Healthy Habits You Can Adopt as a Family

Making health goals seem like a great idea at first, but sticking to them can be a real challenge, especially with young kids in the family. It’s important to practice healthy habits like proper diet and exercise, among other aspects, and it’s even more important to impart this wisdom onto your children, so they grow up happy and healthy too.

Here are some ways you and your family can be healthy together.

Maintain Positive Relationships

When everyone communicates well, everyone is happy, but when the partners in the family are connecting and happy, it bodes especially well for the family. Work on your relationship to keep the spark alive, whether that means sticking to a weekly or monthly date night ritual, or sharing alone time every night after the kids have gone to bed, no matter how short.

The spouses in the family really are the glue that keeps everything together, and having a healthy relationship will pass down to the rest of the family.

Cook and Eat Together

Healthy eating habits are crucial when taking care of your body, so teach the kids while they’re young and get them involved from the very beginning.

Allow them to pick out a new vegetable at the grocery store to try something new, but still healthy. Do your best to avoid bringing home excess junk food, because if it’s in the house, they (and you!) will eat it; if it isn’t around, perhaps nobody will even notice and will automatically reach for the cut up fruit as a snack instead. If you’re finding it difficult to get in all the proper nutrients for yourself, try a food supplement to help your vitamin intake.

Cook at home and let the kids help when they’re old enough for small tasks like measuring ingredients and stirring. Make a point to sit down together for at least one meal a day, not only to enjoy each other’s company and have good family discussions, but also to eat slowly and enjoy the food.

A good rule of thumb is to eat until your stomach is full, not until your plate is clean, so you and your family can practice good portion control and avoid overindulging and consuming excessive amounts of calories.

Exercise Together

Getting your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes a day is important to your overall health, so why not engage in activity as a family? Go for a bike ride after school or dinner, go for a swim at a local pool, or go to the park and kick the ball around.

If your schedule is too hectic to go out and exercise, no problem! There are plenty of ways to get in activity at home. Turn on some music and have a dance party, or grab a skipping rope or basketball and play in the driveway.

Whatever activities you decide, make sure to get everyone involved.

Have a Proper Bedtime Routine

Good bedtime and sleeping habits are essential to good health as well. Getting a proper night’s sleep will do wonders for your health, focus, and energy levels.

Having a routine before bed to help everyone wind down from their day works wonders in achieving good quality sleep. Avoid screens and technology for up to one hour before bed. Practice good dental hygiene and make sure to brush, floss, and rinse. Read your kids a bedtime story, or tell them one yourself, before tucking them in, turning off the lights, and going to bed yourself.