With New Years’ Eve approaching, many of us are reflecting on the year that’s ending and setting goals for the year to come. Setting goals as a family can be a great way to foster a sense of unity, encourage supporting one another and promote overall well-being. As parents, the best way to encourage our kids to live healthy lives is to set healthy goals and lead by example.
Healthy goals can look a little different for everyone. Newsymom and The Tuscarawas County Health Department want to share a few ideas to get the wheels turning and help you land on a healthy new year’s resolution for you or your family.
Make Nourishment a Priority
The new year is a great time to learn something new about nutrition, try new recipes or implement a healthy eating habit.
Knowing what is in your food is a great start to making sure you’re fueling your body with all of the essential nutrients. Reading food labels is the best way to know exactly what you’re getting from your food as well as the recommended serving size. Some foods appear healthy or nutrient dense, but when you flip the package over and read the label- that’s not really the case.
If one of your goals for the new year is to eat healthier foods, meal planning is a great way to do just that. Sitting down and taking the time to plan meals that are full of essential nutrients is a great way to get yourself on track every week. Having a plan for what you and your family will eat through the week, as well as prepping anything that you can ahead of time, also relieves a little bit of day to day stress.
Healthy and nutrient dense doesn’t have to mean bland! Here’s a blog post from Eating Well with some great new recipe ideas for you to try in the new year:
A Month of Healthy Family Dinner Ideas
Move more through the new year
Physical activity is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. Here are a few ideas to get the family moving more in the new year..
- Walking is a great way to stay active that doesn’t involve any equipment or special location. Even walking just a few blocks together after dinner is a great way to improve digestion and promote more activity in your families’ day to day lives.
- Try out a game! If you’re a gaming household, there are tons of video games that aim to get the family moving. Check out this life of Fitness Video Games
- Start taking family bike rides.
- Consider getting a family membership to your local YMCA, a great place to get the whole family involved in a new activity.
Prioritize your mental health
In the new year, try to focus on the positive. Be grateful for where you’re at and how far you’ve come. As the head of the household, a parents’ mental health and the way they prioritize it creates the blueprint for their children. Prioritizing your mental health is a goal that can create a ripple effect, positively impacting your entire family.
Parenting and life in general come with many challenges. It’s common to face mental health challenges. Next year make yourself a priority and take care of your mental health. Check out this article for more information on managing The Mental Load of Motherhood.
Happy New Year!
No matter the changes you wish to make in the new year, be sure not to let your health fall to the back burner. If your annual wellness check isn’t on the books for the new year, be sure to call your provider and make your appointment soon. If you don’t have a doctor that you see regularly, the Tuscarawas County Health Department is always accepting new patients. They even offer evening appointments two days a week for patient convenience. Call 330-343-5555, ext. 1810 to get established with a provider.
Source: https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/weight-management/12-easy-health-goals
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