HKC Editor
4 posts
Jan 07, 2007
1:23 PM
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Hi Belbeth, Indeed, millions of families face the same conundrum as you describe – the need and desire for your child to be more active, but nary the time to do so. Your situation is difficult, but not impossible. It will take a little ingenuity, and more of a holistic “whole life” approach beyond just exercise, itself. First and foremost, families who do not have ample time to exercise must watch their dietary intake far more closely. Without a consistent schedule and outlet through which to burn calories, build muscle and get the metabolism revving, it’s imperative to ensure your family is minimizing the amount of fat, refined sugar and calories it intakes. This does not mean your child must forego the occasional treat, but ensure it’s just that…occasional.
With this in mind, here are some sure-fire, yet simple, success strategies to help keep children healthy and fit: • First and foremost, unplug! Turn off the TV while eating breakfast, as studies show that those who watch TV while eating consume higher amounts of fat - and also are more inclined to eat "mindlessly."
• Require that your child finish his or her healthy meal before any “treat” type foods are made available. Simply put, the child can NOT have that even occasional cupcake if (s)he has not eaten those veggies! End of story. • We live in an age where food manufacturers are the most health-conscious in history. Take full advantage of these healthy alternatives. It’s simply not an option to choose those refined sugar-loaded gummy bears when gummy fruit juice snacks in every shape and size are a mere isle or two away. • Remember that small changes at breakfast = big results. Skim milk instead of whole, wheat toast vs. white, sugar-free all-fruit jam vs. butter, egg whites or egg substitute vs. whole eggs, lean ham vs. bacon, sliced tomatoes vs. hash browns...you get the idea
• Make fresh fruit an exciting dessert. Yes, dessert. Low fat and calorie whipped cream with just a touch of colorful sprinkles atop sliced strawberries or other berries can make children squeal with delight. Rainbow jell-o jam packed with citrus fruit is always a crowd pleaser. When it comes to nature’s dessert, get creative, build the anticipation in advance, and offer it up with as much excitement and reverence as you would a chocolate cake. • Don’t expect utter perfection of yourself as you work toward your family’s collective health goal. Do what you can to make healthy changes, as dong “something” is better than doing nothing. No time to make homemade oatmeal? Go for those instant bags, instead! Any oatmeal is better than no oatmeal, and it’s certainly better than skipping breakfast or opting for any of those sugary cereals. You can’t get all the way there if you never get out of the starting gate! • Don’t ask if your family wants a certain veggie or fruit with dinner…make an executive [chef] decision and just serve it up! Knowing that such choices are not an option per se removes the possibility that your family may choose to eat a given healthy items, or not. Praise the child who enthusiastically eats his or her healthy fare, or at least tries it and does “well enough.” And, leverage your kid’s competitive spirit. Offer an eating challenge that he or she simply cannot resist – such as “I bet you can’t eat all of your peas in the next 10 minutes”. You’ll be surprised how far this will take you. • Be willing to concede for the greater good. My son will only eat a healthy tuna fish sandwich with low-fat mayonnaise in a wheat pita if it has about 4 potato chips placed inside the pocket, too. I figure 4 potato chips is a fair concession to make for a wheat pita full of Omega 3 fatty acid-packed tuna. With kids, all or nothing doesn’t work – be willing to find that middle ground!!
• And, of course, ensure your child drinks plenty of water – Our bodies are made up primarily of water, and while water does not have calories to provide energy, it contributes to weight loss and assists with digestion. Drinking ample amounts of water will keep the toxins flowing right out of a child's body.
Ensuring a child eats nutritiously is not about denial which, especially with the younger set, will surely prove self-defeating. Rather, it’s about strategy, systems, consistency, and moderation to establish a balance of what is, and is not, health-promoting. It’s not rocket science…it just takes some forethought and some good old common sense.
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Secondarily, ensure your child is getting a very good night’s rest. Research at Bristol University shows that rising levels of obesity could be linked to a lack of sleep in childhood. Studies have indicated that sleep loss could disturb the production of hormones that control the desire for calorie-rich foods, hunger and energy expenditure. So, a child's weight management may very well start in bed! Consider these tips from Patti Teel, a former teacher and the author of The Floppy Sleep Game Book, which gives parents techniques to help their children relax, deal with stress, or fall asleep: • Avoid late afternoon or evening caffeine and sugar consumption. (Sodas are usually a huge source of both sugar and caffeine.)
• Eat foods rich in B vitamins: Sources of B vitamins include whole grains, legumes, organ meats, raw nuts and seeds, mushrooms, deep sea fish, eggs, meat and dark green vegetables. • Eat foods rich in magnesium. Food sources include nuts, whole grains, sunflower seeds, legumes, whole grains, avocados and raisins. • Avoid eating dinner any later than three hours before bed if it seems to energize your child. (Eating too late at night raises the metabolic rate and energizes some children.) • Have an evening bedtime snack that contains tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that the brain converts into the neurotransmitter, serotonin. Serotonin is then converted into melatonin, which assists in sleep. Many children find a glass of warm milk calming and it is a good source of tryptophan. Other sources of tryptophan include cottage cheese, yogurt, pineapples, plums, bananas, eggs, turkey, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews and peanuts. It’s best to combine these tryptophan rich foods with complex carbohydrates like whole grain cereals, bread or potatoes; it helps the brain to absorb the tryptophan. Bedtime snack suggestions: whole grain cereal with milk, oatmeal with milk, peanut butter sandwich with ground sesame seeds, oatmeal cookies with milk. • If your child has a bedtime snack, have it half an hour to an hour before bed. ________________________________________ And finally, you really have to go out of your way to MAKE the time to fit fitness into your child's routine. Exercise is essential for your child's health and should be considered a mandatory part of her weekly, if not daily. Sadly, however, personal fitness is usually the first thing busy moms sacrifice when they are over burdened and under pressure. Keep in mind that even a few 10-minute sessions a day can increase your child's stamina and provide a long list of benefits to the mind, body and spirit.
Consider these ideas:
• Have your child exercise first thing in the morning to jump start her day - Chances of sticking to an exercise program increase significantly if one exercises in the morning compared to later in the day when excuses and fatigue take over. Your child's metabolism will be elevated for more than 7 hours following a one hour morning workout!
• Make it mandatory that your child's sitter/daycare integrate some kind of more formal age-appropriate exercise activity into each day. You're the paying customer, and the sitter/day care would be hard pressed to argue the importance of such an initiative. Be proactive, give the sitter/daycare some ideas, and, don't take no for an answer.
• Don't just let the dog out! Have your child take your dog for a long walk or, even better, a run!
• Do double duty. While you're in the kitchen cooking dinner, and if you have enough space where she can safely "hang out," your child can spend time with you while also getting some exercise in. While cooking, challenge her to some calisthenics. Have your kitchen timer handy and see how many push ups or jumping jacks she can do in an allotted amount of time. Or, she can practice some strenuous yoga poses, which requires a very small amount of space. Begin and end every homework session with 25 jumping jacks. Have her jump rope throughout each entire set of commercials when watching a television program. You get the idea...get creative and work it in wherever you can.
• When the weekends roll around, there's just no excuse for not being able to carve out 30 minutes to get your child active. And, exercising need not be reserved for the outdoors, as there is plenty kids can do inside of the house to get fit. In addition to jumping rope, calisthenics and yoga mentioned previously, other good indoor fitness ideas include dancing, hula hoop and even stretching to increase flexibility - another sign of a healthy body. Best of luck with all! Keep us posted!
Merilee
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