fitness Archives - 3 Kids and Us

5 Reasons Kids Should Exercise

May 28, 2018 by admin

Keeping your children healthy and happy is one of the most important parts of a parent’s many jobs. It’s not always easy with so much temptation all around and so many sugary snacks and drinks, not to mention computers, tablets, and video games that make kids move around a lot less than they might normally do. Therefore, getting kids to exercise more is a great idea, and there are some good reasons why children should exercise.

They’ll Sleep Better

Children who are physically fit and healthy sleep much better than those who aren’t, and this is good for a variety of different reasons. The first is that getting enough sleep allows the body to re-set itself overnight, repairing any problems that it may have come across. When this happens, your child will wake up feeling healthy and energized, ready for the day ahead. Also, According to Daniel DeMoss, studies have shown that children waking up early tends to be smarter and get better grades. If they don’t get enough sleep, then these repairs won’t have time to take place, and throughout the day they will feel less able to get on with things. Their productivity and concentration levels will fall dramatically.

They’ll Help You

If your kids are out exercising then you can be too; in fact, if you can all play and get fit together, it can create a much stronger bond between you as well as giving you plenty of health benefits. If you are taking cholesterol medication, or medication for high blood pressure or other ailments then getting a good amount of exercise can help your condition, and working out with the kids will give you the boost you need to do it, and do it regularly.

They’ll Develop Healthy Habits

Children who get into a good routine of exercising regularly will develop healthy habits when it comes to fitness, and they will carry these on into adulthood. If they have children of their own, they will be able to pass these traits down so that another generation of children will grow into healthy, able adults.

They’ll Be Better Behaved

Studies have shown that getting outside and playing (so not even regimented exercise – running around with their friends can be good enough) improves the behavior of children, making them happier and friendlier with fewer anger issues. This could be because exercising like this is fun, and it produces hormones such as serotonin that combats stress, making them feel much calmer and happier in general. It could also be that they are concentrating on what they are doing and when they are finished they are tired, so they don’t want to be combative anymore. Whatever the actual reason, it’s a good way to keep the family dynamic strong.

They’ll Have A Better Immune System

When a child gets the right amount of exercise, it boosts their immune system making them less susceptible to illness. They won’t catch so many colds, for example, and their cuts and grazes will heal quicker. They will have lower blood pressure, and their weight will be controlled too, and this means they will be less likely to develop conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Plus, if they are outside, they will be getting more vitamin D which is essential for healthy bone growth.

4 ways to increase your energy levels

February 16, 2018 by admin

In order to make the most of every opportunity that life throws your way, it is vital that you have an enormous amount of energy to work with. Otherwise, you may find it difficult to stand out from your peers, push ahead with your plans, and ultimately achieve your goals. If you are currently concerned about your energy levels, don’t worry! It is never too late to take control. Below are four tips that will help you to do this.

Take plenty of breaks

Firstly, you need to make sure that you are taking plenty of breaks. This will prevent you from becoming overwhelmed by your daily duties and running yourself into the ground. If you are trying to strike the right balance between getting on with your day and taking some time for yourself, it is important that you have a list of suitable break time activities. For instance, you should visit Mt Baker Vape and explore their wide range of equipment. This will provide you with something fun and simple to enjoy during your breaks. You could also take a stroll outside or listen to your favourite playlist.

Work it out

You can also increase your energy levels by making an effort to get fit and active. Even if you struggle to get excited about exercise, there is sure to be an exercise activity that suits your interests. Perhaps you like to spend time with your friends and would benefit from a group workout session. Or, maybe you want to take in more fresh air and would enjoy going for a run in your local park. Whatever you decide, just make sure that your chosen activity is scheduled for a point in the day when your energy levels usually start to drop. This will help you to feel reinvigorated and ready for the challenges ahead.

Eat well

Another important step is to evaluate your diet and make sure that you are eating well. It is vital that you are following a balanced diet and getting all of the nutritional content you need. Ideally, you need to eat foods that will provide you with a slow release of energy throughout the day. You should also put together healthy snack boxes that you can keep in your bag or on your desk.

Enjoy a good night’s sleep

Finally, you need to make sure that you are enjoying a good night’s sleep. You can achieve this by establishing a strict bedtime routine. Firstly, you should switch off your technology and turn your phone to answer machine. Then, you should indulge in a relaxing bubble bath and change into comfortable clothing. Last but not least, you should unwind with some calming meditation or your favourite book. It is also vital that you go to bed at the same time every evening and set your alarm for the same time every morning. All of these steps will help you to achieve deep sleep and dramatically improve your energy levels.

Recharging Your Mom Batteries

November 20, 2017 by admin

From the moment you become a mom, it seems like your motor can never stop. It begins with midnight diapers and goes on to homework, soccer practice, band camp, and watching curfew. There is never time to slow down.

For the busy mom, it is important to figure out how to rebuild your stores of energy so that you can keep up with all the things your kids need you to do. That includes not just your physical energy but also your physical condition and your mental state. If you pay close attention to these, you’ll be able to maintain your Super Mom routine. If not, you’ll find yourself tired, frustrated, and irritable, and your family will suffer as well.

First, you’ll want to take care of your physical needs with your demanding schedule. As we age, things change with our bodies. Everything from our joints to our circulation isn’t what it used to be, so it is important to take care of those things. Therafirm offers a line of compression socks that does just that when you’re on the go, providing comfortable but stylish socks and stockings that will be easy on your body even as they make you look great.

Next, get some exercise. It may sound backwards to say that more activity creates more energy, but it’s true. In between all the commitments of school-age kids, find a time to load up and take a hike together. It can make an incredible difference in your mental state, and the exercise will help you lose weight, lower blood pressure, and feel more energetic for the rest of the day’s endeavors. As a bonus, it will help the kids go to bed earlier!

Speaking of sleeping, make sure that you get good rest too. Those hours are the times when you are least likely to be interrupted with the demands of parenting, so make the most of them. Invest in a good mattress will help you get the most hours of body-soothing sleep, helping you get up in the morning with the ability to pick up where the previous day left off. And as tempting as the bed may be for some catch-up time on social media, leave the screens alone until morning.

Another great strategy is to find a way to make a daily routine into something enjoyable. There is something about making those activities fun that takes the work out of doing work. Teach the kids how to do certain cleaning tasks, yard work, and even decoration, and then find a way to make a game of it. See if you can make a competition out of folding laundry or raking leaves. Not only will the kids help you get some work done, you will also have a different viewpoint on those daily needs that is a little more fun and a little less drudgery.

Finally, don’t forget to be an adult sometimes. We can get so caught up in all the essential activities of our kids that we neglect our adult lives. We lose touch with friends, costing us that adult interaction that we need. It is so important to come up for air once in a while, and you need adult time to do that.

Go out with friends. Go to a concert, a play, or a museum. Don’t go shopping; you’ll spend the whole time looking at things for your kids and you’ll miss the entire point.

Raising kids is a great responsibility. To keep up, we have to take care of our bodies and minds. Keep that perspective and you’ll find your stress levels will be lower and your happiness will be higher.

Getting Fit With Your Kids

November 10, 2017 by admin

Staying in shape is so important to a healthy life, and yet sometimes – more times than we’d like to admit – working out and exercising takes second priority. Everyone works so hard, hours are long, and downtime is precious. That’s why, when we want to spend time with our families, we don’t want to forsake them for the gym. What if you could do both, though? What if you could get fit and healthy and spend time with the kids? What if the kids benefitted too? Now wouldn’t that be awesome? Well, here are some ideas on how to do exactly that.

Get Outdoors

Getting fit and healthy doesn’t necessarily mean lifting weights or going for a run. You can take it pretty easy and still get some goodness into you. Going for a walk when you would have normally taken the car is a great start. Children spend a lot of time strapped into car seats, chugging along the road. Try something different and go exploring in your local neighborhood, or head out to the park and run around.

Join A Kid-Friendly Gym

If you do want to join a gym, do your research before picking the one that’s closest, or has the best deals. They might not be the best ones in the long term. There are gyms that are family friendly, and these are the ones you want to look out for. These gyms will have family days, with activities for everyone, or they might have kids’ classes which they can enjoy while you work out – afterwards, you can meet up for a healthy meal, and a debrief on how your various classes went! This is perfect for having a little bit of ‘me time’, which is something we all sometimes need. If you want complete solitude at the gym, don’t forget to find the best wireless headphones for working out so you can really enjoy it.

Another selling point can be whether the gym has a swimming pool – not only can this provide swimming lessons for younging children, but it’s also a great way to keep the whole family in check without it seeming like exercise!

Sports Night

For super busy moms and dads, organising a weekly sports night could be the answer to getting fit and spending time with your kids at the same time. It could be anything; you could even pick a new sport each week if that’s what you’re into. For the more competitive families you can tally up the scores and the monthly winner can get a prize. For those who prefer the taking part to the results, just go ahead and have fun. Swimming, tennis, soccer, baseball… there are dozens of sports to choose from, and all of them will make you feel healthier.

Around The House

You don’t even have to leave the house to get fit. Does the yard need tidying? Spend an hour out there with the kids and get it looking good. Working hard sweeping leaves or picking weeds is still exercise, even if it’s not a sport or a gym class. Washing cars, cleaning windows, walking the dog (okay, that one requires leaving the house, but you get the idea), anything and everything that means moving about is good. There will be a huge sense of achievement when the jobs are done, at which point you can reward yourself – and the kids – with a movie, a video game, or whatever else makes you all happy.

Recognising the Signs of Mental Health in Young People

September 21, 2017 by admin

A recent study has revealed that 1 in 10 children, between the ages of 5-16 suffer from a mental health condition. This is a shocking statistic, and equates to around 3 children in every classroom. If this is true, then why aren’t we doing more to help?

The truth is that so many of us are unable to differentiate between bad behaviour or young age and potential mental health problems. We need to take it upon ourselves to familiarise ourselves with the conditions and signs and set into motion a support system for those who need us.

So many children are being left undiagnosed and untreated, so whether you’re a caregiver, parent, foster parent or teacher, it’s important to be able to help these children out.

This infographic was created by www.lorimerfostering.com

Changes in behaviour:

It’s completely natural for children to push the boundaries and your patience when they are growing up, this is part of the learning process. When you say no, it can often be difficult to process and accept, which leads to acting out, this is completely normal. There is a real difference between learning right and wrong and how to behave correctly, and those who suffer from behavioural problems or other mental illnesses. Acting out can be a learning stage, which is nothing more than a passing phase; whereas if a child continuously acts out and misbehaves, with no real impact when reprimanded, then this is a big red flag.

If a child’s behaviour changes drastically, or they seem out of control, then it’s in their best interest to seek advice from a medical professional. Some of the most common symptoms are being aggressive, fighting with other children, and continuously trying to distract people at school. As a parent, it can be equally frustrating to be making no progress and to continually have to deal with a child who misbehaves, but it’s necessary to remain strong and to empathise with how your child is feeling.

Recognise the signs:

The signs can often be staring you in the face, but as this is new territory, it can be easy to dismiss them. It’s obviously easier to be able to recognise any sign with your own child, as the way they think, act and behave, is ingrained into you. Whether you’re a teacher, a child minder, or you have decided to foster a child, then it can be less apparent and it’s easier to dismiss the signs. If these symptoms of mental illness seem familiar to you, then you must ask your child about their feelings and behaviour and make them feel safe, understood and that you are there to help.

What to do next:

Educate yourself: Make sure that you are fully educated about the warning signs and ways to help people who suffer from mental health before you start to try and educate others. In order for you to be able to correctly communicate with the child’s caregivers or mental health professionals, or even to be able to help and child understand themselves, it’s important for you to be aware of the correct terms to use, what symptoms to look out for, the possible causes and also how to act.

Create awareness: By building up awareness of mental health around a school, at a social club, play group or any other place, you reduce the stigma attached to it. This means that students and children will be more likely to open up and come to terms with their feelings. Creating a safe space where feelings and troubles can be discussed, will mean that a child is more likely to open up about a subject. This is also a good way of introducing the symptoms to children so they themselves can become aware of symptoms and even recognise them themselves.

Speaking with a child: If you recognise any of the warning signs of mental illness within a child, whether they are your own or one of your students etc. it could be beneficial keep a diary of their symptoms, to ensure that they are. Having a record will allow you to spot any trends, show the reasons that have led you to believe there may be a problem, and that you haven’t just jumped to conclusions. Remember to be positive by reiterating things they’ve achieved and positive qualities before discussing your concerns. It’s also very important not to label them with any terms that could indicate a diagnosis, and instead stick to the symptoms.

Speak to someone: You need to take time to stop and think about how this is affecting you. Although the child in question and their family will be going through a stressful time, you are also likely to put a lot of strain on yourself. Rather than concealing your feelings or thoughts it’s a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional, who will be able to help diagnose or rule out any potential conditions.