Michelle Obama is on a mission to get our kids moving and eating more healthfully. She wants to end childhood obesity in a generation. Which means what she is really saying is that she wants YOU and all the other moms out there to step it up and start changing what you feed your kids in addition to getting them off the couch and into the backyard to play, each and every day.
It Starts With Food
Everyone in health care, the government, the media and even the First Lady seem to agree that what we are feeding our kids is making them fat. From sugary sodas and juices, snacks filled with trans-fats, salt and sugar to fast food, it seems like mothers across the country are getting the blame for feeding their kids all the wrong things. So the government recommends swapping unhealthy choices for lots of vegetables and fruits (with the emphasis on vegetables), water and low fat milk to drink and home cooked meals that start with fresh ingredients from the grocery store.
So Mom, how are you doing with these recommendations? Do you give in and let your kids eat the “bad stuff” to avoid fights at the dinner table? Are you too tired after a long day of working either in or out of the home to cook dinner? Will your kids actually eat vegetables?
Then You Need To Get Moving
The second area the experts say needs improving is getting our kids moving. Among the recommendations at the LetsMove.gov website is limiting television time to ONE TO TWO HOURS a day. Which means, Mom, that you have to set a good example and limit your TV time to two hours a day too. That also means putting your thinking cap on and coming up with alternative activities for your children to do, like hobbies, games and participating in sports, to name a few.
So, is this realistic and doable? Or is television not just entertainment but a way to keep your kids occupied so you can get other things done around the house? Can your family really survive on just one to two hours of TV a day?
From Recommendations to Real Life
So we want to know what you are doing to prevent your kids from getting fat. Leave a comment and let us know if these recommendations from the experts really work in your real life. We want to know what obstacles you face it trying to keep your kids healthy and active. For example, instead of all the advice, what could the government be doing to really make a difference and turn the childhood obesity epidemic around?
Don’t forget to take your questions and reactions over to the Chatty Exchange and touch base with other mothers trying to keep their kids from getting fat too.
Read also
