We get it – we’re all busy.
But we still want our families to be as healthy as possible, right?
So how do you make that happen when you are a busy working mum with a to-do list so long it makes your head spin? It all comes down to making small but achievable changes that are simple enough to stick to.
Here’s four suggestions to get you started.
1. Steer clear of packaged food.
Make a new family rule to have a few days per week where the entire family forgoes any food that comes out of a packet. It’s a good way to avoid processed and junk food and it’s a good lesson for the kids, too.
Related: A dietitian talks takeaway and tells us what to order (and what not to order).
They’ll learn about where food comes from and why natural food is so important, and it’ll ensure that all your diets are that bit healthier.
2. Have a healthy “snack box” for after school treats.
Fact: kids are ravenous after school, and they’ll often demand a packet of chips or biscuits to fill them up. But try this: have a special designated area in the fridge filled with healthy snacks they know they can access at any time. Fill it up with things like carrot and celery sticks and hummus, olives and pickles, fruit salad, yoghurt and baked chicken legs. They’ll soon get into the habit of reaching for the healthy snacks instead of junk.
3. Go natural.
We don’t often think about the chemicals lurking in everyday products that the whole family use. But unfortunately there are often dodgy ingredients like sulphates and parabens in things like moisturisers, shampoo and conditioners and cleaning products. Do your research, always read the labels when you are doing a shop and opt for products containing natural ingredients where possible.
Related: Become fluent in another language: Nutrition labels.
4. Get moving.
The key to raising active kids is to show them that exercise is fun, not a chore. So make the effort to incorporate regular fun family activities into your routine. A session of trampolining and laser tag will get everyone’s heart rate up but it’s so fun it doesn’t even feel like exercise. But even simple things like walking the dog together and throwing a Frisbee in the backyard or a park is enough.
Which health hack will you be trying out first? What are some other health hacks you’ve discovered?
Top Comments
Re #1 ... I have a friend who has now chosen a very simple rule for food safety (and it's right at least 99% of the time): DO NOT EAT foods that have been through a factory and/or are sold in packets and/or are advertised.
I found that if one stops buying any food that is advertised, the diet and weight control improves markedly.
I was, of course, referring to TV ads for the duopoly.
Weekly specials focused on Pepsi, Milo, sugar-laden breakfast cereals, fake muesli bars, ice-cream.
Of course there are a few meat and F&V specials, but they are in the minority.
Factory foods like tomato sauce, fish fingers, etc. are chemical baths.
If we avoid these any way we can, all the better.
The rule of thumb I described is general but it's very generally correct and worth applying (or, at least, considering) in this age of the majority of Australians being overweight and obese.
Anyone interested in living a low tox life should check out Alexx Stuart's 30 day e course. Google her blog for info. I highly recommend it. It IS possible to reduce exposure to toxins (which are frequently endocrine disruptors) ) and we should all be doing so.