Back to School

Back to School

It is Back to School time already! The school supplies, the new shoes, and the clothes to wear—these are our main areas of focus when we think of back to school. But maybe this year can be different. Eating right and exercising daily is not only good for our children’s health and well-being it also affects their ability to learn.

Daily Exercise

Learning requires good nutrition and exercise

It is a known fact that daily exercise helps us with so much more than our physical body. Daily exercise helps with our stress levels, feelings of well-being, and clearing our minds of the day’s events. Our children need to have daily exercise. 

During the summer this is usually an easy thing to have happen. However, as soon as the school books open and the snow begins to fall, it can be all too easy to forget about how much exercise children need. Consider getting them involved in local children activity groups, school sports, off school sports, whatever your family can think of—the sky is the limit.

Some people think it is expensive to be involved in all of the activities and some are expensive, but you can also make money and get exercise. My two oldest grandsons work mowing lawns and herding chickens. They get an amazing amount of exercise and paid! Gardening can also bring financial results while teaching science and providing daily exercise. On top of all this they are involved with their church sports teams and more.  

Daily Nutrition

Be sure when you are sending your kids off to school this year that you truly understand nutrition and make choices that will help your children stay focused throughout the day. A lot of people have what I call a carbohydrate rich breakfast—cereal. More than likely you are not getting enough protein and dietary fat in the morning when they start the day. Consider getting up 5 minutes early and make eggs for breakfast! That’s all it takes to make an egg based breakfast—five minutes!

Lunch time has its challenges as well. Some kids have school lunches and others have school cafeterias or restaurant. There are so many choices and no supervision. Teaching kids why and how to choose wisely is important! Learn what you can about nutrients like dietary fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Each of them have their place in your child’s daily diet. I use the word diet as it is defined in Merriam Webster, “habitual nourishment.” Our kids need habitual nourishment in order to grow and learn.

Snacks are another area that we need to think about what is best for our kids. A well-balanced snack is a great segue to a good dinner. Try something like apples and peanut butter or mini tunafish salad sandwiches or fruit and cheese cubes.   

This School Year

So this year when we are all concerned about our back to school plans make sure that nutrition and exercise is a major part of back to school planning.

The US Government and the NFL have websites to help with ideas on nutrition and how to get 60 minutes of daily exercise for children into each day.  www.fueluptoplay60.com and www.letsmove.gov

Sherri Sue Fisher, author of TimerDiet and TimerOrganizer

Check blog.TimerOrganizer.com next week for Back to School ideas for organization

Do Not Exercise to Lose Weight!?

Do Not Exercise to Lose Weight!?

Haven’t we all been told we need to exercise—to lose weight? Or exercise to—stay in shape! Or exercise to—get our figures back? While these are all well intentioned statements they do not seem to really hold the key as to why we—MUST exercise!

Exercise for YOU!

We MUST Exercise

We really need to exercise for so many reasons, but to lose weight is really not one of them. I recently had gotten into a tiff with my sister and when I got off the phone the first thing I thought to do was to get on the treadmill and listen to my iPod! Why? Not to lose weight, not even because it was on my to do list for the day. But because I inherently know that when I am stressed that getting on the treadmill for 20–30 minutes will make me feel better. I don’t even need to sit down and look at my alternatives, I just go to the gym or walk around the block and try to clear my head (of the drama!! Sorry Sis!!)

Daily Exercise is Also a MUST

We often hear well-meaning people say to workout 3–4 times a week, as if that is some magic number to keep you in shape. But here is the number you want to go for “7”. Each day your body needs to move and lift and expend energy! Every day, not just a few times a week. Everything that is important to keep you alive needs to be done every day, think about it: brushing your teeth, eating, voiding your bladder and bowels, breathing…you get the idea. Exercise needs to be in the daily category, not the, “When I can fit it in category.”

When Should You NOT Exercise?

As always there are exceptions to every rule: If you are truly exhausted to the point that you could injure yourself (I recommend laying down in bed and lightly stretching—if you have never done stretching before, learn some basic stretches so that you are stretching properly), or if you are sick and need your rest (but again stretching may be an option…), and also if you are recovering from physical injury then of course ask your doctor what course of action to take when it comes to your physical exertion, but more than likely they want you up and going a little bit, too.

So Why NOT Exercise to Lose Weight?

Maybe I should have started with this, but then maybe not…the truth is: If you look at exercise as a way to lose weight you will have a tendency to consider exercise as a swap of calories for food. Meaning it would become all too easy to say, “I don’t have time to exercise today—I will just skip the latte or dessert.” No, no, no! You cannot swap out exercise for a reduction in eating! Ever, never, ever!!!

 
Sherri Sue Fisher, author of TimerDiet and soon to be released (in just days—really we are down to hours) TimerOrganizer

www.timerdiet.com

www.timerorganizer.com