Five Steps to Becoming a Healthier Family

By Jamie Kaun

It’s a New Year’s tradition – make a resolution of what you want to accomplish that year and work toward it. For many of us, healthy eating and regular exercise are often at the top of the list.

As someone who has struggled with being overweight most of my life, I fall into that “eat healthier and exercise more” crowd. But, let’s face it…the statistics out there suggest that not many of us keep our resolutions. Admittedly, I’ve made many resolutions over the years with varied success. However, I have an extra incentive this year to make a real effort to stick to healthy habits.

My 10-year-old daughter recently approached me with a simple request. “Mom, can we not eat so much sugar and eat more foods that are good for us?” I was just a little younger than her when my weight struggles began and her plea tugged at my heart. It helped me to realize that we’ve fallen into some unhealthy habits lately and that we really need to get back on track.

There are five steps that we are going to focus on to help us reach our goal of becoming a healthier family.

1. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
   That has to be at the top of the list, right? What we put into our bodies affects our health and our weight. If your family is like most with children, getting more fruits and veggies into your diet can be a struggle. Check out this Dayton YMCA blog post for some suggestions on upping your family’s fruit and veggie intake.
    
2. Eat Together as a Family
   Family meals are an amazing opportunity for you to bond with one another. It’s also a learning experience – adults can model table manners while emphasizing healthy eating. But as we all know, eating together as a family can be difficult to accomplish, especially when you have to balance everyone’s schedules. This Y bloggives you some ideas to help alleviate some of the stress of family meals.
    
3. Get Active
   The next logical step, of course. The Y offers many health and wellness opportunities for the whole family to get active from youth sports to fitness classes. They also recently added a way for you to access classes, tips and more at home through the Y’s 360 app. You can read more about what I found on the app here.
    
4. Spend More Quality Time Together
   Quality family time can be as simple as playing games together or taking a family hike. It’s also important to take the time occasionally to focus on individual relationships by having one-on-one conversations with your partner and each child. It doesn’t have to be lengthy – even just 10 or 15 minutes when you’re alone in the car together, on a walk, or preparing a meal. These individual chats can strengthen your relationship and gives you an opportunity to focus on one another.
    
5. Take Some Time for Yourself
   This is likely something many of us don’t do. We’re always doing for others and putting their needs before our own, whether it’s our children, partners or co-workers. Take the time every once in awhile to do whatever rejuvenates you. Making yourself a priority on occasion allows you to keep your spirits up when giving to others.

Hopefully these steps can guide your family to becoming healthier too!