If you’ve had issues controlling your kids and if you feel they watch too much TV/play too many videos games, then here’s a how to get them active again.

Set a good example
If you want active kids, be active yourself. Adults need at least 2.5 hours a week of moderate intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activities.
Go for a brisk walk, ride your bike or spend some time gardening. Kids ages 6 to 17 years old need at least an hour a day of such moderate activities.
Three or more days a week should be more vigorous activities such as those that include running/football. Anything that involves working the heart.

Praise Praise Praise
Invite your family to play catch or to join you on a walk. Talk about physical activity as an opportunity to take care of your body, rather than a punishment or a chore. Praise, reward and encourage activity. Set goals and have everyone track their activities and progress.

See yourself as a role model
A parent’s active lifestyle is a powerful stimulus for a child. You are a role model for your children; set a good example by making physical activity a priority in your life.

Limit screen time
A surefire way to increase your child’s activity levels is to limit the number of hours they’re allowed to watch television each day. You might limit screen time — including television, video games and computer time.
Kids should not watch TV for more than one to two hours a day. To make it easier, don’t put a television in your children’s bedrooms, and keep the computer in a family area. Also consider any other of your kids activities that cause them to have a sedentary life and see how you can limit this.

If your children play video games, opt for those that require movement. Activity-oriented video games — such as dance video games and video games that use a player’s physical movements to control what happens on the screen — boost a child’s calorie-burning power. This alone could double their energy expenditure – but that’s not guaranteed.

Establish a routine
Set aside time each day for physical activity. Get up early with your children to walk the dog or take a walk together after dinner. Start small, gradually adding new activities to the routine as you — and your children — become more fit.

Let your children set the pace
For many kids, organized sports are a great way to stay fit. But team sports or dance classes aren’t the only options. If your child is artistically inclined, take a nature hike to collect leaves and rocks that your child can use to make a collage. If your child likes to climb, head for the nearest neighborhood jungle gym. If your child likes to read, walk or bike to the neighborhood library for a book. Or simply turn on your child’s favorite music and dance in the living room.

Understand the needs of your kids
Every child is wired differently. We all have certain strengths and characteristics that influence our interests. The key is finding things that your children like to do.

Promote activity, not exercise
To keep your kids interested in fitness, make it fun.

Let them make decisions
Put your kids in charge. Let each child take a turn choosing the activity of the day or week. Batting cages, bowling and neighborhood play areas all count. What matters is that you’re doing something active.

As a conclusion..
Give the gift of activity. Make gifts and rewards things like activity-related equipment, games or outings.
Incorporating physical activity into your children’s lives does much more than promote a healthy weight, It sets the foundation for a lifetime of fitness and good health.

Only one in eight British youngsters get the recommended amount of daily exercise, according to new research by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

A poll conducted for the charity’s ‘Food4Thought’ campaign found that the vast majority of children do not exercise for 60 minutes per day, as recommended by health experts.

Nearly four-fifths said that they did not know how much physical activity they should be doing, while 30 per cent admitted that they simply ‘can’t be bothered’ to do any exercise.

One in five also claimed that exercise was unnecessary unless a person was overweight.

Dr Mike Knapton, the charity’s director of prevention and care, commented: ‘We have a generation of kids growing up who have a shockingly blase attitude towards exercise and being active.

‘Young people need to switch off their square eyes and get in the habit of exercising now.’

The government’s ‘Change4Life’ initiative recently launched a new exercise campaign to encourage families to be more active.

A poll conducted for the campaign found that 45 per cent of young people watch TV or play video games before school instead of doing something active.

source: netdoctor.co.uk

A recent report from the National Academy of Sciences has recommended that people get at least 60 mins of moderate activity on a daily basis.

Is this new? YES because beforehand a report from 1996 was recommending at least 30 mins of moderately intense activity on most or all days of the week.

I agree with you 60 minutes a day seem a bit much.
“The concern is that individuals will see this call for 60 minutes and think, ‘My gosh, now it’s 60 and I can’t even do 30,’” says Edward T. Howley, Ph.D., president of the American College of Sports Medicine. “Sedentary individuals might be dissuaded from physical activity altogether.”

However these are the benefits cited by the new report :

· Reduce the risk of premature heath, particularly from cardiovascular disease
· Reduce the risk of developing diabetes & colon cancer
· Reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure or reduce already elevated blood pressure
· Promote psychological well-being & reduce depression & anxiety
· Control weight
· Build & maintain healthy muscles, bones & joints
· Improve the strength of older adults & their ability to move without falling
Happy sports to all of you