Childhood obesity: an overview of child nutrition

Website design By BotEap.comThe saying “You are what you eat” is one that many of us know; however, we choose to ignore. Why do many of us know that what we eat is bad for us? however, we consume it regularly, sometimes three, four or more times a week.

Website design By BotEap.comFast and processed foods are everywhere, with a low price and a high level of convenience. No one has time to cook these days, yet somehow we have time to consume this meal in front of the television once it has been microwaved, or prepared by our youth in some small fast food kitchen. True, this is a generalization, and no doubt many FitKids readers are returning to good home-cooked meals, but the rise in childhood obesity would show that this is a factor weighing heavily on the future of our children’s lifestyles. .

Website design By BotEap.comThese fast and processed foods contain high levels of chemicals and additives as well as large amounts of saturated fats, the ‘bad’ fats and the hardest fats to break down and remove from our bodies. However, its “exquisite taste” and budget price range outweigh the alternative, which is fresh and healthy home-cooked meals.

Website design By BotEap.comAside from the above, and other issues we face, which is when it comes to preparing these foods, one of the most common statements I hear as a personal trainer is that “healthy food costs too much.” There is no doubt that the cost of living in general is increasing, unfortunately this is one of the factors that we cannot change, but if we take the time to look at the amount of waste that we dispose of throughout the year, the cost of shopping for healthier foods wouldn’t be as overwhelming.

Website design By BotEap.comThe truth is, it all comes down to discipline, allowing yourself to discover new ways to introduce these kinds of changes into family routines without causing major disruption.

Website design By BotEap.comAt the end of the day we can come up with excuse after excuse as to why we can’t find the time to eat healthy, get involved in physical activity, and make time for our kids to do the same, but what you’ll find is it can become a vicious cycle that doesn’t take you nowhere.

Website design By BotEap.comHere are some tips for introducing a healthy nutritional diet into a family lifestyle. Remember that this can be a gradual process, as changing everything at once can hurt the overall results we want. Take some time to plan how you can make some positive changes to your child’s daily food intake and see if any of the ideas here at FitKids Online can benefit you.

Website design By BotEap.comGet kids excited about food

Website design By BotEap.comThere is no doubt that children can be stubborn when it comes to food and the easy option is to feed them their favorite food over and over again. One of the ways to overcome this is to involve children in the food process from the initial stages to the final result on your plate.

Website design By BotEap.comGrow your own vegetables

Website design By BotEap.comPlanting and growing your own vegetables can be a rewarding challenge not only for our children but also for us parents. Although this is a timely process, once a garden has been established it can be maintained for each season much more easily.

Website design By BotEap.comLet your children choose which vegetables they want to grow, and encourage them to help water the crop each day. Explain the benefits of growing your own vegetables to your children, it is not only an exciting activity for children, but it can also be very beneficial in terms of knowledge and education.

Website design By BotEap.comtake the kids shopping

Website design By BotEap.comIf growing your own vegetables isn’t right for you, this isn’t a problem. Another solution to get kids involved with food is to take them shopping with you. Let them choose items that look fun and exciting, and come up with new recipes together. Think of ways to create your favorite processed foods using healthy alternatives.

Website design By BotEap.comChicken nuggets can contain just about any part of a chicken, from the succulent, healthy meat, to the not-so-appealing insides, legs, and even beak. Throw in condoms, dyes, and other unknown ingredients, and you’ll soon lose track of what our kids are consuming.

Website design By BotEap.comA cheap and healthy alternative to this is to make your own chicken nuggets using chicken breast, flour, eggs, oil, and breadcrumbs. Do not think that using a little oil to cook them will make it just as unhealthy, our body needs a certain amount of fat and in this way we can guarantee that we know exactly what is going on in our children’s bellies.

Website design By BotEap.comEncouraging them to cook and be creative.

Website design By BotEap.comI normally have a strict policy in our house that the kitchen is off-limits to my daughter. With sharp knives, hot pans, scalding water, and a low oven, there are many dangers that I would rather my daughter not face at the age of two. Saying this, my daughter loves to cook and food is already easily one of her biggest passions.

Website design By BotEap.comMy solution to this was to buy my daughter her own range of child-friendly cookware, in bright colors obviously to catch her eye. She has her own kitchen area where she can help me prepare food, but she is far enough away from anything dangerous. By creating a set of boundaries, she learned that even though there may be some restrictions with certain activities, she can still have fun and explore the fascination of food in her own space.

Website design By BotEap.comAs a father, food has always been of great importance when it comes to my daughter. From the time she was able to digest solid food, I had no doubt that she would be home cooking from the start. I believe this perspective is what has helped her develop such a love for all kinds of food and this can only become more and more positive every day. With a love for vegetables such as pumpkin, leeks, sprouts, and sweet potato, as well as many types of meat, I am able to provide him with a well-balanced nutritional intake at a very young age.

Website design By BotEap.comtrying new foods

Website design By BotEap.comDon’t be afraid to explore new foods, you never know the results until you try it. The older children get, the more difficult it is to change their minds and routines, as they wonder why we would want to do such a thing. Stubbornness and willpower can also come into play when a child decides that he doesn’t want to do something.

Website design By BotEap.comDon’t let this scare you though, as introducing new foods can be fun and exciting, we just need to find solutions to the problem and if all else fails we can always disguise the food in the meals we prepare. If your child loves spaghetti bolognese, grate some carrots and thinly slice some mushrooms for a healthier alternative. Homemade beef burgers and sausage rolls can also be made with many types of vegetables.

Website design By BotEap.comEliminate junk food from cupboards

Website design By BotEap.comSometimes, to achieve the results we want, we have to play the role of the not-so-favorite parent. Removing junk food from cupboards or placing it out of sight and out of reach is one way to start making a change in a child’s nutritional intake. Persistence is key in this step, and while it may seem like a daunting task, over time your child will learn to appreciate what’s available rather than what’s not.

Website design By BotEap.comEssential intake of Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats

Website design By BotEap.comThe science that is protein, carbohydrate and fat intake can be an art form, numbers and trial and error are important here and this is well known to professional athletes, bodybuilders and personal trainers.

Website design By BotEap.comWhen it comes to children’s nutritional intake, unless we’re looking at dramatic levels of obesity or dangers of high cholesterol, diabetes, and other health implications, the numbers game is something I like to avoid. Children need to have the freedom to explore new concepts and ideas, not be limited by a fixed daily diet. As long as the food we provide to our children is healthy and free of additives, we are well on our way to educating them about a healthy and active lifestyle.

Website design By BotEap.comRemember, our primary goal is to create that lifestyle for our children, but we must find a comfortable balance as every family is different. Take your time to plan and implement the ideas one at a time. It can be a difficult but rewarding process in the long run.

Website design By BotEap.comFor more tips on infant nutrition, visit FitKids Online. FitKids Online is a site I have developed to raise awareness of these issues and educate parents about active lifestyles for children. As a parent, as well as a personal trainer, the issue of childhood obesity is something that worries me a lot. If through FitKids Online I can help even one child lead a healthier and more active lifestyle, then I can say that it has been a success.

Website design By BotEap.comAlso available is the FitKids Online “A Good Start in Life” eGuide, where we’ll take a closer look at why childhood obesity is becoming an epidemic and how it seems to be a problem that is spiraling out of control at an accelerating rate. .

Website design By BotEap.comI hope this has been beneficial to you in one way or another, and possibly opened your eyes to a problem that has gone unnoticed for many years. If you take a moment to look at fitkidsonline.co, I hope you find some valuable information and I look forward to hearing your answers, questions and inquiries.