February 5th, 2010

Get your Kids off the Couch !

kids-couch-potatoe

Missy Chase Lapine, author of Sneaky Fitness and The Sneaky Chef ( @sneakychef ), was recently interviewed on Momlogic and she gave out some of her magic. Her secret to get your kids moving…”Trick ‘em” !

With children obesity as a major public health issue and new report revealing that kids are spending almost 8 hours a day watching TV, playing video games or surfing the Internet, it’s no wonder we’re all concerned about keeping our kids moving and burning energy outdoor. I think it is important to introduce some fun exercises and fitness into your child’s everyday life and it’s really complementary to feeding your little ones with healthy snacks.

Missy’s method is pretty simple and consist in engaging kids in games and activities that keep them moving. Here are the top sneaky ways to get teens exercising :

1. Walk the talk, talk the walk : If my daughter Emily wants to text with her friends on a portable device, I want her up and moving. I do the same thing. When I talk on the phone, I don’t sit down, I pace around the room. Pretend the chair is on fire and you can’t sit in it.

2. Have an exercise ball : For at least part of the day, I replace the chair in front of the computer with an exercise ball. It help kids strengthen their core muscles.

3. No mindless munching : The rule at my house for the kids and for me is no food in front of the TV. You have no idea how such a simple change can have a positive effect on your health.

4. Turn your living room into a playroom : If you have the room, put a mini trampoline or one of those sit-upon bouncy toys wherever you have the television. Don’t tell your kids they have to use it. But you can bet your kids will be bounding their way through “American Idol.”

Get more information on how to get YOUR kids moving at The Sneaky Chef and buy the book on Amazon.com now !

Image courtesy of Code Poet

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