Don't leave your kiddos behind!

Take them with you on your healthy journey! Teach them that being fit is a byproduct of healthy living, not "dieting"

There is one excuse (for not getting healthy) I hear all of the time that just gets under my skin! Hiding behind the kids with, "But my kids won't eat that!", "But my kids would just die if there were no chips in the house", or my personal favorite,"But I don't have time to cook two meals, one for me and one for them."

Question: Why would you grill some chicken and put together a wonderful salad for yourself, and then deep fry some chicken fingers and make processed mac and cheese for your kids? Isn't this much like letting your kids play on the train tracks while you get out of the way of the oncoming train? Don't mean to be harsh...but think about it.

Young or old, kids are resilient. They'll adjust. They will whine and fight about it, but they will adjust. When working on your personal goals, keep your family in mind as well. When you eat "diet" foods and talk about being fat, it sends an unhealthy message to your kids about having to look a certain way. Instead, present it as a goal for a healthy family. Here are a few ideas to achieve a healthier household for all.


*Have a Family Meeting

~~ Talk about upcoming changes to the house hold
~~Don't overwhelm!! Set up weekly meetings to set new family goals (*Switch sugary cereals with oatmeal, hard eggs, or wheat pancakes frozen from the weekend * Add after dinner walks, bike rides, or a game of tag each night * Replace daily sugary treats in the house with a once a week dessert outing)
~~ Listen to your kids input. Really make them a part of the process
~~ As a family, make a list of fun, healthy foods to try
~~ Talk about menu changes for family meals and school lunches
~~ Let them research healthy food with you and make requests for the menu (smaller kids may really enjoy making a real family menu to use for meal planning)


*Meal Make Overs

~~ Meals to make over should include breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and treats
~~Make over one meal at time. Let it become habit before choosing the next meal to make over.
~~ Make meal make overs a family affair. Make the grocery list together and go to the store as a family (who ever is not on board will have to eat what everyone else chose)
~~ Remove Twinkies, HoHo's, Oreos, icecream, and sugary treats from your kitchen staples. Treats aren't treats if you eat them daily. Make these things treats that are enjoyed once in a while as a family and not what everyone is reaching for when the want a snack.


*Resistance is futile

~~ If you don't put it in the house, it's not there as a snack option. If you don't offer it for dinner, it's not a choice on the menu. Be fair and offer a few options at dinner. That way if they whine about chicken, they can have all the sweet potatoes and salad they'd like.
~~ Choices are so important to avoid power struggles.
Instead of, "What do you want in your school lunch this week?", give choices like, "Would you like apples or berries?" "Chicken salad on wheat, or Dad's chili in a Thermos?" "Milk, water, or tea?" This leaves no room for fruit snacks, soda, and cookies as the options to fight over.

These are just a few ideas to get started. Making the goal for a healthy family, instead of a skinny Mom, will send the right message and save your kiddos from the weight and health issues you've had to deal with.