If you could teach your kids 1 thing about health...
MountainMia
Posts: 242 Member
If you could teach your kids 1 thing about health and fitness, what would it be?
I've been thinking about this a lot becasue I'm seeing that I am continuing the habits I learned from my parents, just as they learned it from theirs. That, and my girls are starting to develop their attitudes and habits about nutrition and exercise now and I've been passing down the same old habits that brought me to my physical condition today. I DON'T WANT THAT FOR THEM!
I think my one thing is rooted in a relationship with food. I've been way too liberal and permiscuous in my food relationships. I've dated quality foods that don't pretend to be something they aren't, foods that are strong and dependable, nutritious and filling. I've flirted with just-good-lookin' foods that make you drool all over yourself, but are more for fun than anything. I've fooled around with foods that don't even count as food like cool whip, velveta and "diet pills". I've even sworn off food completely. None of the relationships last, and the games are exhausting and abusive.
So- I want to teach my girls to have a healthy relationship with food: Marry the quality foods you love, flirt respectfully and... just don't cheat!
I've been thinking about this a lot becasue I'm seeing that I am continuing the habits I learned from my parents, just as they learned it from theirs. That, and my girls are starting to develop their attitudes and habits about nutrition and exercise now and I've been passing down the same old habits that brought me to my physical condition today. I DON'T WANT THAT FOR THEM!
I think my one thing is rooted in a relationship with food. I've been way too liberal and permiscuous in my food relationships. I've dated quality foods that don't pretend to be something they aren't, foods that are strong and dependable, nutritious and filling. I've flirted with just-good-lookin' foods that make you drool all over yourself, but are more for fun than anything. I've fooled around with foods that don't even count as food like cool whip, velveta and "diet pills". I've even sworn off food completely. None of the relationships last, and the games are exhausting and abusive.
So- I want to teach my girls to have a healthy relationship with food: Marry the quality foods you love, flirt respectfully and... just don't cheat!
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What a lovely way to put it! I feel very much the same.
I grew up VERY sick as a child, in and out of the hospital with a short life expectancy. My parents were too stressed to put much focus on eating healthy or living a healthy lifestyle and when I felt like eating they got me whatever I wanted. I ate A LOT of happy meals and homemade milkshakes. Even after my health improved, exercise wasn't an option for me so it was never something I learned about. I wasn't even permitted to take gym in high school because the school feared I'd get hurt...
Now I'm an adult and my health is excellent, but my habits are not. Life is busy and I struggle to fit in cooking and exercise, especially before my kids are in bed when it would benefit them as well as myself. It breaks my heart that my 3 yo knows what soda is and went through a phase where she cried for it. I am working hard to change things for them and all of us, but it is definitely a one step at a time kind of thing. However, we're making progress. My kids see me eating veggies almost every day, though I'm not always able to get them to eat them too. My 3 yo asks for water now more than anything and knows she can't have more than one small half-cup of soda or tea a day (we're weaning back to once a week, then once every now and then...). We dance a lot more together and my 1 yo loves that! When it warms up, we're going to do more family walks.
I have always seen families living the life I want for us and felt pangs of jealousy. Now I am trying to channel that into something more productive. Sure life is tough, but it is for everyone with jobs and kids. If other families can achieve happy, healthy lives, so can we. We can be THAT family... so I'm working on the parts that I can in ways that I think we can find success and maintenance. It's all baby steps, but those add up!0 -
For as long as I can remember food has been my best friend. During my parents divorce it was always there, when I had a fight with
a friend and during broken hearts....who was there,yep food! And not apples or carrots. None of that healthy stuff. I would drown
myself in a bag of something. So for my kids I want them to learn a healthy way to deal with life and not turn to food. Because unfortunately all that unhealthy food that is so easy to grab and turn to when your feeling bad will always be there. I hope in my changing my bad habits now I will teach them food isnt their friend even thought its always there.0 -
Thanks lynz. I totally understand what you mean about THAT family. I'm so glad to be a part of a group where we can share stuff like that and help each other and our families be THAT family. Keep on keepin' on.
amamma, I learned the the same coping mechanism, and know the feelings of guilt and loathing that come with it. It's a hard one to break because life happens and it's litterally an addiction. Have you found any good alternatives to transfer to? I call my hubs, my mom or a friend (depending on my particular crisis) and if that doesn't work, I hit the gym and run like hell to the most aggressive music I can find (static x and awalnation). Biking or boxing works too, but it just feels good to go into the cardio training zone and have a productive tantrum. It feels good to be doing the right thing... even if it's hard sometimes. 0
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