“Let's make our goal the raising of a generation of healthy young people who, through thoughtful participation in their world and sensible eating habits, will seek their best level of performance, develop it, and so build self-confidence through success."
Dr. Rob's Fitness Guide for Kids with Sensible Parents emphasizes that fitness in children is a family issue, and that parents and children need to work together if the children are to achieve optimal health and live a longer, more rewarding life. Because it is impossible to discuss fitness in children without addressing the increasingly important problem of childhood obesity, issues of maintaining or achieving optimal weight are integral every step along the way.
It's not just about food; it's about how kids and their families spend their time. Dr. Rob Gotlin sees sports and exercise as the route to physical, psychological, and social health. He coaches several children's teams, because he believes that participation in sports teaches kids basic coordination skills, the rules and how to play by them, thoughtfulness, concern for others, useful experiences in winning and losing, and the satisfaction of giving one's best for a joint goal, and offers a terific vehicle for attaining physical fitness and good health. These values are reflected throughout the book.
Special features of this book that make it a must-read for all parents include:
Fitness guidelines for kids of every age. Developing an exercise program is considered in the context of a child's age, and what can be expected at each age in terms of physical prowess and emotional response. At age 6, for example, the attention span is less than a minute, so games and sports should be about movement, not about "how to," emphasizing the development of fundamental motor skills. For the ten-to-twelve-year old, it's time to look for programs and classes that focus on developmental levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced) rather than chronological age.
Choosing the right sport for your child. The decline in physical education programs in elementary, middle, and high schools means that parents must supervise at least some sports participation for their children. The goal of every parent must be to help each child choose a sport or physical activity in which he or she will find both comfort and confidence.
Choosing the right equipment for every sport and at every age. For each sport, detailed information is provided about the equipment needed, what features to look for when purchasing equipment, and variables by the child's age – such as the proper length and weight of a baseball bat.
Healthy meal plans and sports menus that don't look like a diet. With dietician Toni Colarusso, the author created a regimen that will give kids what they need to start a lifetime of good eating habits. Each day's menu allows for substitutions with other foods that may be used depending on the child's preference—and what parents find in their fridge and on their shelves. Recipes and menu plans will be posted as downloadable files on the book's website, www.fitnessforkids.diamedicapub.com.
Menu planning linked to sports. A week's worth of menu planning is linked to each sport. These food plans can be mixed and mingled, while keeping the calorie count steady. Instead of asking kids to eat healthy food, they emphasize power foods, and relate power foods to sports, emphasizing to the child that the better she eats, the better her performance will be. What kid wouldn't be proud to be on the baseball diet? Or admit she's on the soccer diet?
Provides information on caloric needs for children of all ages and weights. Readers will...Download the book Dr. Rob's Guide to Raising Fit Kids: A Family-Centered Approach to Achieving Optimal Health for free or read online
