Raising Healthy Children

by Dr. Zach King, MD

We all want our children to be healthy, but how do we do it? This question becomes much more complicated when you consider that in our society 15-20% of children are considered overweight and one out of every three adults is overweight.

How are we to keep our children healthy when we find it so difficult for ourselves? The first thing to do is give up on the idea of the “diet.” We’ve seen a thousand different diets come and go. They all claim to be the latest and greatest ideas for weight loss. At their core, they are all the same…extreme restrictions for a short period of time. If you torture yourself long enough, you will lose a few pounds. Therein lies the problem, no one is willing to torture themselves for more than a couple weeks. Not only that, but at the end of the two weeks, you have felt so deprived that you end up putting on more weight than you lost during the diet. Give up on diets and adopt lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes are small healthy changes that are sustainable for long periods of time.

It is near impossible for one family member to try and eat healthy when everyone else at the table is eating fried chicken and gravy.

All things should be done in moderation and making healthy lifestyle changes is no different. When beginning to make changes, you should pick one or two things that seem simple and easy to sustain. For instance, if you drink whole milk, change to 2%. After about two weeks, your taste buds will have adjusted and 2% milk will begin to taste normal to you. If you get fast food five times a week on average, try to make it three or four times a week. Instead of cooking with 15% fat ground beef, try 7% fat. Once you feel like you have mastered the one or two things you picked, move onto some other changes. If you keep this up, six months down the road you will be able to look back and realize that you have made significant changes in your lifestyle that are now sustainable.

Another key to success is to involve the whole family. Make it fun. Turn it into a family bonding experience. It is near impossible for one family member to try and eat healthy when everyone else at the table is eating fried chicken and gravy. Having everyone on board and equally participating prevents one person from feeling like the outcast and also provides a level of accountability to the others that are making changes. Spend time as a family exercising. Play Frisbee, go hiking, play basketball. Not all exercise has to be alone torturing yourself on a treadmill.

As are with most things in life, the things that require a little more effort tend to be much more rewarding when you reach your goals. Developing and nurturing a healthy lifestyle for you and your children is no different. Do not be afraid to invest extra time and energy into your family’s health. It will be just that…an investment for which you will see dividends for years and years to come.

Small Steps To A Healthier Life

Swap from whole milk to 2%
Cut down on fast food per week
Chose a ground beef with less percent fat
Get moving as a family, take a daily walk, park farther away from store and walk in
Use wheat bread instead of white bread.
Avoid those thick and creamy salad dressings and substitute with vinaigrettes.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Drink a glass of water 30 minutes before a meal.
If you are craving a snack or sweets, chew a piece of gum.
Don’t beat yourself up if you had a bad day. Start fresh tomorrow. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint!