By Dee Doanes

It’s important to get the entire family involved in being healthy. If you have a child or are a parent who is dealing with health or weight issues, it requires involvement from the entire family. This will motivate all family members to make necessary changes and reinforce good healthy habits.

If you’re an overweight parent, in addition to losing weight, you want to make sure that your children don’t develop weight problems too. This is important since childhood obesity has long term effects that continue into adulthood.

According to several peer reviewed studies posted on The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions’ website, “Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. One study showed that children who became obese as early as age 2 were more likely to be obese as adults.”

You don’t want your kids to be unhealthy adults. Now is the time to change your family’s health. Get started on the journey to good health by using these nutrition and fitness tips!

Check out these Family Health and Weight Loss Tips

1. Cut Back on Video Games and TV

When I grew up I spent lots of time outside playing with neighborhood kids—hopscotch and running in the yard. Now, when I drive around neighborhoods I see empty streets, definitely no kids playing. What the heck happened? Limit TV and video games to four hours per week. The entire family should go outside. Shoot some hoops and bicycle together. These are fun ways to exercise and lose weight, and will increase family bonding.

2. Eat and Grow Nutrient-Rich Organic Vegetables

Eating a diet based on organic vegetables is a great way to be healthy and lose weight. You don’t have to become a vegan, though vegetarianism works well for some people. Find a balance that works for you. Your daily diet should include a variety of food groups, such as: fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fish, and lean meat.

Planting a small garden will show your kids how to grow food and get them directly involved in taking charge of their health. This is another great family activity that increases emotional bonding. I grow beets, basil, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes with my family.

Start small and poll your family on what two or three vegetables to grow. Assign garden duties to each family member and gradually add to your garden. Also, this is a continuing science lesson for your kids!

3. Cook at Home More

Cooking at home will save money, control meal quality, and allow more quality time with your loved ones. As a kid, my parents talked to me about school and friends at dinner time. There never was a rush. Today, a lot of kids tell me they eat in front of a TV or in the car. Texting and Tablet use are common at the dinner table. Occasionally, kids eat with the entire family.

Break away from these bad habits. Start with the entire family preparing the grocery list ahead of time. When grocery shopping read food labels together, so kids learn how to pick healthy food and not food high in fat, sugar, and salt. Then, cook using healthy recipes so the entire family can sit together and enjoy the meal.

– Dee Doanes is the founder and editor-in-chief of Health Plus Style, an alternative health lifestyle blog. She’s passionate about spreading the philosophy of the body, mind, and spirit connection. Her motto is, “Be free, be open, be happy!”