Hacks to help your child reach their fitness goals
When it comes to your child’s fitness goals, consistency is what really pays off. Here’s how to encourage your child to stay motivated.
As parents, we all want our children to be fit and healthy. However, ensuring that your child reaches their fitness goals can be challenging, especially when your kid isn’t particularly “sporty”.
A lack of physical exercise can impact your child’s current – and future – health. That’s because unfit children often grow up to be unfit adults, putting them at risk of developing high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Here are a few easy ways to help your child be more active.
Pack them a healthy, homemade school lunch
The morning school and work rush is always chaotic, so packing your child a healthy lunchbox is probably the last thing on your mind. However, allowing them to buy lunch from the school tuckshop every day is not only costly but often unhealthy.
“Unfortunately, bad lunch choices are driven by the lack of control children have over what bought meals contain, especially when it comes to their sugar content,” says Greig Jansen, founder, and CEO of Pura Beverage Company. “Even when trying to be careful, children unknowingly choose foods that are exceptionally high in sugar. Pre-made wraps, sandwiches, and even salads can all contain high sugar levels, mostly due to sauces and marinades. And it doesn’t stop there: seemingly healthy cereal or protein bars, pre-made soups, and even bottled smoothies are also all high in sugar,” he explains.
Ultimately, preparation is critical, says dietician and nutritional consultant Lila Bruk. “It’s important to pack your child a healthy school lunch. If your child is going to be doing extra murals in the afternoon, pop an apple or a small packet of lean biltong into their bag so that they have a healthy snack available. It’s also useful to plan your child’s meals for the week so that you have all the ingredients you need to prepare healthy meals.”
Make Sundays your meal prep days, when you cook a variety of lean, healthy proteins, veggies, and good carbs like brown rice, quinoa, and potatoes.
Make moving fun
Children love being active and spending hours playing outside. Encourage physical activities that are fun, and they’ll find it easier to stay committed. Whether your goal is to improve your child’s overall health or help them maintain a healthy weight, enjoyment is the most significant factor in compliance. If your child does exercise that they enjoy, they’ll be more likely to keep doing it.
According to the World Health Organisation, children and adolescents ages six through 17 years should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity each day, including daily aerobic – and activities that strengthen bones (like running or jumping) – three days each week, and that build muscles (like climbing or doing push-ups).
Simple ways to help your child be more active
- Get your child a step-counter.
- Let your child team up with a friend and join a dance class or take up a new sport together.
- Instead of letting your child spend their weekends on the cellphones or playing video games, encourage them to go with you for a walk, or play ball in the garden.
Healthy on-the-go snacks
Make snack choices easier by including these low-kilojoule, ready-to-eat nibbles on your grocery list:
- Flavoured mini rice cakes
- Lean biltong
- Fresh fruit
- Yoghurt and fat-free drinking yoghurt
- Hummus and carrot sticks
- Wholewheat crackers
- Air-popped popcorn
- Nuts
- Whole wheat bread
