded with sugar, carbohydrates, fat, and salt. Instead of providing your teen with these sweet and salty snacks, give them healthy alternatives of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Exercise self-control
Next to a sedentary lifestyle, another huge hurdle for teens in eating in moderation. Active teens will naturally be able to take in extra calories without negative consequences. Teens that are inactive and consume more calories and fat will see the effects of their overeating quite rapidly. Support your teen by gently reminding them to eat in moderation.
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Keeping Kids Fit – Tips and Ideas
It's no secret that children aren't as active as they used to be. As concerned parents we want our kids to be active and healthy but it isn't always easy to get the kids out there and moving when all they'd rather do is watch TV.
Here are a few kid fitness ideas to help you get started:
Allow time for free play. The things children often do with their friends are great forms of physical activity. Building a snowman, riding bikes around the neighborhood, or playing a game on the playground are excellent ways to keep their bodies healthy while having a great time.
Focus on activity instead of exercise. There are many children who don't necessarily enjoy team sports and cringe when they hear the word exercise. Use what your child is interested in to get them involved in physical activity. If your son loves to read, take a bike ride to your local library. If your daughter enjoys nature, go for a walk to collect leaves, sticks, and other items to make a collage. Your child may be having so much fun that she may not realize that she is getting exercise! After all, getting your child up and moving is the important part, and it doesn't have to come by way of a structured exercise class or organized sport.
Make it a family affair. Find physical activities that your whole family can enjoy together. Whether it is taking a bike ride after dinner or playing a game of basketball in the driveway, there are many opportunities for you to enjoy some family time and be physically active as well. Just as family members often sit down to watch a television show together, making the time to get some exercise together contributes to the well-being of your entire family.
Schedule it. People are more likely to stick with something if they make it a part of their regular routine. Physical activity is no different. Schedule in at least one block of time during the day where your child is participating in a physical activity. It could include playing catch in the backyard or going swimming with a friend (or better yet?with a parent!). Mark it down on your daily to-do list and make a decision to stick to it. It's important for your child to have physical activity built in as part of her daily routine and can have lifelong benefits.
Encouraging your child to participate in physical activities he enjoys (and that you can enjoy together) on a regular basis is important. By making physical activity a priority, your child can cultivate healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
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Healthy Habits Last a Lifetime
Starting a family fitness routine is a great way to set up your kids with a lifetime love of fitness and exercise, not to mention that it's good for your health and waistline as well. Although most of us know the importance of exercise and physical fitness, life often gets in the way and exercise is often the last thing on your mind.
However, it doesn't have to be difficult to get your family up and moving. Here are a few tips and ideas to help you start your family fitness routine.
If you have young children often visiting the local playground is enough to get them active and moving. Activities such as monkey bars and playing tag develop a child's strength, speed and agility; things like biking and rollerblading are great aerobic exercises. Parents may also want to consider a ?Mommy and Me? class to get the two of you moving together ? and provide some bonding time as well!
As your child ages and becomes a teenager, the tendency to be even more sedentary exists. Encourage your child to participate in team sports, but allow him or her to choose what activities to participate in. If your teen is self-conscious about participating in team sports, encourage them to work out with exercise videos. Parents may also want to make rules about how many hours per day their children can watch television, use the computer, or play video games.
Parents also need to be aware that your children will follow your lead. Try making small changes to your own routine like taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator, or getting outside on your lunch hour and taking a brisk walk. At home, plan activities that the entire family can do together instead of sitting in front of the television.
Family activities don't have to be limited to conventional team sports like basketball or football: expand your horizons! Try things like soccer, going for a hike, or rollerblading. Consider having a family ?game night? and play a game of Twister! Games like ?Capture the Flag? or ?Duck, Duck, Goose!? are fun and easy to involve the kids in. Don't be afraid of acting silly Mom!
Get up, get moving, get outside and have fun with your kids! Not only will you be teaching them powerful lessons about the importance of physical activity, you'll reap health benefits yourself, and strengthen your bonds with your kids.
Need help with your child's fitness? Grab your kid fitness tips, nutrition articles and fun kid exercise ideas ? Free Kid Fitness Tips
