As we all know, exercise is a great habit to get into for the young and old and getting our kids into healthy eating and active lifestyle habits at a young age will not only give them a good grounding for their whole lives but it will give you some added encouragement to stay on the healthy eating and healthy exercise straight and narrow too.
So as well as following the Lose Baby Weight Plans and losing your pregnancy weight, what else can you do? Well the excellent news is that Joan from Bounce Back Fitness has written the below article on Copycat Behaviour in kids with regards to exercise for kids. So thank you Joan for writing and I hope everyone enjoys it.
Copycat behaviour is a great start in life
You have had your head buried in the sand not to have seen or read reports about the growing concern that children just aren’t getting enough exercise and the increasing statistics on childhood obesity in our society are nothing short of alarming. So what steps can you take to ensure that you child doesn’t become a statistic in this growing trend?
The first thing we need to do is take a look at ourselves? As a parent we are one of the most important, influencing factors in our child’s life. Are you coming home and slouching in front of the television or are you taking them for walks, playing games and running around with your children?
Research has shown that kids don’t really listen to (or even hear) our words. They learn from, and mimic our behaviour and actions. So are you showing them how to live a healthy life? You need to be the behaviour you want to pass on.
Your child needs to see you making exercise a priority in your life. If you demonstrate a commitment to keeping yourself fit, you’ll find it easier to convince your child that they need to exercise as well. In fact studies have shown you more than likely wont need to convince them, it will just be wired into their norm. How cool is that?
From when our children are babies you can be influencing them, they may not be walking yet but they are watching everything you do so get out there with your baby in the pram and go for a walk. Do some body weight exercises at home or in the park. You could join a Mums and Bubs training session like BounceBack Fitness and exercise with your baby in tow.
It’s a fun, social, healthy activity for both of you and the benefits are endless. You will feel like you again, make some friends, set new challenges, and get your body back better than ever. Your baby will get some fresh air, see new faces and surroundings and most importantly watch mum look after herself. It’s win-win.
Another fantastic benefit of a BounceBack Session is the positive copycat behaviour we are encouraging in our kids. We have kids in our group who love to do all the stuff mummy does and look forward to coming along as much as mummy does. How awesome is that? If our kids grow up not only watching us exercise but expecting us to, it becomes instilled in them to follow that behaviour throughout their lives. Thus they are far more likely to lead an active life themselves. In fact, studies suggest that kids who grow up watching their parents exercise are 50% less likely to become obese as adults.
Not only is exercise good for you now – but its good for your kids now and forever.
What a gift!
So what are you waiting for, grab your child/ren and go do something fun today.
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