Sunday, May 4, 2008

Kids Nutrition?

Ask A Trainer, from Scott Fushi, trainer at Midtown Fitness Center, Putnam CT.

Question: My children; one 10 and the other 15 really don’t exercise at all, except for their scaled down gym classes at school (which they dread). They both are starting to gain a little extra weight and I want to try to help them avoid any problems in the future.

Answer: The number one thing any parent can do for their kids to keep them healthy and minimize weight problems, is to lead by example. Set a foundation through example… our children learn healthy habits through us. Yes it’s true “kids will be kids” and that they need to learn by their own mistakes, but weight problems and inactivity are areas where the stakes are very high. Don’t leave a legacy of lethargy and poor nutrition for them!
Why should they eat properly, play a sport or exercise if you don’t!

Small, subtle changes at home are a great start to big improvements in health and weight control. It can begin with less soda in the house. The 2 liter bottles may be convenient but it is too easy for 1 glass at supper to become 3. The same can be said about large bags of chips and snacks. What you save in economy you loose in portion control. It becomes too easy for kids and adults alike to get into a “grazing mode” while sitting in front of the TV or computer. Before you know it the bag is empty and you wonder where it all went.

By placing more emphasis on fruits and vegetables as available snacks or mainstays at mealtime, your children will get used to eating them… maybe even liking them.

There is a real economic factor to be considered here as well. The food companies have made good tasting, low nutrition value food easy to store (packed with preservatives) and affordable (chemicals are cheaper than real food). There is a long term factor to consider though. All the money saved by buying these items is lost 4 – 10 times over when poor health factors are put into the equation. Problems like asthma, diabetes, orthodontic, orthopedic and even cancerous preconditioning all present or worsen through poor nutrition. The medical costs associated with these conditions can have huge impacts on families emotionally as well as economically.

The same can be said for exercise. We cannot afford not to promote healthy recreation, sports and activities to our kids. It is also a great way to do something together as a whole family or even build a one on one relationship with your child. Take them fishing, out for a walk or bike ride. It is an opportunity to communicate while building good habits.



Please submit your ask a trainer question to Scott at scott@midtown-fitness.com

1 comment:

Lesley K said...

How true! I know with my kids, I encourage them to exercise every day, and my boys, now almost 18 and 14, are in great shape and doing well in school too, although they certainly play lots of video games and eat/drink their share of junk food. But we serve healthy food at home, exercise regularly, and encourage them to do the same.

The only way to lead is by example. Weight-related health issues in individuals directly correlate to the company those individuals keep, I am convinced. In other words, if your family - or your friends - eat poorly and do not exercise, it is only natural that you will follow suit, and vice versa. There was a study not long ago that suggested that if you have fat friends, it is more likely you will be fat, too. Makes sense!

I believe it. Years ago I met someone who helped me change in so many ways, and it was through his positive, loving example, that I became healthy. I will always love him for that.

Lesley in Colorado