We all want to teach our children good health habits, but that can sometimes be easier said than done. Giving your kids an understanding of good nutrition, introducing them to healthy foods and providing alternatives to junk food are some of the fundamental elements for healthy living. But nutrition is only half the equation; it’s also important to teach kids to be physically active to keep them from gaining unhealthy weight and allow them to burn off extra energy and stay calm.

Fitness doesn’t have to be fancy

With today’s fitness boom, parents can sometimes get caught up in thinking that fitness has to be fancy. This causes them to worry about trying to find the “best” exercises for children and determining how long they should maintain that exercise. But children don’t have to run on a treadmill or swim for a mile to get the exercise they need. As has always been the case, the best forms of exercise for children come through normal play.

With the lure of inside activities like DVDs and video games, however, kids today may resist a healthy level of play. The activities that seemed so normal to us when we were children may have to be “programmed in” to this generation. If that’s the case with your children, try something as simple as taking them outdoors and letting them run around. If they’re not enthused about playing outdoors, go out and play with them. Games like kick ball or tag are great ways to get started, and will allow you to participate in a natural way. Trips to the park can also encourage outdoor physical activity, because your children may be more likely to be active when there are other kids around or there’s equipment for them to play on.

Sign ‘em up

Organized activities are also effective means to bring more activity to your children’s lives. Sign them up for baseball, football, dance, gymnastics, or any other activity they enjoy. This is good for them both physically and socially, because they get to burn energy while they work on building friendships and learn sportsmanship — all of which will help them throughout their entire lives. Just make sure that they actually want to do the activities, and that their participation doesn’t wear you down in the process. Driving kids from one extracurricular activity to another, week after week, can get difficult over the long haul. If possible, arrange for carpooling before you sign your kids up for activities, so you won’t have to give up due to exhaustion and cause disappointment.

Walkabout

Another good method for sneaking in much-needed exercise for your kids (and you!) is to take daily walks. But they don’t have to be just any old walks. Make them more interesting by bringing a digital camera to capture sites along the way, or just point out and discuss  interesting plant-life, birds or bugs. You can even read about nature at home and then look for real-life examples as you walk. If you make these walks into routine family outings, you’ll build deeper relationships while instilling habits that will last a lifetime.

Remember, children need the same things as adults to remain healthy and fit: good nutrition and exercise. When those two components are consistently in place for the entire family, life will be much happier and healthier as a result.

Written by Don Porter of Ultimate Fitness Gear, Getinsanity and start getting ripped.

Image by Mike Schmid via Flickr

When it comes to losing weight, there’s no question that eating the right foods and getting appropriate exercise is exponentially better than taking weight loss pills or having surgery. People tend to lean towards these unnatural approaches, though,  because they can’t seem to incorporate working out in gyms or health clubs into their hectic schedules. If they were able to implement some very easy exercises to do at home that would help them stay lean and in optimal shape, they would probably find it much easier to stick to a fitness regimen.

The following is a simple program for fitness training at home that’s easy to implement, because almost all of use have already done these exercises at sometime in our lives. They’re powerful home fitness training options, yet they don’t require special equipment or expertise. In spite of their low-tech approach, these three exercises will yield a great return in terms of overall fitness:

• Squats
  Your glutes all the way down to your feet are the largest muscle group in your entire body, and the mighty squat is the perfect exercise to help develop that entire area. To do a squat properly, stand straight up with your feet about shoulder distance apart. Squat down and then come back up at least ten to twenty times for about two to three sets. To avoid injuries, make sure to stretch and warm up before you start this routine. Also, make sure your back is straight when you squat down. If you’re new to doing squats, you can hold onto the back of a chair or place your palms on a wall for balance.
• Push Ups
  Push ups are considered the best chest exercise at home. They’re great for conditioning and strengthening your upper body (i.e., chest, shoulders, arms and triceps). Perform about 20 push ups for two to three sets to build the muscles of your pectorals, shoulders and triceps.
• Jumping Jacks
  Jumping Jacks are a whole-body cardio workout that you can do in your backyard, garage, basement or even your living room. Do twenty to thirty jumping jacks for three to five sets. The swinging of the arms will target your upper body and the jumping movement of course, is for your lower body.

It’s important to note that you need to pay attention to your body when it comes to any form of exercise. The number of squats, push ups and Jumping Jacks, and how many times you repeat each set of them, are just general recommendations. If an exercise feels like it’s straining you too much, honor that. Remember, slow and steady wins the race when it comes to fitness. And staying in good shape isn’t just about exercise, what you eat also is obviously a factor. Read our fitness nutrition article for more information about what to eat to enhance your fitness training at home.

Image via Wikipedia

Losing weight quickly and naturally is a common goal, especially now that the weather is getting warmer and swimsuit season is coming. But is it really possible? More importantly, is it safe? Below you’ll find some important aspects to keep in mind when trying to learn how to lose weight in 2 weeks in a way that’s natural for your body:

Manage Your Expectations
Your health should be the top priority. That means that if you’re going to lose weight quickly, especially in two weeks, you need to do so in a way that isn’t going to damage your body. The best way to do that is to have realistic expectations before you even begin. It’s important to stay balanced and not be obsessed with shedding pounds. Losing weight too quickly can slow your body’s metabolism, meaning you might even put on weight if you try to lose too much, too fast. So keep a realistic perspective on your weight loss efforts, or you’ll end up sabotaging yourself.

Drink Water
One of the best tips for losing weight quickly is to drink a lot of water. A common mistake that people make is to replace fattening foods with sodas, milkshakes and sports drinks, which contain large amounts of calories and make it difficult to lose weight. Water is obviously calorie-free, so you can drink as much as you want. It will also reduce your appetite to a certain extent.

Avoid Simple Carbohydrates
Simple carbohydrates, such as those contained within bread and sugar, should be avoided when you’re trying to lose weight quickly. This is because they force your blood sugar levels to rise rapidly, which in turn increases the amount of sugar that’s converted into fat. The more you can avoid these foods the better.

Exercise
Arguably the most important part of losing weight quickly is frequent exercise. Within reason, the more you exercise, the more calories you’ll burn, and the more weight you’ll lose. The best approach is to increase your heart rate, which you can do with cardiovascular exercise, such as running, swimming or cycling.  Yoga and interval training are also thought to be effective for people trying to lose weight. It’s vital that you don’t overdo it, though, as that can cause injuries. It also doesn’t do any good in general to punish your body by doing excessive exercise. It’s much better to stay in tune with your body, concentrate on general fitness and exercise in ways that feel good to you. That will also help you feel motivated to continue doing it. With any kind of exercise, you should work your way up to full exertion only after you’ve warmed up, and stop if you get any pain or feel dizzy. It’s always a good idea to get a doctor’s opinion on your exercise routine before starting in order to ensure you’re physically able to do it safely.

The factors above can make a big difference when it comes to losing weight quickly. They’ll help you stay safe and sane as you shed those pounds!

Whether you need to take off a few pounds, or you just want to maintain the weight you have and stay fit, regular exercise combined with appropriate fitness nutrition is the key.

Many of us assume the way to trim down and tone up is to cut calories in addition to working out. And while it’s important not to overeat, you may not realize that regular, nutritious meals and healthy snacks — rather than a calorie-restrictive diet — will put you in top form. (When you diet restrictively to lose weight, the weight loss is typically water and muscle, not fat.)

Fitness nutrition should be well-rounded

So what’s the best advice about nutrition for ex-couch potatoes? First of all, check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Then remember that the best fitness nutrition emphasizes eating more whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean animal protein, and eating less sugar and added fats. No single food type can adequately provide for your nutritional needs — different foods offer different nutrients — so by eating foods from the various food groups you can be sure you’ll have the nutrients you need to get and stay fit.

Although the food you consume greatly affects the quality of your exercise routine, you don’t want to eat just before your workout. Try to eat at least 30 minutes to an hour before you begin, as eating just before exercising may lower your blood sugar and decrease your performance. When you have your meal, however, eat foods that are high in complex carbohydrates. Pasta, bagels, baked potatoes, rice and fresh fruit are best because carbohydrate-rich food provides long-lasting energy.

Avoid eating high-fiber foods right before your workout (such as broccoli, baked beans, or bran cereal) because these foods may produce gas, which can be painful during exercise. And stay away from sugars and sweets (such as soft drinks and candy). Although high-sugar foods will give you quick burst of energy, it doesn’t give you the nutrition you need or last long enough to be of any real benefit. Also limit eggs, meat, cheese and other fatty foods before you exercise. Because these foods take longer to digest, grabbing a cheeseburger or chowing down on scrambled eggs before a workout will only make you feel sluggish and tired.

Drink plenty of fluids

What else do you need? Fluids. When you exercise you may become dehydrated without realizing it — thirst often means your body is already dehydrated. Stay well-hydrated by drinking at least 7-10 ounces of water or other fluid every 10-20 minutes. (Stay away from drinks with caffeine, however, as they actually cause your body to lose fluids.) Water helps to regulate your body temperature, helps deliver oxygen to the tissues by keeping blood volume up, assists the kidneys in removing wastes, and helps with fat burning and muscle growth.

After-workout nutrition

And what about after the workout? What you eat right after you exercise is just as important as what you eat before your workout. Your muscles are fueled by glycogen, which is basically stored carbohydrates. Any carbohydrates you consume prior to exercising can’t be used as efficiently as those that have been stored. (That’s why marathon runners load up on carbs the night before the race.) The best time to increase your intake of carbohydrates is after exercising — that’s when your muscles are hungry for them. So have a carbohydrate meal after your workout, but also include some protein for muscle repair and growth.

Try our healthy pasta recipes to help you achieve balanced fitness nutrition!