One of my biggest woories as a parent is childhood obestiy. I see so many young children struggling with their weight and honestly society today encourages "model thin" or "electronic childen" (too much TV, video games and not enought exercise!)
Here is a great guset post:
Obesity in children is becoming an increasing problem in many countries of the world. Many children are living a more sedentary lifestyle these days and in turn are becoming overweight. If your child is already overweight or starting to show signs of becoming overweight is important to instill proper diet and exercise at a young age. In the majority of the cases these children will carry their eating habits into adulthood. If you need to know how to encourage your children lose weight and protect them from obesity this article will outline a few simple suggestions to help you accomplish this.
One of the biggest reasons for childhood obesity is snacking. Many snacks which are aimed at children are full of sugar and excess calories. In addition, many children will drink nothing but sugary sodas all day. For this reason it is important to eliminate and remove unhealthy snacks from home. This will undoubtedly not be a popular decision; however, once the initial storm blows over most kids will become used to healthier snacks. Many fruits are naturally sweet and are a great alternative to traditional child snack foods.Television and video games are another common problem with children. Left on their own children will not receive enough proper exercise to burn off excess calories. Limiting kids to one hour of television or video games a day will help guide them to more active activities. Also, try to get the child involved in sports. Many kids may be unwilling to take up sports in the beginning; however, once most children are involved they grow to love it. This can lead to further involvement in other sports and a much healthier lifestyle.
Simply trying to change the lifestyle your children is not the proper way to go. Many of the children get their lifestyle habits from their parents. If you are going to limit what a child can eat or do then it is only fair to institute these changes in your own life as well. If a child sees a parent willing to make a change with them then they are more likely to cooperate. You will not only increase the likelihood of your child going along with the diet and exercise changes but you also make your family stronger. Start instituting more family physical activities such as hiking or outdoor sports or other activities that you can do together.Today children are more demanding than ever. They need to know everything and they need to have a saying for anything that goes on in their lives. If you try to ‘force’ them into a healthier lifestyle without first explaining to them the long term benefits you are doom to fail. Layout a good plan with examples and tangible benefits of weight loss and reward them when they are acting into the right direction. Make the whole process like a game and insist until you get the desired results.
Changing the habits of a child is not an easy task. It will need a big effort and there will be relapses; however, remember it is for the good of the child. Laying a good foundation for a healthy future is one of the best things a parent can do for a child.
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