it is sad that it seems like the majority of people are unsatisfied with their bodies and this is showing up in an ever earlier age. little girls with pigtails shouldn't be worried about a belly pouch for goodness sake! but that's the truth and it sticks with these girls, and boys too for that matter, until they are adults who are concerned not only with the belly but the gut, thighs, jiggly arms and more. at a time when so many people are in fact overweight or obese there does need to be action to get them to slim down but at the same time it is a delicate situation to bring up. this is especially true for youngsters growing up as you don't want to touch on an already hypersensitive subject.

it is a fact that being involved in sports and being active naturally bolsters children's self-esteem and promotes a more healthy body image regardless of the person's actual size. there is a degree of confidence in achieving various fitness goals and that parlays into other areas of one's life; this is true whether you are one or one hundred and thus adults can take this to heart as well...it's never too late to become fitness fan. sadly today so many kids are lacking in this area; whether it be there aren't any organized teams, the school programs are cut, or parents are too busy, today's children are missing out on a chance to get active and it is doing more than making them plumper it is also setting them up for lower self-esteem and poor body image.

you will naturally lose weight and feel better through exercise and getting kids involved and moving around is the perfect way to get fit (and doing it as a family is even better!) but you don't necessarily ever need to broach the topic directly. when i was growing up my parents encouraged me to be in sports throughout the year and they came out and cheered (but not in the overly pushy manner) and i loved being with my friends. i didn't consciously know i was 'working out' but instead just having a good time...and that's what exercise should be. having the family go out on a walk together after dinner was the perfect guise my parents had if they noticed we had all overindulged the last week on vacation hitting the buffets in Las Vegas, but they never said that outright. growing up my parents didn't talk of diets, having to lose X number of pounds, and i didn't even know what a calorie was until i was in 8th grade. i think what is hard today is that exercise is viewed as a loathsome task and only a means to lose weight when instead it should be something you want to do and take pleasure in.

putting the fun back in working out and being physical is something instrumental in helping us fight the battle of the bulge. don't focus so much on doing it to fit into that bikini but instead to be healthy both mentally and physically, a chance to find a sport your enjoy, and then passing that on to the younger generations. get those kids involved and if there aren't sports team in your area take the whole family out to the park for a game of soccer, go out for a bike, or sign up for an upcoming local race. this will spur a little competitive spirit as well and works as excellent motivation to stick with it. with summer just around the corner getting outside and enjoying the beautiful day while breaking a sweat is an excellent way to kick off a new appreciate of fitness.