Keeping Fit Should Be a Family Affair

Today's society is health-conscious. From low-carb options to fad diets, it's hard to turn on the television without seeing an advertisement for losing weight or getting in shape.

It would seem surprising then that so many families across the country do not fit that healthy mold. In fact, according to Jyl Steinback, "America's Healthiest Mom" and creator of Family Fit Lifestyle, Inc., a company dedicated to counseling families on ways to stay healthy, only nine percent of children ages 6 to 11 eat the recommended daily servings of vegetables required, and most children consume too much fat and sodium.

A fast-food lifestyle is a major culprit. Super-sized portions, soft drinks and fatty foods are abundant and contributing not only to obesity but also to ailments like diabetes. In addition, unexemplary guidance from parents compounds the problem. According to Steinback, it is up to parents to create a new culture of health where they practice good eating habits, provide regular and shared meals, and set limits on foods with little nutritional value.

There are many steps you can take as parents to help get your whole family more physically fit. Naturally, it starts with food consumption and control. Here are some tips you should follow as a family:

- Plan meals -- Involve your children in menu selection. Try to incorporate some of their favorite foods, but not exclusively. This way, they'll be more inclined to enjoy the meal rather than seeking out fattier snacks and foods to supplement their hunger.

- Eat meals together -- Spend time with your family around the dinner table. Not only does it help you monitor what your kids are eating, it also fosters an emotional bond.

- Offer wholesome foods -- Don't label foods as good or bad, but less-healthy ones. Focus on variety, balance and moderation, not deprivation or denial.

- Set a good example -- Don't practice the mantra "Do as I say, not as I do." If you want your kids to eat healthy ... you should, too.

- Portion control is important -- Say "no" to super-sized portions, the main culprit behind many people's weight issues. Serve your children food on their plates rather than leaving serving dishes onthe table. If they want seconds, they can ask for them later. When in doubt, remember that the correct portion size for many foods, like meats, is the size of your closed fist.

- Limit liquid calories -- Beverages have calories, too. Sodas and other sweetened beverages are full of empty calories and produce bulging waistlines, fast. Studies by D. Ludwig published in the report "The Relationship Between Sugar-Sweetened Drinks and Childhood Obesity" have shown that for every additional serving per day of soda consumed, the risk of becoming obese increases by about 50 percent. By simply reducing consumption of these beverages, you can do a lot to stay healthy -- not to mention make fewer trips to the dentist!

Now that you've tackled foods, boosting energy levels is the next step. Children and adolescents should aim for one hour of moderate activity each day. You, too, can benefit from getting active -- so join in.

There is no set plan for what activities should be followed. Do what your family enjoys most. If it's a game of touch football or bike riding through the mountains, take every advantage. Here are other tips to follow:

- Make exercise fun, and it will be easier to get your kids involved.

- Don't make every activity have a winner and a loser. If you must focus on success and "failure," use the failures as a learning experience and a way to improve for the next time.

- Your attitude is contagious. If you are often found on the couch with the remote in hand, your kids will take their cue from you that it's okay to spend hours in front of the boob tube.

- Plan family outings that involve physical activity as much as possible.

- Encourage your kids to join school sports teams and other activities. Even the marching band will provide much-needed physical activity for your child.