Creating Healthy Lifestyles and Preventing Childhood Obesity Jamelynn Evans, LCSW Exercise Physiologist Outline Background Information Introduction Purpose Exercise Nutrition Hydration Sleep Stress Management Mythbusters Background Information How to use this presentation: You do not have to view this presentation all at once. In fact, it might be best to break it up…as long as you are going to come back to it. Although this presentation is designed with information to help your child with creating a healthy lifestyle, some of the information may seem like it is intended for you, the parent or guardian. That is because it is. *Before beginning an exercise program, always be sure to talk with your doctor about recommendations and limitations. Introduction As we are all well aware, childhood obesity is on the rise. Childhood obesity does not simply stand for children who are overweight A child who appears thin can end up suffering from adverse health reactions due to poor nutrition or a sedentary lifestyle just as much as a child who appears overweight. So what can we do to help? We can all take an active roll in preventing childhood obesity by taking the time to educate ourselves. Purpose This presentation is designed to give you knowledge and tools to help in the fight against childhood obesity, as well as to simply help you and your family achieve a healthy lifestyle. There is a lot of information provided here; however, the information has been broken down with the hope that it will be easy to follow and understand. Creating a Healthy Lifestyle What is a healthy lifestyle? A healthy lifestyle may have different meanings for different people. For many, it means living life in a way that creates physical, mental, and emotional well-being. How to Achieve a Healthy Lifestyle Find time to exercise Make healthy food choices Get enough sleep Manage your stress …and find time for fun! Building a healthy lifestyle involves both choices and actions. A healthier lifestyle can be accomplished with the choices and actions that you make each day. How can you help your children, friends, family, neighbors, community, and others to create a healthy lifestyle? Modeling, Modeling, Modeling, Modeling, Modeling, Modeling… Have you ever noticed your kids copying what you do or say? Kids observe everything their parents do. Your kids watch your eating & exercise habits more than you think. Because of this, it is essential that you be a role model for healthy eating and exercise! In case it is still unclear, modeling a healthy lifestyle is one of the most important factors! Exercise Exercise Believe it or not…exercise can be a fun activity. Many people think that they must be dripping in sweat and completely out of breath to be getting in a workout; however, this is not true. Exercise is basically as easy as…. just get moving! Being consistent with exercise is what is most important. Keeping that in mind; however, some exercise is always better than none. So, even if you have not been consistent, a ten minute walk one day is still much better than choosing not to move. Physical Activity Physical Activity Suggestions It is recommended (by the Surgeon General) that adolescents accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. Even greater amounts of physical activity may be necessary for the prevention of weight gain, for weight loss, or for sustaining weight loss. A physical activity program should include: cardiovascular exercise, strength training, & flexibility What should a Physical Activity Program include? Cardiovascular Exercise Strength Training Flexibility Training What is Cardiovascular Activity? Cardiovascular Exercise – also known as, aerobic exercise, can be thought of as any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs and sustained for a certain period of time. Cardiovascular exercise makes your muscles use oxygen more efficiently and strengthens your heart and lungs. Examples: walking, running, swimming Benefits of Cardiovascular Exercise Exercise can: Be fun! Improve mood Increase self-esteem Strengthen your heart Boost energy levels Help you sleep better Improve mental focus Increase strength and endurance Reduce depression Decrease stress Enhance coordination and balance Improve posture Improve digestion Help with weight loss or weight control Help prevent or manage: blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, and other diseases. * These are just a few of the many benefits of exercise. Cardiovascular Exercise Precautions Start your exercise session with a warm-up (easy exercise), and finish your session with a cool-down (easy exercise) Wear appropriate clothing and shoes Start slowly and progress gradually Know your own personal limits & listen to your body Exercise when you are feeling well Stop exercising if you do not feel well What is Strength Training? Strength training involves using your muscles to work against some type of resistance. This resistance may be in the form of free weights, weight machines, your own body weight, resistance bands, and many more. Benefits of Strength Training Better Posture Injury Prevention Strengthens Bones Increased Metabolic Rate – this causes the body to burn more calories throughout the day Increased Muscle Strength, Power, and Endurance Improved Balance, Flexibility, Mobility and Stability Enhanced Performance in Sports or Exercise Improved Self-Esteem Increased Self-Confidence Strength Training Precautions Warm up properly Wear protective gear for hands/feet Start slowly; progress wisely Understand each exercise If you are unsure, ask someone who knows! Use proper form/technique Use proper breathing Include all major muscle groups Use a spotter when necessary Be sure that spotter knows what to do Stretch after your workout Avoid lifting the same muscle groups on consecutive days Don’t forget to focus on your core! What is Flexibility? Flexibility training stretches and elongates muscles. Flexibility training includes stretching exercises for the purpose of increasing a person’s range of motion. Benefits of Flexibility Training Flexibility exercises help stretch muscles, protect against injury and allow the maximum range of motion for joints. The benefits of greater flexibility include not only physical improvements, but can also help with stress reduction and the promotion of a greater sense of well-being. Flexibility Training Precautions Prior to flexibility training (stretching), a warm up should be performed at a low intensity for 5-10 minutes. This increases the blood flow to muscles, increasing elasticity in the muscles once they are warmed up, and therefore decreasing the risk of injury. Stretch after warming up the muscles and joints. Stretch slowly and smoothly only to the point of mild discomfort; avoid bouncing. Focus attention on the muscle being stretched; try to limit movement in other body parts. Never stretch through pain. Always maintain normal breathing throughout each stretch. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Guidelines for Flexibility Training Activities: Perform a general stretching routine following exercises that have warmed-up the body, targeting the major muscle and/or joint/tendon groups using static (nonbouncing) techniques. Frequency: At least 3 days per week Intensity: Slowly stretching to a position of mild discomfort Duration: Hold stretch for at least 10 seconds, working up to 30 seconds Repetitions: Perform each stretch 3-5 times Exercise is not always easy. Here are some “tools” to help you along the way. Keep in mind, tools do not work if you do not use them. Example: A vacuum does not clean a rug if you do not pick it up, turn it on, and use it, right? Well, the same is true with the following tools. “Tools” to Use… if you do not use them, they will not help you Start now & make better habits for life Avoid looking for an overnight change Try something new Set a goal to include one new activity, food, meal, or recipe each week Discover new favorites to incorporate into your exercise routine & menu Take the time to try new activities & foods Make Exercise a Priority / Daily Routine Schedule your exercise into your day You would not miss a doctor’s appointment if it meant costing you $100 right? Your exercise session each day is invaluable, be sure to fit it in. When you fit your exercise in, you will feel better, you will have more patience for your loved ones, you will be more productive at work/school, and so on… Limit TV Time – mysteriously we often find time for TV, but can never find time for exercise Set Goals & Make a Plan Exercise Ideas Take a nature hike Go to a park / playground Go to a local/public swimming pool Play hide & seek (outside) Play catch Incorporate physical activity into chores Family membership to a local gym Relay races Scavenger hunt Yoga Strength training Running / jogging Walking Bicycling Rollerblading Go to the batting cages Go bowling Skating Basketball Baseball Football Karate Enroll kids in exercise classes Join a sports team Horseback riding Walk the dog Table tennis Air hockey Nerf basketball (indoors) Exercise videos Video games (Wii) Kayak Skateboarding Freeze dance Helping Your Kids to Effectively Exercise It is never too late to teach your kids about creating a healthy lifestyle First, do it yourself! Show them how important it is by finding time to fit in your own exercise routine. Next, spend time with your child Be attentive – children value their parents encouragement and attention Find out what your child likes and dislikes Find out your child’s strengths and weaknesses Brainstorm, write things down that you might both like to try Come up with a list of incentives* (i.e. at the end of the week, six days of exercise might mean a trip to the nail salon with mom) Incentives should be individualized and specific to your child’s interests. Incentives do not have to mean spending money…you may find that one of the biggest rewards is for your child to spend quality time with mom or dad. Be creative with your incentives Use positive reinforcement – always encourage your child and let them know when they are doing a good job, this can be one of the most effective ways to keep them going Formulate an exercise plan* (to be discussed soon) Set goals* (set short and long term goals) *Download handouts for: formulating an exercise plan and calendars to track your workout goals. The Benefits of Formulating an Exercise Plan Formulating an exercise plan: allows you to set goals to work toward. provides encouragement for you to be able to look back and see your progress. will help to keep you accountable to do the things you have committed to do. will become the basis for rewarding yourself when you accomplish the goals that you set into your workout plan. Formulating an Exercise Plan Utilize calendars & other tools to create and implement your plan Set short & long term goals Short term goals are goals that you will achieve in the near future (i.e. in one week, one month, etc.) Example: For the next two weeks, I will exercise 2 times per week. Example: By the end of this month, I would like to be able to walk 3 miles, and I will slowly increase the amount I walk until I reach this goal. Long term goals are goals that you will achieve over a longer period of time (i.e. after 3 months, or after one year) Example: For the next three months, I will gradually increase the number of days per week that I exercise. Example: Six months from now, I would like to finish a 3 mile road race. Goals should be specific to your own interests. Goals should be realistic and attainable. Do your best to include cardiovascular, strength, & flexibility training into your exercise plan. Helpful Instructions for Formulating an Exercise Plan Try to choose about three short and long term goals. Do your best to include cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training. Be sure to set realistic and attainable goals. Put your Exercise Plan Worksheet in a place where you can review it often. Be sure to review your goals: set a date to review your Exercise Plan; the date you choose should give you enough time to start achieving some goals, but it should not be so long that you forget about them. Create a new worksheet when some goals have been attained or when goals change. Your new worksheet may have the same long term goal with different short term goals. Example for Formulating an Exercise Plan A calendar can be a helpful part of a workout plan. Example of a Calendar to Utilize for Tracking Fitness Goals Activity Calendar Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Instructions for using your calendar: 1. Be creative & have fun! 2. Print out your calendar and fill in the dates. 3. Decorate your calendar if you would like. 4. Figure out what works best for you: having your workouts pre-set in the calendar and checking them off as you go. writing your workouts in after each day of exercise. 5. Check off each day you exercise with a pen or marker; or find some stickers to keep track of your workouts. WHAT COMMUNITIES CAN DO – According to the Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) Provide quality, preferably daily, K-12 physical education classes and hire physical education specialists to teach them. Create opportunities for physical activities that are enjoyable, that promote adolescents' and young adults' confidence in their ability to be physically active, and that involve friends, peers, and parents. Provide appropriate physically active role models for youths. Provide access to school buildings and community facilities that enable safe participation in physical activity. Provide a range of extracurricular programs in schools and community recreation centers to meet the needs and interests of specific adolescent and young adult populations, such as racial and ethnic minority groups, females, persons with disabilities, and low-income groups. Encourage health care providers to talk routinely to adolescents and young adults about the importance of incorporating physical activity into their lives. School Fitness Programs Children should be learning how to create a healthy lifestyle, since this information can be used for life. School fitness programs should include training and information about cardiovascular exercise, strength training, flexibility training, and nutrition. These programs are missing from most schools. What can you do to help? Contact your legislature. Nutrition Basic Nutrition Information Label Reading Fats, Carbohydrates, & Proteins Healthy Eating Tips Label Reading o Familiarize yourself with labels; knowing this information will be helpful for life Label Reading Serving Size Servings per Container or Package Calories and Calories From Fat Percent Daily Value Total Fat Cholesterol and Sodium Total Carbohydrate Protein Label Reading •Serving size - A certain amount of food, such as 1 cup of cereal, two cookies, or five pretzels that is specific to the nutrition information provided in the label. Looking at the label to the right, the serving size is 1 cup, which means that all the information following (calories, total fat, cholesterol, etc.) is specific to 1 cup of whatever type of food the label happens to represent. •Servings per container – the number of helpings per package •Percent Daily Value – percentages that are based on recommended daily intakes; the amount of nutrients a person should get each day. •Cholesterol & Sodium – The label tells you how much cholesterol and sodium (salt) are in a single serving of the food. They are included on the label because some people should limit the amount of cholesterol and salt they have in their diets. Quiz Question How many calories make 1 pound of weight? 3,500 calories add up to about 1 pound If you eat 3,500 calories more than your body needs, you will put on about 1 pound. If you use up 3,500 calories more than you eat, you will lose about 1 pound in weight. Calories 3,500 calories = 1 lb. 7,000 calories = 2 lbs. Weight loss should not be greater than 2 lbs. per week Weight loss > 2 lbs. means that more than 1000 calories are restricted per day…and this greater restriction is likely to slow down one’s metabolism Weight Gain vs. Weight Loss Consuming more food/calories than is required in a day = excess calories are converted to fat for storage. Energy stored (fat) = Energy In – Energy used Consuming less food/calories than is required = body fat is converted to energy for the needed calories. * Weight loss = eating fewer calories per day and/or exercising so that your body needs more energy and uses up more calories. Gram-Calorie Equivalents At the bottom of most nutrition labels you will find the gram-calorie equivalents for fats, carbohydrates, and protein. 1 Fat gram = 9 calories 1 Carbohydrate gram = 4 calories 1 Protein gram = 4 calories Fats, Carbohydrates, & Proteins Examples of: “good” fats vs. “bad” fats “Good Fats” Foods high in monounsaturated fats: olive oil avocado nuts (macadamia, peanuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios) Peanut butter “Bad Fats” Foods high in saturated fats include: animal products such as butter, cheese, and cream coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils. Sweets – ice cream, cookies, cakes, etc. *Although these are good fats, be careful with portion sizes! Fats are dense in calories. Typical Serving Sizes of Fats: Oils (olive, canola, peanut, sesame) – 1 tablespoon Flax seeds – 2 tablespoons Avocado – 1/2 avocado Nuts (almond, cashews, walnuts) – 2 tablespoons Carbohydrates: Simple vs. Complex Carbohydrates provide most of the energy needed in our daily lives, both for normal body functions such as heartbeat, breathing and digestion and for exercise. Simple carbohydrates are digested quickly; contain refined sugars and few essential vitamins and minerals. Examples: fruit juice, milk, white bread, yogurt, honey, candy and sugar Complex carbohydrates - take longer to digest and are usually packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals. Examples: whole wheat breads, healthy cereals, whole wheat pasta, & vegetables It’s best to choose most of your carbohydrates from complex carbs! Protein Good protein choices Chicken Breast Turkey Tuna Salmon Eggs Milk Cottage cheese Almonds, peanuts, cashews Peanut butter Yogurt Healthy Eating Tips Improving Your Child’s Eating Habits You may face resistance from your child if you try make many immediate changes to their eating habits. A good option is to slowly start to make changes to incorporate healthy eating and exercise. Example: Add one new healthy meal per week. Example: One week you may want to start to decrease the number of nights that dessert is offered. Dessert could be offered once or twice per week. Or, start to incorporate healthy desserts, such as yogurt with fruit. The Basics You should eat to fuel your body and to get energy. Avoid eating for emotional reasons (i.e. happy, bored, stressed). If you find yourself eating for emotional reasons, try to target what emotion it is, and then try to devise a plan for stopping this. For example: if you know you eat when you are stressed, try to work on your time management or other stress reduction techniques that will help you. Eat throughout the day. This keeps your metabolism moving (just as long as you are not eating too much). If you are used to eating one or two really big meals per day, try to eat more often, but remember to reduce the size of your meals. Be a Smart Snacker. Choose healthy snacks. A snack is not a meal; it should be just enough to hold you over until your next meal. Keep a healthy fridge & cupboard. Avoid shopping when you are hungry & do not buy the foods that you know you or your child cannot avoid. Cut up fruits & veggies ASAP so that they are available as healthy snacks. Daily Choices Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, don’t skip it! Be sure to eat all three meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Healthy Snacks are important to get you through to each meal Don’t skip meals or snacks, this will cause you to be hungry, and you will most likely end up overeating. Skipping meals can also slow your metabolism. Avoid having desserts daily Making Better Choices Advocate for yourself, and start making better choices Making better choices is not easy, try to get your friends/family involved, it’s a benefit to everyone Think of your food as fuel for your body Avoid making better poor choices Example: Some people choose to fill up on non-fat & low-fat sweets and junk food, rather than filling up on fruits and veggies. More Helpful Tips Familiarize yourself with labels Knowing this information will be helpful for life Choose foods with “good” fats Don’t eliminate fats; fats are a must in your daily food intake, however, be aware of where your fats come from Choose the “good” fats - unsaturated fats Stay away from the “bad” fats – saturated fats & trans fats Just be careful because these foods are high in calories, so watch your portions Prepare your breakfast/lunch the night before Try not to use lunchtime for trying something new If you don’t like your new food, you might not have another option, and might be hungry for the rest of the day Bring your own lunch, so that you know exactly what you are getting Ideas for Fitting in More Fruits & Veggies Begin the day with fruit or fruit juice Read labels to make sure the product is 100% fruit juice, and steer clear of fruit drinks that are mostly sugar and water Slice fruit into your cereal, oatmeal, yogurt Pack a snack from the produce aisle Include a bag of crunchy carrots, grapes, an apple, banana, or a package of dried fruit Put it in plain view Make good choices convenient, make poor choices scarce Keep healthy options in plain view – i.e.. Bowl of fruit, pre-cut veggies in refrigerator … More Fruits & Veggies Pair produce with something you love Broccoli w/ ketchup, fruit w/ yogurt Use canned/frozen fruits & veggies Can save time & $$$ Include at least one /fruit vegetable at lunch (or at each meal would be best!) Make it easy on yourself Microwave frozen veggies Buy pre-cut fruits/veggies, or those that don’t take much preparation Add fruit to your desert Smart Snacking Smart snacking can help keep you going until your next meal. Be prepared with healthy snacks. Watch your portions. Snacks should not be the size of your meals, they should be smaller amounts of food. Eat just enough to satisfy your hunger. Here are some examples of healthy snacks (in moderation of course): whole-grain crackers, cereal bars, raw veggies, fruits, cheese slices or cubes, yogurt, milk, nuts, peanut butter, hard boiled egg Shopping Quick Tips Ask your family to get involved Ask the “shopper” in your family not to bring home unhealthy foods Help the “shopper” to make better choices; talk about what things to buy Get the whole family involved in creating a weekly grocery list Avoid food shopping when you are hungry Shop the perimeter of the grocery store You should be able to find just about everything you need in the perimeter of the store, go into the aisles only sparingly! Ideas for Healthy Dining Out When ordering, ask for half to go No matter where you’re eating, practice eating smaller portions Go to places where you can order healthy, low-fat meals Ask for substitutes: substitute high fat items like French fries for a baked potato or a side salad Ask for salad dressing on the side, and then use sparingly Eat a light snack 30 minutes or so before your meal if you are waiting for others so that you are not starving Avoid buffets, and all-you-can-eat specials Other Important Topics Water Sleep Stress Management Fun Why Drink Water? Water is our most important nutrient. Without it, our bodies would stop working properly. Water makes up more than half of your body weight. The body has many important jobs that require water: Blood, which contains a lot of water, carries oxygen to all the cells of the body. Each cell in your body depends on water to function normally. Drinking water regularly will keep the brain functioning properly. Water helps to digest your food and get rid of waste. Drinking plenty of water is essential to maintain a good digestion which in turn keep your metabolism going. Water helps regulate body temperature, especially during exercise. During exercise, you lose water through your breath and by sweating. As the sweat evaporates, your body cools. Dehydration, due to not drinking enough water, can be a key element in causing headaches, migraines, and fatigue. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink water, being thirsty is usually a sign that you are already somewhat dehydrated. Drink up! Your body gets water from: drinking water, drinking other fluids, and eating food. Yes, that’s right, water is found in your food as well. Try drinking some water throughout the entire day. Try to get into the habit of carrying water with you wherever you go. Drink extra water when it is warmer outside and when you are exercising. Drink water before, during, and after exercise. Add lemon or just a splash of juice to your water to give it a little flavor without the sugars and calories. Importance of Sleep Sleep is essential for a person’s health and wellbeing Sleep deprivation is sometimes associated with: fatigue, clumsiness, weight gain, decreased performance, injuries, chronic diseases, mental illnesses, poor quality of life and well-being, increased health care costs, and memory and cognitive impairments, obesity, depression. How can we get more sleep? Exercise daily Keep a regular sleep/wake schedule Develop a regular bed time and go to bed at the same time each night Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and food close to bedtime Minimize noise, light and other disruptions where you sleep Turn the TV off and go to bed earlier! Managing Stress We all have stress. So…we must figure out the best way to manage our stress. Stress is not always bad, some types of stress are good. Identify where stress comes from in your life. Next, figure out how you cope with stress Keeping a journal may help you figure out your stresses and your coping strategies. (See next slide) How do you cope with your stress? Do you use negative coping strategies? Procrastinating Smoking or drinking Overeating / undereating Watching too much TV Sleeping too much Filling all your time to avoid facing problems Taking it out on others Do you use positive coping strategies? Exercise Meditate Breathe Find time for yourself Talk to someone Get plenty of sleep Find time for fun Listen to music Managing Stress If you noticed that you used many negative coping strategies, find some new positive strategies that you can start using instead. Avoid unnecessary stress Accept the things you cannot change Again, utilize positive coping strategies! Be positive! Have Fun! Find time for laughter & fun! Figure out what you enjoy and find time for whatever that may be. Mythbusters – True or False If you stop strength training, muscle turns to fat. False – muscle does not turn into fat or visa versa. However, if you stop strength training, you will slowly lose muscle, and you may start to gain weight if you are eating too much and not exercising. In order to burn fat and lose weight I must work in the “fat burning zone” by decreasing my pace. False – as long as you are exercising, you are burning calories, which will help you lose weight (as long as you keep your nutrition in check). I have to exercise until I am out of breath in order to condition myself and lose weight. False – you do not have to be out of breath, you just have to get out there and move! A moderate walk while able to talk with a friend is sufficient. Abdominal crunches will help me flatten my stomach. False – Unfortunately, people do not get to choose where they will lose weight. If you have extra weight coving your stomach, your best bet for a flatter stomach is to increase your exercise and watch your nutrition. Thin people are fit and have low body fat levels. False You can never get too much exercise. False Mythbusters Any type of wheat bread is a healthy choice. False - Check the ingredients. The first ingredient should say “100% Stone Ground” or “100% Whole Wheat.” Avoid breads when the first ingredient is something like: “unbleached…” These breads are processed and are not as healthy. If the label says “all natural” it must be healthy. False - The phrase “all natural” can mean just about anything, and does not necessarily mean that a product is healthy. Splenda (and other artificial sweeteners) are healthier than sugar. False - These sweeteners may have zero calories; however, they are not healthy and they are not safe. Quiz Question Which one has the most calories? The answer is: Although the trailmix is a healthy snack, it is higher in calories, so watch your servings! Reminder… Continue to educate yourself and your family. Think more about the choices you are making. If you have further questions, there is no better time to ask…..ask now! Seek out the answers. You are preparing yourself, as well as those around you, for a future with a healthier lifestyle.