by Yvette Garfield

Childhood obesity is at an all time high in America as families are consuming more sugar and processed foods and moving less than ever before. Families can implement simple changes that will make a huge impact on their health. 

Celebrity trainer, Mari Pratt, offers parents several suggestions that they can incorporate into their routines to keep their families healthy and active:

1. Take the kids for a bike ride in your neighborhood while the parents walk or run.
2. Play at the park and create and fun obstacle course.
3. Take a study break by throwing the football, kicking soccer ball, or playing tag in the yard.
4. Hold the Family Olympics:  Let each family member represent a different country and create a race as to who can do the most sit-ups, pushups, jumping jacks in 1 minute intervals. For each week of the month, have the kids try to beat their previous scores.
5. Who can eat the least candy that week gets a prize.

Also, try cooking with healthier ingredients. Introducing ingredients like tofu and soy milk in smoothies is a great way to get children to enjoy them!

Recipe:
Year of the Monkey Mango Smoothie

Ingredients
6 ounces firm tofu
1 medium banana
1 mango
2/3 cups soy milk
1 tablespoon honey or agave
4 ice cubes
Tools
Cutting board
Knife
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Microplaner or grater
Blender
Tall drinking glasses

Instructions
1.  Drain the silken tofu to remove excess water. Place tofu in blender.
2.  Peel the banana and cut in half. Set aside.
3.  Peel the mango and then slice into pieces, while removing the seed.
4.  Place banana, mango, and soy milk into the blender with the tofu. Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds.
5.  Add the honey or agave and ice cubes and blend again until smooth.
6.  Pour into 2 tall drinking glass.

Enjoy!