H is for Happy, Healthy Kids

{Note:  I started this post a while back and I decided that now was as good of a time as any to post it.}

Happy, healthy kids.  Isn't that what every parent wants?   I know I do.  My kids have always been pretty active.  In the summer we were constantly at the beach or pool, the fall and winter we spend our time outside at the playground, riding bikes, taking walks, or just running around the front yard.  

Now that my girls are doing sports they have a whole new reason to stay healthy.  Now. my girls don't do sports just because it's fun.  Kaylee and Mo both have their sites set on Olympic gold.  {This house has a "go big or go home" mentality as you can see}  Having kids with Olympic dreams is great sometimes.  When they ask for that 600 calorie dessert?  "Do you think Michael Phelps/Gabby Douglas would eat that?"  

Speaking of Michael Phelps and swimming.  Below are some links to what the proper nutrition for a swimmer is.      

Swim Nutrition
Resources
http://www.swimming.org/swimfit/nutrition-and-diet/
http://www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=1546
http://www.sasoswimming.org/Swim%20Nutrition.pdf

This was in the newspaper the other day.  

The fact that 75% of the kids in my county AREN'T obese is a very good thing.  I was a chunky kid.  I know how rough is can be.  Kids are mean.  They can say some very hurtful things.  I want to save my kids the pain and hurt feelings (as well as high medical bills and premature death.)  Childhood obesity is a makjor issue in the United States.

As of January, 17% (12.5 million) 2-19 year olds were onbese.  70% of obese kids had atleast 1 risk factor for cardiovascular disease!  That's ridiculous.  Below are some of the many health consequences of childhood obesity. 


Health Consequenses of Childhood Obesity
(From the Florida Commission on the Status of Women link)

Type 2 diabetes

Cardiovascular risk

Sleep apnea

Asthma

Being overweight as an adult

Potentiality of high health care costs

Psychosocial consequences

Liver disease

Early puberty

Skin infections

Ask yourself, are these things you want your 5, 6 or 13 year old to deal with??  Is this fair to them?  Read this list to your kids and see if any of these things are appealing to them.  Ask them if being laughed at and called names is fun.  Now realize that you are in control of your child's weight. 

Yes I said it.  YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF YOUR CHILD'S WEIGHT.  

There are a few easy things you can do to help your kids get healthy.  Cut down on their daily intake of fats, sugar and sodium.  Some easy things to do are replace chips with plain air popped popcorn or switch from hamburger to ground turkey.   Don't let them sit in front of the tv.  Send them outside to play{when the weather isn't too hot I shove my kids out the door for atleast an hour.  They are only allowed in for drinks and to use the bathroom},  take them to the park, get them involved in a sport, or do some exercises in the living room if you can't go outside.  

I don't want to hear the excuse "it's too expensive to eat healthy."  If you want to know how far your money can go for healthy food take a look at this link from SparkPeople.com

Eating healthy is not that hard.  People are always kind of surprised by the way that we eat.  Low/no fat, low sodium, healthy desserts and most of our meals are 90-100% homemade.  Why is this weird to people these days???  Because I don't use a pound of butter in everything I'm a horrible parent??  At Kaylee's birthday party one girl freaked out because the popcorn didn't have butter or salt,the syrup at breakfast was sugar free and we didn't have any ice cream in the house (yet, at this party there was a gorgeous, store bought cake [thanks to Sirrr], chocolates and we roasted marshmallows)  

Below are some resources about childhood obesity and how to help your kids be healthy and active.  Helping your kids lead a healthy life isn't that hard.  What's stopping you?
    

Resources
CDC
NICHQ
NAEYC
American Heart Association
Let's Move!