AP: Obesity in children is growing
rapidly. How can parents motivate their children to stay active? Middleton: Statistics show that the best way to combat obesity is through parents setting the example of healthy living habits. I encourage the use of activity monitors to measure how many steps our children get in on a daily or weekly basis. (The average steps for boys are between 12,000-16,000 steps a day and for girls are 10,000-13,000 a day). At the end of the week, have some type of reward in place that is still an active activity, like go-kart racing.
AP: What is your opinion
on the electronic workout systems like Wii-Fit? Middleton: I encourage any activity that will get people up and active. Even though video games consoles have earned a bad reputation for keeping kids sedentary, this is a huge step in the right direction! However, novelty of the product can wear off quickly, so you can’t rely on it to be the only option. It can be a tool in the plan, but the plan has to be part of the lifestyle.
Better Nutrition AP: Why should families incorporate
a healthy diet into their lifestyle? Palmer: That’s a tough question for me because, why not! There are so many reasons to improve physical health and keeping longlasting healthy ways to prevent high blood pressure, heart disease, etc. Families with young kids who incorporate a healthy diet are keeping their children well-nourished and students can perform better in school.
AP: What do you consider
a “healthy diet?” Palmer: A balanced plate is anything that has fruits, veggies, lean protein and whole grains. As parents, we’re always worried about what is my child going to like and how can I provide it to them? We have three meals a day and we want our children to have a well-balanced diet that consists of variety and its okay if that variety changes from day to day. Cont’d on page 20
Giving birth can be hard work. You deserve a
Postpartum Massage Call or email to schedule your appointment. 404-465-3391 Tara@natlantapregnancy.com Ask about our Belly Binding services
North Atlanta Pregnancy Massage and Wellness 1300 Upper Hembree Rd. • Roswell www.natlantapregnancy.com
atlantaparent.com
January 2015 Atlanta Parent 19