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Mentor, Inspire, Encourage.
Mentor. Inspire. Encourage.
These are three words I hope to bring to everyone that crosses my platform and I bring into my life.
Through this platform and social media, I met Dana Kaye, owner of Devotion Nutrition, and she brought me under her wings and into her family. In part, I think the universe brought us together for so many reasons outside of fitness and Devotion Nutrition.
Through Dana, I have learned SO much about myself and continue to do so… but I was also introduced to Dana’s daughter, Bijou; a little girl who I see myself in, so much so that we have a very strong connection.
If you have followed Dana on instagram (@danalynnkaye) for any length of time, she has been very open with the struggles she faces with Bijou’s weight. Bijou also happens to be a twin with a sister who is the complete opposite, very petite and slender. I have walked Bijou’s path. I, too, was the biggest girl in the class with a sibling who never struggled for a second with his weight.
I blossomed first in my class.
I was always a big kid.
I understand Bijou and I feel for her.
Even with all of the great habits Dana instills in all her children to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle, Bijou, like myself, is pre-dispositioned to being a bigger kid. She will have to work hard her entire life to NOT be obese. That is daunting and hard.
Something that we don’t talk about enough is childhood obesity and the impact that has on our younger generations.
The change must start with US.
Let’s begin by putting great practices in place, practices that Bijou learns everyday.
First and foremost we must lay the path for our kids by changing our own processes.
The childhood obesity epidemic in the US continues to rise year after year.
We ALL can have our hand in changing this trajectory.
One family at a time.
The rate of childhood and adolescent obesity has tripled since 1978, wherein rates have gone from 5% to 19.3% as of 2020 affecting 14.4 million children and adolescents (CDC, 2020). Children, 8-12, spend an average of 4-6 hours per day on screen time, therefore childhood obesity rates are projected to continue to rise, and at an alarming rate (AACAP, 2021).
Let’s act now and help our youth the best way we can!
References:
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). (2021). Screen Time and Children. Retrieved from https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-And-Watching-TV-054.aspx
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). Early Childcare and Education Obesity Prevention Program. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/ece-obesity-prevention-program.html
These are three words I hope to bring to everyone that crosses my platform and I bring into my life.
Through this platform and social media, I met Dana Kaye, owner of Devotion Nutrition, and she brought me under her wings and into her family. In part, I think the universe brought us together for so many reasons outside of fitness and Devotion Nutrition.
Through Dana, I have learned SO much about myself and continue to do so… but I was also introduced to Dana’s daughter, Bijou; a little girl who I see myself in, so much so that we have a very strong connection.
If you have followed Dana on instagram (@danalynnkaye) for any length of time, she has been very open with the struggles she faces with Bijou’s weight. Bijou also happens to be a twin with a sister who is the complete opposite, very petite and slender. I have walked Bijou’s path. I, too, was the biggest girl in the class with a sibling who never struggled for a second with his weight.
I blossomed first in my class.
I was always a big kid.
I understand Bijou and I feel for her.
Even with all of the great habits Dana instills in all her children to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle, Bijou, like myself, is pre-dispositioned to being a bigger kid. She will have to work hard her entire life to NOT be obese. That is daunting and hard.
Something that we don’t talk about enough is childhood obesity and the impact that has on our younger generations.
The change must start with US.
Let’s begin by putting great practices in place, practices that Bijou learns everyday.
- getting off electronic devices & playing outside with friends
- encouraging children to find joy in something that keeps them active: sports, dance, bike riding, jump booting
- cooking with our children, teaching them how to pack their own lunch and what a healthy & nutritious plate looks like
- saying NO to sugary beverages
- using Devotion recipes to help the sweet tooth
- setting step goals and using a reward system that is not linked to food in anyway
First and foremost we must lay the path for our kids by changing our own processes.
The childhood obesity epidemic in the US continues to rise year after year.
We ALL can have our hand in changing this trajectory.
One family at a time.
The rate of childhood and adolescent obesity has tripled since 1978, wherein rates have gone from 5% to 19.3% as of 2020 affecting 14.4 million children and adolescents (CDC, 2020). Children, 8-12, spend an average of 4-6 hours per day on screen time, therefore childhood obesity rates are projected to continue to rise, and at an alarming rate (AACAP, 2021).
Let’s act now and help our youth the best way we can!
References:
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). (2021). Screen Time and Children. Retrieved from https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-And-Watching-TV-054.aspx
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). Early Childcare and Education Obesity Prevention Program. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/ece-obesity-prevention-program.html