Top 10 Ways to Motivate Your Child to Exercise If you have a hard time keeping your kids physically fit, you are not alone. Studies show that 1 in 3 children today are overweight or obese. And they are not alone. The National Center for Health Statistics released a report in 2009 that revealed a shocking statistic. Since the 1970s, obesity in children and adults has more than doubled in the United States. And the US is far from the only modern country that has this problem.
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The Nielsen Company reports that children as young as 2 to 5 years
old watch more than 4.5 hours of television each and every day. Children 6 to 8 years of age watch 4.0 hours of TV daily, and when your children are between 9 and 18 years old, they are glued to the TV screen 4.5 hours every day. Add the prevalence of smartphones, handheld gaming consoles, laptops, computers and tablets and it is amazing that your child gets any exercise at all. The deadly negatives of a sedentary lifestyle are many. Obesity, heart disease, poor social skills and a shorter lifespan
are just a few of the downsides of getting little exercise. You as a parent understand the benefits of moving, exercising and working out. Heart health, skin tone, strength, social skills, mental functioning and self-esteem are all improved when human beings get up and get moving. But it is not always easy to keep your child motivated where exercise is concerned. Employ the following 10 tips with your children, and you will find them ready and willing to exercise and stay fit on a regular basis.
