Raising a family is not an easy task in the 21st century, because both you and your children might be busy. There is so much to do in so little time, but the stakes are really high. A lot of kids today are obese or overweight. An active healthy lifestyle can not only help maintain weight, but also can prevent the onset of health issues like heart disease, asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure. Healthy habits start from home, and so here are a few tips for healthy children and families.
Eating Healthy (For Children And Families)
- Starting the day with a healthy breakfast refuels the body and provides ample energy for the day.
- Take time and chew your food while eating. It takes about twenty minutes for the brain to tell the body that you are full.
- Allow kids to help plan and prepare at least 1 meal a week.
- As often as possible, try to eat together as a family.
- Eat more whole grains like whole-wheat pasta, rye, oats, brown rice etc. Eat at least 3 ounces of whole grains everyday.
- Drink a lot of fluids each day, giving preference to water, low-calorie beverages and low-fat or nonfat milk.
- Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Serve food in small morsels
Eating Healthy(For Parents)
- Award children praise if they do something good, not food.
- Do not reward or demand a clean plate from a child. Allow your children to ask for more if they still feel hungry.
- Ask a nutritionist or doctor about vitamin supplements for you as well as your children.
- Nutrition labels for serving size can help select foods that fit the family’s needs.
- Bake, grill, broil food as much as you can, as it reduces fatty oils
- Snacks that provide nutrients and energy should be encouraged more which are essential for active growing children.
- Avoid cooking with vegetable oil, ghee or butter . Use healthier versions like sunflower, olive or canola oil.
Being More Active (For Children And Families)
- Try to get about thirty to sixty minutes of non-strenuous physical activity each day. Short sessions of movement can be added up throughout the day to make it up to the desired amount of physical activity.
- Make time for playtime with family, and make it fun. Do physically active work like playing tag or shooting hoops.
- Include physical activity in the daily routine of the family. Take a walk as a family before or after having a meal.
- Be active at home and do things like dust the house, vacuum the carpet, do a little gardening, or walk the dog. These activities are excellent ways to burn calories.
- Do physically engaging activities like biking or hiking, when you go on vacation as a family.
- Know the family’s daily calorie needs. Balance the calories you take with the calories you burn.