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Reduce Screen Time
Area Fitness Programs
Just for Kids
Lifestyle Programs
 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta offers
Fit Kids, a six-week “lifestyle makeover”
for overweight kids and their families. The
class guides families in developing
healthier eating habits, increasing physical
activity and building self-esteem. Fit Kids
is designed to promote lasting lifestyle
changes that will enhance health for
everyone in the family. Launched in 1996,
the Fit Kids program has served over 700
families. 404-785-7236 or www.choa.org
Emory University’s Let’s Get Fit, Kids!
program was created to help urban,
African-American children ages 7 to 11 who
are obese or at risk for becoming obese to
achieve a healthier body weight. The program
is aimed at helping families make lifestyle
changes in eating fewer high-fat, high-sugar
foods, spending more time being active, and
spending less time watching TV, playing
video games and surfing the Internet.
Started in January 2006, the program is
offered at two Grady Neighborhood health
centers, Emory Family Medicine Clinic in
South DeKalb, and several private practices
in the south metro area. www.whsc.emory.edu
Fitness/Behavior Training
Fit Kids Training Company specializes in
helping overweight and inactive children, as
well as children facing emotional and
physical barriers, to exercise in an
individualized program. www.fitkidstrainingcompany.com
Atlanta Falcon’s football player Allen Rossum created
Allen Rossum’s Healthy Kids
Klub to combat juvenile obesity. The club’s
Mobile Fitness
4 Kids program helps kids learn the
importance of
leading healthy, productive lives through
physical activity and nutritious meals and
snacks. Rossum
takes this initiative on the road to
Atlanta-area
churches, YMCAs and other community-based
organizations. www.rossumshealthykids.org
The Flourishing Life has set out to
improve the lives of individuals and
families in every area. It is focused on
helping children and parents reach their
fullest potential. Its star program, reBOOT,
a 4- or 8-week adventure, starts by taking
people out of their comfort zone. Each
fitness program is designed with the
exerciser in mind, catering each workout to
that specific level, and encouraging
individuals to reach their potential and
personal best. www.theflourishinglife.com
Above All FItness offers individualized
programs for teens that are in need of
becoming more fit or have a sports
background. www.aboveallfitness.com
Fitness Destinations for Kids
Imagym. Provides resistance equipment
designed to fit kids, along with exercise
classes, sports training and more for ages
6 months-12 years. 227 Sandy Springs Pl. NE,
Suite 356, Atlanta. 404-843-3481 or
www.imagym.com
Sweatz. A gym for kids with various
programs to increase flexibility and
strength. 500 Lanier Ave., Fayetteville.
678-817-7778.
YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta.
More than 25 branches throughout the
metro area with various kids’ fitness
programs. www.ymcaatlanta.org
Gymboree. Seven Atlanta locations.
www.gymboree.com or 866-355-4769.
The Little Gym. 11 Atlanta locations.
www.thelittlegym.com
My Gym. Five Atlanta locations.
www.my-gym.com
Yoga & Pilates
Banzai Funspace.Ages 3-11; $80/six weeks
1530 DeKalb Ave., Atlanta. 404-524-4521
www.banzaifunspace.com
Kashi Atlanta. Ages 6 and up; $14/class
1681 McLendon Ave., Atlanta.
404-687-3353. www.kashiatlanta.org
Studio Lotus.
Ages 7-13 (Joe Jr. Pilates);
6 sessions/$150.
Two locations: Atlanta and Marietta.404-817-0900. www.studiolotus.com
The average child spends about 20 hours
or more per week watching TV, playing video
games and surfing the Web, according to
research from the AC Nielsen Co.
Whether it’s sitting at school or sitting
in front of a “screen” at home, American
children are spending a lot of time each day
being still. This sedentary behavior is
adding to the childhood obesity problem.
“The idea is just to get kids moving,”
says Seema Csukas, director of child health
promotion at Children’s Healthcare of
Atlanta. “Even indoors, kids can do jumping
jacks. It is about being active and getting
away from sedentary activity.” Csukas
suggests trading TV viewing time with a
planned activity for the same duration.
“The things my son is good at are more
sedentary,” says Norton, whose 9-year-old
son, Ben, prefers drawing or playing video
games.
The American Academy of Pediatrics
encourages parents to limit a child’s total
screen time to no more than two hours per
day, as well as remove TV sets from kids’
bedrooms. The National Kids Study, conducted
by Experian Simmons, a research firm
specializing in American consumerism,
revealed last fall that of American kids
ages 6-11, 54 percent have televisions and
19 percent have computers in their bedrooms.
“Don’t impose on your children something
that you will not do yourself,” says
Miller-Kovach. “Yanking the TV out of kids’
rooms means parents need to do the same.”
Experts agree that role modeling is
essential both in nutritional choices and
physical activity. To beat obesity, families
should choose more physical activities
together. For families who must have TV, try
more activity while watching. Stretching,
lifting weights, doing yoga or following an
exercise video can fulfill physical activity
while getting in screen time.
Small Changes, Big Difference
Norton is finding some ways to encourage
her kids to be more active. Earning stars
for riding a bike or being active gets her
kids excited about their reward.
In the Norton household, they’ve
instituted a “no sitting while playing” rule
when playing video games. They own the Wii –
a Nintendo gaming system – that offers more
physical interactivity by using a handheld
controller to play games like tennis,
boxing, baseball and bowling, which usually
keeps her sons involved, says Norton.
Our world today is much different from
the one most parents grew up knowing. We may
have fewer safe playgrounds and parks to
take our kids to, less opportunities for our
children to wander safely about the
neighborhood to play, and as parents, far
less time to spend with our kids doing
physical activities together.
The popularity of television, video games
and the Internet are all contributing to an
increasingly sedentary lifestyle for kids.
In the end, it’s all about the health of our
children. Exercise can prevent illness and
improve mental function for academic
success, adds Csukas.
So what can parents do? Find new, fun and
creative ways to increase physical activity
in their children’s lives. Experts agree: We
need to take small steps. Spend time as a
family doing fun activities with a physical
component. Rake the leaves and jump in. You
know your kids want you to.
Fun Fitness DVDs
Here’s a way to allow some screen time,
while getting your kids moving.
A new exercise program for children called
the Brain-Muscle Workout engages the
body in balance and coordination challenges,
using 35 muscles at the same time. Created
by fitness expert Michael Gonzalez-Wallace,
the set of 30-minute workout DVDs helps to
improve the balance, coordination and
academic achievement of young adults and
children. $19.95;
www.thebrainmuscleworkout.com
Eyelearner.com has also created a set of
three DVDs that get kids up, working out,
sweating and smiling. Two hip-hop dance DVDs
are designed for kids ages 5-8 and 8-12. A
non-competitive Get Strong 101 DVD
teaches 101 exercises focused on strength
and conditioning for kids ages 9 and up.
$21.95 each; www.eyelearner.com
Straight from Discovery Kids comes Hi-5’s
Move Your Body DVD. The 45-minute show
with nonstop action and music gets kids
moving and singing. From surfing and
swimming to hiking and marching, the Hi-5
gang simply teaches kids to love to move.
$14.99; www.Hi-5us.com
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