Healthy Living Tips
- Be more physically active in your daily routine. Try using the stairs instead of the elevator. Have a dance party with your family! Encourage the kids to get up and move around during a TV commercial break.
- Listen to your body. No one knows your body like you! Healthy physical activity is moving your body as much as you can without injury. Motivate and push each other as a family, but be careful not to do more than your body can handle.
- Set a tangible goal and monitor progress. Often times it is hard to get started with healthy activities. Set yourself a challenging, but not overwhelming, goal to accomplish. Set family goals, and work toward a fun family reward when you accomplish that goal!
- Drink plenty of water. You should drink eight glasses of water a day. Cut down on sugary drinks like soda and juice by replacing them with water. Make sure your kids are drinking more water than sugary drinks each day too.
- Eat a well-balanced diet. Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean meats in your daily diet. Kids need a balanced meal too. Get creative with their meals and they might not notice they are eating vegetables!
- Try to avoid sweets and processed foods. Processing foods eliminates the natural nutrients our bodies need, and unhealthy chemicals are added to the foods to maintain freshness or enhance color. Although colored snacks are fun for kids, try to stay away from artificial dyes in their food.
- Replace bad fats with good fats. Did you know that certain fats actually help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol? A few delicious examples of these essential fatty acids are nuts, avocados, and dark chocolate! Try serving the family a sweet snack of one large or two small chocolate covered strawberries!
- Find healthy cooking alternatives for your favorites dishes. Many times the way we cook our food is what makes it unhealthy, and there are healthy alternatives that still taste great. Learn some healthy cooking techniques that you can pass on to your children for a healthy future. Start by downloading the Healthy Food Alternative Option List and try adding a new flare to your recipes.
- Get plenty of sleep and rest. Our bodies need to reboot every night to keep us healthy. Lack of sleep upsets our hormones, causing all sorts of problems. Children need more sleep than adults. Make sure your kids get 10-12 hours of sleep a day so they can grow properly. Create a fun routine with choosing a favorite book to read before bedtime.
- Healthy families laugh together! Laughter brings joy, and a positive attitude will keep you living healthy and give your hormones a boost.
