Tips for keeping kids active and healthy during holidays

As if keeping children fit and trim isn't challenging enough, now you have dreams of dancing sugar plums to contend with. n But helping the tykes get through the holidays without developing bellies like bowls full of jelly will involve more than just keeping tabs on the sweets and treats of the season.

That's because children's physical fitness bottoms out this time of year, making it all the more difficult for them to burn off those extra Christmas cookie calories.

But it's not been too hard for Tyler Gholson or Hunter Teegarden, both 10, to stay active. The pair played hockey, ran relay races and climbed the rock wall at Main Street Fitness Center in Jackson during a two-day winter camp.

"We did laps and some kick-boxing," Gholson said.

About 40 children attended each day of the camp, and the goal is to show them that even indoor activities can be good exercise, said Millie Aufdenberg, fitness instructor.

"We've done this for a couple of years so it gives them something to do" when they're on break from school, she said.

They start the camp by warming up their muscles. "They know what muscles we're working and they know their food groups," Aufdenberg said.

But most children burn only half as many calories in winter as they do in summer, says Dr. Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise.

So how is a parent to handle December's seemingly endless buffet of candy canes and gingerbread men?

It's all a matter of balance between calories in and calories out.

First, the calories going in. Health officials say the average child and teenage girl should eat about 2,200 calories a day. Teenage boys should get 2,800. But try not too obsess too much about the numbers.

It's more important to set a positive tone about food, says Lisa Young, a professor of nutrition at New York University who specializes in diet counseling for children. Parents who demonize food sabotage their children's efforts at healthy eating.

"You don't want to set up a whole negative persona about food," she said. "The whole issue of food becomes good or bad, and then the kid becomes good or bad because they ate the food."

Young instead urges parents to set a tone of moderation that includes clear expectations. For example, tell the children it's fine to indulge, but that they should eat only one dessert per holiday event.

And be sure to make it clear when indulgence is and is not allowed. Treats at parties and special events are fine, but discourage random sweets at home. Don't keep them in the house, even as decorations.

Young also suggests keeping children away from the empty calories of sugary drinks. Keep those calories for cookies, cakes and pies, which are more likely to leave the children satisfied.

When it comes to parties, avoid setting out platters of goodies, which encourage eating to excess, says Ellen Carroll, a spokeswoman and food development director at Cooking Light magazine.

Instead, give each child a party favor bag with individual portions of good and not-so-good treats. Alternatively, set out platters of healthy treats, but serve only individual portions of sweets.

Children also never should be sent to a party hungry. Give them a healthy snack before they leave the house.

Carroll says routine can help, too. The empty days of Christmas vacation can lend themselves to all-day snacking. Combat that by setting and sticking to a schedule of meals and snacks.

Even with these precautions, it's best to accept that children will eat more than normal during the coming weeks. That brings us to how to handle -- and increase -- the number of calories going out.

Rather than obsess over every morsel your child eats, especially if you've made reasonable efforts to foster moderation, encourage more physical activity to burn up those extra calories.

Rule No. 1: Never use food as the focus of any children's event. Instead of a pizza party, have a bowling or craft party. That puts the focus on activity, not edibles.

Rule No. 2: Set the right example. If you expect your children to be active, you'll need to be active, too.

"We as parents tend to look at it as little down time," said Bryant. "We're just as guilty as the children of sitting in front of the television." But none of this means packing your children off to the gym every day. And while a day on the ski slopes or at the skating rink is great, fitness can be plain old fun and games, too.

Any activity, from playing Simon Says to building pillow forts in the living room, counts in terms of burning calories.

Activity also can be meaningful. Carroll suggests bringing children to a homeless shelter or other charitable event where they can help out and start holiday traditions that aren't food-centered.

"Kids are so full of energy this time of year that you've got to do something to redirect that energy to take some of the emphasis off the holiday treats," she said.

Features editor Laura Johnston contributed to this report.