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Make Healthy Food Choices
- Eat three main meals every day.
- Don't skip breakfast or other meals to try and lose weight; this can lead to over eating at the next meal or snack.
- Choose a wide variety of foods from each food group. Learn more from ChooseMyPlate.gov.
- Decrease your portion size – eat less at meals.
- Wait 20 minutes after you have finished eating to decide if you need a second serving.
- Enjoy meals with your family at the table with the TV switched off. Distractions such as TV can cause you to overeat.
Be physically active!
- Limit 'screen time' to no more than two hours per day (This includes the time you spend watching TV, on the computer or playing video games).
- Include at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. This can be all at once or in two–three blocks of 20–30 minutes.
Choose a sport you like such as:
basketball, netball, soccer, football or cricket. If team sports don't appeal to you try activities such as swimming, dancing, martial arts or bike riding.
Participate in active play.
Try: skipping, roller blading, skateboarding, climbing, hopscotch, chase, ball games, play in the playground or jump on the trampoline.
Be active with the family:
Walk the dog, go to the beach or for a bike ride, fly a kite, kick the footy or play cricket, basketball, tennis or table tennis.
Try to be active wherever you can:
Take the stairs instead of the lift, walk or ride your bike to school, or get off the bus a few stops early and walk the rest of the way.
Why it is Important to Exercise
People are not as active as they used to be and most people need to add exercise into their lives.
Being active can make you feel:
- Energetic, strong and healthy.
- Able to do the 'every-day' activities of your life more easily.
- Great – physical activity releases endorphins – these are the body's natural "feel good" chemicals. Less stressed. Exercise can improve mental health and reduce depression.
- Strong. Your muscles become stronger with more physical activity.
- Less tired. You'll have a better night's sleep if you are regularly active.
- Good about yourself, through better self-esteem and confidence.
You can also make friends through sports. Any physical activity that involves an impact (walking, running, and aerobics) helps to keep calcium in your bones, keeping them stronger for longer. This will make you stand tall and strong and help prevent osteoporosis when you're older.
Physical activity also means a strong heart and lungs – they'll last longer – and so will you! Exercise can lower your blood pressure and 'bad cholesterol', so you'll stay healthier in later years.
Kids Online Games: