Our Responsibility

Childhood obesity is a sensitive subject.  Apparently so sensitive that we’ve all been kind of quiet about it.  If you own a TV then I’m sure you’ve seen all the promotions for the newest season of The Biggest Loser, where they are including three kids on the show (but having them participate in a different way than the adult contestants).  Jason and I watched the season premiere and it was nice to see people taking an active role in educating kids about a healthy lifestyle.

As I watched the show, it was interesting to hear how many of the adult contestants mention that they had been overweight or obese since childhood.  I’m sure they think about how life may have been different if someone had guided them on healthy lifestyle options.  Or maybe something else was happening in their life that led to unhealthy habits.  Regardless of the reason, there is an obesity epidemic among children.  Everyone, in my opinion, has a responsibility to try and educate and inspire kids.  Everyone, kids and adults alike, can benefit from living a healthy lifestyle.

With my own nieces and nephews, I try to make it the small things I share about health and wellness.  When we’re playing, I’ll have us stop and have a jumping jack contest or I’ll show them certain exercise moves that they find silly (think grasshoppers and superman) and we’ll try out the move together.  It’s a way to have fun that’s playful and silly but I know we’re all moving around.  

Think about your regular interaction with kids.  Is there anything you’re able to contribute to their knowledge and understanding of a healthy lifestyle?  Can you show a child how to prepare healthy snacks?  Can you go for a bike ride with a group of kids?  Don’t forget teenagers.  While they are starting to make more of their own decisions, you can still have an influence over the choices they make with food and activity.

Think about ways you can make small (or big!) impacts.  Pack some fruits or vegetables for a snack, instead of chips and candies.  Go for a walk instead of watching TV for a night.  Get a physical with a medical professional to understand current health conditions and get advice from that medical professional for any items of concern.

Feel free to share your thoughts or ideas on inspiring and educating kids on living a healthy lifestyle.

Miss FitGab

Also, going back to The Biggest Loser; I’m such a sucker for that show because I love seeing the transformations (yes, certainly it would be nice to have 24 hour influence/advice/care but regardless of the show format, they still do the work and earn the results).  If you also watch the show and want to chat about it, comment below and I’ll be sure to respond :)