Making good food choices and leading an active lifestyle are two ways to ensure good health. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to do these two things, especially with today’s busy lifestyle.
Work, school, after-school activities, and other activities make it very difficult to find time to eat right and stay in shape. It’s easy to slip into bad habits like getting takeout for supper or vegging in front of the TV when you find some downtime.
However, these habits can have devastating effects on you and your children’s health. That’s why it’s so important you stop, consider the consequences, and make a conscious choice to set a good example and live a healthy lifestyle. Here are several things you can teach your kids to help them live a healthier lifestyle, too:
1. Teach them to Cook
With some quality cookware, a pantry full of nutritious ingredients and a drawer full of utensils, you’ve got everything you require to impart one of life’s most critical skills to your kids and empower them to make healthy choices. Encouraging your kids to get involved in the kitchen, whether at home or in a cooking class, teaches them to be self-sufficient, creative and make healthy food choices that may last a lifetime.
2. Encourage Physical Activity
Kids and young adults need 60 minutes of physical activity every day to be healthy. In today’s digitally-driven world, however, it can be extraordinarily difficult to get kids up and active. So, lead by example! Come up with fun activities that kids like to do, that will also give their muscles and bones a good workout. The majority of the physical activity should include things aerobic exercises, like running, skipping, and riding bikes, that will get their hearts and lungs working.
3. Give them a Love of Water
Water is the best choice for quenching your thirst and should be the go-to beverage all day long. Water doesn’t contain any of the sugar that fruit juices and soft drinks do, and it’s readily received by a thirsty body.
4. Teach them the Importance of Eating Fruits and Vegetables
Eating fruits and veggies at every meal will help your kids grow and be energized. Teach your children to reach for a piece of fruit when they want a snack rather than a sugary treat.
It’s not always easy getting kids to eat what you know they should, but there are thousands of ways to make veggies more attractive. So, get online and find some great recipes that will encourage your kids to eat right.
5. Get Moving!
A sedentary lifestyle isn’t good for anyone, but it’s especially bad for children as it instills poor habits that lead to lifelong health issues. As such, children should spend no more than a couple of hours a day in front of a screen. Make it a daily habit to switch off the TV, computer, cellphone, etc. and get up and get moving. Be sure they are breaking up long periods of sitting with hourly activity.
By planning a variety of indoor and outdoor activities your kids enjoy, you’ll find they won’t mind stepping away from their devices for a while each day.
As a parent, you know your children should be active and eat right. In today’s busy world, however, it’s more difficult than ever to make these things happen regularly. Too many parents leave it to their kids’ school or childcare center to instill the right values. Hopefully, the tips listed above will help you teach your kids healthy habits they can take with them all through their lives.
