Dieting in a household can feel lonely, and it can make self control around non-diet snacks harder to resist. You may try to shed a few pounds, but are faced with having to cook separate meals to please your family. Either way, dieting isn’t easy when sharing a life and home with other members. To make it easier, you may need to get your family on board to maintain a healthy diet and clean eating. How to do this will rely heavily on your approach and how to make dieting a group effort.
Partners
Convincing another adult to diet alongside you can go one of two ways. One, they could see it as an opportunity to lose weight and cut bad foods with the support of another person. This is generally the easiest way to stick to a healthy lifestyle, and can lead to quicker and retainable results. Or two, your partner will reject the idea of dieting and will continue to display unhealthy habits. This may make dieting for you more troublesome, and can lead to your efforts burning out overtime. A great way to convince your partner to join you in clean eating is to show them it can be done without sacrificing flavor. Start by taking their favorite dishes, and reinvent them with healthier ingredients. Recipes can be altered with the use of “low-fat” or “no added sugar” alternatives. It can surprise people how something can taste just as good without the extra calories, while supporting nutritional needs. Check out Your Lean Life’s Recipe eBook for new healthy ideas.
Children
The issue with dieting is that it can be very isolating. It typically consists of one person trying to make changes based on their current weight, health, or lifestyle. The people around the one dieting person will likely not change their own habits, especially when those people are children. To most children, food is about flavor and nutritional value is not a concern. Nutrition is taught and conditioned by parents, so starting kids off with the idea of good health is important. When you live with kids, they will often reject certain foods without the understanding of nutritional benefits. A way to get the kiddos on board in clean eating would be to make the transition fun. The more the restrictions you set, the less likely a household will abide. Make it interesting by listing a few options your kids can choose from. Allow them to help prepare meals so that they are enthusiastic about eating them. Above all, being a good role model by eating clean in front of kids will help influence them to do the same. Educate your littles about how to nourish their bodies with incentives like “this will help you grow big and strong”, encouraging them to eat for other reasons other than just taste.
Dieting alone can be hard, but including others can feel impossible. If you wish to get you and your family on track to a healthier lifestyle, it is crucial that you educate them on nutrition early on. Remember to consider each family member’s age, and individual nutritional needs before changing their diets. Find fun, pleasing ways to incorporate cleaner foods into your household for better and lasting results. While helping you stay on track, you will be setting a standard for your family for many years to come. Interested in learning more about family dieting? Our professionals are ready to assist. Contact Your Lean Life today!
