How to help the younger generations to lead healthy lives…
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As I get older there are a few things I’m realizing about my kids and the younger generations: 90% of their challenges, successes and limitations come from the habits and mindset I taught them as I raised them, whether it was intentional or not.
We want out kids to have better lives, opportunities and skills than we do, but the bottom line is, they won’t learn them automatically, and they won’t learn them at all if they are not exposed to the possibilities of the benefits of those skills.
Change is good, and also comes at a price. Everyone decides if that price is worth everything they have, because change requires nothing less.
So how do we instill healthy habits, mindsets and skills in our children as they grow?
Here are three big observations for me, that might help you as you navigate healthy habits and growth in your kids and younger generations:
Your Habits Become Their Habits
Your personal habits and routines, whether intentional or not, subconsciously lead your kids to believe that is how the world operates, and how they must operate in the world to survive. Life after all, according to the brain and body, is all about survival; about sameness. The more you keep things the same, the better chance of survival- that’s what your body thinks anyway. Even if it’s not rewarding, or fulfilling.
Make Healthy Eating a Reward, Not A Punishment
I hate to tell you, but the demand, “You can’t have ice cream til you finish your broccoli “ is not going to help your kid want to eat broccoli! Give them a chance to love veggies alongside other foods they love, and make ice cream or dessert its own experience rather than a comfort or reward for doing something that can and should already be a positive choice, without the reward.
Studies show that a child needs exposure to new foods as much as 12-18 times before they may even consider trying it. The more you are willing to try something and keep trying it, the more likely they will be, too.
The greatest leaders don’t tell someone what to do, they show them. The biggest impact you can have on their eating habits is to know that what you are doing is taking care of you, because you want to be healthy, and happy. You want them to take care of their bodies because it helps them to be happy and feel good- not because they’re obeying orders, or made a “bad” choice.
You are your bigger cheerleader and your worst critic. We often think we are “bad” because of a food we chose to eat, or something we chose to do (or not do, especially when it comes to exercise). As a personal trainer and coach, I constantly remind my clients that there is no such thing as a “bad” food, or right way to exercise. Food is fuel, is experience, and movement is movement. Your goals will require different types of fuel and movement from someone else’s.
Be Open, And Curious And They Will Too
I think one of the most difficult things for us to say is, “I don’t know”. I have always been the type of person who loves learning, but I haven’t always been open to asking questions, or being non-judgmental about not knowing something. When I was in college, I thought the only way to lose weight was to stop eating fatty foods. All I did was see the numbers on the scale climb.
Just as recently as 2018, I thought that my race training was not affected by my change in diet. That changed caused me to develop a heart condition that required surgery… all because I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
The point is, allow yourself to learn and grow. Life is about progress, not perfection, and you deserve a life that’s more about adding life to your years, and fulfillment rather than survival. If you give yourself the space to be curious and ask for help from those who know things you want to learn, your kids will be open to asking questions and being curious enough to discover their own strengths and abilities are.
It is possible to change your own habits, and help your kids and those who follow. It starts with you. If you’re not sure where to begin, let’s take the first step in your health to make little change in your fitness and nutrition. Your kids will respect their bodies and health more because you do!
