Have you ever thought about your child having a fitness app on their phone?
The latest figures released in the US state that 15 percent of children and teenagers are now considered overweight, up from 6% 20 years ago. Statistics in the UK are similar, and rising especially during the pandemic. Recent research also suggests that obese kids are 77% more likely to suffer from asthma.
And of course in a world where TV, movies, teenage sitcoms and advertising all promote the ideal image and the fat kid is often mocked and made the butt of all the jokes, many overweight children will increasingly suffer from lack of confidence and poor self-esteem, leading to isolation and possibly depression in their teenage years.
Why are overweight children rates keep going up?
* Portion sizes at school, restaurants and home keep growing
* Children have far more choice in what they eat (previous generations ate what they were given, or went hungry)
* Food is much more easily available
* Kids drinks, fizzy drinks and so-called sports drinks abound
* Many snack foods and junk foods are specially targeted at kids, advertised to kids on TV, of little nutritional value, and far from filling. Some nutritionists even suspect that chemical additives can make your child crave more of particular foods
* Fast food outlets have proliferated in recent years and provide cheap, easy meals for time-stretched parents
* Kids expect instant gratification in many areas of their lives, including food. Living with hunger pangs even for an hour is no longer an option!
* Parents are often setting a bad example
* Children no longer walk or cycle to school or much at all! Outdoor activities are much less a part of their lives than in previous generations
* Spare time is spent on more sedentary pursuits, such as television, computers and video games, and even texting. The latest figures suggest that the average American teenager spends a horrifying 4 to 5 hours a day watching television!
How can you help your overweight child to lose weight?
Firstly, it is important to be aware that there is no magic formula and no instant solution. Your child will not be fit, healthy and the perfect weight overnight! If, however, your child eats sensibly and healthily and increases their physical activities, they will grow into their weight.
Secondly, it is vital that any approach you choose does not make your child feel different, guilty, victimized or unhappy in any way. Young children who worry about their weight grow into teenagers with eating disorders.
Thirdly, remember that by banning any foods you are likely to create rebellious feelings even in younger children, and disobeying your dictates may even turn into a game (or worse, a shameful secret). You are never going to be able to totally prevent a child from eating what he likes. If you forbid chocolate in your own house, for example, you can be sure your child will be eating it at friends houses or at school if he gets half the chance!
Which is why it’s a great thing to have your child include a fitness app on their cell phone.
Best Fitness Apps for Children and Teens
Cosmic Kids
Fun yoga & mindfulness videos for kids aged 3 to 9, presented by Jaime. Try free for 14 days, no ads, playlists, downloads, our full catalogue & more. Kids love to follow Jaime as she goes on yoga adventures and explains mindfulness in ways that they really get.
Morning exercises for kids
Encourage your kids to a healthy lifestyle since childhood!
GoNoodle – Kids Videos
Types of videos on this app includes:
Dance
Sports
Exercise
How-tos
Yoga
Stretching
Deep breathing
Mindfulness
Mental Health
Yoga for Kids and Family fitness – Easy Workout
This fitness app is one of the best yoga for family with different poses and specifically designed for kids. Yoga workout plan helps to stay fit, relaxing, focusing and developing children’s mind. Physical competence builds self-esteem at every age. Yoga app has different type of yoga poses including fun Animal yoga poses.
Kids Fitness – Exercises For Kids & Yoga For Kids
Features Includes:
– Kids Fitness Coach
– Water Remainder for kids to mange daily drinking water
– Daily Exercise for kids to improve health
– Yoga for kids to improve humanity
– Walking step counter for kids
– Workouts at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels
– Exercise Video with information
Exercise: At Home Workout App
A few fun facts about the app:
- the Lazy Monster can do 30 different exercises
- 10 manually crafted workouts
- no exercise machines or equipment
- a great selection of fun music that will make exercising a blast!
Kids Exercise: Warm up & Yoga for Kids
Yoga for kids is fitness app is one of the best yoga for family with different poses and warm up exercises and specifically designed for kids. Workout keep physically healthy kids and also are more likely to be academically motivated, successful.
Kids and Family Yoga Workouts
The Kids and Family Daily Yoga Workouts app is one of the best applications that provide different modes of exercises, especially suitable for children and beginners in particular. A daily exercise plan helps keep you in shape, relax, focus and develop children’s minds. The app contains different types of fun yoga poses including fun animal yoga poses. The app also contains flat stomach exercises, abdominal muscle exercises, abdominal fat exercises, and basic exercises that aim to have a flat stomach and get a harmonious body.
Try out this mindfulness video with your child.
