There’s a lot of discussion these days about fit kids.                                                      The  people who care about  the issue  (  in equal  measure  the parents , doctors, teachers,  or others ) want to know how to help the  kids be more fit.

Being  fit  is  a  way  of  saying  that  a  person  eats  well , gets  a  lot  of  physical  activity     ( exercise )  , and has a healthy weight . When you are  fit, your body works well, feels good, and can do all the things you want to do, like running around with your friends.

Some steps towards  being  fit  ,  only the  parents can take – such as serving  healthy meals  on  a  regular  basis , or deciding to take the family on a nature hike. But kids can take charge, too, when it comes to health.

Here are some  rules to live by , if you’re the kind  of  kid who wants to be fit. The trick is to follow these rules most of the time , knowing that some days  ( like your birthday) might call for some cake and ice cream !

 

 Eat always  a  Variety  of  Foods

You may have a favorite food , but the best choice is to eat a variety. If you eat different foods, you’re more likely to get all  the nutrients your body needs. Taste new foods whenever  you  have  the  occasion  ,  as  well  as  the  old ones you haven’t tried for a while. Some foods, such as green veggies, are more pleasing the older you get !   Shoot for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day — two fruits and three vegetables. The  more  colors  of  the  rainbow ,  the  best !

Here’s one combination that might work for you:

• at breakfast: ½ cup (about 4 large) strawberries on your cereal
• with lunch: 6 baby carrots
• for a snack: an apple
• with dinner: ½ cup broccoli (about 2 big spears) and 1 cup of salad

Drink Water & Milk

 When you’re really thirsty , water is the best thirst-quencher. And there’s  a reason also  your school cafeteria offers  sometimes  cartons of milk .  Kids need calcium to build strong bones, and milk is indeed  a great source of this mineral. How much do kids need?  If you are younger than 9 years old , drink 2 cups of milk a day , or its equivalent. If you’re older than 9 years old , aim for 3 cups of milk per day , or its equivalent . You can mix it up by having milk and some other calcium-rich dairy foods.  In the  past  few years  however , scientists  came  with proofs  on  the  dangers  the  cow’s  milk  might have  on  the  future  health (  especially  the  cows  which  are  not  grass-fed ) , so , it  is  a  good  idea  if  you  could  replace  the  cow’s  milk  with  some  other  milk  of  plant  origin , like  almond , walnuts or  pistachios milk  , which  are  really  yummy !

Here’s an  idea  of  one combination:

• 2 cups (about half a liter) of milk
• 1 slice cheddar cheese
• ½ cup (small container) of yogurt

You probably will want something other than milk or water once in a while, so it’s OK to have 100% juice, too and  a  freshly  made  one  is  definitely  the  best choice . Try to limit  the sugary drinks, like :  sodas, juice cocktails, and fruit punches. They contain a lot of added sugar  which  not  only  adds  calories , but in  the  long  run  becomes  dangerous  for  health  too .  And ,  after all  ,  they  don’t   even  contain  the important nutrients  your  body  needs  for  growth  and  health .

Listen to Your Body

What does it feel like to be full? When you’re eating, notice how your body feels and when your stomach feels comfortably full. Sometimes, people eat too much because they don’t notice when they need to stop eating. Eating too much can make you feel uncomfortable and, over a period of time, can lead to unhealthy weight gain and  other health  problems .

Limit the  Screen Time

What  is  screen time? It’s the amount of time you like  to spend watching TV or DVDs, playing video games (console systems or handheld games), and using a smart phone, tablet, or computer. The more time you spend on these sitting-down activities, the less time available for active stuff, like basketball , bike riding, or swimming. Try to spend no more than 2 hours a day on screen time, not counting the  computer use related to school and educational activities (  And  in  case  you’re  lucky  to  be an  e-learning  student ,  that surely  should  be  even  less ! )

 

Be Active

 One job you have as a kid — and it’s happening  to  be  a fun one , too  — is that you get to figure out which activities you like best. Not everyone loves basketball ,  soccer  or swimming  . Maybe your passion is karate, or kickball, or dancing. Ask your parents to help you do your favorite activities regularly. Find ways to  be  active  every day.  You might even write down a list of fun stuff to do, so you can refer to it whenever  your mom or dad says it’s time to stop watching TV or playing computer games  !

Speaking of parents, they can be also  a very  big help if you want to be a fit kid. For instance, they can stock the house with healthy foods and plan for  physical activities for the family. Tell your parents about these five steps you want to take and maybe you can teach them a thing or two , too .    If you’re a fit kid, why shouldn’t you have a fit mom and a fit dad  as  well  ?