It’s a Family Affair: Healthy Habits for Back to School
Aug 01, 2015 12:34PM ● By Jennifer and Gary Mangum
Back-to-school time means getting back on a schedule. Now is a great time to establish healthy, lifelong habits and routines for the family. This is also a great way to spend quality time together. Here are some tips to help the family get started on the right foot.
- Fuel the body and mind by starting the day with a healthy, balanced, nutritionally dense breakfast.
- Include adequate protein, healthy carbohydrates and healthy fats.
- Stay away from high-sugar, boxed and processed foods that are advertised to children.
- Stay well hydrated. Drink water all day long.
- No soda/diet soda, sweet tea or fruit juices.
- Pack a well-balanced lunch for children. Cooking extra at dinner is a great, convenient way to have healthy leftovers ready to go for the next day.
- Snacks should be well-balanced mini-meals.
- After school, it’s time to move! At this point in the day, children have been sedentary for hours. Put away all technology, get creative and make it fun. Parents should not teach anything to their children that they personally cannot do themselves. Parents should always lead by example and participate. The imagination is the only limit, but here are a few exercises and sample workouts to enjoy.
Here are some fun and safe exercises for children and parents:
- At-Home/Playground Obstacle Course
- Balancing/Yoga Poses
- Bike Riding
- Box Jumps/Tire Jumps
- Burpees
- Hanging, Climbing, Chin-Ups
- Hiking
- Jumping Rope
- Jumping Jacks
- Lunges/Jump Lunges
- Planks/Side Planks
- Playing a Family Game of Basketball, Soccer, Football, Kickball, etc.
- Push-Ups
- Sit-Ups
- Squats/Squat Jumps
- Stair Climbing
- Swimming
- Swinging
- Throwing a Frisbee, Football or Baseball
- Walking the Dog
- Walking/Skipping/Running
Here are some fun and safe sample workouts for children and parents:
The Anywhere, Anytime
Squat, Squat Jump 10 times
Jumping Jacks 10 times
Sit-Ups 10 times
Plank 15 seconds
(3-5 rounds)
The Playground
Swing 1 minute
Sprint to Monkey Bars
Monkey Bars
Sprint to Slide
Slide
Repeat 5-10 times
The State House
Stair Climb to the Top
Push-Ups
Tree Pose (balance on one foot)
Walk Down to Recover
(3-5 rounds)
The Dam
Skip 30 seconds
Jog 1 minute
Walk 2 minutes
(5 rounds, app. 15 minutes)
Finally, make sure to limit the amount of time spent on technology and make it a rule to “blackout” TV, cell phones and computers 30 minutes prior to bed.
There is no question that childhood obesity is on the rise annually, and it is up to parents to teach their children how to nourish the body and mind with proper nutrition and regular exercise. By getting and staying active as a family, fun and healthy habits will be established lasting a lifetime!
For more information, call Jennifer and Gary Mangum of Beyond Fitness Wellness Solutions at 803-470-6632.
