Staying fit and healthy is one of the key priorities of all families. As it is the responsibilities of parents to show a positive behavior and teach healthy habits to their children, it’s not uncommon for families to have an unofficial fitness health plan. What is a fitness health plan? It’s a day-to-day strategy you deploy to help your family to avoid health risks, from keeping your immune system strong in winter – during the flu season – to ensure that you maintain a healthy weight – as weight gain can affect your heart health, among other things. But why is it unofficial?
More often than not, families don’t need to write that their plan. Millions of mothers and fathers simply try, day after day, to keep their families in the best possible shape, using common sense and popular vitamins. From not letting the kids go to school without a nutritious breakfast to signing up to the local gym, everyone has their own tips and preferences. However, there are some gray areas in the family plan that most people forget.
Everyone should stay active
The time of the year where people tend to let go of their good habits is during the holidays. Admittedly, the Christmas holidays are the worst, in terms of indulgence, but most vacations encourage relaxing and indulging. As a result, your family is less active and can develop unhealthy habits. Staying fit, even during the holidays, is a common effort. Make it a priority to plan fun activities – and get the kids involved in the planning process – so that nobody is left wondering whether to watch TV or play video games.
A bike ride to your favorite park is a great way of introducing some sports during your holiday, and for some extra fun, you can even turn it into a race. You can even download a fitness app and launch a daily challenge with your family, such as hitting a certain amount of steps during the day for example.
Healthy and better food for all
There’s someone most families forget when they think about their health and fitness, and it’s their beloved pet. Healthy food is not only something that exists for people, but your pet also needs the right nutrients for their body. TruDog FEED ME, for instance, proposes a revolutionary dog food transformation with frozen, dried food. Using only the best of ingredients, namely farm-fresh meat, the brand cuts off every additive, sugar, and fat to give your furry companion only the best of a healthy and organic diet.
You’ll find that your dog will prefer the real taste of meat, compared to processed tins. However, it can be more difficult to get your kids used to real, healthy food when they’ve grown an appetite for sugary and fatty food. It’s important to make healthy food available at home by stocking fruits and yogurt, while gradually removing the unhealthy snacks. You can help your child to change their food choices. Make sure your kids are helping packing their lunch boxes too so that they can get to understand what’s healthy and what isn’t.
Create active routines
How active are you on a normal day? Most people tend to count active days as days where they have scheduled time for a workout. But in reality, you need to introduce daily activities throughout the day. For instance, if you need to drive somewhere, why don’t you try to park a little further away to walk the rest of the way? Teach your kids to pick the stairs over the lift when possible so that you can develop good habits early. Finally, if you have a dog, make sure to walk it at least once a day, even if you let the dog play in the garden all day. As a rule of the thumb, you should walk your dog 15 minutes once to three times a day, depending on breeds and the age of your furry companion.
Reward positivity but not with cakes
The most common mistake in a family health plan is to choose to reward positive behavior with a treat. Food should not be used as a behavioral tool, either to punish or to reward as this can later develop negative habits. Most comfort eaters recall that food was often used as a payoff for something good. Consequently, they channel the positive feeling when they reach out for food in times of crisis. Instead, parents should create positive experiences as a way to reward their children. Why not take your kids to a concert, for example? Or you could plan a family getaway weekend to visit a new area.
In conclusion, make sure to create your healthy family guidelines for all members of the family, including your pets. And remember that children learn positive life habits from a young age, so make sure to get them use to healthy food and creative rewards.
