5 Ways to Keep Your Kids Healthier in the New Year

In the New Year, most of us make resolutions to make ourselves healthier in the coming months like losing weight and eating better. But, have you ever considered bringing your children into your New Year plans?

Instead of setting unattainable or vague goals, why not do little things here and there to improve the health and happiness of your family?

Eat your veggies. Getting your kids to eat their veggies can sometimes be a battle. Getting them involved in the cooking process, putting them with their favorite foods (like pizza or pasta), making fruit and veggie popsicles and smoothies, and sneaking them into baked goods, are just a few creative ways to introduce veggies into your kids’ diets.

Stay Active. With video games, TV, and computers, it can be hard to pry your kids off the couch. You can help your kids become more active by limiting technology time and getting them outside. Get the whole family involved! Take a walk together, play a game of football, or ride your bikes to the park.

Make dinner time family time. When kids have set meal times, they are less likely to overeat or snack too much. Also, more mealtime at home was the single strongest factor in better achievement scores and fewer behavioral problems in children all ages. More meals at home also resulted in less obesity.

Make bedtime a routine. It’s easy to lose track of time or just let your kids play until they fall asleep. No parent wants to fight with their child over going to bed. Earlier bedtimes make if easier for children to fall asleep. Being overtired can keep them up and make them cranky. Although it can be tempting to change the schedule on weekends and during the summer, try to keep bedtime consistent. Later bedtimes can make it hard for kids to adjust back to a normal schedule.

Drink more water. We hear about it all the time, but are you making sure your child is drinking enough water throughout the day? You and your child should be drinking half of your body weight in ounces every day. (i.e. if your child weighs 40 lbs., he should be drinking at least 20 ounces [2 ½ cups] of water every day)

Little things over time add up. Healthy eating and activity will not only help you lose weight and feel better, but will also boost your mood, your work performance, your child’s school performance, and your immune system.