

	Family Fitness for Obesity Prevention It is important that you and your children get regular physical activity and/or exercise. Physical activity helps to keep our muscles, bones and joints strong, our brains stimulated, and our hearts and blood full of fresh oxygen. Regular physical activity helps us burn calories and promotes feelings of emotional well-being. Here are a few ways to inspire your family to be active. Be an example - Talk about how regular physical activity can benefit the whole family, and be physically active. Let your children see you being physically active and/or talk about how it benefits your stress levels, stamina, etc. Plan kid oriented activities for the whole family AND make physical activity fun! Swimming, walking the dog, family walks after dinner, riding bikes, etc. For example, don't go running if you hate running, pick something you enjoy. Plan ahead for each season. What will be the family activity for spring, summer, fall, winter? Think of activities that can be done indoors and outdoors. This winter, try Hula Hoop competitions, play Twister, or Chinese jump rope. If you are watching television - have short fitness competitions during each commercial break to see who can do the most sit-ups, push-ups or jumping jacks. Ensure that your child reaches adulthood with an individual sport or activity he/she enjoys. (It doesn't need to be competitive.) Swimming, roller skating/blading, soccer, tennis. Enroll your child in intramural sports, dance, or other recreational activities that fit your budget. Then make them a priority. Learn more about how to make physical activity a part of your daily routine. Here is a list of web sites that can help you and your children learn about healthy habits. BAM! This site by the CDC promotes strong bodies and minds in "tweens" www.bam.gov/ 4 GIRLS' HEALTH This site, sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services, focuses on current health information for girls ages 10-16. www.4girls.gov/index.htm GIRL POWER This link by the Department of Health and Human Services provides general health information to girls ages 9-13. www.girlpower.gov/girlarea/index.htm KIDNETIC This site for kids 9-12 promotes healthy eating and active living. It is sponsored by the International Food Information Council in partnership with the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Dietetic Association, and National Recreation and Parks Association, among others. www.kidnetic.com/ KIDSHEALTH Created by the Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's Health Media. Kids Health provides families with accurate, up-to-date, and jargon-free health information they can use. For kids: www.kidshealth.org/kid/ For Teens: www.teenshealth.org/ KIDS' FOOD CYBER CLUB This site provides activities and information on food choices, the food guide pyramid, recipes and much more. www.stockportmbc.gov.uk/primary/ladybrook/nut/WW125.htm NUTRITION CAFE This site sponsored by the Pacific Science Center and Washington State Dairy Council, offers nutritional information through a variety of games http://exhibits.pacsci.org/nutrition/ POWERFUL BONES. POWERFUL GIRLS. This site includes a Super Sleuth game where girls can find bone-healthy items in a scavenger hunt, and a Powerful Bones Journal with information on foods with calcium and weight-bearing physical activities. The Journal also has space to write names, addresses, and important dates www.cdc.gov/powerfulbones/index2.html SMART MOUTH This web site is sponsored by the Center for Science in the Public Interest(CSPI), provides nutrition information and various activities for kids. www.cspinet.org/smartmouth/ VERB This site by the CDC offers information for "tweens" on physical activity. www.verbnow.com/

Family Fitness for Obesity Prevention

It is important that you and your children get regular physical activity and/or exercise. Physical activity helps to keep our muscles, bones and joints strong, our brains stimulated, and our hearts and blood full of fresh oxygen. Regular physical activity helps us burn calories and promotes feelings of emotional well-being. Here are a few ways to inspire your family to be active.

Be an example - Talk about how regular physical activity can benefit the
whole family, and be physically active. Let your children see you being
physically active and/or talk about how it benefits your stress levels,
stamina, etc.
Plan kid oriented activities for the whole family AND make physical
activity fun! Swimming, walking the dog, family walks after dinner, riding
bikes, etc. For example, don't go running if you hate running, pick
something you enjoy.
Plan ahead for each season. What will be the family activity for
spring, summer, fall, winter? Think of activities that can be done indoors
and outdoors. This winter, try Hula Hoop competitions, play Twister, or Chinese jump rope. If you are watching television - have short fitness competitions during each commercial break to see who can do the most sit-ups, push-ups or jumping jacks.
Ensure that your child reaches adulthood with an individual sport or
activity he/she enjoys. (It doesn't need to be competitive.) Swimming,
roller skating/blading, soccer, tennis. Enroll your child in intramural
sports, dance, or other recreational activities that fit your budget. Then
make them a priority.

Learn more about how to make physical activity a part of your daily routine.

Here is a list of web sites that can help you and your children learn about healthy habits.

BAM!
This site by the CDC promotes strong bodies and minds in "tweens"
www.bam.gov/

4 GIRLS' HEALTH
This site, sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services, focuses on current health information for girls ages 10-16.
www.4girls.gov/index.htm

GIRL POWER
This link by the Department of Health and Human Services provides general health information to girls ages 9-13.
www.girlpower.gov/girlarea/index.htm

KIDNETIC
This site for kids 9-12 promotes healthy eating and active living. It is sponsored by the International Food Information Council in partnership with the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Dietetic Association, and National Recreation and Parks Association, among others.
www.kidnetic.com/

KIDSHEALTH
Created by the Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's Health Media. Kids Health provides families with accurate, up-to-date, and jargon-free health information they can use.
For kids: www.kidshealth.org/kid/
For Teens: www.teenshealth.org/

KIDS' FOOD CYBER CLUB
This site provides activities and information on food choices, the food guide pyramid, recipes and much more.
www.stockportmbc.gov.uk/primary/ladybrook/nut/WW125.htm

NUTRITION CAFE
This site sponsored by the Pacific Science Center and Washington State Dairy Council, offers nutritional information through a variety of games
http://exhibits.pacsci.org/nutrition/

POWERFUL BONES. POWERFUL GIRLS.
This site includes a Super Sleuth game where girls can find bone-healthy items in a scavenger hunt, and a Powerful Bones Journal with information on foods with calcium and weight-bearing physical activities. The Journal also has space to write names, addresses, and important dates
www.cdc.gov/powerfulbones/index2.html

SMART MOUTH
This web site is sponsored by the Center for Science in the Public Interest(CSPI), provides nutrition information and various activities for kids.
www.cspinet.org/smartmouth/

VERB
This site by the CDC offers information for "tweens" on physical activity.
www.verbnow.com/