Keeping yourself and your family healthy is an important goal, but not always an easy one to achieve. Here are a few tips, suggestions and observations to help you in your pursuit of a healthy and happy family.
Don’t be the Diet Police
Making comments about your son’s or daughter’s food choices, food habits, snacking options, portion sizes or anything else can lead to World War III. Don’t say, “Are you sure you want to eat that?” or, “That’s pretty high in calories, isn’t it?” Comments like these are not supportive they merely undermine your child’s confidence. Try having healthy foods available, eating healthy foods yourself, and showing support when family members actually eat healthier foods.
Shape Your Food
Make the food look good by presenting it in familiar, fun shapes.
Eat Healthy Meals Together
Research shows that sitting down at the table (no TV) and eating meals as a family increases the likelihood that your family will eat more fruits and vegetables, and decreases the consumption of unhealthy foods (e.g., soda).
Use Spices to Prepare Your Healthy Foods
Enhance taste by using spices and flavorings: garlic powder; onion flakes; salsa; low-salt soy sauce; orange or other fruit slices; almond, walnut or cashew pieces. Try a variety of flavors and cooking methods when preparing healthy foods. Make sure you pay attention to food texture, smell and the social surroundings.
Watch Out for the “Nag Factor”
Practice and learn the art of saying NO to your kids when they ask for unhealthy foods at the supermarket. Keep in mind, manufacturers are marketing to your kids so that they will persuade you to buy these unhealthy foods. Mentally rehearse saying NO.
Friends Influence Your Exercise and Eating Behaviors
Is a new diet or exercise program working for a friend? If so, there’s a good chance that you will try it, too, says a new study from researchers at the University of Buffalo. With this in mind, if you want your kids to adopt healthy behaviors, invite their healthy-eating friends over for dinner.
This article is originally published on by Charles Stuart Platkin. For the Rest of this great list see the original article about Diet Detective: Tips to eat healthier and live a better life
Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public health advocate and founder of DietDetective.com.
