FAT CHANCE
HEALTH AND FITNESS EXPERT LORI SAWYER TELLS US HOW TO RAISE HEALTHIER CHILDREN

One in five children in the United States suffers from childhood obesity. When I was a kid, I remember my parents
telling me to “Go outside and play!"  Today, it’s rare to see kids outside, riding bikes, playing tag and kickball and
other childhood games. So, where are the kids and what are they doing? I can tell you that today's kids are eating
too much and moving around too little. Almost half of children aged eight to sixteen years old watch three to five
hours of television a day. Television, video games and computer chats have taken the place of outdoor play.

Not only are today’s children overweight and out of shape,
but many have serious health-related issues. Obese children
are at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes (adult-onset diabetes), high cholesterol, high blood pressure levels and other risk-factors for heart disease. Other problems include sleep apnea (interrupted breathing while sleeping), which can lead to problems with memory, orthopedic problems, liver disease and an increased risk of asthma. Additionally, obese children have a 70 percent chance of becoming obese adults.

What do we do to keep our kids healthy? How to do we introduce them to healthy habits and educate them on this growing problem? The answer is a simple one: Be active yourself. When you incorporate exercise and healthy eating habits into your life, you will automatically foster it in the lives of your children, both intentionally and by example.

Make health and fitness part of your family's every day. Teach your children the benefits of exercise and proper nutrition, just as you teach them the alphabet or times tables. The US Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services recommend all children two years and older should get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every day of the week. Are your kids getting this much exercise daily?

Here are my six ways to make make healthy a habit:

1	Be supportive. Overweight and out-of-shape children may be self-conscious. Give them a choice of activities and allow them to choose.
2	Set guidelines on how much TV, video games or computer time they can have a day—and stick to it!
3	Let your kids plan family-fun activities (think: hiking, biking, washing the car, etc.).
4	Eat meals together as a family at the table, not in front of the TV. Involve your kids in the grocery shopping, menu planning and cooking.
5	Do not use food as a reward or punishment.
6	Make small, gradual changes in your family's diet. Each week, focus on one new healthy habit. For example, drink more water or make sure you are eating small meals every three to four hours. This will step-by-step process will help them focus on the new habit and look forward to the new challenge each week.

If you teach your children from an early age to have good fitness and nutrition habits, they will encounter fewer problems down the road. There are tons of kids' fitness classes popping up everywhere, so get involved in what's happening in your community. And remember, change comes down from the top, so you've got to be ready to walk your talk and talk your walk. Healthy is as healthy does.

Mommy-Moves! Fitness Program is launching a new campaign in May called Kids-Move!  This program will introduce the three main elements of exercise: endurance, strength and flexibility. Kids ages three to six will enjoy fun programs in a non-competitive environment, participating in age-appropriate activities to develop gross motor skills, spatial awareness, individual skills and team building skills. I have hired on the best of the best to run these classes, Mary Patterson, a child development and fitness expert who will lead kids through these fun activities. During Kids-Move classes, there will be a Mommy-Moves stroller class.  If you are interested, please contact Mommy-Moves at 732-539-7711 or  lori@mommy-moves.com