Technological advances have led to a life of leisure and one unfortunate result of this is that children spend more time with electronic devices, rather than playing outside and engaging in physical activities. So unplugging from electronic devices, and reintroducing your child and family to the great outdoors is a great way to get the whole family healthier while spending more time as a family.
Take the time to evaluate what your family is eating on a daily basis and find healthier substitutes that are just as tasty. You don't have to switch to a severely restrictive diet of vegetables, celery and rice cakes. You can find ways to adapt favorite recipes by cutting down on fat, substituting lower calorie ingredients and introducing healthier ingredients. Involving your children in these new recipes helps them feel as though they have a voice in the matter, rather than feeling that the changes are simply being forced upon them.
Cutting down on sweets does not mean that your house has to convert to a completely treat-free household. Healthy treats are available, such as fresh fruits, raisins, frozen banana slices and other healthier sweet snack options. Frozen yogurt and diluted fruit juice pops can also be lower calorie sweet treats. Let your children experiment with their own recipes to keep them interested in the process.
When it comes to family favorite meals, there are many options to making them healthier. You can cut down the amount of fat in them, choose leaner cuts of meat and add more vegetables to add flavor and substance without cutting portions. Also consider adding more salads as part of the meal, but beware of high calorie salad dressing which can be loaded with excess fat. There are many low fat or even no fat dressings available now. A low cal dressing can be a great way to get kids to eat more raw vegetables such as celery, carrot sticks and broccoli.
Cutting back on the amount of time that your child spends on the computer, watching television or otherwise interacting with electronic devices is a must. Set limits on the time your child can spend on these devices and introduce new activities that involve being outdoors or engaged in physical activities.
Not all video games are bad. There are many Wii games that emphasize physical activity and challenge your child to engage in strenuous activities, chart their progress, keep track of their calories burned and record weight loss. Such games can be fun for the whole family to be involved in and can motivate family members to make this a family activity where everyone interacts.
Athletic programs or even informal games are a great way to get your kids on the move. Invest in sports equipment to spark their interest and include the whole family in these activities. Spending active time with your children is a great way to demonstrate that you feel that getting healthier and more active is good for everyone in the family. Your family can spend time getting healthier, having fun and making memories.
Remember that the best way to get your children on board with a healthier lifestyle to lose weight is to approach it as a family issue. Have a family discussion about weight and health concerns and ask for their input and suggestions. By involving everyone as a part of the team, you will have less resistance and have more motivation on their part. Set goals as a family and then as a bonus, set a reward for the whole family to enjoy when you meet your goals. By doing this, you will see more participation and more enthusiasm for continuing on your path to success.
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