6 Healthy Habits for The Whole Family

A healthy lifestyle should be maintained for the duration of your lifetime. In order to do so, healthy habits must be instilled during the first few years of your life. As a new parent, it can be impossible to know where to begin when it comes to imparting healthy habits onto your children. Continue reading to find out how you can lead a healthy lifestyle as a family.

1. Exercise together

Physical exercise is a great way to keep fit and have fun. By exercising together as a family, you may even forget why you started in the first place. Children tend to have more energy than adults, but you must choose a low-impact sport with minimal risk of injury. Swimming, cycling, horseback riding, rowing, and even yoga are great options the whole family are likely to enjoy. A long walk or marathon race in the park are also great ways to explore nature and get your blood pumping. Over time, you can increase the strenuousness of the activity and progress to hiking, jogging, or even participate in an outdoor gym.

2. Get regular health checks

Regular health checks can provide you with a comprehensive overview of your overall health and wellness. It can also be a great opportunity to address any niggling concerns or worries you may have about your health or the health of an immediate family member. With health insurance, you can benefit from regular health checks as well as any follow-up appointments with your GP as necessary. With complete peace of mind, you can relax knowing the health of you and your loved ones is in safe hands. To ensure you are offered the best health insurance quotes, you must do your research. Alternatively, Myhealthpal can protect the future of your family for less.

3. Plan meals

As a parent it can be difficult to find the time to cook on a daily basis. When it comes to meals, planning ahead can be a great way to ensure your family are eating a balanced diet and are less likely to overeat, choose unhealthy options or snack whilst on the go. Stocking the fridge with versatile ingredients can provide you with more freedom in the kitchen and allow you to whip up a healthy meal regardless of how much free time you may have. Ready meals and freezer food can also be a cost-effective way to feed your family for less in a hurry. Whilst these options may have greater nutrition value than takeaway food, you should aim to cook from scratch as often as you can.

4. Snack smart

As well as eating three balanced meals a day, you must provide snacks for your family to enjoy whenever or wherever they get hungry. Whilst most snacks tend to be high in sugar, fat, and salt, there are several healthier alternatives. These include fruit, vegetables, peanut butter, seeds, crackers, and hummus. With plenty of healthy options on offer, your children are less likely to reach for chocolate, crisps, or fizzy drinks when hunger strikes. Despite

these efforts, kids will still be exposed to unhealthy foods at school, at parties, at a friend’s house as well as in the wider world. Whilst these foods are acceptable as a treat, providing healthy snacks from an early age can allow them to make better choices as they get older and learn to make their own decisions.

5. Limit screen time

Watching the latest blockbuster or an episode of your favourite television show can be a great way to bond with your family. But excess screen time can have a detrimental effect on the health and wellness of you and your loved ones in the long run. There are a number of activities you can get involved in as a family that don’t require electronic devices. Solving puzzles, playing sports, and playing board games can promote cognitive function and allow you to connect as a family. To instil good habits early on, try banning the use of electronic devices during breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and before bed.

6. Cook together

Cooking as a family is one of the best ways to have fun and learn a new recipe. Start with something simple such as homemade pizza or a salad and gradually introduce more difficult dishes. This can allow children to immerse themselves from cooking at an early age and enjoy the fruits of their labour. You can even include the whole family in the process from start to finish including shopping for ingredients, preparing the table, and cooking the meal.

As a family, there are a number of healthy habits you can instil at an early age that are guaranteed to last a lifetime. This includes exercising together, getting regular health checks, planning meals, snacking smart, limiting screen time, and cooking together.