Every parent wants what is best for their children. Practising sports since early ages, may it be just for fun, is a healthy way for children. This will prepare them for the future and will help them manage the challenges that come along their way.
There are various benefits related to their health and well-being as well. You can see these in the previous article.
However, we will focus now on how to educate children for sports and help them get that sense of responsibility in eating healthy while staying active. One cannot exist without another.
Healthy eating lifestyle
Any kid that wants to take up sport should have healthy eating habits. This comes from their parents and this is where the responsibility comes in. If you want to prepare your child to take a sport or some, you should make sure he has a healthy eating lifestyle.
Proper nutrition is not good just for sporty people, but it is good for every aspect of life. A healthy eating lifestyle will have positive effects on both studying and sports.
Healthy Eating Tips
- Choose healthy fats such as vegetable oils, avocados, oily fish, and nuts.
- Vitamins, minerals, and iron can be found on lean red meat, turkey, fish, eggs, dark green vegetables
- Calcium can be found in low-fat milk, yoghurt, puddings, cheese, nuts, and fruit juice
- Water is the most important when it comes to fluids.
Rules for a Healthy Lifestyle While Being Active
An active teen should have a very organized lifestyle. They should watch what they eat, how they eat, when they eat, and what is good or bad and what is bad for his body. The rules below are to be followed both by young people as well as by parents, for them to set an example to their kids.
- Never skip a meal. This is important especially breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day. It gives you the energy to continue the day in a positive mood. Make sure your child knows this and develops this sense of being responsible in never skipping a meal.
- Drink lots of water. Water is important for all the functions of the body. Make sure you have a bottle of water at hand all the time.
- Eat some protein daily. This is important for young active people as protein repairs the muscles and helps them grow.
- While carbohydrates are known to be bad foods, there are the good carbs that are a must throughout the day. They will give the needed energy to the muscles.
- Eat at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables per day. This will give you the vitamin boost your body needs.
- Take your daily intake of healthy fats. They will give you the energy to stay active.
- On top of this, you have enough sleep and rest. You could eat as healthy as you want, but without enough sleep, your body won’t function well when tired.
Parents know-how list
- As a parent, do not over exaggerate when trying to make your child love and practice sports. Sport should be regarded as a game, and games usually are supposed to be fun. This is why pressure never works in trying to convince children to do anything.
- Let your child see and decide for himself what is the best sport that he likes and he would enjoy practicing. Not every child should practice sport in a professional manner. Moreover, the vast majority do not take it as a profession. Practice it to stay active and all the other benefits it brings. Each one finds different benefits in sport.
- As a parent, you should not be overprotective and be present every time he goes to practices. Let him be with his peers and the coach. Make sure you are present when there are important games going on.
- As practicing sports is a very healthy way of living, parents should encourage their children to play, not to necessarily be in a competition.
- However, if he likes participating in competitions, encourage him to win, not just get comfy with losing. This should never be an option.
- Make sure you are the one that your child looks up to. Do not be a lazy couch potato if you want your child to take up some sport. Stay as active and healthy as you can.
An active teen girl should consume as much as 2400 calories per day while an active teen boy between 2800 and 3000 calories per day. These calories should not be randomly consumed, as there are bad and good things for the body to eat. The more bad food he eats, the less likely he will get good results in his sports activities or any other field in life. Eating right will help your child perform at his best.
Make sure they take the proper carbs, have some soup per day, eat healthy fats, take the proper vitamins and minerals from the food, and proper calcium intake. Water consumption must not be forgotten. An important takeout for water is not to wait until you are thirsty. Make sure your kids are hydrated enough.
Conclusion
Sports will raise many good qualities in a child even though he does not make a profession out of it. Creating a healthy lifestyle and an environment that respects physical activity will prove good for your child in time. It is important that a child is raised to eat healthy, to stay active, and to respect his body. Tips above will help you as a parent in educating your child in this regard.
With a right mindset even from the early ages, children will be more opened to practicing sports. Paving their way into educating about the connection between staying active and eating healthy; will prove to become a lifestyle for them in the future, without putting to much effort into this.
