• American obesity rates have increased 37% between 1998 and 2006. The average adult is 23 pounds overweight.
• About one-third of American kids are overweight, with more than 15% of them obese. It is estimated that by the end of 2010, some 20% of children in the United States will be obese.
• The problem is starting earlier than ever – the obesity rate for children 6-11 has more than quadrupled over the past four decades.
• Between 1997 and 2005, the prevalence of 11 chronic conditions associated with overweight/obesity grew 180%.
• PE programs have been cut back as schools have come under pressure to meet national academic standards.
• Among children ages 9 to 13, more than 61% do not participate in any organized physical activity during out-of-school hours.

As a parent, these numbers are shocking to me. The concept of everything in moderation is definitely out of balance for a large portion of society.

The numbers come from the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation – an unprecedented partnership of leading brands that have joined forces to help reduce obesity. Their 80+ members and partners include national retailers, food and beverage manufacturers, sporting goods companies, and insurance companies as well as non-profit organizations and trade associations. HWCF wants to help consumers lead healthier lives by making energy balance – calories in balance with calories out – a daily habit. They are doing this by increasing access and opportunities for physical activity and healthier nutrition options and by raising awareness of the energy balance approach – in the marketplace, in the workplace and in schools.

Food=Fuel

Let’s get back to basics for a moment. Food is fuel for our bodies. The calories in food are converted into energy. Our bodies burn the fuel it needs to get us through our daily activities and stores the rest in the form of fat. The growing obesity issue is primarily due to this unbalanced equation. In general we are eating more, eating higher calorie portions and burning less energy - our balance is off. It is time we tip the scales back to a more sensible, balanced approach to living to put a stop to this trend.

Teach your kids the concept of fueling their bodies for the activities they do. In other words, “Eat well, play hard, burn energy.”

Some of the strategies I have implemented in my own family include:

1. Menu Planning - Each Sunday afternoon or evening I take a few minutes and look at the upcoming week’s schedule. I figure out what nights we have sports or activities and plan our week’s menu. By planning the meals I find we eat more balanced meals and save so much money on our family grocery bill.
2. Buy Fresh – Fresh fruits and vegetables are one of the best ways to help tip the balance back towards better eating habits. Take the kids with you and shop local farmer’s markets for fresh, local grown produce. Encourage them to ask questions, pick from a rainbow of colors and try new foods. If you have the space (even if it is just a container on the windowsill) try planting tomatoes with the kids. Who knows, you may even spark an interest in gardening.
3. Have a Kids Cook Night – When kids are involved in the selection and preparation of their own food they are more apt to try new things. Encourage the kids to help you in selecting meals and teach them how to cook using fresh ingredients, healthy cooking techniques and fun presentations.
4. Get Active – Start by setting an example for your kids. Invite them to join you for walks, hikes, a friendly backyard soccer match, or go swimming. Find some of the activities you and your family enjoy doing and do them together. Encourage the kids to try different sports and get them signed up for some form of organized sports – from neighborhood soccer or swim leagues, to dance, karate or similar sports lessons. And while you are at it, go visit Parents.com where you could win $250 to put toward family activities.

I encourage you to visit the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation to become more educated on ways to help your family find the energy balance, try out new recipes and get involved in ending the obesity trend.

This post was sponsored by the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation and while I am being compensated for my time, this is a topic I feel very strongly about and my views are my own.

Photos: Stock.xchng

Last year I turned 40 and my kids are no longer as needy of my time and energy, so my motto has become something to the effect of “time to reclaim ME“. Through basic diet changes which included cutting ALL soda out of my daily routine, cutting back on sweets, and reducing my portion sizes, I was able to drop 15 pounds. That was enough to motivate me to start moving again – and I found a workout that fit into my busy schedule, too.

Enter Kettleworx.

Kettleworx is a series of DVD workouts using kettlebells – a weighted ball with a handle that has been around for years but has made a resurgence recently due to the efficiency of the workout. Kettlebell training uses more muscles at once which revs up your body’s fat burning capacity.

About one month ago I started the 6-Week Kettleworx DVD program – all I need is a kettlebell (I started with a 5lb. one and will move up to a 10 lb. kettlebell in January), some floor space and 20 minutes, 3 times a week. And while I found 3 times a week was all I could handle at first, I have learned to love the additional 10 minute Fast Burn video workouts and have fun adding them in as I have the time.

WEEK 1 – I just had to try it.

The first week I started with the 5lb. kettlebell and the Cardio Week 1 workout. I made it through the workout with relative ease – I really liked the fact that the workout is NO IMPACT – but certainly worked up a sweat. About two hours after doing the workout I began to really feel it! And the next morning my legs were seriously sore. However, the soreness went away pretty quickly and after the third workout I didn’t really feel as sore.

I gave myself a day of rest and then did the Resistance Week 1 workout. The focus of this workout is toning your muscles all over and getting stronger. Another rest day and then the Core Week 1 workout – this one focuses on your center – your abs, back and trunk. I have to say I love all the core and ab exercises and am already noticing a difference in the muscle tone on my stomach.

Week 2 – Coming back for more.

In week 2 I did the Resistance on Monday, Fast Burn Abs on Tuesday (it is only 10 minutes and works your stomach like you would not believe), Cardio on Wednesday, rested Thursday and did Resistance on Friday.

Week 3 – Starting to see results.

By the third week of workouts with Kettleworx, I was able to notice my jeans felt much looser! Woo hoo! Five more pounds are gone, my clothes are looser and I am loving the Kettleworx workouts. Each workout is different, easy to follow and leave you feeling as if you have accomplished something!!

Week 4 – I can finally do pushups again.

Did you know that one of the favorite workout tools of choice for the team at The Biggest Loser tv show is kettlebells? They know its benefits – no impact, high efficiency and it helps build strength. I can attest to the additional strength I have acquired. Four weeks ago I could barely eek out a single “girly” pushup. Last night I was able to do 15 real pushups – not girly ones either.

Week 5, 6 and beyond

I am far from reaching my goal at this point, but I will say, the Kettleworx workout is the first workout plan that has been able to keep my interest for more than a week in a LONG time. The workouts are all different – no getting bored. The instructor, Ryan, has a great dry sense of humor and encouraging presence – its like having your own personal trainer. AND the biggest motivator for me to continue the program is the results – I just can’t wait to see how my new 41 year old Mommy body is going to continue to transform over the next few months.

Once I reach one of my big goals I’ll post pictures and an update.

Watch this video on the Kettleworx workout – then give it a try! If this super busy, forty something Mom of three can do it, SO CAN YOU!

PS – Use the coupon code KWSAVE to get 10% off your order. Your body will love you for it!!

PPS – Two quick tips for making your workout even better. One, get wristbands. As I have moved up to a higher weight I have found that for some of the exercises the 10lb. kettlebell hits my wrist wrong. Wearing a wristband provides a good level of padding.  Second, I noticed that the trainer doesn’t always do the same number of reps on each side. So if you start set 1 on your right side, then switch to your left side first for set 2. Hope these help!

Disclaimer: Always consult a physician before starting a new fitness program. Also, I was given the Kettleworx DVD set to review, however, I purchased my own kettlebell and my opinions of the program are not influenced by me receiving the DVD to review. This truly is the most complete, efficient and fun workout program I have found yet!

Fitness.com is hosting a wonderful challenge just in time for the cooler weather. They are challenging each and everyone of us to get up, get moving and log the miles we walk on the Fitness Magazine website. Fitness Magazine figures if each of us walk daily and log our miles (individually or as a team) then we can walk around the world (all 24, 901 miles of it) in just 31 days.

Join in and reap the benefits of a healthier heart, but also get support and encouragement from being a part of a fun group effort!

Most people know that we should practice good posture, but did you know that having good posture can actually help you get in shape and live a healthier lifestyle? Practicing good posture allows your bones, ligaments, and muscles to align properly. This leads to better productivity and more energy.

For kids it is vital that they learn good posture from a young age. Trying to fix bad posture is much more difficult than learning it right the first time. Use these techniques for you and for your kids, so you all learn better posture and reap the benefits of that.

How can you practice good posture for you and your kids?

When you are standing you should make sure that your head is held high with your shoulders back and your chest out. You should also keep your chin forward, and tuck your stomach in. If you are sitting you should make sure that your knees are slightly higher than your hips, and that you choose a chair with a firm lower back support. If you find yourself sitting for long periods of time you should get up and stretch frequently.

While sleeping you should lie on our side with your knees bent. You should also use a pillow to support your head that makes it level with the spine. If you must sleep on your back, choose a small pillow rather than a large one.

When you are lifting an object you should always bend your knees and grasp the object. To lift it you should then straighten your legs. Never lift by bending your body over and lifting with your back.

Practicing bad posture can lead to joint stiffness and pain, fatigue, and tight achy muscles. All of these things can make it difficult to exercise and stick to a routine. There are some things that you can incorporate into your daily life that will help you with your posture.

• Invest in good bedding. The proper bedding will support the spine while you sleep, allowing you to have the same posture as someone who is standing properly.
• Keep the extra weight off. Carrying excess weight can place strain on the back and stomach muscles.
• Exercise regularly. Regular exercise helps to tone the muscles needed for proper posture.

Practicing good posture can help you feel more energized.

About the Author:
Kerri has made it a life goal to teach mothers and fathers how to raise their children in a healthy way.
She feels childhood obesity can be overcome with education and action concerning health and fitness.
For parents she suggests a new workout called Rev Abs Workout with Brett Hoebel, or a workout called the Shaun T Insanity Workout.

Everyone knows that it is important to exercise because it helps to build strong muscles, increase flexibility, and improve heart health, but did you know that it can also strengthen your bones. As we age we become more susceptible to bone density problems like osteoporosis. Exercise can help to slow or even prevent bone density problems from occurring.

It is important that kids start at a young age building strong bones. The more children build strong bones early, the less likely they are to have bone issues as they age. Try to incorporate some of these simple exercises for building strong bones in your kids.

What type of exercise is best for keeping your bones healthy?

Load bearing exercises are the best for bone health. Load bearing exercise, is an exercise in which you move your body weight up and down against gravity. These include things like running, dancing, jumping rope, stair climbing, aerobics, walking uphill, and tennis. The exercises previously mentioned also elevate the heart rate making them great aerobic exercises as well. Elliptical machines are also a great way to practice load bearing exercise without the constant impact.

Another great way to build bone density is through strength training. There are some things to remember when you strength train with building bone density in mind. You should choose a weight that you can do seven to eight repetitions with. When you are able to do twelve repetitions, you should increase the weight. You should also be careful with the technique that you use. You should raise the weight for four counts and lower the weight for four counts without resting it on a machine or your body.

Remember to incorporate variety into your routine. You should try to choose activities that work as many different muscle groups at one time, as possible. The final thing to remember is to have fun. If your exercise routine is boring, you will be less likely to stick to it.

As with any exercise program, you should always check with your doctor or pediatrician before beginning anything new. This is especially true if you already suffer from bone density problems.

About the Author:
Kerri has made it a life goal to teach mothers and fathers how to raise their children in a healthy way. She feels childhood obesity can be overcome with education and action concerning health and fitness. For parents she suggests a new workout called Rev Abs Workout, or a workout called the Insanity Workout.

Photo – Stock.xchng

We all want to teach our children good health habits, but how should we do that?

Nutrition is one of the first steps. Introducing them to healthy foods and avoiding junk food gives them the basic foundation of healthy living, but it is also important to teach them to be physically active. Exercise is important for children because it helps to keep them from gaining unhealthy weight, and also allows them to burn some of the extra energy they have. Sometimes it is hard for parents to decide which exercises are best for their child, and how long they should exercise.

Children do not have to run on a treadmill or swim for a mile to get in their cardio. Some experts suggest that one of the best forms of exercise for children is normal play. Take them outdoors and let them run around and play. If your children are not very enthused about playing outdoors, go out and play with them. You can introduce games like kick ball or tag, to get them started.

Trips to the park can also encourage physical activity. Your children may be more likely to get active when there are other children around, or things for them to play on. Most parks have slides and swings, which both require effort and activity on their part, but it is fun for them.

Organized sports are also a great way to get your children active. Sign them up for baseball, football, dance, gymnastics, or any other activity you think they will enjoy. This is not only good for them physically, by socially as well. Not only do they get to burn energy, they can also work on building friendships, and good sportsmanship. All of which will help them throughout their entire lives.

Children need the same things as adults to remain healthy and fit. Good nutrition and exercise can make children, as well as parent, happy and healthy.

About the Author:
Kerri has made it a life goal to teach mothers and fathers how to raise their children in a healthy way. She feels childhood obesity can be overcome with education and action concerning health and fitness. She suggests trying one of the leading home workouts for kids called Shaun T’s Fit Kids Club, and parents if you want to workout right along with your kids try Get Insanity Workout by Shaun T.

Photo courtesy of stock.xchng

We picked up Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2 with Dance Mat for the Wii over the weekend. I spent about 2 hours playing it yesterday evening. The game has multiple modes – from arena, to free play, workout, training and more. But it also makes use of the Wii mote and Nunchuk which means you have to use your upper body and lower body to move to the music. Definitely an added bit of challenge!

The basic game concept is the same as the PS2 version – follow the arrows on the screen to dance and score points. The DDR for the Wii incorporates the hand movements, as well as additional challenges (like arrow minimizers and foot confusers) in addition to having a whole new library of songs to choose from in order to make it different from the previous versions.

Some of the new songs include covers of  “I Want Candy”, “We Got the Beat” and “You’re the One That I Want”. There are various levels of difficulty – I’ll stick to beginner for now, but I am sure my girls will get to the higher levels sooner than later.

If you have multiple dance mats you can do multiplayer mode which would be a lot of fun for a sleepover or family game night.

Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2 with Dance Mat is another game that has great playability and encourages fitness, too!

We all know that 30 minutes per day of strenuous exercise will provide many health benefits. Recent Federal guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services have even made this official.

The real question for most of us is how to find the time to exercise regularly and consistently. All we have is 24 hours each day to get done all the things we need to get done. Exercising often takes a back seat to work, shopping, cooking, cleaning, getting the kids ready for school and ready for bed, and all the other million-and-one little details that demand our attention every day.

Most of us have the motivation to exercise – we want to do it and we know it’s important and good for us.  But when to fit it in? A few hardy souls bite the bullet and get up at 5:00AM – making more time in the day by getting less sleep. Others exercise at the end of a long day, but sometimes that’s stressful and counterproductive. However they do it, many people make real efforts to exercise a few times each week.

Most likely over time our good intentions get stymied by our daily concerns. Deadlines and scheduling take precedence and the most easy to jettison item on our to-do list exercise gets lost in the process. And sooner rather than later we’re back to not exercising at all. Public health experts and policy makers have been struggling, too, with this apparent no-win situation. The outcome is brand-new recommendations relating to short bursts of activity during the day. These three- to five-minute bursts have been studied and shown to provide real health benefits to real people under real-world circumstances.

Instead of taking coffee breaks at work, people are beginning to take activity breaks. Three to five minutes of climbing office building stairs or brisk walking outside the building or a quick series of calisthenics are all it takes. Six to ten such breaks fulfills the daily requirement of 30 minutes of exercise. No separately scheduled exercise time is necessary. You’re already at work, you’re already taking breaks. So the breaks become exercise breaks. And you get your exercise done. And you feel great for the entire day, due to bursts of endorphins occurring throughout the day.

These bursts of activity are also ideal for people working at home, as well as for school children. Studies in schools are showing increased attention spans and increased learning as a result of short bursts of intense physical activity.

Everyone can do this. And finally, everyone can have a workable system for getting the exercise they need.

Photo StockXchng

The following are skills/concepts (in no particular order) I am trying to teach my kids now – while they are teens/pre-teens – so that by the time  they go off to college, these are not totally new!

1. How to Cook – Now I don’t expect the kids to be able to cook a gourmet meal, but basic cooking skills are important. By allowing them to bake cookies and brownies now, I am teaching them that the kitchen is not a place to be feared. Additionally, the kids help with menu planning and are often involved with our regular dinner preparation. Hopefully these experiences will enable them to have a better appreciation for food as young adults, help them eat healthy in college,  and not make them so dependent on fast food.

2. How to Shop – From reading labels to watching for sales, kids need to know how to go shopping for their own basics. I have friends who never take their kids grocery shopping because it is too much of a hassle. My kids have been grocery shopping with me since they were little. They often have the job of keeping track of the list, making choices about the best brands and deals, and helping put the groceries away at home.  We talk about the store’s marketing tactics and why generic brands are perfectly acceptable for certain items.

3. The 80/20 Rule – If 80% of your food choices during the week are good, then indulging in the occasional treat or meal out is fine – everything in moderation is the key. The same goes for alcohol consumption. The fact of the matter is that most kids are going to drink in college, but teaching (and practicing) moderation at home from an early age is going to make it much easier for them once they are in the college environment. I think that kids who have been in overly strict and overly protective environments as kids are the ones who really go to extremes once they are independent.

4. Be Active – Just Because - You don’t have to be training as a world class athlete in order to stay fit. One of the lessons I am trying to teach my children is that being active is a way of life and you don’t need an excuse to exercise. Go for a walk – and take the kids. Schedule family bike rides. Get involved in sports at a recreational level. Club sports in college are a great way to further the active lifestyle and will help stave off the Freshman 15!

5. Keeping Track of Your Finances – Starting with knowing where your money is at all times, teaching kids how to manage money is one of the most important tools we can give our kids. Kids need to understand budgeting, saving, how to think through a purchase, how to deal with buyers remorse and how to make their own purchases. We recently opened up a savings account for our son and it came with a debit card. The debit card allows him to have the ability to spend his own money in stores and online, but it also allows us to really monitor his spending and help him make good choices.

6. Time Management - one of the things I worry most about (especially with my oldest) when my kids go to college is their time management skills. Will they play video games and surf the web all day or will they have the sense of maturity to get to class, get their studies done and then goof off. By giving kids guidelines now and holding them accountable for their own success in school as teens will make them more prepared to make the right choices as independent young adults.

7. How to do Laundry - Doing laundry is not rocket science but college and bringing laundry home for Mom to do seem to go hand in hand. Its not that hard, but unless you teach your kids to do their own laundry now, you will be doing it by the basket loads when they come home to visit you on weekends. Even little kids can get involved – from sorting dirty laundry by colors to folding socks. By the time your kids are tweens they should be able to help load the washer, understand why you don’t wash whites with reds and, the basics of folding.

8. And probably the most important thing I want my kids to know it that you have to take ownership of your own success, happiness and actions!

Two more great resources are The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teens and The 6 Most Important Decisions You’ll Ever Make: A Guide for Teens.

Did I miss anything? What skills do you think are essential for preparing kids for young adulthood and independence?

Images (StockXchange)

So, how do you lose weight with out starving yourself or taking extreme measures? Take a look at some simple ways thanks to math.

CALCULATE GOAL WEIGHT CALORIES

First, determine what the ideal weight for your body is – whether it is your own goal or one your physician helps you identify.  Go to the American Cancer Society’s Calorie Calculator and enter your GOAL weight, your gender and your activity level. The tool will calculate the number of calories someone who weighs your GOAL weight should consume.

In order to meet your goal weight, you need to eat like someone who weighs 160 lbs. rather than someone who weighs 190 lbs. (use your actual numbers). Take the calorie count for your goal weight and learn it. Write it down or make yourself a sign and stick it in a prominent place.

DIVIDE YOUR CALORIES

Next, split your daily calorie intake into 5 segments (a sample based on 2200 calories):

• Breakfast – 300 calories
• Snack – 200 calories
• Lunch – 500 calories
• Snack – 200 calories
• Dinner – 1000 calories

TRACK EVERYTHING

Get a journal (What I Ate (Teal) Mini Journal) or use a free online service like FitDay to track EVERYTHING that goes in your mouth.

Plan your meals ahead of time by identifying the calorie counts of your favorite foods and build your meals around them. You can still have your favorite latte or fast food splurge, but you have to account for them.

Read labels and measure servings. If you plan on eating cereal for breakfast, take a few minutes to measure out the 1/2 cup serving of cereal and the 1/2 cup of milk. Take a look at how big the serving really is – this will help you adjust your own judgement of portion sizes.

WEIGH YOURSELF DAILY

I know that the idea of weighing yourself daily is a somewhat controversial concept, but think of it this way – if you don’t know how much money you have in the bank, how do you know how much you have to spend?  Daily weigh ins help keep you on track and keep those extra pounds from magically piling on.

BALANCE YOUR CALORIE CHECKBOOK

Think of your daily calorie allotment like your bank account. You have a certain number of calories to spend per day. As you go through your day you subtract every calorie that goes into your mouth from your calorie balance. If you know you are going out for a special dinner, you can save up your calories earlier in the day or earlier in the week. If you don’t “spend” all of your calories in a given day, think of them as a savings for the future. If you “spend” more than your allotted calories then you are borrowing against your calorie account. Once in a while this will not affect you adversely, however, if you are constantly borrowing, your body goes into debt – and you gain weight.

As a nation, the US is not only fighting a financial crisis, we are fighting an obesity crisis. Oddly enough, both situations are the result of spending more than you have and not living within your means.

Visit our friends at One Big Health Nut for a great article on 7 Ways to Keep Your Weight Down During the Holidays.