How can adults cook healthy meals if they have never been taught how to use a stove? Parents/guardians have the responsibility of educating the children about health. We only have one body, so it’s important to teach children the importance of feeding it right, respecting it and exercising. In doing so, families become closer.
Right now, somewhere in the world, two children are helping their mother cook dinner. They are cooking an old family recipe, following it perfectly without using written notes. One child prepares the meat and one mixes up the spices, while the mother works on the stove. The mother can cook the meal with her eyes closed. Soon, through repetition, the children will be able to do the same. Each generation has passed the knowledge down through time, because parent’s have ensured the children learned how to cook this ‘family famous’ meal.
This type of family activity should not be confined to old family recipes. It should be transferred to all areas of life, including nutrition and fitness. This type of family activity should not be confined to old family recipes. It should be transferred to all areas of life, including nutrition and fitness.
Nutrition
In the Archive Section of this Wellness E-Zine, there is an article titled ‘What’s for Dinner’. The article’s goal is to teach families how to develop and stick to food plans. The article discuses nutrition preparedness and how to shop at the grocery store. It’s worth taking another look after reading this article.
All children should be taught how to prepare and cook meals. By the time the child leaves home, they should be able to cook a number of basic staple meals. They should know what utensils they need to cook most meals, from spatulas to measuring cups. This knowledge gives them the confidence to try and cook new recipes. An individual who has never been taught how to cook may be doomed to a life of fast-food dinners, and refrigerators with nothing except condiments.
Knowledge is imperative to achieving individual freedom and happiness. With food, if they can cook what they want, they have freedom. If they enjoy eating the meals, they can be happy with their nutritional decisions.
Fitness
Often, parents do not have the energy to keep up with their children on a day-to-day basis. Too often instead of encouraging activity to deplete a child’s energy, parents give their children junk food and set them in front of a television where they think they are safe. Safe? Providing a steady stream of junk food to a child is like throwing gasoline on a fire, setting them up for long term health issues far more dangerous than the perceived dangers of playing outside. Planning healthy meals and family activities will get children in the habit of eating healthy and exercising, with parents becoming healthier in the bargain.
Plan physical activities much like planning meals. Parents should prioritize family fitness and stick to a plan. Block a daily time for physical activity and stick to the schedule. It must be made a priority in order to be effective.
One parent should not have the full burden of planning all the activities. Instead, each member of the family should take turns selecting.
Encouraging the children to choose every once in a while helps them in the learning process, and in so doing they learn which activities they most enjoy. They will choose activities that are fun to them… and parents should choose fun activities as well. If the kids are not having fun, they will lose their concentration and enthusiasm very quickly.
Families do not need to be rich to be fit. Playing games at local parks and in the comfort of the backyard is free. Play games that do not need of a lot of expensive equipment, such as playing catch or jumping rope. To play soccer, all one needs is a ball and a few willing participants. Those in under-developed countries play soccer on dirt, with bare feet, and the smiles tell the story.
Why not set a date for a family Olympics? Each family member can select 5 of their favorite events to prepare for, from track and field and other summer sports, to winter games. Set 4 family Olympic events per year. Each successive event provides an evaluation of physical capabilities. A growing child will improve with each successive event, providing encouragement internally and externally.
Find local outdoor trails and state parks to explore. Families can hike on trails, go jogging or bike riding through beautiful scenery. If a family does decide to take a camping/hiking trip, they should bring plenty of water in order to avoid dehydration. Bring healthy meals and snacks that can be cooked by campfire.
Choose as many different family activities as possible, from swimming to rock climbing to volleyball, canoeing and more. Even if the parent is not an expert on the sport, they don’t have to be a coach. Simply have an understanding of the goal of the activity, and have fun. Parents can also talk to the kids about selecting the proper clothing for each sport, given the level of activity and weather variables.
There is no good reason to not be active on a daily basis. On extremely busy days, families should still have 20 minutes to take a walk after dinner. Get in snowball fights during the winter. Play tag. Do whatever you can.
In-Home Fitness
Video game fitness is the new generation’s answer to home exercise tapes. These games provide many health benefits from the comfort of your living room. Each individual goes through a fitness assessment, where the machine measures bodyweight, balance and more. Individuals can strength train (such as pushups), hula hoop, play soccer, ski, jump, box, do step aerobics and long distance jogging, while being coached and encouraged along the way. The games provide scores so players can try to better their physical abilities and improve the child’s overall coordination (which improves the brain and nervous system). They also improve balance. When individuals get better balance, they build core strength. Good core strength helps prevent many injuries, including the dreaded bulging discs in the lower back. Lastly, the games are designed so the entire family can have fitness fun, even when the weather isn’t cooperating.
Conclusion
If a child spends much of their time playing sports and being active, fitness has a great chance to become a part of who they are as adults. Nothing keeps an individual more fit than a true love of an activity. If an individual truly loves playing a sport, the stresses of the day disappear when they are playing.
Fitness is its own reward, as is eating good-tasting healthy meals. True health demands only one skill – effort.
Ken Kashubara became an NASM and ACE certified personal trainer after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 1999. He has trained hundreds of individuals, couples, weight loss group exercise classes and boot camps. As a writer, Ken has published nearly 200 health, fitness and nutrition articles. He published his first full-length fitness book, Brave New Workouts, in 2009, which is available in paperback and eBook formats.
Ken is also a regular contributor to the Fitness Town Health & Wellness On-line E-zine. For more great articles like this one, please visit here and sign-up to receive our free newsletter once per month.
Healthy living to you and your families from all of us at Fitness Town.
