Get your child in shape with MMA for kids!
Are you considering a weight management program for your child? Consider MMA for kids! As a parent, there is a lot you can do to help your child live an active and healthy life through weight management. A balanced diet and plenty of physical activity are essential to your child’s well being. Parents play an important role in helping kids learn healthy lifestyle habits, which include healthy eating and regular physical activity like kids MMA, which can significantly lower the risk of diseases associated with obesity.
How can I tell if my child is overweight?
Because children grow at different rates and different times and body fat percentage changes with age and is different for girls and boys, it might not always be easy to tell if your child is overweight.
One way to tell if your child is overweight is to calculate his or her body mass index (BMI). BMI is a measure of body weight relative to height. Growth charts used by doctors create a number called a percentile to show how your child’s BMI compares with the BMI of other children.
The main BMI categories for kids and teens according to the CDC are:
- healthy weight: 5th to 84th percentile
- overweight: 85th percentile to 94th percentile
- obese: 95th percentile or higher
If your child’s BMI is categorized in the 85th percentile or higher, it’s time to start making some changes to avoid health issues and bullying.
Why should I be concerned?
According to the CDC, obesity in kids and teens can lead to a wealth of both immediate and long-term effects on health and wellbeing, including higher risk factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, joint and bone problems, stroke, several types of cancer, as well as osteoarthritis.
How can I talk to my kids about weight?
No matter your child’s size, there are ways you can approach talking to them about healthy weight management without hurting his or her feelings. There is no perfect way to go about talking about weight with teens and kids. Your job is to initiate the conversation and open the lines for communication with your child. Give specific examples of unhealthy changes you have noticed, and keep the focus on health and wellbeing rather than body size or pounds, as pressuring kids and teens to reach a specific weight or body shape can lead to poor self-esteem.
How can I help my child develop healthy habits?
- Set goals together
Setting specific goals in kids MMA, such as improving stamina in sparring or increasing the strength of their guard for kids jiu-jitsu will help children maintain a specific and positive focus
- Encourage healthy eating habits
Remove unhealthy temptations and finding ways to make kids’ favorite dishes healthier
- Get to the gym!
MMA for kids combines vigorous exercise with martial arts techniques that will make working out fun and productive.
- Set an example
Make it a point to eat well, get plenty of rest, and exercise with your kid. Dyan Hes, a director of the board of American Obesity Medicine suggests using your own body issues as a teaching tool: As a parent you can say, “Listen, I’ve struggled with my weight all my life. I don’t want you to have the same problems I do. I really want to get healthy. Let’s do it together.'”
- Get the whole family involved
Get your son or daughter involved in kids jiu-jitsu or kids kickboxing and take an adult fitness boot camp class at the same time.
- Focus on the positive
Knowing that they have unconditional love and support no matter what their weight is will help encourage kids and teens to stick to their goals as they adopt healthy habits.