Fall Into Healthy Habits - Lifestyle Tips For The Whole Family

Fall is in full swing! It’s my favorite season as the weather cools off and the leaves begin to change. However, although the leaves are changing, the need for nutrition and healthy eating isn’t. It may be difficult this time of year to maintain a healthy diet which is why Dr. Ann Kulze has outlined ten guidelines to help you, and your little ones, stay on track this season.

1. Be a healthy role model. This is the single most powerful trait to have
2. Make your home a haven for healthy eating. Stock your kitchen with readily accessible healthy foods
3. Speak up, but keep it positive. Highlight the goodness of healthy foods, its wonderful taste & aromas
4. Sit down for family meals as often as possible. Focus on relationship building & home cooked meals
5. Limit TV, video games, computers & smart phone usage. Evidence is mounting on the negative relationship between “screen time” and obesity
6. Limit your family’s exposure to processed, ultra-palatable food. Sugar, fat & salt stimulate our brains to want more so use caution
7. Be sure your child eats breakfast, lunch & dinner daily. For optimal growth, development, peak performance & overall good health
8. Limit snacking. Offer a mid-day healthy snack, watch portions & mindless eating patterns
9. Be sure at least one parent/adult in the household cooks. Simple recipes, fresh ingredients – planning is everything
10. Create a “culture of health” in your home. If good health is a priority in the home, it will prevail in time

Seems pretty simple, right? Well, maybe not, but if you don’t already adhere to these 10 guidelines, try one or two and strive to reach all 10 over time. Doing something is better than doing nothing and who wouldn’t want to put good habits into place? Do it for the health of it!