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Dear Parents,
You have reached the Internet's number 1 site for youth fitness coaching!! We have the tools and methods to effectively work with children, local and remotely, to achieve (your and their) fitness goals as they progress through their maturation stages. We keep it fun and continuously changing so there is no time for boredom. Our program is a perfect advancement process for children who have graduated Stretch-N-Grow classes and are looking to continue building their healthy lifestyles. Through our unique online coaching process we make and keep the rapport necessary to keep kids engaged and moving forward while exercising, learning about and applying sound nutrition practices, and healthy living lifestyles. Even better, you can provide the positive example by doing your own program right along with them!!
We hope you enjoy the site and please dont hesitate to contact us with your questions on our programs!
Sincerely, and wishing you and your family good Health!
Coach Rob & Coach Shannon
Please enjoy the following article. We look forward to your contact so we can help coach your family toward a healthier and happier lifestyle and future!!
The State of Our Children's Nation
Widespread obesity and unfitness in children is a recent and escalating health problem both now and looming in our future. In the 1960s and 1970s, only about 5% of American children were overweight. And unfortunately, that percentage has dramatically increased. The most recent study concerning overweight and unfit among children and adolescents has produced shocking findings. For youth ages 12 to 19, the prevalence of overweight now reaches 15.5%. It is about the same (15.3%) among 6- through 11-year-olds, and 10.4% among 2- through 5-year-olds.
For the increasing number of kids who are overweight or unfit, if no intervention is made, 80% of them will stay overweight and unfit as adults. This puts them at risk for many medical problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea. Obesity can also adversely affect their self-esteem.
Being fat is “not cool” among kids, which has led in part to an epidemic of eating disorders. Seventy percent of elementary school aged kids believe they are fat, and 15% meet the diagnostic criteria for eating disorders. As certified online and youth personal trainers who work with kids, we can help to establish exercise and nutrition habits designed to thwart the advances in obesity and attitudes yielding unfitness. A qualified trainer and allied health professional also can guide your child toward developing realistic body images through positive sports and fitness experiences.
Being too fat in childhood creates both immediate and long-term health effects. Many develop early symptoms of Type 2 diabetes—particularly insulin resistance—and risk factors for cardiovascular disease that includes high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and triglycerides, low blood HDL, and blood clotting abnormalities.
Childhood obesity impairs socialization and early learning, and can pyramid into psychological trauma that can last a lifetime. Childhood obesity usually continues into adulthood, which creates life-long health problems.
Causes of Childhood Obesity
Most overweight kids get that way from overeating (whatever the psychological reasons) and not getting enough exercise. While most children should not be put on a severely restricted diet, weight management by a combined approach of a sensible diet and regular exercise will help to control their weight gain. Recent studies of elementary and high school students show that they become progressively less physically active as they age. Twenty years ago, physical education was required for four years in most schools. Now, most high schools only require one or two years. School districts also have cut back on school sports and supervised recreational opportunities, so children have fewer choices to remain physically active throughout the day.
Establishing New Lifestyles for Children
The first goal of weight management in kids should be to stop weight gain and maintain normal growth in height. This way they can 'grow into' their weight. You can begin doing this by having your child eat healthier and begin a program of regular exercise and physical activity. Once your child has stopped gaining weight and is on a regular program of proper nutrition and exercise, you can set further goals of slow weight loss (about a 10% reduction at a time) if necessary.
It is easier for your child to lose weight if he is motivated to do so. But even without motivation you can still help your child to lose weight by making healthy choices for his/her meals at home and encouraging regular exercise and physical activity. You can help him/her to become more motivated by getting the whole family actively involved in the process of eating healthier and exercising regularly. Here are some easy and effective ideas:
• Limiting Television to about one or two hours each day. (Watching television doesn't use
up many calories and it encourages eating unhealthy foods and unhealthy habits.)
• Establish Healthy Eating Habits by having your child eat three well-balanced meals (of
average size each day) PLUS two nutritious snacks.
• Discourage skipping of meals (especially breakfast).
• Limit snacks to two each day (they should include low-calorie foods such as raw fruits or
vegetables; avoid using high calorie or high fat foods for snacks, especially chips, cookies,
etc.)
• Encourage your child to drink 4 to 6 glasses of water each day, especially before meals.
Water has no calories and it will help you to feel full.
• Discourage (or eliminate) other drinks such as soft drinks or fruit juices, as they are high in
calories (150-170 calories per serving).
• Diet Journal: help your child to keep a weekly journal of food and beverage intake and also of
the amount of time that is spent watching television, playing video games and exercising.
You can also record your child's weight each week (but do not weigh your child every day)
and their circumference measurements each month.
An essential part of any weight loss or weight management program is regular fitness. Encourage your child to participate in a physical education class in school and extracurricular sports at school or in the community. Find physical activities your child enjoys. It is not necessary to count calories, but you and your child should become more educated about the foods you eat and how many calories they contain. You should begin to routinely check the nutrition label of the foods that your family is eating. You want to try and eat foods low in calories, low in sugar, and also low in fat. Be careful of many low fat or 'diet foods,' as they can still be high in calories even though they are low in fat. Also, begin checking the serving size of prepared meals and snacks. A bag of chips may only have 200 calories, but you may be surprised when the serving size is only 10 chips. Eating the whole bag can easily get you over 1000 calories.
Be a good role model
To help get your child motivated to exercise and eat healthier, it is very important that you provide him with a healthy lifestyle that he can model his own life against. This includes having healthy eating habits and participating in a regular exercise program yourself. Also limit how much time that you AND the family watches television.
Protecting Self Esteem
While it is important to help your child reach a more healthy weight, it is not as important as maintaining their self-esteem. Some tips to help support your child include never telling your child that he is fat, avoid strict diets or withholding or depriving your child of food when he is hungry and don't overly nag your child about his weight or eating habits. Instead, compliment them on the good choices they make; you will find that they will begin to emulate that good behavior. Also, make sure your child knows that being overweight doesn't change what kind of person he/she is or how much you love him/her.
Important Reminders
• Be patient. This is a chronic problem.
• Get the whole family involved. Healthy eating habits and regular exercise should be a regular part of your family's life. It is much easier if everyone in the house follows these guidelines, than if your child has to do it alone.
• Allow your child to have special foods or desserts on special occasions.
• Avoid strict diets, fasting, and crash, liquid or fad diets. They rarely work and will discourage your child from continuing. Adult diets, such as the Atkins diet, cabbage soup diets, etc. have not been proven safe or effective dieting tools for children.
• Call your pediatrician if your child is not having some weight loss with this regimen or if it is affecting his self-esteem.
• Consider seeing a nutritionist for help with dieting, weight loss and in planning your family's diet.
This program is for children ranging from 6 to 17 years of age. Individuals who are 18 to 50 years of age should enroll in our standard program for Adults. Our Seniors program is for individuals 51 and over.
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