December is a hectic month for many families across the country. It means back to school and back to a routine for both parents and their children. With so many things going on, it’s easy to let healthy eating and physical activity fall down the priority list.
Promoting physical activity and healthy eating has always been an interest of mine. This led me to start working with children, specifically African American girls at risk of being overweight as adults. I researched school-based intervention strategies early in my career, engaging students in their overall health. My colleagues and I were sharing great information, but we weren’t interacting with parents and family members, the most important (and influential) people in kids’ lives.
Today it’s more important than ever for children to receive the same messages at school as they do at home. Teachers want to keep order and a room full of young children jumping and playing is often quite the opposite. This lack of parallel between teachers and parents has been the focus of my most recent research, which I am collecting data for and preparing to analyze the results.
A child’s health and wellbeing starts at the family level. When we see children who don’t take healthy eating and physical activity seriously, it’s the first place we turn for fostering a behavior change. There is no one-size-fits-all intervention, but below are four things that can help.
Social support:
Having someone to lean on within the family structure is crucial, whether it’s providing transportation to practice or simply sharing the activity. Kids who know physical activity is meaningful and that they can rely on someone for encouragement are always more motivated to stay active. This also reaches beyond the family structure. Some parents use social media for support with behavioral change. They need that daily interaction and can find it with people online. It’s all about finding the right support system.
Role models:
It’s amazing how kids are so easily influenced, even when parents and family members don’t realize it. For example, children should not only share in physical activity with their parents, but they should observe them participating in their own exercise routine like running or yoga. This helps the importance of physical activity sink in. It’s also great when parents practice what they preach by eating healthy foods and providing opportunities for their children to get involved like shopping at a local farmer’s market or trying new activities together.
Holistic wellness:
My research has always focused on physical wellness. But as I think more about overall health, and as I work with disadvantaged populations, I’m moving more toward a holistic approach to wellbeing. How can someone be physically well if they are not well emotionally or financially? All of these areas work together, so when people are faced with more pressing issues, physical activity and healthy eating often fall to the backburner. Setting and achieving goals in other areas of health and wellness can help families get to a place where healthy eating and physical activity become higher priorities.
Accessibility:
If people don’t have access to parks and trails or grocery stores with good fruits and vegetables at a fair price, it is much more difficult to stay active and eat right. Of course, just because people have access to these resources doesn’t mean they will use them, but it becomes impossible without access.
Tips for Staying Active and Eating Right:
Whether you’re working toward a positive change with your child or just looking for helpful ways to stay active and promote healthy eating, consider these four tips.
1.Plan outdoor/physical activities as a family.
While the weather can sometimes be challenging in places like Minnesota, there are a variety of parks and lakes available to the public. It’s important to make physical activity a normal part of family time. Head out for a walk or find a playground nearby.
2.Get kids involved.
While kids need parents or guardians who are active role models in their health and wellness, they also need to feel supported in their own There are a number of affordable options like soccer offered at local parks, dance classes or even play groups that kids can enjoy with support from their parents or guardians.
3.Make time for family meals.
It’s important to allow 20-30 minutes for slowing down and sitting at the table together. Research from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health shows students who engage in regular family meals are less depressed, have better grades and eat more fruits and vegetables and less fast food.
4.Let your children help with food preparation at an early age.
This can be as simple as letting your children help with washing fruits and vegetables. Not only will they see the importance of healthy food by working to prepare it, parents and guardians are more likely to prepare meals at home if it means quality time with their children. If they are too young for washing or cutting food, try kid-friendly meals such as personal pizzas great for assembling a masterpiece by spreading the marinara and choosing toppings.
Easy Ways to Start Exercising:
Exercise doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. You don’t have to spend hours in a gym or force yourself into monotonous or painful activities you hate to experience the physical and emotional benefits. Adding just a little physical activity to your weekly routine can have a profound effect on your mental and emotional health. Whatever your age or fitness level even if you’ve never exercised a day in your life before you can find simple, fun ways to add more movement into your life and start to feel better, look better, and enjoy life more.
How much exercise do you need
Exercising moderately for 30 minutes, five times a week is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health. Can’t find 30 minutes in your busy schedule? That’s okay, two 15-minute workouts or three 10-minute workouts can be just as effective.
If that still seems like a daunting amount of time to spend exercising, don’t despair. Even just a little physical activity is better than none at all. Try starting by taking a short walk on most days, and gradually build up the length of your sessions from there. It takes about 4 weeks for an activity to become a habit so commit to maintaining your schedule for at least that long. As exercising becomes habit, you can slowly add extra minutes or try different types of activities. If you keep at it, the benefits you experience will begin to mount.
How hard do I need to exercise?
Forget “no pain, no gain,” you don’t need to be a fitness fanatic or gym rat to reap the rewards of exercise. Research has shown that mild to moderate activity is enough to change your life for the better. Moderate activity means:
*That you breathe a little heavier than normal, but are not out of breath. For example, you should be able to chat with your walking partner, but not easily sing a song.
*That your body feels warmer as you move, but not overheated or very sweaty.
Do I need different types of exercise?
While any kind of exercise offers tremendous health benefits, different types of exercise focus more on certain aspects of your health. Mixing up the different types of exercise can add variety to your workouts and broaden the health benefits.
*Aerobic activities
like running, cycling, and swimming strengthen your heart and increase your endurance.
*Strength training
like weight lifting or resistance training builds muscle and bone mass, improves balance and prevents falls. It’s one of the best counters to frailty in old age.
*Flexibility exercises
like stretching and yoga help prevent injury, enhance range of motion, reduce stiffness, and limit aches and pains.
Exercise is as Good for Your Mind as it is Your Body:
Everyone knows that regular exercise is good for the body. It can help you to control your appetite, lose weight, shed inches, and lower your risk for a variety of serious diseases. But the benefits don’t stop there. Exercise is as effective as antidepressant medication at relieving depression and boosting your mood. It can also help you to relieve stress and anxiety, improve your self-esteem, sleep better, and cope with life’s challenges in a healthy, positive way.
1.Move more in your daily life:-
If you're not ready to commit to a structured exercise program, think about physical activity as a lifestyle choice rather than a single task to check off your to-do list. Look at your daily routine and consider ways to sneak in activity here and there. Even very small activities can add up over the course of a day.
In and around your home.
Clean the house, wash the car, tend to the yard and garden, mow the lawn with a push mower, sweep the sidewalk or patio with a broom.
At work and on the go.
Look for ways to walk or cycle more. For example, bike or walk to an appointment rather than drive, banish all elevators and use the stairs, briskly walk to the bus stop then get off one stop early, park at the back of the lot and walk into the store or office, take a vigorous walk during your coffee break. Walk while you’re talking on your cell phone.
With friends or family.
Walk or jog around the soccer field during your kid’s practice, make a neighborhood bike ride part of weekend routine, play tag with your children in the yard or play exercise video games. Walk the dog together as a family, or if you don’t have your own dog, volunteer to walk a dog from a shelter. Organize an office bowling team, take a class in martial arts, dance, or yoga with a friend or spouse.
2.Start slowly a little is better than nothing:-
Exercise doesn’t need to be an all or nothing commitment. If you haven’t exercised before or you’ve tried an exercise program in the past and been unable to stick with it, it’s important not to set unrealistic goals. Committing to exercise for an hour a day in a gym may be too challenging at first, whereas committing to 10 minutes just three or four times a week is more manageable. Once these short windows of activity become a habit and you start experiencing the benefits, it’s easier to progress to the next level.
Tips for getting started in an exercise program
Focus on activities you enjoy.
If you hate jogging, you won’t be able to maintain a jogging program no matter how good it is for you. On the other hand, if you love to swim, dance, or play tennis you’ll find it easier to sick with an exercise program that’s built around those activities.
Take it slow.
Start with an activity you feel comfortable doing, go at your own pace, and keep your expectations realistic. For example, training for a marathon when you’ve never run before may be a bit daunting, but you could give yourself the goal of participating in an upcoming 5k walk for charity.
Focus on short-term goals.
such as improving your mood and energy levels and reducing stress, rather than goals such as weight loss or increased muscle size, as these can take longer to achieve.
Make exercise a priority.
If you have trouble fitting exercise into your schedule, consider it an important appointment with yourself and mark it on your daily agenda. Commit to an exercise schedule for at least 3 or 4 weeks so that it becomes habit, and force yourself to stick with it. Even the busiest amongst us can find a 10-minute slot to pace up and down an office staircase or take the dog for a walk.
Go easy on yourself.
Do you feel bad about your body? Instead of being your own worst critic, try a new way of thinking about your body. No matter what your weight, age, or fitness level, there are others like you with the same goal of exercising more. Try surrounding yourself with people in your shoes. Take a class with others of a similar fitness level. Accomplishing even the smallest fitness goals will help you gain body confidence.
Expect ups and downs.
Don’t be discouraged if you skip a few days or even a few weeks. It happens. Just get started again and slowly build up to your old momentum.
Safety tips for beginning exercisers
If you’ve never exercised before, or it’s been a significant amount of time since you’ve attempted any strenuous physical activity, keep in mind the following general health precautions:
Get medical clearance.
If you have special health issues such as an existing heart condition or high blood pressure, talk with your doctor or health practitioner and let him or her know your plans.
Stretch.
No matter what form of exercise you choose, you’ll benefit from adding stretching exercises to gain flexibility and range of motion. Stretching gently to warm up and cool down is the best form of injury-prevention for new exercisers.
Drink plenty of water.
Your body performs best when it’s properly hydrated. Failing to drink enough water when you are exerting yourself over a prolonged period of time, especially in hot conditions, can be dangerous.
3.Make exercise fun:-
You are more likely to exercise if you find enjoyable, convenient activities. Give some thought to your likes and dislikes, and remember that preferences can change over time.
Pair an activity you enjoy with your exercise
Pair an activity you enjoy with your exerciseThere are numerous activities that qualify as exercise. The trick is to find something you enjoy that forces you to be active. Pairing exercise with another activity makes it easier and more fun. Simple examples include:
*Take a dance or yoga class.
*Blast some favorite music and dance with your kids.
*Make a deal with yourself to watch your favorite TV shows while on the treadmill or stationary bike.
*Workout with a buddy, and afterwards enjoy coffee or a movie.
*Enjoy outdoor activities such as golf, playing Frisbee, or even yard work or gardening.
Make exercise a social activity:
Exercise can be a fun time to socialize with friends and working out with others can help keep you motivated. For those who enjoy company but dislike competition, a running club, water aerobics, or dance class may be the perfect thing. Others may find that a little healthy competition keeps the workout fun and exciting. You might seek out tennis partners, join an adult soccer league, find a regular pickup basketball game, or join a volleyball team.
For many, a workout partner can be a great motivator. For example, if you won’t get out of bed to swim yourself, but you would never cancel on a friend, find a swim buddy.
4.Stay motivated:-
No matter how much you enjoy an exercise routine, you may find that you eventually lose interest in it. That’s the time to shake things up and try something new, add other activities to your exercise program, or alter the way you pursue the exercises that have worked so far.
Set yourself goals and rewards
Rewarding yourself for reaching an exercise goal is one of the best ways to stay motivated. Set an achievable goal regarding your participation and effort, not necessarily how much weight you can lift, miles you can bike, or pounds you can lose lost. If you stumble in your efforts, regroup and begin again. Reward yourself when you reach your goals a new pair of shoes, a dinner out, whatever works to motivate you.
Other ways to keep your exercise program going:-
Be consistent.
Make your workouts habitual by exercising at the same time every day, if possible. Eventually you will get to the point where you feel worse if you don’t exercise. That dull, sluggish feeling fitness buffs get when they don’t work out is a strong incentive to get up and go.
Record your progress.
Try keeping an exercise journal of your workouts. In a matter of months, it will be fun to look back at where you began. Keeping a log also holds you accountable to your routine.
Keep it interesting.
Think of your exercise session as time dedicated to you. Enjoy that time by listening to music, chatting with friends, and varying locations. Exercise around natural beauty, new neighborhoods, and special parks.
Spread the word.
Talking to others about your fitness routines will help keep motivation strong and hold you accountable to your exercise program. You’ll be delighted and inspired hearing ways your friends and colleagues stay active and on track.
Get inspired.
Read a health and fitness magazine or visit an exercise website and get inspired with photos of people being active. Sometimes reading about and looking at images of people who are healthy and fit can motivate you to move your body.
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