Weight Loss is a family affair! A family that works towards a common goal – even a weight loss goal – has a better chance of finding success. Greater the involvement of the family, bigger the success rate in the weight loss quarters – that is the conclusion from weight-loss experts who have proof that healthy behaviours can be inculcated easily when the entire family is involved. Like any well-conceived plan, what you need to take it forward is an agenda for every member of the family and a structured procedure to reach your common goal.
Weight Goals
Start the weight loss programme of your family by setting achievable goals. Instead of talking about long term weight loss goal, talk about everyday objectives that ought to be incumbent on every member of the family – it could range from eating a healthy meal to walking a specified number of steps. To give the goal a serious touch, a family expert suggests getting all the members to sign a contract, put it together jointly, listing the different lifestyle measures that need to be undertaken to attain the goal.
Role Play
If you are dealing with childhood obesity in the family, what is important as a parent is to set an example for the children. As has been established, children look up to their parents as role models; healthy or otherwise, they catch on to the behaviours demonstrated by parents within the home and even outside. This demands you to play the roles you assign your child. So, instead of asking your child to, say, take the stairs and not the lift or go play outdoors before plonking before the TV set, do all those activities with your child. He/she will learn it much quicker and adapt it as a way of life. Establishing a regular physical activity routine for the family will go a long way in ensuring healthy fitness levels.
Dinner Time
Make dinner time a family affair. According to a study, children who eat at least one meal a day with their families are less likely to become overweight. The trick, perhaps, lies in eating the same food items as adults, which means salads and less fried items.
Healthy Recipes
Find ways to cook up healthy dishes without compromising on the taste factor. The Internet has a wealth of resources on dishes, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, which can be put together without relying on unhealthy ingredients that are seen as obvious choices to add the taste factor. Offer a variety of choices so that children and even adults in the family do not get bored with similar dishes.
Shop Right
Shopping right begins with a shopping list, which only includes items that have the health interests of your family. Include little treats and goodies for children, but make sure these are not a part of the regular diet. Do pick sweets and dessert items for occasional (even weekly) treats. If you plan to cook up a high-calorie diet, make just enough for a single meal, that way there will be no leftovers and no indulgence the next day.
Action Plan
Put together an action plan to ensure that the family benefits truly from the weight loss mission undertaken. Make it a family affair. The most important aspect is to eliminate all sugary drinks in the house. Have a strict shopping guide to avoid buying things that do not complement your long term plans. While occasional cheating with food helps in reducing any feelings of deprivation, it is highly important to stick to a plan of action. That ought to include setting limits on the portion sizes of meals to keep a tab on the calories consumed; stocking healthy snacks in the house; establishing a routine of outdoor fitness activities or fun family activities in the house; and, importantly, reducing television time, as it is one of the biggest banes of weight gain – bad posture and unwarranted snacking adding to it. And, assuming you have set goals, whether weight loss or healthy lifestyle, find ways to reward the family for each achievement on the chart ticked – it could be a picnic, a movie, an overnight camping trip…