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Optimum health requires a healthy diet combined with regular exercise. Scary words right? If you say that to your family they will probably look at you like your crazy. So don’t say that at all. Don’t say anything to them about the fact that you are going to help them get healthy.
One person is all it takes to get a whole family moving toward better health. You can hold a war with your family’s bad diet and sedentary habits without them ever knowing a battle has been fought. The key is you. By keeping their eyes on you they wont even realize their own lives changing for the better.
First, lets start with food. We all need food to live. The important thing to remember is that not all food is created equal. By evaluating what your family eats you can find out if they are getting the nutrition they need or just extra calories.
Start by being a good example. Examine your own diet habits to see where better decisions can be made. If your family sees you drinking soda, they are more likely to do so as well. On the other hand, if all you drink is water, milk, and juice, they are more likely to choose one of those healthy drink choices. Deciding to stop buying soda altogether will also benefit your family’s health as well as your wallet.
Get the junk out of house and replace it with better alternatives. Remove potato chips and dip, replace it with soy chips and salsa or low fat popcorn. Stop buying fruit snacks and replace them with grapes or craisins. If your family prefers only white bread make it %100 whole grain white bread. Don’t just take things away without replacing them with healthy alternatives. The idea is not to starve your family but to give them more nutritionally sound options.
The second part of helping your family get healthy is encouraging them to get off the couch and get moving. If you have small children take advantage of their fondness for playgrounds by playing with them. Do not be one of those parents that sit on a bench while their kids play. That playground equipment is great for working out. Play tag or follow the leader for 30 minutes using the playground equipment. You’ll all get your exercise for the day and have gotten to spend quality time together.
Get older kids excited by letting them invite their friends families on a hike through a state park, or to go biking. Other family friendly activities include bowling, swimming, basketball and mini golf. If your family is competitive take advantage by having races, push-up contest, or playing horseshoes or washers. Once you start, your family will start suggesting more things you can try.
By giving your family’s diet a boost and by making exercise fun and engaging, you will be ensuring that your children grow to be healthy and enjoy being active.