September is a National Childhood Obesity Awareness month. I will be sharing a few connects on how to work towards a “Raising a Healthy Family” & be excellent ROLE MODELS to our little angels…Let the journey of Happy & Healthy Family begin…
Raising a healthy family is one of the BIGGEST CHALLENGES that we all face today. Obesity is a point of concern in TODAY’S GENERATION, all thanks to ever growing technology that has made our life easy and convenient but somewhere this technology has become more of a curse than a blessing…and thus we can rightly label obesity as the fastest growing epidemics of the 21st century.
The 21st Century Challenge: Raising a Healthy Family
Let us start with the Basic Connect, for only then can we overcome the challenges we face in this Era…In simple words overweight & obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in the body that can lead to other health issues like diabetes, heart disease, stroke and many other complications…
We really don’t need a lot of new research looking into the causes of obesity. We all know the culprit. It isn’t just fast food, or larger portion sizes, or increased inactivity that is causing more kids and adults to be overweight. It is, in fact a combination of these factors coupled with ignorance of Healthy Intake of a BALANCED DIET that has lead us to a world full of Overweight & Obese community.
One common delusion about obesity is that it only occurs in adults, but in reality, there are an unexpected number of children who have been diagnosed as obese. In the last 20 years the number of obese children has tripled. Overweight and obesity also increase the health risks for children and teens. In many children obesity can lead to Type 2 diabetes.
CAUTION
Children are not only affected physically by this excess weight gain but they undergo emotional trauma as well…Being overweight or obese leads to bullying and children develop many psychological problems such as:
- Low level of confidence
- Low self-esteem (due to teasing, bullying)
- No friends to share their fears
- Poor self-image
- They feel isolated in society
- Eating habits are altered (child is watched all the time)
- Studies are also affected
- They feel depressed all the time
- And all this leads to poor quality of life
The list is just endless…With so many mental challenges being faced by young children, all because they eat wrong is the BIGGEST SETBACK when it comes to Raising a Family.
Extensive research has been conducted, time and again to find solutions that can help us raise “Healthy Children” – researchers continue to study the changes our Body undergoes as LIFESTYLE CHANGES are made – However, as more and more DIETS surface, it often creates confusion…but instead of getting lost & confused, let us get acquainted with the facts & set ourselves for a Healthy Lifestyle with clarity & confidence.
I strongly believe that children should not be put on a severely restricted diet. A gradual change is required to overcome this challenge...and here comes the need of some reminders…
REMINDER TIME
Parents always want the BEST for their children. Caring and loving comes to them naturally but sometimes in their day-to-day routine, we parents forget the significant aspect of Parenting – We fail to realize that children are like sponges, absorbing everything from the surroundings, where they are nurtured. They pick up most of their habits and understandings from their parents. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every parent to serve as a good ROLE MODEL.
How to be a GOOD ROLE MODEL
Research proves that our brains are hard-wired to prefer visuals that follow the Golden Ratio, which can be found in many elements in nature, and even the human face, and therefore looks pure and organic…I apply these connect to my LIFE for I truly wish to live a BEAUTIFUL LIFE – and I invite you to come join me in this journey and together let us apply the BEST STRATEGIES for they lead us to a Beautiful & Healthy Life
Do you recall the every famous “The Golden Ratio” otherwise known as the “Golden Section”, “Golden Mean”, or “Phi” – I take my inspiration from this mathematical ratio that can be used to produce some of the most BEAUTIFUL artwork and architecture, such as the Mona Lisa or the Parthenon…Health is indeed Math & so let us be inspired by this Mathematical Connect & create wonders in our Parenting Journey.
Have a LOOK at the Creation of a Golden Rectangle – It has its foundation on 4 Connects.
Sharing with you the CONCEPT of Positive Parenting with FOUR CONNECTS – I take it to be the “Golden Ratio” of HEALTHY FAMILIES – Best described as “The Golden Rectangle of Triumph“
MATH SMART
The last couple of weeks I have discussed a lot on Macronutrients & we did realize that the THREE Macronutrients are definitely vital but they are also the Energy Providers for the Body…and hence it is the “calculated intake” of these nutrients that aids in living a “Healthy Lifestyle” – Recalling the Calorie Connect with Macronutrients, we learnt that
- Carbohydrate: 4 calories per gram
- Fat: 9 calories per gram
- Protein: 4 calories per gram
If a child consumes more calories than required by their energy allowance, than those excess calories are converted to fat for storage. So here is where we as parents need to put a check. Time for some Math Applications in REAL LIFE...We need to be aware of what goes in and how much…and also how active is our child.
A healthy diet and regular exercise are our solutions to losing weight and once the IDEAL WEIGHT has been achieved, one needs to aim at “MAINTENANCE” – Staying at your HEALTHY WEIGHT.
Excess weight loss can be achieved by a combination of physical activity and healthy food intake…BOTH are essential, while Physical Activity helps us keep the body toned, Healthy Food Choices, keep our Immunity Strong.
Making a few gradual changes in our child’s life is our key towards a healthier and happier CHILD…Add a pinch of zest to your life with these pointers.
- Be a role model for your kids…Eat right
- Make healthy eating and exercise a family affair.
- Get your kids involved when you plan and prepare healthy meals
- Let them accompany you when you go grocery shopping so they can learn how to make healthy food choices.
- Make sure anything that makes its way into your trolley is Healthy & Nutritious.
- Never reward your children for good behavior with chocolates or sweets. The same applies for controlling bad behavior.
- Don’t maintain a clean-plate policy.
- Emphasize the idea that they should eat when they’re hungry.
- There is nothing called as “bad foods”.
- Never completely eliminate all sweets and favorite snacks from your kids’ diets. Simple gestures like permitting them to have their favorite ice-cream once a while won’t do any harm.
- Kids may rebel and overeat the forbidden foods outside the home or sneak them in on their own…talk to them and let them know why changes are being made to their Food at home.
- Last but not the least, always appreciate and praise your children when they make the right choice in terms of food and activity selection.
TRAVEL SMART
Excellent Transport system is a boon but many a times, it is in our choices that make it a curse – let us learn to TRAVEL SMART, for the ways we travel impacts our HEALTH.
Why opt for a car when you can travel on foot – when distance is less and weather is cool, let your feet take you where your heart desires – enjoy the breeze & express your Gratitude to Mother nature.
Take the stairs when possible…it is a great way to exercise the thighs & keep them slim… Remember this connect – “There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs.” – Success in HEALTH is achieved when the same rule is applied in LIFE.
Yet another excellent option is “Cycling” – especially when the ride is short & weather is good – Small kids (Under parental supervision) can use this activity as a way of staying fit. “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving” – Recall these words of Albert Einstein, keep yourself inspired to live a Balance Life.
ENTERTAINMENT SMART
Entertainment is an excellent way to unwind after a day’s work/ School…but wrong choices in this aspect can also contribute to weight gain – The type of entertainment that you choose makes a huge difference. The rule applies for both the parent and the child…Remember, “Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate.”
Let us aim to not be “COUCH POTATOES” – instead let us choose to be SKILL ENHANCERS” and use the “Unwind Zones” of our Day to be HEALTHY – Both Physically & Mentally. Some suggestions to get you started with…
- Choose to go for a walk over your T.V drama.
- Enroll yourself in a swimming club
- Go to parks and burn that extra weight.
- Join a dance class.
- If you have a PET at HOME – opt to take the responsibility of the WALKS it needs.
FOOD SMART
We all know that FOOD is an essential part of a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE & at the core “What we EAT” directly affects our BODY HEALTH, so it becomes all the more necessary to be aware of not only the CALORIE CONTENT but also the NUTRITIONAL VALUE of the food that we are eating…a few snippets for you to ANCHOR…yourself to a Healthy YOU !!!
“You are what you eat” – Remember this at all times – To be fit and healthy you need to eat good food…So make SMART CHOICES – Don’t eat yourself FAT – Always and at all times, Eat Healthy & Stay Healthy after all, what you EAT is what you BECOME.
Fast food restaurants are seen as more fashionable and affordable – This is a MYTH – Make fewer trips to your fast-food outlets. The frequency could be reduced to twice a month…Go for EXPERIENCE & not to pile up layers of Fat.
Comfort eating needs to be avoided—sometimes we eat stuff only to comfort ourselves or to accompany our friends – when actually we are not hungry…this needs to STOP...Remember your GOALS of “Staying Healthy”
Now that YOU have a CLEAR IDEA of the 4 Core essentials of Raising a “Healthy Family” – Let us apply them to our LIFE & LIVE SMART & STAY HEALTHY. Look how Beautifully Life BLOOMS when we draw inspiration from the “Golden Ratio” concepts.
Take Away Message 🙂
Here’s the TAKE AWAY MESSAGE for the MONTH of September…Let us work together to fight obesity and be a small contribution towards a Healthier Tomorrow by raising Healthy children. Most of all, let our kids know we LOVE them — no matter what their weight — and that we want to help them be HAPPY & HEALTHY to ENJOY the WONDERS of LIFE ❤
“September is a National Childhood Obesity Awareness month”
The key to keeping kids of all ages at a healthy weight lies in the concept of a “whole-family approach”. Dear parents, at all times we need to model a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE for our kids that will help them to grow into healthy adults. May we always remember that getting the whole family involved is the key to keeping kids of all ages HEALTHY !!!
Let HEALTH be a “Family Goal”
Some Core Concepts to adhere to…to add some Phi to your parenting Trails ❤
Journeys & Reflections 