Healthy tips from First Lady Michelle Obama and her “Let’s Move!” campaign

by Brittany Anas · March 6, 2013

By Brittany Anas

Over the decades, our nation’s First Ladies have enthusiastically been at the center of campaigns aimed at bettering the country for children and teens and using their roles to advance causes they believe to be significant.

From 1933 to 1945, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt fought for civil and women’s rights. Nancy Reagan in the mid-1980’s was an advocate for the “Just Say No” to drugs campaign. Barbara Bush was all about literacy.

Michelle Obama, though, says the biggest challenge facing the youth of today is obesity. Nearly one-third of our nation’s children and adolescents are obese. Three years ago she started the “Let’s Move” campaign that gives us a good serving of health and fitness tips, and she’s also been a proponent of community gardens. Earlier this week, she took her heath and fitness platform to the next level, participating in a “fireside hangout” on Google+, joined by Kelly Ripa.

The FLOTUS’s super-toned arms are enough for us to buy in to her campaign. One of our favorite features: The “Let’s Move” grocery list that helps plan healthy meals.

Here are simple healthy-living tips from the First Lady and her Let’s Move campaign:

• For Kids

– Sample apples — whether it be granny smith, fuji, gala or honey crisp. Did you know there are more than 7,500 varieties of apples worldwide?
– Instead of a sugary drink, use a blender to mix up real fruit juices, fruit, ice and low-fat yogurt for a fruit shake.
– If you’re watching television, do jumping jacks, stretch or dance during commercial breaks.
– Go grocery shopping with your parents and help make dinner to learn about healthy choices.

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• For Parents

– Take a walk with your family after dinner.
– Plan a menu for the week. Need help finding healthy meals? Click here for healthy recipe ideas from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
– Keep fresh fruits and veggies in a bowl that’s well within reach of your children so that they can snack in a healthy way.
– Like to cook with your kiddos? Check out “Sesame Street’s ‘C’ is for Cooking” book from Amazon.

• For Schools

– Incorporate physical fitness into the curriculum. For example, science classes can take a walk outside to observe ecology first-hand. Ask younger students to act out action words from a story.
– Plant a school garden. Here’s a checklist for how to get started.
– Make sure school vending machines are full of healthy options.

(Need gardening supplies? Click here for coupons to Garden.com).

(PHOTOS COURTESY OF WHITEHOUSE.GOV)