3 Ways to Model a Healthy Lifestyle for Your Kids

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by Amanda Henderson ​- http://safechildren.info/

Like it or not, your kids will learn a lot about life just by watching you. The adage "Do as I say but not as I do" is not an effective parenting strategy, as your children will not only copy your behavior but also interpret it as what you really think and believe. Although it's impossible to get everything right all the time, there are a few areas that are particularly important to model well so that your kids will be more likely to make healthy decisions for themselves.
 
RMT Fitness brings you resources to help your children develop healthy habits.

Include Diversity in Your Diet

​Nutrition experts encourage you to resist the temptation to make separate meals for your children. It's not a great idea for several reasons:
 
● It teaches them to be picky eaters.
● It makes "kid food" seem more appealing and important than "adult food."
● They control their menu.
● Many foods marketed to kids are highly processed and unhealthy.
 
If you and your kids eat the same foods together, make sure there's plenty of diversity in your meals. You may have heard the phrase "eat the rainbow." If you haven't, it refers to including plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables in your diet. There are all kinds of ways to make them appealing for both adults and kids, and most people will learn to enjoy eating fruits and vegetables if you serve them regularly enough while cutting back on sweets and processed foods. The other way to include diversity in your meals is to eat foods and use recipes from cultures that are different than your own. There are many great cookbooks available to get you started, and you can take your kids with you to ethnic markets to get interesting spices and ingredients for your meals. You can even sweeten the deal by allowing them to choose a new and interesting treat from another culture while you're at it.

Make Continuing Education a Priority

​Even if your kids don't seem to have a natural love for learning, they can develop it from watching you make it a priority in your life. If you've been putting it off, now may be the time to go after an online bachelor's or master's degree in nursing, accounting, business, healthcare management, or whatever path you've been dreaming of pursuing. Taking the majority of your classes online allows you to keep working outside the home or care for your kid’s full time because of the flexible nature of online education. Besides the ways it'll benefit you, your children will learn from your example in making education a priority.

Make Physical Fitness Fun and Rewarding

It can be hard to balance your job and family responsibilities along with taking time out for yourself. Teach your kids that fitness is not only important for good health; it's also self-care and recreational at the same time. Even if you have your own fitness routine, schedule at least one physically active family activity a month — more often if you can.
 
Some fun things you can do together are:
 

• Family hikes
• Martial arts classes via RMT Fitness
• Swimming classes
• Biking excursions
• Neighborhood walks

 
Although it can feel like a lot of pressure, don't get overwhelmed by trying to set a good example for your kids. Talk to them often about what's important to you and what you want them to learn and allow them to ask questions and chime in with their own thoughts. Keeping discussions open and flowing will not only improve your relationship with your kids but teach them the value of expressing their thoughts and ideas as well.
 
RMT Fitness offers classes in Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Strength Training, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Contact us today to learn how you can sign up for a free class!
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