As parents we influence our children's behavior from their earliest stages of development. They look up to us, and if we are doing our job as parents they should want to be just like us. Do you want your children to be like you? You should, but not if you are also battling with your body weight or body image. Feeling good about themselves is a very important part of their psychological development. Learning how to eat well and exercise needs to be included as part of their daily lives to prevent them from becoming a part of the obesity epidemic that is on the rise. An overweight child can also become the target of ridicule and bullying very early in their life.

How can parents help?
 

We can set a good example by role modeling the fitness lifestyle for our children. Begin by understanding what fitness is. The best way to do that is by finding out if you are fit. Not are you fat, are you fit. Forget about losing weight for the moment. Think only about getting fit. When you embark on a mission to get fit, losing weight becomes incidental but is generally the results. Let's take a look at what is required to improve your fitness level.
 

Cardiovascular Endurance - Can you walk one mile in under fifteen minutes?
Muscular Endurance - How many correct abdominal crunches can you do in one minute?
Muscular Strength - What is the total number of military style push-ups can you do to exhaustion?
Flexibility - Can you sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you and reach forward to touch your toes without bending your knees?
Waist-to-Hip Ratio - What is the measurement of your waistline compared to your hips?
Healthy Eating - Are you eating whole foods or processed foods?
 

Getting the answers to these questions is an excellent starting point to start modeling fitness for our children. If you could benefit from losing some excess body fat this is also how you would get started. Focusing only on how much you weigh is the short term point of view. We want our children to learn what will result in long term success for good health and overall wellness.
 

The goal is to get the whole family involved. Start a fitness program to improve your fitness level and make it a family affair. When you tackle this project and involve the family it can be fun and interesting. Fitness can be an ongoing part of our lives. Our children will automatically observe this behavior in us and follow along.
 

Roy Gutierrez is a professional fitness instructor certified by the American Council on Exercise. Visit his website http://www.stayfitpersonaltraining.com for a subscription to his free online newsletter.
 

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