Being a Fit Kid

You may hear a lot about being a healthy kid from teachers, parents and doctors. Do you know what being healthy means? It can refer to how you’re growing, what foods you eat and how fit and active you are.

How can you be fit, feel your best and do all the fun things you want to? Practice these four simple habits:

If you have a favorite food, is it okay to eat only it and nothing else each day? No way! You need to eat a variety of different foods so their nutrients (their healthy parts) can give you energy to run and play, prevent you from getting sick and help you grow.

Go foods – Whole grain cereals, breads, crackers, pasta, rice, popcorn and snacks.
They provide you with fiber to keep energy going between snacks and meals.
Glow foods – Fruits and vegetables. Choose whole fruits like an apple more often than juice. For veggies, add them to your lunch and dinner. For example, crunch on carrot sticks or sip a cup of vegetable soup.
Grow foods – Milk products, meats and beans. These foods give you protein and important minerals like calcium. Together, they help your muscles and bones grow strong.

Healthy Habit #2: Be adventurous. Try new foods!
Did you know as you get older, so do your taste buds? This means the foods you like now may change. And the foods you don’t like now may taste yummy in the future. So, if you have tried a food before and didn’t like it, don’t give it up! Have courage and try it again and again and again.

Healthy Habit #3: Limit screen time.
Screen time is any time you spend in front of a screen like a computer, TV or handheld game player. The more time you sit in front of a screen to watch movies, television or play games, the less time you’re being active. Being active is a very important part of staying fit. So, limit your screen time to no more than two
hours each day and spend the rest of your day being more active by playing soccer, dancing or sledding.

Healthy Habit #4: Get moving!
One of the best ways to be healthy and fit is to be active. Sports, dance class, swimming and even simple things like playing tag with your friends are great ways
to get moving. What do you like to do? Make a list and choose something fun from your list every day.

If you don’t want to be a part of an organized class or sport, that’s okay! Stay active by asking your parents to go for a walk with you, chase your dog around or go ice skating with a friend. Anything that gets your heart beating and lungs breathing faster tells you you’re being active.

Being healthy really isn’t tricky. Just remember to practice these four habits each and every day!

Have a question?
Ask Big Y's Wellness Team, Registered Dietitians
Carrie Taylor, RD, LDN and Andrea Samson, RD.

Send e-mails to askcarrie@bigy.com or write
Ask Carrie, 2145 Roosevelt Avenue, P.O. Box 7840
Springfield, MA 01102