You've surely known kids whose parents smoke declare their repulsion for the habit. The health risk, the expense, the filth of smoking seem to deter many youngsters from following in the footsteps of mom and dad. Theoretically, anyway. In practice, these same kids may fall prey to the very act they vowed to reject. How about kids raised in households filled with sugary snacks and drinks, foods packed with fat, salt, and calories, and parents with expanding waistlines? Seems only natural these children, despite good intentions, end up struggling with healthful eating and weight management.
We are what our parents teach us. It's all we know for a good many years. And by the time we are able to make our own independent decisions, it's often too late. Our parents' actions and values are already programmed within us -- and it takes hard work to switch things up.
So here's my plea for this Sunday morning: do your kids a favor and become a positive role model. Don 't just tell your little ones what is right and healthy and virtuous -- show them. Let your behavior be the gold standard now, so that later, it's likely to be what your sweet babies will fall back on.
Here are seven ways to get started:
Feed 'em well
If kids learn healthy eating habits early, they're likely to stick with them. Offer whole grains options (rice, bread, pasta) and snacks that are not in the junk food group. Don't even buy the stuff you may later wish to clear out of your cupboard. Guests at our house are offered two drink options -- water or milk. Why? Because if we have juice (it's loaded with sugar) or soda (also sugary and calorie-laden), our kids just can't hold back. But if we don't have these beverages, they are never an option. Out of sight, out of mind.
Keep 'em moving
Take your kids to the park, get them running around your backyard, take them swimming, organize a kid-friendly football game, invest in a kite. Quiet activities are also good -- and necessary -- but when in doubt about how to entertain your busy little bees, make them move!
Let 'em see you sweat
You need to keep moving too. Not only for your own well-being -- that's obvious -- but so your kids see your physical activity as a staple of healthy living. Teach your kids to do push-ups and sit-ups and do them together. Jump rope, run laps at a local track, ride bikes, or dance. Just don't expect your kids to stay active if your idea of exercise is flipping through TV channels.
No TV
Turn off that TV. Rid your household of junk-food commercials, mind-numbing content, and addictive inactivity. Let TV be a treat -- a small one -- and not an expectation.
No smoking
Need I explain? It's unhealthy, costly, dirty, and a sure contributor to cancer. Try with every ounce of your being to keep this habit away from your impressionable children.
No stress
Some stress is unavoidable. Some is even healthy. But the kind of stress that hurts our tummies, gives us headaches, and threatens our health should be minimized. We must do our best to control our own stress so its effects don't spill over. And we must teach our kids how to cope too. Fortunately, some of the techniques listed above also work for this category -- physical activity, for example, does wonders for lowering stress. We can become experts at deep breathing -- have your kids practice with you. And we can teach a bit of distraction. If homework is making kids crazy, go with them on a short walk where they can regroup and return to the task with a clear head.
No double standards
We simply cannot say one thing and do another. Smoking while preaching the dangers of the habit just doesn't make sense. Saying "no" to sweets with your hand in the cookie jar is downright unfair. Carrying around extra weight and demanding physical fitness is simply ineffective. So make a commitment to yourself and your kids that you will do as you say. It's the only way.
1. Michael Torchia, Health Advocate, Submits Bill Proposal to Gov. Schwarzenegger to Help Campaign to Combat Epidemic of Obesity
Michael Torchia, Health and Wellness Expert, who founded "Children's Fitness Academy" to help fight the epidemic of childhood obesity, created a bill to reform and create stricter guidelines for the manufacture of packaged foods. He is requesting stricter Guidelines for manufacturers, distributors and marketers of foods that contain toxic ingredients so that they will be held accountable for their products.
Los Angeles, CA. April 5, 2007 -- Michael Torchia, Health and Wellness Expert, founder of Children's Fitness Academy, is requesting help from Governor Schwarzenegger by asking him to submit a bill through his office to help regulate the activities of the giant food manufacturers.
Torchia feels Governor Schwarzenegger, as a famous and immediately recognizable civic leader, he -- more effectively than anyone else -- can help end the American epidemic of obesity. Torchia says, "As Governor of California, he has the power to influence, inspire and motivate people from all walks of life. I remember how he inspired me when I was 15 years old. Because of the Governor, I pursued my dream to compete in bodybuilding. And just as he has given back to the community, he motivated me to share with others all that I've learned in the field of health and wellness. It's clear to me that we both share a desire to see a healthier America, one in which obesity is not such an alarmingly serious health issue."
The time has come in this country for a cultural shift toward health and wellness and away from the inherent dangers of obesity. Torchia proposes that legislation be enacted in California which forces food manufacturers to add warning labels to all food and beverage products containing ingredients known to be toxic to the human body. Food manufacturers and distributors, as well as any group making claims about the healthfulness of a food product, would have to follow strict regulations regarding those claims. They would also be required to provide guidelines for healthy, age-appropriate consumption of their products.
People are unknowingly consuming goods, which directly and adversely affect their health. With this legislation, Torchia hopes to make Californians -- and eventually all Americans -- aware of the fact that long-term consumption of trans fats, artificial sweeteners and food dyes can lead to obesity and to the development of Metabolic Syndrome-X (MSX). This is a condition which weakens immune systems and makes people much more susceptible to type-2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and other crippling lifestyle diseases. Producers, distributors, and marketers of foods that contain toxins leading to the development of MSX should be held accountable for the ingredients in their products.
Torchia says, "If we are successful, these manufacturers will be forced to reformulate their food products and provide healthier choices for consumers."
Today, we are inundated with endless "convenient" food choices, many of which are extremely unhealthy. This coupled with the fact that most Americans say they are too busy for regular exercise, has helped to create a society of roughly 62 million obese adults. Further, the government's out-of-date healthy-eating guidelines make little sense to most people, Torchia said. And while public awareness of obesity may be increasing, the numbers of so-called "solutions" to this social problem are also increasing, with little positive results. This legislation would help people make healthy and informed choices about what they eat. Limiting toxins in our foods will allow people to live healthier, happier and more productive lives, he said. With political support on this life-or-death issue can be the start of a cultural shift in this country toward health and wellness. Legislation is a great first step toward solving the obesity epidemic, but education and awareness on a child-by-child basis are the keys to creating a healthier nation, he said. With that goal in mind, Torchia created "Children's Fitness Academy" (CFA), an innovative resource public and private schools can use to implement health and fitness education programs. CFA's team of professional fitness and education experts will work with schools to revise and update California's physical education programs as well as provide informative and engaging seminars on career opportunities in the health and fitness arena. In addition, a CFA task force will work to help implement awareness on a statewide level, Torchia said. Members of the task force will conduct research and police those targeted by the legislation, reporting their findings to your office, to the USDA, as well as to children and parents so that healthy and informed choices can be made. Torchia says, "As you can see, there is much work to be done to create this cultural shift. With CFA's unique plan for creating a healthier nation and political leadership, I believe we can guide the country toward a healthier way of life that will surely benefit those struggling to overcome obesity as well as generations of Americans to come.
For further information:
Company Name: Children's Fitness Academy
Contact: Michael Torchia
Office: 310.650.5595
Website: www.operationfitness.com
Posted at 10:46AM on Apr 9th 2007 by Mike Torchia