Ok Mamas...I need some ideas so that our family can eat =] and stay healthier this year. It's not like I sit around all day and eat bon bons or let my kids constantly have candy...we could just be better. Another thing I want to try is less meat but I don't think I can totally cut it out at this point. My husband and I both grew up with "meat and potatoes" so to speak so we have to change our eating habits so we can help our kids too. What are some ideas or things you've implemented with your own family that are simple and easy to follow? Not just food and eating buth other things too...Thanks so much and Happy New Year!
I swim with my children once a week - just fun swimming. It's good exercise and fun times with the boys.
I don't allow so much fast food or candies to my baby. If every thing is in limit than we can enjoy every type of food. This is the best formula I always follow.
How about a walk around the block after dinner (weather and daylight permitting, of course)? Or a bike ride, snow shoeing?
A Y membership?
Food Network and the Cooking Channel have a few shows geared towards healthy eating, Ellie Krieger comes to mind. Maybe watch an episode as a family, look up the recipes on line, then make the meal together?
:)
My husband's company has a wellness program that we are both required to participate in. In all honesty, it really has provided some great tips for us to make subtle changes in our lifestyle. Like you, we don't sit around eating junk all the time (but we do have our days! Oh my!) but we could always work on making a better effort. Our downfall is not disliking healthful foods or not knowing how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Our problem falls in being unprepared and then grabbing whatever is convenient or easy. Neither my husband or I enjoy cooking all that much. I would much rather spend time baking which only adds another layer of problems to the mix. :-P
But anyway, one of the challenges with this wellness program was called 3-2-1 challenge and it was basically making a point to include 3 servings of veggies, 2 fruit servings and 1 grain serving per day in your diet. Each week when I go to the grocery store, I stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables. I bring the vegetables right home, clean them, cut them up and put in baggies. It has made it so much easier to grab them when we get hungry and munch on that instead of some sugary or salty processed snack. Even my kids (ages 4 and 2.5) will eat them. As for meats, I have always heard to eat a variety of white meats 4 times consecutively and then have red meat is moderate enough to maintain a healthy lifestyle without cutting out meat so much.
Also for exercise, we got an Xbox for Christmas and I agree Just Dance 3 is fantastic. My kids and I will get up and dance and before we know it we have danced for a half hour. Totally fun! We also like to take walks around our neighborhood and swim when the weather is nice. Find things that you enjoy doing even if it is just for twenty minutes! Sooner or later, you won't even realize you have made these habit changes!
HTH,
A.
For our family I have found that I keep a rule of fresh veggies, no canned or frozen, preferably hormone-free, free-range meat, no pre-fab drinks, only purified water and whole juices, hormone-free dairy, and try for oatmeal once at day. I also have found that juicing gets a ton of veggies in everyone's bodies with little effort. We try to juice at least 2 times per day and include both veggies and fruit in our juice.
The biggest rule is to try to always stay with fresh whole foods, no cans, no frozen, no boxed. My biggest hang up is salt and sugar. We are trying a salt-free and refined sugar-free new year and I am already finding it difficult and it is only the 3rd!
Good luck to you and great job watching out for the fam!
Love all these.
http://www.happyhealthymom.com/newsletters/Healthy-Family...
First, only make one or two small changes at a time, working towards the larger goal. For cutting down on meat, spaghetti without meat sauce is our go-to meal. And, instead of red meat, use chicken or pork. Also, instead of having a piece of meat with side dishes, make a casserole or soup, so you're eating less meat (chicken pot pie, stew, etc.). For physical activity, walk to/from school. Go to one new park/playground each week. Go hiking, bike riding (garage sales are great for bikes if you don't have them!). If you have Wii, Just Dance can get you sweating pretty good!
