With fall upon us and the new school year begun, the Cross Island YMCA offers health and fitness tips for Queens families. Obesity remains a major health problem in New York City, with more than half of adult New Yorkers (53 percent) overweight or obese, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). That same agency suggests that city children are more likely to be obese or overweight compared with children nationwide.
“The end of summer and the start of back-to-school season shouldn’t mean a decrease in exercise or healthy eating habits for New York families and their children,” Doreen Keyer, Healthy Lifestyles director. “The key is involving kids, and helping them understand at an early age that they have an important personal stake in their health and fitness choices. The Cross Island Y is happy to provide some fun and informative tips for making this school year a healthy and happy one.”
? “Don’t Make Excuses”: Perhaps the most important tip, and the one that informs all the others: families shouldn’t allow busy lifestyles and the stresses of juggling home, work, and school responsibilities to keep people from eating healthy food and making smart fitness choices. Take a breath, make a schedule, set shared goals, and stick to them.
? “Family Dinner Night”: Even if both parents are working, or it’s a busy single-parent household, families should make a commitment to eating at least one home cooked dinner together each week. Shared meals foster conversation and better communication between family members and help instill a sense of appreciation for what goes into preparing healthy food.
? “Draft a ‘Family Healthy Living Contract’”: Organize a regular “Family Counsel” to discuss family members’ favorite foods, the kind of exercise everyone is doing, and other health choices being made each day. Determine the good, the bad, and the sugary, and come to agreements around issues such as appropriate frequency of favorite snacks. Rotate the council leader each month among family members to encourage a sense of responsibility and leadership in children.
? “Set Monthly Goals”: Whether it’s cutting out between-meal snacking, walking to school or work instead of taking the train or bus, being able to do ten pull-ups, or losing a few pounds, the act of naming monthly nutrition and fitness goals helps bring them closer to realization. Make goals fun by setting a monthly family health calendar and establishing positive rewards in which everyone can share.
? “The Participatory Lunchbox”: Involve your child in his or her school lunch preparation, talking through the week’s worth of meal options and the pros and cons of certain food choices. Farmers markets are in full swing across the city right now, providing wonderful opportunities to encourage healthier lunch choices made with local, fresh, organic foods. Similar care should be taken with afterschool snack preparation, especially if there are gaps in child supervision between the end of the school day and parents returning from work.
? “Avoid Holiday Overeating”: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Chanukah., each offer plenty of opportunities to overindulge. Have a discussion with your child prior to Halloween about what healthy snacks the family might offer trick-or-treaters and what’s a reasonable amount of holiday treats children can expect to enjoy.
? “Vegetable of the Month Club”: Expand the menu beyond canned corn and French fries! If your child is resistant to sampling new greens, try exposing him or her to different vegetables each month like kale, broccoli rabe, brussel sprouts, leeks, turnips or squashes.
? “Family Time, Unplugged”: Commit to at least one night a week during which family members do without the televisions, computers, cell phones, or PDAs. Get outside. Go for a walk together as a family. Play. Talk.
? “Explore New Activities”: Create family time by trying new physical activities like the “hoola-hoop half-hour,” building simple outdoor obstacle courses, walking together to community events, or getting involved in volunteer efforts such as working in community gardens.
? “Join the YMCA of Greater New York”: While all families are challenged to eat right, get enough physical activity and find enough time to be together as a family, the YMCA of Greater New York is here to help parents meet these challenges. Explore our Healthy Family Home program, take advantage of our Fall Membership campaign (thru October 11), and enroll in the Y’s amazing array of afterschool programs.
For more information about the YMCA of Greater New York’s afterschool program, visit https://www.ymcanyc.org/ymca-of-greater-new-york/youth/y-after-school/.
