It’s nice to be looked up to. And not just by your kids (who are, by definition, probably much smaller than you), but also by your other family members, friends and colleagues.
Being thought of as a healthy role model might be enough to help you stick to your healthy choices more often than not – so as not to let your image slip!
Today we are looking at ways that you can become ‘that person’ who has healthy habits and can inspire others to make better choices when it comes to food and exercise.
- Be the person who makes the better choices when dining out. For instance you might normally gravitate to having fish and chips when you visit your favourite café. You could try to make it a healthier choice by asking if they would make you grilled fish and steamed veggies instead. Nearly all restaurants have some better choices on their menu, and you can always ask the waiter if you have a special request. The same applies when you are ordering take away – see if you can find the best healthy options to support you in your weight loss.
- Be the person who doesn’t fall into the hunger trap. Plan your meals and snacks for the week. This is so important. For some reason sometimes we seem to forget that we are going to get hungry several times per day, and venture out into the world unprepared for this to happen. Then, all of a sudden, you are so hungry that you need to buy your lunch from the nearest petrol station where the choices are somewhat limited. Remember that you will need to eat 3 main meals and 2 snacks each day – and don’t let being busy or tired be an excuse not to schedule them in to your day.
- Be the person who doesn’t like to sit around. Suggest going for a walk with your kids and partner (even if you don’t particularly feel like it). Often by the time you are halfway through an activity you find you a really enjoying it and you’ll be glad you made the effort.
- Be the person who teaches your kids about healthy cooking. Get the little ones involved in preparing food for the family. Even really little ones can hold onto a carrot while you do some chopping, or hold onto a wooden spoon while you make a meal. Exposure to cooking makes your children more comfortable in a kitchen. Talk as you go ‘now I’m going to sprinkle some cinnamon in here, because it will make it taste really good’ and the kids will pick up these tips which they will use for life. Try some of our kid-friendly recipes here.
- Be the person who suggests active weekend ideas. Suggest to family or friends that you have a day at the beach, a bush walk, a visit to a lookout, a coastal walk or even a picnic. Instead of meeting up over lunch or for drinks, put the idea out there to get moving together.
- Be the person always sipping on water. Get yourself a handbag sized (or nappy bag sized) water bottle and keep it with you all the time. Get into the habit of sipping water throughout the day. Soon you will find yourself doing it without even thinking about it. You may even find that having the bottle with you is a simple reminder to have a drink.
- Be the person who has healthy snacks on hand. As soon as someone says they are a bit peckish, you can be the one who pulls out a mandarin or a healthy muffin. Soon people will be asking you for healthy snack recipes!
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