How to Help Your Young Athlete Live a Healthy Lifestyle

If you have a child who participates in youth sports, you probably assume that he or she is pretty healthy. After all, your child is getting a lot of activity and exercise.

However, just playing a sport isn’t enough. Children need to be encouraged to live healthy overall lifestyles. This isn’t to say that you have to immediately cut out every junk food or change things up completely, but it is a good idea to make small, gradual changes to help your child live more healthily.

Add in More Fruits and Vegetables   

One simple thing you can do that can have a huge, positive impact on your young athlete’s life is to add in more fruits and vegetables.

Filling plates with colorful veggies, prepared in fun and appealing ways, instead of french fries or corn chips, and substituting sugary desserts for naturally sweet fruit are all great ways to work in several servings of veggies and fruit per day, all leading to a healthier child who will have increased energy during sports practices and games and just throughout the day in general.

Teach Kids About Nutrition

What should you do when your little athlete complains about what’s on his plate? Well, use it as the perfect time to teach your child about nutrition and the importance of eating healthy and striving to be healthy in general.

In fact, even if your little one doesn’t balk at the healthy foods you’re serving up more regularly, informing kids about good nutrition and health can go a long way toward making them want to make positive changes. Watch educational videos, check out a book from the library, or just talk to learn about health together.

These are just a couple of many ways in which you can encourage and help your child to live a healthier lifestyle. Baby steps is all it takes to embark on a much better way of life, one that will sustain and fuel your young athlete to success.