Going into the New Year, many people have resolutions related to healthy eating. Something to keep in mind, especially if you have little ones, is that your kids look up to you and you set an example for them in all aspects of life. Yes, this means that the way you eat, the way you talk about your body, your dieting habits, and exercise habits all have a huge impact on shaping your kids.
Keeping that in mind brings up the age old saying of “clean your plate or you don’t get dessert.” What kind of message is this sending to your kids? Believe it or not, children have a very natural instinct of intuitive eating. By intuitive eating, this means listening to when your body is full and not overeating. There may be certain instances where cleaning your plate is appropriate, but in most instances, kids will eat what they physiologically need to eat. Of course, your kids will prefer to fill up on those items they consider more tasty than others, so you may have to encourage them to eat their veggies or other food items they don’t care for as much. Just keep in mind that your idea of portion sizes, especially at restaurants, are most likely much larger than an actual portion should be. Children do not need to be eating the same portion sizes as adults. Also, encouraging kids to finish their dinner in order to be able to eat their dessert just encourages overeating. If they are not hungry enough to eat their dinner, they shouldn’t be hungry enough to eat dessert, right?
Try and teach your children healthy eating habits by modeling to them what they should be doing. If you eat every meal out of a paper sack, hardly ever exercise, and are constantly talking about your body in a negative manner, your children pick up on this. They look up to you and modeling negativity is never a good thing. Try and make positive changes a family approach. If you eat out all the time, try cutting out one day each week until you aren’t eating out anymore. If you don’t exercise, make small changes that add up. These can be as simple as parking farther away from the store, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. If you have trouble getting in a 30 minute exercise session, try breaking it up into three ten minute sessions. Each little change will make a huge impact in the long run! Try and keep these things in mind as you move toward a healthier YOU in the New Year!
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