If you are ready to get in shape and eat healthily then this is great. There’s just one problem though, your family. You may find that your partner just wants to sit around and eat ice cream or that your kids think that vegetables are gross and they don’t want to eat them at all. This is understandable, but at the same time, you don’t want them to get in the way of your fitness journey. Having your family on-board is vital if you want to try and reach your goals. The good news is that it’s more than possible for you to get your household on track, so you don’t have to worry about anyone making your weight loss journey harder than it needs to be.
How to Get your Family to Eat Healthily
When your family has your back, everything becomes easier. If you are able to lose weight with your family then you may find that you have a cheerleading system that ultimately makes getting healthier easier and faster. You have to make sure that you are a role model if possible. Changing how everyone eats can be a challenge to say the least, so bring the goals up in a conversation with your family and tell them that you need their help. Tell them that you are unable to do it alone, as this will open up a great conversation about how you can eat better without your loved ones feeling like they are under some kind of attack. Check out this guide on keeping your kids active during lockdown if you’re having a hard time getting them moving with you.
Prepare Meals
The first thing that you need to do is make your meal preparations a family activity. If you know that your kids are only just learning about all of the joys that fruit and vegetables have to bring or if they don’t get interested in anything other than a slice of pizza, then make sure that you involve them in the meal prep if possible. One person can pick out the meal for the night and from there, the other members of the family can choose the meals for the rest of the week.
Avoid Saying “Healthy”
You need to try and avoid using the word “healthy” if possible. If you want to expand the tastebuds of your family then try and pick out some nutritious meals. You also need to try a new meal if possible, once or twice a week. Don’t call it a healthy meal though, if you do then you may scare people away from trying it. Instead, describe it in a way that’s appealing, whether it’s a tasty chicken stir-fry or a meaty pasta bake.
Go Slow
People quite often want to make changes overnight but if you set expectations that are too high, then you may find that you end up burning out your family. This is the last thing you need, so try and focus on one thing at once, whether it’s having a healthy night on Friday and then working out Saturday morning or just walking to work instead of driving.