Many people these days find it difficult to eat in a healthy manner on a regular basis. With the prevalence of fast food on every street corner, the ease of at-home food delivery services, and choices in the supermarket that just need to be thrown into the microwave, it's easy to take the simple route and opt for one of these options for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. In addition to that, think of the variety of snacks that are also plastered in front of us everywhere we go.
Just one more way for us to gain weight by munching on these calorie packed treats while sitting on the couch at home.
If you know that you and the members of your family are eating in a detrimental manner, or have noticed a decrease in their activity level, then maybe you can be the one to inspire everyone to make a healthy lifestyle change. If you make it fun and entertaining, then everyone who you are trying to get involved will jump on board and get inspired about this new endeavor.
Here are some things to keep in mind.
Make It A Family Game/Challenge
Design a month long challenge for your family to give up fast food, soda, snacks or anything else that your family may splurge on. Name this activity something creative like The Johnson Challenge, or possibly relative to the month you are in such as The Magic of March.
To have even more involvement and enthusiasm, make it inviting by adding a cool prize at the end that everyone can enjoy. This will be relative to the age of your family members and their preferences, but it could simply be a trip to Golfland (miniature golf), or to the movies. Decide as a family before everything gets started so all are aware from day one what's at stake with this health challenge.
Make Health Visible
You want everyone to make wise healthy choices all throughout the day so get rid of the snacks that are not healthy and those that will not help your family move towards a healthier life. Make healthy options blatantly visible in your kitchen and home. Baskets of fruit, stacks of granola bars, carrot and celery slices, flavored rice cakes, etc..
Healthy Meal Group Planning
Let your family members partake in creating the healthy meals everyone will enjoy. Find a time when you can all sit together to plan out the healthy meals for the entire week. Let their voices be heard because if your kids or spouse have direct input in what is cooked, then they will feel more a part of what is going on and again be more enthused to participate.
Get Active With Your Family Members
Last but not least, get active with your family if you aren't already. Break the habit of simply sitting on the couch watching tv if this has been the predominate pastime in your household. Some simple, easy to start activities are walking around your neighborhood or biking around your area if it is safe and everyone knows how to ride a bike. Maybe roller skating or rollerblading can be also be an option.
You can even plan a trip to your local park or lake for a picnic and an afternoon of activities. You could play paddle ball, volleyball, fishing, lawn tennis, flying kites, horse shoes, boochie ball, frisbee throwing or frisbee golf. Do you see how fun and entertaining it can be to get your family out of the house doing activities and playing games?
Give each member of your household the opportunity to choose the game for a week and play it on certain days and times calling it Workout Hour or Family Play Time. Whatever name or label you give to this special active time to get everyone energized is what's important here
Final Thought
If you know for certain that you, your spouse, and possibly your children have become more complacent, less active, regardless of the reason, be the one to motivate a change. Just remember that the more input and involved you get everyone with the choices and decisions, the more enthusiasm everyone will give towards all of this.
Improving the health of all your family members, including yourself, is the number one priority so whatever it takes for this to happen should be at the top of your list.