Too many kids in this day and age don’t get active. They watch too much tv and eat too much junk food, and they do this with their parents who watch too much tv and eat too much junk food. Our kids look up to us as roll models and want to “be” like us. If all they see us do is sit on our butts then how can we expect our kids to be any different?
What makes this even worse is the sad fact that today many schools don’t even offer P.E. programs and the ones that do offer very weak an inefficient programs that don’t teach kids how to enjoy a healthy and fit lifestyle.
So what’s the solution?
Be a good a good role model and get out there and exercise yourself. If you don’t do it how can expect your kids to do it? Bottom line is that you can’t.
Having exercised for many years and being a personal trainer and fitness coach It breaks my heart to see people pass on their bad habits to their children.
Recently I interviewed Brian Grasso, head of Founder and Executive Director of the International Youth Conditioning Association. Brian helps kids all across the country embrace exercise as way of life.
When I asked Brian what the solution is to the youth obesity problem here’s what Brian told me – “We have to make it fun, and that’s part of the critical concern I have. The reason kids are dropping out of sports is that it’s not fun any more. We cloak ourselves in thinking our kids want to win the soccer game. They do because we want to. They do because we tell them they should. They do because – we make it more stressful than it really should be. So really, truly, fitness and sports should be fun.”
I completely agree with Brian. We need to make it fun, we need to make our kids want to exercise and love exercise. And part of the solution to is for us to enjoy exercise as well. If we can’t stand lifting weights but we love to hike then by all means hike. If our kids can’t stand push ups but love to play basketball then by all means let them play basketball. Just make sure that put more value on enjoying the activity then winning the game.
The trick is to do what you love, and let your kids do what they love. If they like to watch tv that’s fine, but put a cap on the amount of time they watch it everyday and make sure they get outside and do something they love.
Bio: Chris McCombs is a personal fitness coach and trainer in Newport Beach California. He specializes in helping people lose fat, tone up and look amazing. Chris is 37 years old and lives with his beautiful wife and two daughters in Anaheim Hills, Ca
