How are you feeling? Maybe a bit overwhelmed with all of the end of summer happenings and getting the kids back to school, some even going off to college. It can be a lot, both emotionally and physically so I’m asking you to please continue to find time for YOU whether it be some quiet time with a book, an energy boosting workout or a trip to the spa in order to RECHARGE yourself and in turn -your family! This month I want to focus on how you can create a happier, healthier family life:
Let’s start the school year off on the right foot by bringing awareness to childhood obesity and how we can create healthier eating and exercise habits. As the kids head back to school, let’s try and keep their health in mind as much as we do our own. If Mom and Dad aren’t healthy, the kids most likely won’t be either. As parents we need to lead by example and pave the way for them to live a healthy and ultimately happier life!
For thousands of years, physical activity has been associated with health. Today, science has confirmed with overwhelming evidence that people who lead active lifestyles are less likely to die early, or to experience major illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and colon cancer.
Obesity and poor physical fitness constitute a health problem affecting an increasing number of children. Childhood obesity and poor physical fitness are associated with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, blood abnormalities, and high blood pressure in later life. The causes of childhood obesity include a pervasive “toxic” environment that facilitates increased caloric intake and reduced physical activity. In order to alter the children’s home environment, prevention and treatment of childhood obesity must be pervasive and collaborative. While the school setting is an attractive starting point for a collaborative effort and while schools have made positive changes over the years in offering healthier meal choices and increased physical activity, we still need to do our part at home.
Aside from the kids physical fitness classes at school and outside sport activities, as a family we need to encourage an active lifestyle at home. Whenever you, your spouse or other family members have free time, use it to go for a walk, a bike ride, perhaps an indoor or outdoor swim or spend time at the park.
Regular activity cannot only improve the way you look and feel but the combination with a balanced diet and regular activity can help to maintain a healthy weight and a healthy life moving forward. Feeling great will boost self-confidence and reduce the risk of depression which is so important for us and our children.
How much is enough exercise? Regular, moderate intensity physical activity means about 30 minutes of activity a day. You can break your 30 minutes or more up however you want to. Just think, the whole family can jump in and do a TBIT-15 and with that, add a run, a walk or any other activity you want to do. This dedicated time exercising should make you feel warm and mildly out of breath with an increase in heart rate leaving you energized and motivated to be better.
I encourage each and every one of you to be active, create a happy household and live your best life every day! We all deserve it, don’t we?
Also…if you struggle to make it to the gym or sneaking in any type of activity to stay healthy then please consider joining our amazing online Fit Community! There are so many benefits and the most important is having the convenience and flexibility to work out in your own home and truly being part of such a motivational group when you aren’t even able to be present. Make time for you and start or continue living a healthy lifestyle!
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