As I read Dr.Dan’s post about his success with the Goofy Challenge, I couldn’t help but think about the positive role model he and Dr.Sarah have been to their kids…and all of us at the clinic. All of their kids enjoy being active and their family participates in activities together. In addition, Dr.Dan’s team here at the clinic has made some incredible strides with improving their fitness and health. I think it is much easier to practice healthy living when you are surrounded by positive influences and you engage in the practices or healthy behaviors together! My family (pictured above!) is another good example of this. We certainly do not do all of the long distance runs like Dr. Dan does (some have though!), but we all enjoy being active and are conscious of our intake and practice healthy eating. In order to stick with healthy living, it’s key to make it a lifestyle and a way of life for everyone in your family. Engage your family into the process of selecting meals, grocery shopping, and cooking the meals. Pick an activity to do together every week and be sure to incorporate your own activities daily to get at least 30-60 minutes of activity/day. If your family isn’t too supportive yet, ask them for help! Sit down together and discuss your goals and aspirations for healthy living… and ask them for support and help. Don’t be afraid to discuss your weaknesses as it is helpful to have extra support on those extra challenging areas. An example of this would be portion control…if you struggle with eating just one helping ask them to help kindly remind you when you’re eating to slow down and mindfully think about how much you need and ask if you really need a second helping. Or maybe it’s exercise…can’t get motivated to get on that treadmill or go to the gym? Ask them to do it with you! Having a buddy or support system will always make you more successful! If you live alone, you can also ask your friends or coworkers to be your support system! If we surround ourselves with positive people who make a positive influence on us, we will be more apt to reach our goals and stick with them! They may push you a little bit beyond your comfort zone, but remember…they’re only trying to help you be better and healthier!
-Kelsey
