5 Ways To Get Started With Healthy Family Nutrition
Ever think to yourself... "My kids will outgrow hot dogs, mac and cheese and chicken nuggets"?
That may be true, but will they move onto the less nutritious "adult foods"? There is nothing wrong with serving "kid foods" sometimes but if it is accompanied by picky eating or overweight status there is a need for change.
According to American Academy of Pediatrics, "picky eating is common, doesn't mean it is benign." Picky eating can result in low intakes of iron, zinc and dietary fiber. Additionally, it can increase risk of an eating disorder, anxiety or depression.
Unfortunately, childhood obesity is also on the rise. Ask your pediatrician your child's BMI-for-age to see where your child stands. Addressing weight concerns, in the appropriate manner, early means smaller necessary weight change. There is a strong correlation between childhood obesity and adult obesity. Meaning few "outgrow" being overweight as a child.
Change towards a healthy eating lifestyle has a greater chance of success if the whole family participates. Here are some tips for getting started.
1. Discuss The Plan, Purpose, And Benefits As A Family
If your family unites as a team in this journey the results could be incredible. Remember: we are not talking about going on a diet as a family. We are also not talking about going from all boxed meals to all organic foods. This journey is about small maintainable changes that add up to make a big difference. It could be decreasing added sugar or cooking together more at home. What is great is it doesn't matter what age your kids are or where your starting point is nutritionally. I started decreasing added sugar when my first son started eating and I am still making changes today (he is already six!)
Discussing the goals and benefits as a family allows for less push back. You may be surprised how well your family works as a team in cooking, prepping food or giving friendly reminders.
2. Be Patient And Strong
Know that this is going to be a long journey—a marathon, not a sprint. The good thing about this marathon is it is going to get easier the longer you keep at it. Yes it is going to be hard work but you won't regret it.
Let me give you an example. My second son, Carter, could have been considered a "picky eater" in the beginning. There were times I wanted to only make him what I knew he would eat. There were times I felt bad that he didn't want to try the foods offered. I tried everything I could think of: "This food will give you big muscles," "Just try one bite."
This even included hiding foods in other foods. It wasn’t until I stuck with my role as a parent (parent picks foods and when offered) and let him focus on his role alone without my input (child chooses if he will eat and how much) was I able to gain some ground. It took three years of offering one of our family favorite meals for him to now enjoy. It also took three years for him to eat a sweet potato diced and roasted instead of baked.
Being patient and strong means sticking to your goals and asking for guidance if you feel it is not going well. One huge benefit of sticking to your role as a parent and your child sticking to theirs is the whole family sharing one meal, not making several different meals for each member of the family. In my next article you will learn more about this one.
3. Don't Aim For Perfection
I think of it this way: if you were to grade your health (like in school). Do you want an A, B+? If you choose an A, 90% of the time or more you are ENJOYING nutritious foods. The ENJOYING part may take time, but it will happen.
If you feel guilty for having chips or serving ice cream to the family we are not on the same page. There needs to be a balance between eating to nourish our body and enjoying our food.
This means not all food should taste like birthday cake but 10% should when you are getting started. When you are deep in this journey you will begin to prefer foods that are very nutritious making it easy to maintain your A in health.
The benefit of not aiming for perfection is long lasting success, less pressure and anxiety and enjoyment in food.
4. Take Steps
Let's say you dine out almost every meal or you eat donuts for breakfast three times per week. Most people would not succeed long term by eliminating those habits overnight. Set small realistic goals such as improve breakfast choices, buy better groceries, decrease the added sugar in your yogurt etc.
The benefit of taking steps is once again long lasting success. Each step should be considered maintainable to you before you move on. Another benefit is built in motivation when you are able to accomplish the steps chosen first.
5. Find Accountability
Building a healthy lifestyle is similar to forming a new habit. Many do better with accountability to remember goals, to provide encouragement when it is hard or to offer insight or advice. Accountability could come from an expert, a friend or routine journaling. Find what works for you!
Accountability helps you stick with your goals long enough to form them into habits. Habits can be great as they are second nature and less thought or effort is needed to maintain them.
Picky eating and unhealthy weight status are not the only reasons change may be needed in your family. It could be you simply want to ENJOY nutritious food more!
Finally
If you could use more guidance and/or a more personalized plan to get started, please don't hesitate to CONTACT ME.
I’m here to help you build a healthy lifestyle for your whole family!
