Numerous studies have revealed that children are getting fatter and
their fitness levels are way down from what kids used to have in the
days before video games, surfing the Internet and unlimited junk food.
This is why so many kids are actually dieting these days. There is
another method to help them slim down.
Fitness centres solely for kids provide kids with the opportunity to get
and remain fit: “We do all kinds of stuff. We do strengthening,
kickboxing and everything,” said 11-year-old Shawn Garcia. The program
is called the Total Youth Fitness Center in Englewood, NJ. Kids do
cardiovascular training, weight training and abdominal and back
strengthening.
According to Carmen Madrigal of Total Youth Fitness, “It used to be that
we used to be able to go outside and play. It’s not like that anymore,
parents are afraid of the streets, and children have no place to play.
They’re more and more playing with their computers, watching TV, doing
nothing.”
This all translates into overweight kids, who then are at much greater
risk for developing diabetes – not to mention the risk of becoming
overweight adults with all of the heart, joint and other health risks
that can bring. Everything at the Englewood gym is designed for kids –
from the padded floor to the specially sized exercise machines. There
are even really small machines for the youngest exercisers. There are
different programs and classes, depending on what the child wants out of
his or her exercise experience.
Madrigal explains: “The goals range anywhere from increased ability in
the sport they’re playing to losing weight to becoming more nutrition
conscience to having fun.” Finally, the kids test themselves by seeing
how far they can climb the rock climbing wall.
Lynn Plumacher, 14, said, “I’m stronger because there’s a bench we have
and I couldn’t pick it up a few weeks ago, and now I can pick it up
without even putting it down.”
The lesson here is that kids are not going to be any more successful at
losing weight than adults are by simply dieting. Exercise is a
significant part of a healthy lifestyle.
Kids also become stronger, feel and look better, which all helps their
self-esteem, which is often a little shaky at this age. A long-term
benefit is that kids who exercise grow up to be adults who exercise.
