Achieve Balance at the Y!

Serving families has always been at the heart of the Y. With school now back in session, kids (and parents) often find themselves consumed with balancing rigorous schedules. Our desire is to provide opportunities for families to build stronger bonds, achieve greater work/life/school balance and stay engaged with each other and their communities.

This school year, The Y wants to make sure that parents and kids have the tools necessary to live a healthy and balanced life. Below are some tips for healthy eating and physical activity:

1. Start your day off with breakfast. Skipping breakfast can make kids feel tired and irritable. Breakfast is a great way to give the body the refuel it needs. Studies show that kids who eat breakfast tend to eat healthier and are more likely to participate in physical activities (Source: www.kidshealth.org).

2. Get active and moving! On average, children and teens spend an estimated seven hours a day engaged in some form of media. This trend has contributed to increased rates of childhood obesity. Studies show that by decreasing screen time and increasing physical activity helps to kids maintain a healthy weight, improve psychological well-being and help kids gain more self-confidence. More importantly, physical activity helps to increase life expectancy rates  (Source: www.medpagetoday.com).

3. Make healthier food choices. Grabbing dinner out or at a fast food restaurant is often easier than cooking at home. Often these foods, although convenient, are loaded with high calories and fat content. Preparing healthy meals in advance is a great way to save money and control what your child consumes.

4. Eat together! Mealtime is a great time to talk to your kids about what’s going on in their lives. In fact, studies show that the more families eat together, the less likely kids are to smoke, drink, use drugs and engage in other negative behaviors. Eating together as a family also helps to promote healthy food choices  (Source: www.time.com)

5. Include physical activities in family time. Our busy schedules often keep us from spending quality time with our families. One of the ways to change this is to plan activities with the entire family. Instead of watching TV, try spending time at the park, going for a walk or participating in a family fun activity at the Y!

Though life can be hectic and unpredictable, one thing remains certain – the Y is, and always will be dedicated to building healthy, confident, secure and connect children, families and communities.

Experience family time at the Y! http://ymcacolumbus.org/family-time