Some schools are banning cupcakes at kids’ birthday parties. Say that again! Here’s a quick memo: kids are not fat because they eat a cupcake or two at a school party. We all get fat because of a caloric imbalance—we eat more calories than we burn.
Eat healthy food or unhealthy food and one fact remains: if you eat too much, you will gain weight.
Teach your kids what to eat, how much to eat and to exercise regularly. Even better, model these behaviors for them. That is the answer to our obesity epidemic. I like the idea of taking unhealthy snacks and drinks out of school vending machines because this helps feed daily unhealthy eating behaviors. But, leave the school parties alone!
I have a better recommendation for school administrators: stop cutting out physical education class. Forty-five minutes of daily exercise is what kids need during the day. We all need that activity during the day. This will burn calories and help control weight gain.
For sure, obesity is a huge problem for our entire population and should not be taken lightly. Consistently bad eating and exercise behaviors have caused this epidemic. Consistently good eating and exercise behaviors will bring us out of the epidemic. There are no quick fixes.
According to The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 19 percent of pre-adolescent kids and 17 percent of adolescents were overweight in 2003-04. And there's an increase in type 2 diabetes in children. These numbers have not improved since that time.
So, what are we to do to help ourselves and our children? Here are some tips:
1. Eating right starts at home. Parents have the responsibility to teach their kids what to eat and how much to eat. You may need to clean out the pantry and replace foods high in sugar, fat and other unhealthy ingredients.
2. Don’t let your kids sit in front of the computer looking around on Facebook for hours and hours. Force them to go outside and play or sign them up for a sports team. This is the best type of exercise—fun exercise.
3. Take advantage of fitness plans available at health clubs. Just about every health club has fitness plans for families. And, it’s a good place for teens to hang out.
4. The commitment to a fit lifestyle will lead to a lean body and give you lifetime health. The best time to start is when you are young. Show your kids how to do it.
5. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) stated that kids who exercise are likely to continue the good habit as adults. They also have strong muscles, bones and joints.
They also said that exercise helps in the development of interpersonal skills (especially for kids who play team sports), improves overall sleep and promotes involved school attendance and enhances academic performance.
Let kids eat cupcakes at school parties. Eat cupcakes at your parties if you like. Consistently good eating and exercise behaviors we keep us from getting fat.
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES, CPT is a Certified Personal Trainer and former NCAA Division I athlete. Mark is the owner of My Fitness Hut, Her Fitness Hut, Sports Fitness Hut and My Nutrition Hut. Mark’s Fat Blaster Athletic Training System has been proven to give his clients the fit, sculpted and athletic-type bodies they want. Visit Mark’s main site:
Your Fitness University http://yourfitnessuniversity.com