Eating healthy and exercising can provide many benefits, but many people still consume junk food regularly and don’t include a workout session in their daily schedules. It’s easy to understand why, though. Given people’s hectic schedules at work or business, they’re just too exhausted to squeeze in another physical activity.
But as someone who cares for your family and friends’ well-being, isn’t it hard to see them living with an unhealthy lifestyle? Even though you’ve told them many times how a healthy diet can change their lives, they still seem to forget this and just go back to their usual routines. How can you encourage them, then? The tips below might help:
1. Set an Example
Words can only do so much, and if you don’t practice what you preach, your family and friends aren’t likely to listen and deem your claims credible. Live by example, instead. Cook healthy meals at home for everyone to eat, and bring them to the office for your colleagues to see. Show them how committed you are to your workouts and healthy habits.
If you’re passionate about fitness and health, why not consider obtaining training to become a fitness coach? It would extend your knowledge about the human body and health, which means you can professionally guide your family and friends in living healthily.
2. Keep the Menu Healthy
Stock up your fridge with healthy foods only. If kids see junk food inside, they’d only be tempted to reach out for those. Completely eliminate anything unhealthy and replace them with fruits, vegetables, and other vitamin-rich foods. Make sure there is also cold water so that no one would crave soda pops anymore when they’re thirsty.
3. Schedule Outdoor Activities
Make hiking, sports, or walks in the park your type of family bonding. Do the same with your friends and ask them to join you in the gym as well. They may be reluctant at first, especially if they’re not active, but assure them with the conviction that once they’ve tried these activities, they’ll have so much fun that they’ll want to repeat them.
4. Make Healthy Food Delicious
The taste of vegetables tends not to go well with a kid’s taste buds, which makes it difficult to feed them healthy. To overcome this obstacle, blend veggies with other tasty (but healthy) food like tomato sauce. When the veggies are blended so finely that they become invisible, your kids won’t be able to detect them, and their unpleasant taste would be overpowered by the rich flavor of tomato sauce. Make pizza with this, and watch your kids devour it with gusto.
5. Remain Committed
If you’re really keen on making your family and friends live healthy as you do, then aside from living by example, you should also stay committed. Workouts must be practiced regularly, a healthy diet consumed daily, and healthy habits observed at times. When you’ve scheduled a physical activity with your family or friends, never cancel or forget to show up. If you can’t make it, inform them in advance and reschedule. Of course, this isn’t to tell you that they should rely on you entirely to stay fit; you just hold an essential role in their journey, especially if you’re the one who encouraged them to become healthy in the first place.
And if you’re a parent whose kids refuse to eat the healthy meal you prepared for them, don’t give in and cook them whatever they requested. Instead, ask them to point out which particular ingredient/s in the meal is/are to their liking, and only make them eat those. Occasional small or even skipped meals won’t be harmful and they will learn a valuable lesson from them.
Keep in mind that it won’t be easy to convince your loved ones to shift to a healthy lifestyle. But don’t give up because, in the end, it’s all for their good and benefit. You’ll be a happier bunch when you’re all fit and healthy.
