10 Steps To A Healthy Weight: Eat Right & Get Active

10 Steps To A Healthy Weight:Eat Right & Get ActiveEat Right:

+ When buying groceries, shop the perimeter of the store first to findfresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats and dairy products. Choose fresh over packaged foods that may be high in sugar and fat.

+ Always have healthy snacks available. Find ideas for healthy snaking at metrowestkids.com + Never use food as a reward or punishment. Associating food with emotional values creates an unhealthy habit that becomes hard to break.

+ Eliminate or strictly limit sweetened beverages, like sodas, sports drinks and fruit drinks. They provide no nutritional value and are filled with sugar.

+ Use color as a guide; try green and yellow vegetables, fruits of various colors, and brown breads and pastas.

+ Reduce the number of meals you eat out at restaurants each week, especially at fast-food restaurants. You pack on the calories and fat without even knowing it every time you eat out.

+ Sit down together for family meals. Do not eat in front of a screen; be it a television, computer or video game screen. This leads to fast eating and lowered awareness of how much you are eating.

Get Active:

+ Emphasize activity not exercise. Your child's activity does not have to be a structured exercise program or sport. Free-play activities such as hide-and-seek, tag or jump rope or even a walk can be great for burning calories and improving fitness.

+ Set an active example for your kids. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and park the car farther away from stores. Like food, never use exercise as a punishment or a reward.

+ Make chores a family affair. Who can pull the most weeds out of the vegetable garden? Who can rake the most leaves? Have your kids help shovel the snow off the driveway and use that snow to build a snow fort.

Source: MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation