1. Title:
10 Secrets to a Fit Family
Word Count:
817
Summary:
It's no secret that many parents and their children are overweight. These 10 simple
secrets can help you change your family's lifestyle so that you can all become fit and
healthy.
Keywords:
weight loss, kids, children, fat, diet, food, exercise, fitness, health
Article Body:
It's no secret that many parents and their children are overweight. These 10 simple
secrets can help you change your family's lifestyle so that you can all become fit and
healthy.
1) Eat Whole Grain Foods
Processed and refined grains, such as white bread, white rice, cereal, pasta, and other
foods made with white flour have a high glycemic index, low amounts of fiber, and
less vitamins and minerals as foods made with whole grains. Making the switch to
whole grain foods, including whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta, brown rice, and
cereals made with whole grains, are an easy and healthy way to make your family's
diet more nutritious.
2) Limit Soda and Fruit Drinks
Soda and fruit drinks have low nutritional value and a lot of calories. At about 150
calories per 12 ounce serving, your kids will gain an extra pound about every 3 weeks
if they drink just one can of soda each day.
Cutting back or eliminating soda, fruit drinks, and even fruit juice, can be a good way
to get rid of a lot of extra calories and leave room for your kids to eat more nutritious
foods.
3) Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Most children don't eat enough fruits and vegetables and that usually means that they
are eating other less nutritious foods. With a high fiber content and lots of vitamins
and minerals, fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. And
because they have lots of water in them, eating fruits and vegetables can help you to
feel full and satisfied so that you don't overeat.
4) Eat More Foods with Calcium
A common mistake people make when trying to lose weight is that they stop drinking
milk, eating cheese and yogurt. Calcium is important to build healthy bones and to
help you lose weight. You should encourage your kids to drink low-fat milk, eat
portioned amounts of cheese and yogurt to help lose weight and maintain a healthy
weight.

3. 5) Be More Active
Everyone knows that part of the cause of the current obesity epidemic is that people
are much less active then they used to be. Getting kids involved in organized
activities, which can be either team or individual sports, and cutting back on the
amount of time in front of the TV, computer and playing video games will burn
calories and improve fitness levels.
Family activities are also a good way to be more physically active. Even simple
things, like walking across a parking lot, using stairs, and going for short family walks
or bike rides, can make a big difference.
6) Know Where Calories Come From
While you don't necessarily need to do daily calorie counts, keep a diary of what your
family eats for a few days can help you see where extra calories are coming from. Are
your kids overweight because of the calories they get from a bedtime snack or those
two glasses of Kool Aid or soda he drinks? Or maybe because his portion sizes are
too large?
If you know where your kids' calories are coming from, you will know where to make
changes and how you can cut back, especially on foods that have a lot of empty
calories.
7) Learn About Carbs
Carbs get a bad wrap, especially with all of the proponents of high protein diets, like
the Atkins and South Beach Diet. Not all carbs are created equal. While it is a good
idea to avoid foods that have refined such as white bread, foods made with white
flour, and foods and beverages sweetened with sugar, other carbs should be part of a
balanced diet.
Instead of avoiding all carbs, just learn about how to choose foods with good
carbohydrates, which includes fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grain foods.
8) Learn About Fats
Like carbs, there are good and bad fats. Instead of making the mistake of trying to
stick to a low fat diet, and simply substituting other foods that are often just as high in
calories, you should eat foods that have good fat in them. This includes foods with
polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. On the other hand, you should avoid
saturated fats and trans fats.
9) Choose Healthy Meals when Eating Out
Even if your family eats healthy at home, if you eat super-sized fast food meals a few
times a week, they are probably still at risk for becoming overweight. If you eat out a
lot, review the nutritional facts of the restaurant's menu and watch your portion sizes.
Calories and fat quickly adds up when eating out!
10) Stay Motivated!

4. Most people know what they need to do to be healthier however, eating healthy and
exercising is not easy. Education about the specifics of a healthy diet, getting the
whole family involved, and setting goals, can help your family stay healthy and fit.
Hire a personal trainer or seek the counsel of a dietitian to keep you on the healthy
track.

5. Most people know what they need to do to be healthier however, eating healthy and
exercising is not easy. Education about the specifics of a healthy diet, getting the
whole family involved, and setting goals, can help your family stay healthy and fit.
Hire a personal trainer or seek the counsel of a dietitian to keep you on the healthy
track.
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