Healthy Eating / Active Lifestyle for Your Kids: How to Avoid Obesity

Are your kids eating healthy snacks? Or are they snacking on junk food? Do you want your kids to have more energy? Perform better? Be more active? Let us help you get started in healthy eating/active lifestyle; here is a guide to getting started.

According to the CDC one in three children in the United States is overweight or clinically obese. It puts these kids at risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. (KMVT)

Avoid Temptation

To encourage healthier snacking, avoid temptation. Do not stock junk food at home. Clean out your pantry, the fridge, the freezer, hidden stash, etc. of junk food, and throw it all away. If your kids cannot see the junk food, they are not going to eat junk food.

Have Ready to Eat Foods

Have healthier alternatives to the snacks your children love. For example, a healthier alternative to chips is making kale chips. Packed with vitamins and minerals, and it has the same crunch like chips. Always have a fruit and veggie tray readily available. Kids will more likely to pick the healthy snack if it is ready to eat. After grocery shopping, wash and chop all fruits and veggies. Put the healthy snacks on a tray or in snack size containers. When your children want a snack, they can just grab one and it is ready to eat.

Be Active at Least an Hour Each Day

During school, kids spend most of their time sitting. Find something your kids like to do. Let your kids ride their bike outside, or play on the playground. Give your kids toys like balls, kites, and jump ropes that foster physical activity. Support your kids in joining a sports team. Encourage your kids to move their bodies during TV commercials. Take your kids on walks to explore new areas. You can kill two birds with one stone: spending time with your kids and being active. (Letsmove)

Get Enough Sleep

With homework, after school activities, chores, etc. kids often do not get enough sleep. "According to an expert at Dukechildrens, a shorter night's sleep limits the body's production of leptin, a hormone known to promote satiety. That means kids wake up hungrier, and are quicker to reach for high-carb, calorie rich foods.” If your kids are going to have a late night snack, offer yogurt, fruit, veggies, or whole wheat crackers.

Healthy eating/active lifestyle will give your kids more energy, better performance, and prevent obesity. Starting healthy eating habits when your children are young will set them up for success for when they are older. Start today eating healthier and being more active to have a healthy family. To talk more about this, or anything else, please contact us today! Thanks.