Healthy Habits
March 4th, 2010 
Administrator 
Get your child off to a good start and help them maintain a proper weight.
Maintaining a healthy weight is important for everyone. If an individual is overweight or underweight it could put them at risk for various diseases and may keep them from fighting off infections.
Learning to maintain a healthy weight should start as early as possible. When children are in the womb, we can control what they eat by eating properly ourselves. After giving birth, parents can control a baby’s weight with proper nutrition by using formula and breast milk appropriately. However, as our babies grow, it can become harder and harder to control what a child eats, making it more difficult to ensure that they are developing properly.
If your child is overweight, there are steps you can take to help him or her lose weight. Such steps may include a reduction in caloric intake, as well as increasing their activity level.
Start by making sure your child gets a good breakfast. Breakfast is perhaps the most important meal of the day because it can help fuel their daily activities.
Look for breakfast choices that include a balance of fats and carbohydrates. Each component is important in creating a balanced meal for your child. Good breakfast choices include whole-grain cereals with low-fat milk, whole-wheat toast with boiled or scrambled eggs, and oatmeal. Add in a piece of fresh, seasonal fruit as well to provide extra vitamins and minerals. You may want to vary fruit choices, by offering a banana one day and a handful of grapes the next, which will make it more appetizing and fun.
The best way to ensure that your child gets a healthy lunch is to pack it. Make a packed lunch appealing to them by asking them to help you put it together. Lunch should include a mixture of items, including low-fat proteins, such as turkey and chicken. Add in vegetables that can travel well, such as carrot sticks or celery sticks filled with peanut butter. Make sure the drink appeals to them, but is also a nutritious option, such as milk or vitamin-fortified juice.
If your child’s school provides a hot lunch, go over the school menu to get day-to-day details about the lunch being served, including side dishes and desserts. Look over the choices carefully with your child and make a plan with them for what they are going to eat to ensure that healthy choices are made. When high-fat items such as hot dogs, cheeseburgers and pizza are being served, it may be best to pack.
Be aware that you can’t always control what you child eats each day at school. Children who are provided with a healthy lunch may still choose to swap that lunch with another child who has something less nutritious.
When helping your child with their diet, one of the most important things you can do is be a good role model. Show your child how much you like to eat vegetables, whole grains and low-fat proteins. Limit junk food and desserts, having them once in a while as a special treat. Limit your snacks during the day. When you are home with the children avoid mindless munching as well. Leave out healthier choices such as carrot sticks and lightly grilled vegetables, or high-calorie but very nutritious nuts and dried fruits.
Asking your child to help you in the kitchen is a good way to teach them about nutrition, but it is also fun family time. Make meals from scratch because they are easier to control and limit processed foods. You can decide exactly how much fat, sugar and sodium you want to use for each component.
Another important aspect of helping children achieve a healthy weight is to encourage them to exercise. Exercise can help children rev up their metabolism, increase their interactions with others, and thus make them feel more confident and coordinated.
Look for physical activities that your suit your child’s interests. If your child is a budding ballerina, explore dance classes with them. If your child is mad about horses, consider letting take riding lessons, which can be done year round here in warm Florida. Encourage children to swim in beaches and use local pools. Take them on hikes around the meadows. On nice days, take a family trip to the park. These are great family activities that double as exercise.
Participation in team sports is another great way to encourage your children to get moving. Many schools offer students a great variety of team sports that could be suitable for child. A child who loves to play with balls should think about signing up for baseball, football, golf or soccer. Children who like to swim may enjoy a relay team or even an underwater ballet troupe.
Work with teachers as well. Your child’s teacher can be your biggest ally in this process. Teachers work closely with children and can help you monitor your child’s caloric intake. If you have concerns with your child’s diet, contact his or her teacher. The teacher can help the student avoid snacking during class, supervise a child during lunch and make sure they are actively involved in gym class. Many teachers will happily work with you to help your child and even give you a weekly report on their progress. They may also have suggestions about how to help a child lose weight faster and enjoy exercise more.
Helping a child lose weight is not always easy. Achieving this goal can mean undoing their bad habits and your own at the same time. But if you work with your child together the two of you can set the pattern for results that will truly have life-long results.
By Stacy Mintzer Herlihy
Today’s Parent Writer
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