Activity Log for Kids
With the rising concern over the obesity levels in America, everyone is searching for the answer. But, what is actually considered overweight? The Center for Disease Control defines obesity as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. Calculated using a person's height and weight, the BMI can provide a reasonable estimate of body fat content. The best way to avoid the health issues stemming from obesity, like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, is to promote an active lifestyle. By instilling these values at a young age, we can give our children a healthier outlook.
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Activity Log
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An activity log is a record of the activity that you engage in daily. Activity logs can be as easy as a notepad on the kitchen table to a more sophisticated version that you can track online. You enter the action that you participated in and how long you did it. Then at the end of the week or month you can look back and see how active you or your kids have become. This is a terrific way to create a goal and track the progress.
Set an Example
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When focusing on getting the kids moving you may find you need to lead by example. If your children see you moving every day and enjoying it, it will seem less of a chore and more of a fun and healthy habit. By creating a daily activity log and keeping it in a well traveled area of the house, you are not only giving the kids a powerful reminder to remain active, but you can also teach them that you care about what they do.
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Start Early
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Ideally you should instill the physical activity in early childhood, so it becomes a habit instead of a hassle. You can make the activity log for children as young as toddlers with bright colors and stickers to grab their attention. Then, as the child grows the activity log and the exercise that goes with it become second nature. As a parent, you can make the record a priority and create a distinctive "family" time for filling out and reviewing the log.
Benefits
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Besides avoiding the alarming rate of type 2 diabetes and out of control cholesterol levels that are typical for the majority of America today, a healthy lifestyle will stimulate your children mentally as well as physically. During physical activity the lungs begin to work faster and take in large amounts of oxygen, while the heart pumps faster to deliver the oxygen to the muscles. Exercise boosts your stamina and endurance while creating muscle and burning fat. This process leads to a longer life with increased strength and flexibility, a stronger immune system and a positive mental state.
Methods
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The log will be different for each family and maybe even for each member of the family. The important things to have on the log are the types of activity and the length of time spent. The action is not as important as the fact that they are moving for at least an hour a day. They can spend this time playing at the park, dancing in the house, riding bikes, walking around the neighborhood or going swimming. They can break the total time into smaller sections.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit exercising image by Cherry-Merry from Fotolia.com
