Physical activity is everyone's best offense against overweight and obesity, and the earlier you start, the better. The more active your kids are, the more their bodies use up the foods they eat for energy, rather than storing it away as fat. Plus, physical activity strengthens the heart (it's a muscle, too!) and reduces children's risk of developing heart disease and high blood pressure. Not to mention that they'll be building and toning muscle — which not only improves appearance but boosts metabolism as well. And your kids will be increasing the strength of their bones during the peak time for bone-building — which means they'll have strong, healthy bones for a lifetime.
Active kids become active adults, so get them started on their fit lives today. Here are Shaq's top-ten tips for effective family-fitness coaching:
Show 'Em How It's Done
If you're lying on the couch flipping channels
while lecturing your kids on the virtues of
physical activity — you're missing the basket!
Kids learn by example, so make sure you are
setting a good one. That means it's time to lace
up those sneakers and get out there! Also, if
you're constantly complaining that your feet
hurt or that you're too tired to exercise, your
kids will too. Stop making excuses, and jump
start your own active lifestyle today!
Home Advantage
If there's nowhere for them to exercise, you
can't really blame your kids for not doing it.
Create an active environment both in and around
your home. For example, put up a basketball hoop
in the backyard or driveway if there's room.
Kids love biking, so make sure they have safe
bikes to ride (and helmets) — buy used if new is
too expensive. Inside, create an area where your
kids can play when they can't go outside; even
if your home isn't very big, make sure there's
at least some clear floor space for them. Put up
pictures of your family doing fun, outdoorsy
activities, so your kids see these regularly and
remember these times fondly…they'll be begging
to do them again!
Put the Action Back in Activity
Every family outing doesn't have to be to a
restaurant! Head to the park for a picnic and
leave extra time for an invigorating hike or a
family relay race. Kids enjoy running around
looking for clues on scavenger hunts, too — and
older kids who may be "too cool" to hunt for
clues can participate by organizing the hunt.
Also, have your kids invite friends along if
they think chillin' with their mom and dad is
lame.
Point System
Did your parents make you do chores to earn your
allowance? Set up a similar system of activity
"points" in your home — have your kids earn
their regular allowance by completing a pre-set
amount of activity. You can base their required
activity points on their age or fitness level to
make it fair. If you don't have allowances in
your house, points can win kids other special
privileges, like having a sleepover with friends
or watching a favorite TV show.
Cut the Cord
Speaking of TV — keep it off as much as
possible. Children and teens (and parents too!)
have a tendency to get glued to the tube, which
keeps them off their feet. If you can, set up
your home so that the TV isn't front-and-center
in the living room. And definitely don't put a
TV or DVD player in your kids' rooms, or they'll
be out of the game for good! If your children
are video-gamers, try Dance Dance Revolution or
other games where the player has to jump around
— and make sure there's enough room for your
kids to actually do the moves.
Go for the Goal!
Sit down with your kids and come up with
specific fitness goals together. They don't have
to be complicated or particularly difficult; for
instance, being able to run a block without
stopping might be a good starting goal for some
kids. (See the President's Physical Fitness Test
to get benchmarks for your child's age.) Ask
your kids what they'd like to achieve. Do they
have something specific in mind? It's more
exciting to work toward a concrete goal.
Let the Players Talk
Ask your kids what they'd like to do for
activity — and find a way to make it happen. If
swimming ranks high on your child's list, for
example, he or she might like to sign up for
lessons at the local community center. Maybe
your son or daughter enjoys playing basketball
or other sports — have him or her try out for a
league or participate in your town's rec
program. Perhaps your child doesn't even like
sports and would rather take a dance or
gymnastics class. Any type of activity is fine —
just never force your children to participate in
a sport or other activity because you want them
to, or they will come to resent it. Also, never
use exercise as a punishment. That's just a
surefire way to get them to hate it.
Take a Breather
If your child can't even shoot an air ball —
relax! He or she can still be physically active.
Keep in mind that the goal is for your kids to
move more — and to enjoy the process, so they'll
actually want to keep moving. They don't have to
improve their skills or become competitive
players — they don't even have to follow all the
rules! As long as they are moving and having
fun, the score's in their favor!
Don't Be a Rookie
If you want your kids interested in fitness
for health, get to know something about it
yourself. Study up on what interests the kids:
If you grew up on stickball but your child wants
to join the lacrosse team (huh?!), get ready to
learn the rules of a new sport. If you want to
help your kids become active (and maybe even
coach that lacrosse team), you'll need to know
what you're doing.
Quality Time
The family that works out together gets fit
together! Get your kids excited about exercise
by doing it with them. Shoot some hoops or play
catch before dinner and on the weekends. They'll
love the activities, but they'll be even happier
spending time with you!