Here are the rules for a healthy house, no matter how busy you are.
1) Thou shalt eat meals at the table as a family whenever possible.
It does not matter if you only manage to achieve this once each week but the very simple coming together of families over food has a powerful health impact even above and beyond the basic nutritional benefits. Research has shown that families who sit down to enjoy a meal together on four occasions throughout the week have teens who perform better at school; who have higher levels of psycho-social functioning, and who are less likely to be depressed and abuse drugs and/or alcohol. Such findings would suggest that there is something very special about the way families communicate over a meal, so even if you can only mange it a couple of times during the week, sit down to eat dinner together as a family, with the television switched off.
2) Thou shalt be a good role model.
If you do not eat well and rarely exercise, is it surprising that your kids do not either? While a “do as I say, not as I do” approach may seem fair to you, the truth is that kids become like their parents, which basically means that if you are fit and healthy, your kids will be too. Start to look after your own body by feeding it good quality food and moving it regularly. Not only is this role modeling imperative when you have small children, it also means that your life and well being will be improved as you start to feel better, have more energy and keep your own weight under control.
3) Thou shalt only keep foods in the house that you want family members to eat.
Excuses like “but they are for guests”, or “only one of my children needs to watch their weight” are ignoring the fact that keeping poor quality, high fat, high calorie foods at home in large volumes basically means that you will eat them. If you don’t want your family to eat them, don’t buy them.
4) Thou shalt be an active family.
While shopping centers and the movies may be filled with families during weekends and school holidays, it should be remembered that the more recreational time that is spent outdoors, the better. Commit to getting outdoors and into nature as a family at least once a month and instil this appreciation in your own children so they too can pass a love of outdoor activities on to their own children.
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