Read Online Phil Parham by The Amazing Fitness Adventure for Your Kids - Free Book Online

cups
 
Boys 9–13 years old
2½ cups
 
Boys 14–18 years old
3 cups
 
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FRUITS
Daily Recommendation
Children 2–3 years old
1 cup
 
Children 4–8 years old
1 to 1½ cups
 
Girls 9–13 years old
1½ cups
 
Girls 14–18 years old
1½ cups
 
Boys 9–13 years old
1½ cups
 
Boys 14–18 years old
2 cups
 
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MILK
Daily Recommendation
Children 2–3 years old
2 cups
 
Children 4–8 years old
2 cups
 
Girls 9–13 years old
3 cups
 
Girls 14–18 years old
3 cups
 
Boys 9–13 years old
3 cups
 
Boys 14–18 years old
3 cups
 
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MEAT AND BEANS
Daily Recommendation
Children 2–3 years old
2-ounce equivalents
 
Children 4–8 years old
3–4-ounce equivalents
 
Girls 9–13 years old
5-ounce equivalents
 
Girls 14–18 years old
5-ounce equivalents
 
Boys 9–13 years old
5-ounce equivalents
 
Boys 14–18 years old
6-ounce equivalents
 
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Tips for Success
    Drink Your Water
    Water is a vital component of good health because much of our bodies consist of it. If we don’t drink enough, we become dehydrated and can get a whole slew of health problems. Here are a few of the reasons you and your family should be drinking more water:
    â€¢ Keeps your energy up
    â€¢ Keeps your weight down
    â€¢ Removes waste and eliminates toxins
    â€¢ Helps carry nutrients and oxygen to cells
    â€¢ Cushions joints
    â€¢ Helps body absorb nutrients
    â€¢ Hydrates skin and hair
    â€¢ Regulates body temperature
    How much water is enough? Adults need to drink half their body’s weight in ounces of water each day. So if you weigh 200 pounds, you should be drinking 100 ounces of water. For children, there isn’t any magic number. Most experts suggest 6–8 ounces of water and more than that if they are playing or exercising hard.
    Drinking water is a challenge for many kids because they prefer soda or other sugary drinks instead. (We’ll talk more about the dangers of soda later in this chapter.) When Amy and I got back from the ranch, we got rid of all the soda in the house; now the only beverages we regularly stock are water and milk. We occasionally allow some fruit drinks such as apple, orange, or grape, but we make sure the sugar content is low or that it is 100-percent juice (no added sugar). We often tell our kids to drink equal parts fruit juice and water to cut down on the sugar content.
    When we eliminated soda from our house, our boys complained like you wouldn’t believe. Amy and I jokingly refer to our “soda ban” as ripping off a Band-Aid. One day the soda was just not available to our kids, and they couldn’t do a thing about it. It took several months for them to quit whining about not being able to drink soda, but finally they developed a taste for water. After a year, they started using such words as dehydration and saying they needed more water.
    Bring on the Fiber
    Fiber is a nutrient we don’t often talk about but is wildly important to our bodies. Fiber refers to carbohydrates that cannot be digested. It’s present in all plants that are eaten for food, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.
    Fiber benefits us in several ways:
    â€¢ Curbs overeating because it fills us up.
    â€¢ Steadies blood-sugar levels.
    â€¢ Slows down fat absorption.
    â€¢ Reduces cholesterol.
    â€¢ Promotes bowel regularity.
    Keep in mind that not all fiber is the same. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble, and they affect your body in different ways. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the intestine and slows the rate of glucose digestion and absorption in the bloodstream. Insoluble fiber adds bulk and softness to your stool and aids elimination.
    The best sources of soluble fiber are:
    â€¢ oat bran
    â€¢ kidney beans
    â€¢ lentils
    â€¢ sweet potatoes
    â€¢ oranges
    â€¢ broccoli
    â€¢ pears
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