Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids

In this day and age, there's a ton of talk about childhood obesity and kids developing terrible eating habits. I truly believe this is a result of what they've been exposed to. In today's highpaced society, fast food sales have rocketed. There's a new junk food out on the market every day, and all the other crap that's advertised to our children during their cartoons and family movies on cable. It's insane.

What it comes down to is what you do in your home. Do you rely on fast food? Then in life, chances are so will your child. Do you keep tons of junk, chips, soda, cookies, snack cakes, etc on hand for your family to munch on? Chances are they will continue eating like that in the future. Even if your child isn't overweight now, it doesn't mean that they are 'healthy'.

Keep lots of fruits and veggies available as snacks. I know my counters always have bananas and apples, and he has his own apple slicer that he likes using. Baby carrots, fresh broccoli, cauliflower with ranch, or celery with peanut butter. He's not usually allowed soda unless it's pizza night, but he has a choice of water or Roarin' Waters by CapriSun, which is low calorie, low carb/sugar drink if he's looking for a 'sweet' tasting drink. Other than that, it's milk and water.

With nutrition, and knowing the "good foods" and "bad foods", my son has adopted in a lot of my eating habits just by observing and knowing that his mom is a diabetic. Because of that he knows at 11 yrs old, that because mom is a diabetic, it doubles his chances of becoming a diabetic teen and/or adult. Even if I don't have a lot of time for dinner, nine times out of ten I still MAKE dinner at home. A lot can be said for proper nutrition (and for the wallet) when it comes to preparing meals at home. You are in control of their portions, and what IS and what IS NOT a proper portion of food. They pick that up faster than you know, and it becomes commonplace and second nature to them.

Another lead by example with your kids... exercise. Even if it's kicking them out of the house and away from their video games (as I'm guilty of that every week). Get mad parents!!! Force those kids outdoors on nice days!!! I remember there being days I grounded my child to the outdoors.. lol. "Go play until you're soaked with sweat and need to come in for food and water.

Even now with going to the gym, I invite him to come along. I don't force it, but he usually is more than happy to go or he'll bring a friend with him. He's even become my lil partner in crime at the gym, and will ask me during the week and on the weekends.. "aren't we going to the gym today?"

As parents, we all want our kids to be happy. But sometimes, we have to curb their tendancies to sit in front of the tv, or zone out in their rooms, and get them moving. Get them to start making healthy choices for themselves. It's amazing what a child will choose at the ala carte cafeteria at school after given the right guidance in the home!

Hope you are all having a great Monday! Ciao for now!