| Helping your kids to appreciate fitness and exercise is | | | | details and proper technique in a fitness routine. Don't |
| not that difficult a task and the benefits are | | | | take for granted your kids understand the how or why |
| tremendous and just think you might get into shape | | | | of healthy eating and exercise programs, they may |
| while helping them! With the increase in child obesity | | | | not. If you're patient and caring it will come across to |
| and juvenile type 2 diabetes it is important for you to | | | | them as kindness and consideration, this will go along |
| assist your kids in appreciating exercise and developing | | | | way toward gaining their cooperation. If you don't |
| life long weight and fitness goals. Here are 3 tips you | | | | know all there is to know about healthy eating and |
| can use to help your kids appreciate fitness and | | | | exercise get some books on the subjects and learn |
| exercise. | | | | about it. If the kids pose questions you don't have |
| - Model The Desired Behavior | | | | answers to tell them so and inform them when you |
| - Mentor and Teach Proper Technique | | | | find out you will inform them of the answers. In the |
| - Give Encouragement and Motivate | | | | meantime you can invite them to join you in your |
| Model The Desired Behavior | | | | favorite activity or exercise routine and teach them |
| Kids are especially watching their parents and those | | | | the ropes. But watch out because before too long you |
| they look up whether they realize it or not. The kids | | | | might have to keep up with them! |
| are also learning a lot just from observing those | | | | Give Encouragement and Motivate |
| around them on a day to day basis. Kids are very | | | | At the root of motivation is the answer to the question |
| observant and are watching everything and | | | | why and that answer is what propels people to act in |
| everybody all the time. Those people important to | | | | a consistent manner no matter how challenging the |
| them are able to influence them a great deal. | | | | activity. Probably the single most consistent questions |
| Sometimes that influence can be constructive and | | | | kids ask while growing up is "why" and this is good in |
| sometimes not so constructive. Parents have a | | | | terms of motivation. If your kids know the benefits to |
| tremendous amount of influence on their kids whether | | | | healthy eating in terms they can understand and relate |
| the kids let on to it or not. One way to help your kids | | | | to they will be motivate to participate. If they don't |
| understand the importance of healthy eating and a | | | | understand why they must do an exercise program on |
| regular exercise routine is by eating healthy and | | | | a regular basis then they will have no motivation to do |
| exercising yourself. When the kids see you doing a | | | | so. But give them the motive and watch out! Motivation |
| regular exercise program and suggesting they do it | | | | doesn't have to be self-centered either; it can be about |
| too; a synergy between your words and actions will | | | | something or someone else. Motivation can come in |
| help to influence their behavior. | | | | many forms and when you find your kid's center of |
| Mentor and Teach Proper Technique | | | | motivation; you will be able to relate healthy eating and |
| Take the kids under you wing and graciously explain | | | | exercise in terms they will understand. |