Promoting a healthy lifestyle

The habits your child learns as a youngster can last a lifetime. Habits about eating, food and exercise add up to a healthy lifestyle. Having a healthy lifestyle now can protect your child from problems with eating and diet later on. There are many things you can do to support a healthy lifestyle for your child.

• Make mealtime an enjoyable time with family. Eat together as often as possible.
• Teach your children to cook. It can be a fun activity! And you can learn how to eat more healthfully.
• Try not to label foods as good or bad. Rather teach your children the importance of eating a diet that is balanced.
• Teach your children that exercise is fun! Encourage your child to participate in any kind of exercise they like. Don't teach them that exercise is only for losing weight or to be skinny.
• Do not place your child on a diet to lose weight unless their doctor tells you to.
• Monitor your child's access to media. Limit TV time and screen movies your child wants to see. Sometimes TV promotes the idea everyone should be skinny.
• Teach your children that being thin doesn't bring happiness or fulfillment.
• Treat your sons and daughters the same when it comes to eating.
• Avoid labeling or judging people based on their weight or size. Otherwise your child may internalize your comments and judge himself. Teach your child to never tease anyone for how they look.
• Set a good example for your children. Accept your body the way it is. Eat healthfully and exercise. This way you will teach your children the same habits.