10 Tips For Parents
Q & A For Parents
Informative Health & Fitness Articles
Informative Health & Fitness Websites
Improved ability to learn - Active kids will have more energy to study because of the increase in blood flow throughout the whole body including the most important muscle…THE BRAIN.
Increased energy - As mentioned above, physical activity increases blood flow and oxygen to the body. This process will help to overcome fatigue and increase energy.
Increases metabolism - Any activity will help your body build lean muscle that will burn more calories. Burning fat will help you lose weight and lower your risks of disease.
Helps to control weight - An active lifestyle and a well-balanced diet is the only proven method for lifelong, healthy weight control.
Lower stress levels - Stress has been linked with heart disease, hypertension, weakening of the immune system, and a variety of other illnesses. Not only does regular physical activity help to combat disease, it actually is relaxing and releases endorphins (a hormone produced by the body) that can reduce physical pain and mental stress.
Promotes a good night’s sleep – Physical activity promotes sleep by reducing anxiety and depression. Physical activity has been shown to work as a mental diversion. If you are tense about an upcoming event (such as a test or work meeting) the best thing you can do for yourself is participate in light exercise.
Build a strong family relationship - Fun exercise and physical activity can easily become a family tradition. Time with your family can help build upon the existing relationship.
Enhances self-esteem - Physical activity will improve your mental well-being, self-esteem and self-concept. Exercise can give you the confidence to take on any task and the mental clarity and proficiency to complete the task.
Improve social skills - Exercise and physical activity can help increase confidence and self-esteem. These qualities can help build personal relationships at school, work, etc.
Helps to prolong your life - Increasing physical activity will decrease your risks of disease, which will add more healthy years to your life.
The Excellence Through Exercise Foundation was created with your child’s health and future in mind. Our Operation Fit and Healthy Kids program uses simple, fun exercise to try to improve the fitnessgram scores at your child’s elementary school. These fitnessgram tests are meant to measure the physical fitness of your child. The passing markers for these tests are set at a very low level. Children that are just passing are barely receiving enough physical fitness to provide them with health benefits. Our goal with this program is to not only help every child pass these tests, but to also have him or her acquire a desire for physical fitness in their life.
Exercise is a key component in keeping your family healthy. The most important thing to remember in today’s society is to keep moving. Helping your kids stay active will benefit you and your children. By increasing your physical activity levels, you can help control your weight, relieve stress, increase mental clarity, increase your energy and much more. These benefits will make a difference in your life and the lives of your children. Exercise can be a great activity for the whole family. A family that plays together stays together.
It’s easier than you might think to keep your family moving together. Here are some tips from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) on how to stay active…
- Walk the dog, take a hike, or ride a bike.
- Roller skate, in-line skate, or ice skate.
- Dance, swim, or jog.
- Check out an aerobics tape from the library and workout at home.
- You can play basketball, baseball, softball, golf, soccer, tennis, or volleyball.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator, skip rope, fly a kite, throw a disc, or play hopscotch.
Keeping your family moving is as easy as doing chores around the house together, taking a walk around your neighborhood or playing outside with your pets. Exercise comes in all forms; it doesn’t have to be tedious or boring. Just an extra 30 minutes of physical activity a day, can provide much needed health benefits for you and your family.
For more tips on how to keep moving, check out the “Informative Health and Fitness Websites” links that we’ve provided.
Staying active is fun! All you have to do is keep moving. Physical activity is very important to stay healthy. Just like your body needs food and water, it also needs exercise. It’s a great way to make friends and be creative. Gather some friends together and plan a sports game like basketball or soccer. You can pick teams and don’t forget that you need a parent to be an official. Here are some other fun activities that will help you stay moving…
- Play hopscotch or foursquare (you can use chalk to draw these games on your driveway)
- Play catch with a friend
- Take your dog for a walk
- Help mom or dad with chores around the house
- Play hide and seek
- Make up your own game, write down the rules and get your friends involved. Remember to get your parents involved too. It’s your job to get them to stay active with you. It’s easy to stay fit and healthy. You can do it! All you have to do is get permission from mom or dad and go have fun.
- Breakfast is a great way to start of your day. Breakfast will jump start your metabolism and prepares you for the day ahead. Breakfast is important for every member of your family, especially school aged children. It will give them the energy they need to succeed. “Studies confirm that students who eat breakfast each morning are more attentive in school and perform better on their school work” (Dairy Council of California, 2004). Here are some healthy breakfast ideas from the Dairy Council of California…
- Cereal, milk and fruit
- Bagel with cream cheese and raisins
- String cheese, whole-wheat crackers and fruit
- Yogurt and fruit smoothies with graham crackers
- Scrambled eggs, corn tortilla and salsa
- Apple slices with peanut butter and a granola bar
- Incorporate a variety of foods into your family’s diet. A variety of food will help to ensure that your family is receiving proper nutrition. A meal like spaghetti can provide a number of food groups for your family. Spaghetti = pasta (preferably whole-wheat), light tomato sauce, ground beef and cheese. Spaghetti, salad and a glass of fat free milk is a nutrient dense, healthy meal and it is also easy to make.
- Balance the different foods that you eat throughout the day. Eating healthy means eating moderate amounts of all food groups and avoiding sugary and fatty foods. Balance also means to balance the number of calories you take in and the number you are burning. Keep active throughout the day. Get your family involved in physical activity together (refer to “Tips for Parents” for ideas on how to become a fit family).
- Eating a variety of foods in moderation will help your family get the vitamins and minerals they need, while helping to maintain a healthy weight.
– Calcium is one of the most important components to include in your family’s diet. Calcium is a vital mineral for growing and aging bones and strong teeth. The more a child receives the recommended amount of calcium when they are young, the lower the risks are of suffering from osteoporosis related problems when he or she is older.
- Water is an important part of your diet. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day is helps you stay hydrated, and gives your body what it needs to function properly. Individuals who drink the recommended amount of water daily are actually known to eat less (it is common to sometimes confuse thirst for hunger).
* Refer to “Informative Health and Fitness Websites” listed for you, for more nutrition information, tips and healthy recipes.
Childhood Obesity: Not My Kid - Most Parents Think Childhood Obesity Is a Problem -- but Not in Their Child
“A new poll shows a disconnect between parents' general views of childhood obesity and obesity in their own children. Consumer Reports polled 609 parents of children and teens aged 5 to 17 nationwide…”
Childhood Obesity: Family Plan Helps - Overweight Children May Benefit When Families Learn Together About Weight Control
“Childhood obesity may be no match for families that work together on weight control, a new study shows. The study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, isn't about putting overweight children on a restrictive diet. Instead, it's about building a healthy lifestyle for parents and kids alike….”
Video Games, TV Double Childhood Obesity Risk -Children Who Play Video Games, Watch TV More Likely to Be Obese
“Every hour children play video games or watch television may double their risk of obesity, a new study suggests. It's not the first study to link childhood obesity with time spent in front of the television or playing video games, but researchers say this study offers new insight…”
Parents Hold the Key to Children's Fitness Success
“Stories on childhood obesity these days are almost as plentiful as the peas left on many a child's dinner plate. But in the spirit of the topic, here's a command: you're not getting up until you've read every last word in this story! At least if you're a parent with concerns about your child's weight…”
Sneaking Veggies Into Children's Diets
Get Out the Food Processor for a Stealth Veggie Sauce
“Trying to boost your child's vegetable consumption? You may want to reach for your food processor.Kids don't necessarily notice when steamed broccoli and cauliflower are blended into their pasta sauce, a new study shows…”
Why Drinking Water Is the Way to Go
“All living things must have water to survive, whether they get it from a water fountain, a rain cloud, or a little bottle attached to the side of a hamster cage. Without water, your body would stop working properly…”
The Food Guide Pyramid
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) changed the pyramid in spring 2005 because they wanted to do a better job of telling Americans how to be healthy. The agency later released a special version for kids…”
Family Education: Exploring Food Groups
“Besides the wonderful aromas, flavors, and textures that food has, each food group provides varying amounts of diverse nutrients. Each one of the five food groups supplies some, but not all, of the nutrients you need for good health. For this reason, it's key that you eat from each food group every day…”
www.healthinschools.org
This is a website provided by The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services to promote their resources, programs and services in children’s health care at school.
www.kidshealth.org
Kidshealth.org is an informative website for parents and children. This website is provided by the Nemours Foundation in which it is “dedicated to improving the health and spirit of children.” Esta página está disponible en español solamente emprime “español” en la esquina abajo del lado esquierda.
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenshealth.html
This website provides a wide variety of information from games for kids to research and journal articles all related to recent information in children’s health. Esta página está
disponible en español solamente emprime “español” en la esquina arriba del lado derecho.
www.kidsfitnesscentral.com
Kidsfitnesscentral.com is a fun resource for kid’s fitness, exercise and nutrition. This site includes sample exercises for kids, exercise equipment recommendations and nutritional recipes.
www.shaqsfamilychallenge.com
Basketball star Shaquille O’Neal’s hit ABC show, “Shaq’s Big Challenge,” helped to get 6 overweight middle school children in shape. The show’s website provides great tips for parents on how to make a change toward a healthier lifestyle for their children.
http://www.bam.gov/sub_physicalactivity/
Bam, body and mind, is an interactive website for children provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a fun website for children to visit to learn about health and physical fitness.
www.americanheart.org
This website provides great tips for parents, teachers and kids from the American Heart Association, a trusted and well-known source in the field.
www.cdc.gov
The CDC’s “Children’s Health & the Built Environment” page provides information on improving children’s health in the community and their environments, as well as several links to additional informative children’s health sites.
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