No one is surprised anymore to learn that our children are obese. We've come to expect it. But, why has this happened? What has changed?
We know that the bottom-line cause of weight gain is an imbalance in calories coming in (food) and calories going out (exercise). What lifestyle changes account for this growing imbalance? Let's look at a few:
- limited access to healthy foods: Our kids are "on the go" as much as we are. They have no time (or desire) to seek out wholesome food choices and they come from homes where the adults may have the desire to feed the family well but don't have the time either. Schools and food establishments take the easy way out by providing what the kids want. Why swim upstream? Hopefully we will all make note of the obesity crisis among our kids and demand healthful options.
- adults have unfortunately not been the best role models for children. Statistics show that almost two-thirds of us are overweight.
- expense associated with more healthful foods: Unfortunately the demand for wholesome foods has not been great enough to bring the cost down for the consumer. Apparently most of us haven't "connected" with the problem of obesity and how it is or will affect us and our kids.
- conflicting information: Electronics has become the primary means by which we all keep touch with the world. We (and our kids) see skinny, stunning-looking celebrities giving accolades to food items that are totally unhealthy, implying that if we eat the same products, we too will be skinny and stunning-looking.
- new "norms": We have become somewhat desensitized to the weight issue because most of us are in the same boat. Most of us are overweight. Why then should it even occur to us that we're ruining our health? What will inspire us to take the problem seriously and take steps to "stop the bleeding"?
Change comes slowly. Gradually, however, word is getting out to the "highways and byways" that the way we are eating is making us sick. As the crisis grows, we will be unable to ignore it any longer and change will occur.
In the meantime, you and your family can be ahead of the curve and start now to make lifestyle changes that will restore healthy eating habits in a relatively short period of time.
For now, if you do nothing else, take these three steps:
1. Reduce the portion of everything you take into your mouth by at least one-third.
2. Eliminate ALL sugar-sweetened beverages.
3. Incorporate at least 30 minutes of exercise into your daily life. You can lead your family out of the obesity pit by learning to eat in the correct way in order to manage your weight for a lifetime.
Do you want to know why your kids are overweight? If you're serious, I'll help you.
By Sue Bristol, R.N.
My eBook will lead you through the way to make it work for you, and your obese child, or spouse.
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