Tiff-Fit Training: Healthy Kids

As you make healthy changes in your own daily habits, why not get the whole family involved? By teaching your children the importance of eating well and getting regular physical activity, you will help them develop good habits for a lifetime.

Regular physical activity, combined with healthy eating habits, is the most efficient and healthful way to control your weight. It is also an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Some simple ways to increase your family's physical activity include the following:

Be a role model for your children. If your children see that you are physically active and have fun, they are more likely to be active and stay active for the rest of their lives. Encourage your kids to get some exercise throughout the day and especially on weekends.

Plan family activities that provide everyone with exercise and enjoyment, like walking, dancing, biking, or swimming. Reduce the amount of time you and your family spend in sedentary activities, such as watching TV or playing video games.

Raise kitchen kids. Show young children how to clean fruits and veggies and combine them into salads. Show teens how to make simple, healthy dishes, such as pasta with vegetables and broiled chicken or fish.

Remember, children should never be placed on a restrictive diet to lose weight, unless a doctor supervises one for medical reasons. Limiting what children eat may be harmful to their health and interfere with their growth and development.

To promote proper growth and development and prevent overweight, parents should offer the whole family a wide variety of foods from each of the food groups displayed in the New Food Guide Pyramid or Food Guide Plate. These guides apply to healthy people ages 2 years and older. The Food Guide Pyramid illustrates the importance of balance among food groups in a daily eating pattern.

Here are some ways to help your child develop good attitudes about eating:

Make a wide variety of healthful foods available in the house.

Encourage your child to eat slowly.

Try to make mealtimes pleasant with conversation and sharing.

Involve children in food shopping and preparing meals. Children who have basic cooking skills appreciate food more and are more likely to try new dishes.

Cut down on the amount of fat in your family's diet. Simple ways to cut the fat in your family's diet include eating low fat or nonfat dairy products, poultry without skin and lean meats, and low fat or fat-free breads and cereals.

Plan healthy snacks.

Fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables and fruit served either plain or with low fat or fat-free cheese or yogurt

Dried fruit, served with nuts or sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Breads and crackers made with enriched flour and whole grains, served with fruit spread or fat-free cheese

Frozen desserts, such as nonfat or low fat ice cream, frozen yogurt, fruit sorbet, popsicles, water ice, and fruit juice bars

Discourage eating meals or snacks while watching TV. Eating in front of the TV may make it difficult to pay attention to feelings of fullness, and may lead to overeating.