This program is only intended for people who are serious about achieving their fitness goals and wanted to be there yesterday.

Exercise and fitness are important for all children and youth. Fitness for children and youth includes resistance training (also called weight or strength training), cardiovascular training, and flexibility.

Don’t we wish sometimes that kids were miniature adults? Well the reality of the situation that we are all aware of is that they’re not! The reasons that youth engage in physical activity differ from why adults do.

Like adults, children should be physically active most, if not all, days of the week.
Children’s fitness is quickly becoming one of the hot topics of the new century.
As children spend more time watching TV and playing computer and video games, they spend less time being active. Parents should play a big role in their children’s fitness and helping their kids get up and get moving.

Because children grow at different rates at different times, it's not always easy to tell if a child is overweight. For example, it is normal for boys to have a growth spurt in weight and catch up in height later. Your health care provider can measure your child's height and weight and tell you if your child is in a healthy range for his or her gender and age. If your provider finds that your child is overweight, you can help.

Tips for Parents on Children’s Fitness

• Make sure your child eats breakfast. Breakfast provides children with the energy they need to listen and learn in school.
• Offer your child a wide variety of foods, such as grains, vegetables and fruits, low-fat dairy products, and lean meat or beans.
• Talk with your health care provider if you are concerned about your child's eating habits or weight.
• Cook with less fat—bake, roast, or poach foods instead of frying.
• Limit the amount of added sugar in your child's diet. Serve water or low-fat milk more often than sugar-sweetened sodas and fruit-flavored drinks.
• Involve your child in planning and preparing meals. Children may be more willing to eat the dishes they help fix.
• Be a role model for your children. If they see you being physically active and having fun, they are more likely to be active and stay active throughout their lives.
• Encourage your child to be active everyday.
• Involve the whole family in activities like hiking, biking, dancing, basketball, or roller skating.