[Muffie's Mom]

10 Healthy Family Resolutions
Your Guide to Pediatrics.

It's no secret that many parents and their children are overweight. These 10 family resolutions can help you change your family's lifestyle so that you can all become more healthy.

1) Change to Whole Grain Foods

Part of the problem with the food pyramid is that it likely encouraged more people to eat foods made with processed and refined grains, such as white bread, white rice, cereal, pasta, and other foods made with white flour.

These foods have a high glycemic index, low amounts of fiber, and are not as healthy as foods made with whole grains. Making the switch to whole grain foods, including whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta, brown rice, and cereals made with whole grains, are an easy and healthy way to make your family's diet healthier.

2) Limit Soda and Fruit Drinks

Although it is considered okay for younger children (1 to 6 years old) to drink 4-6 ounces of 100% fruit juice each day and for older children (over age 7 years) to drink 8-12 ounces, all children should avoid fruit drinks and soda.

In addition to not having any real nutritional value, they have a lot of calories. At about 150 calories per 12 ounce serving, your kids will gain an extra pound about every 3 weeks if they drink just one can of soda each day.

Cutting back or eliminating soda, fruit drinks, and even fruit juice, can be a good way to get rid of a lot of extra calories and leave room for your kids to eat more nutritious foods.

3) Increase the Number of Fruits and Vegetables You Eat

Most people, especially children, don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. And that usually means that they are eating other less nutritious foods. With a high fiber content, low glycemic load, and lots of vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. And because they have lots of water in them, eating fruits and vegetables can help you to feel full and satisfied so that you don't overeat.

4) Eat More Foods With Calcium

A common mistake people make when trying to lose weight is that they stop drinking milk. Calcium is important though, both to build healthy bones and surprisingly, to help you lose weight. So continue to encourage your kids to drink milk, but just make the change to low fat milk once they are at least two years old.

5) Be More Active

Everyone knows that part of the cause of the current obesity epidemic is that people are much less active then they used to be. Getting kids involved in organized activities, which can be either team or individual sports, and cutting back on the amount of time in front of the TV and playing video games, can help your kids to get more active.

Family activities are also a good way to be more physically active. Even simple things, like walking across a parking lot, using stairs, and going for short family walks or bike rides, can make a big difference.

6) Understand Where Your Calories Come From

While you don't necessarily need to do daily calorie counts, keep a diary of what your family eats for a few days can help you see where extra calories are coming from. Are your kids overweight because of the calories they get from a bedtime snack or those two glasses of Kool Aid® he drinks? Or maybe because his portion sizes are too large?

If you know where your kids' calories are coming from, you will know where to make changes and how you can cut back, especially on foods that have a lot of empty calories.

7) Learn About Carbs

Carbs get a bad wrap, especially with all of the proponents of high protein diets, like the Atkins and South Beach Diet. Not all carbs are created equal though. While it is a good idea to avoid foods that have carbs with a high glycemic index, such as white bread, foods made with white flour, and foods and beverages sweetened with sugar, other carbs can be a healthy part of a balanced diet.

So instead of avoiding all carbs, just learn about how to choose foods with good carbohydrates, which can include many fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grain foods.

8) Learn About Fats

Like carbs, there are good and bad fats. Instead of making the mistake of trying to stick to a low fat diet, and simply substituting other foods that are just as high in calories, you should learn to eat foods that have good fat in them. This includes foods with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. On the other hand, you should avoid saturated fats and trans fats.

9) Choose Healthy Meals When Eating Out

Even if your family eats healthy at home, if they eat supersized fast food meals a few times a week, they are probably still at risk for becoming overweight. If you are going to eat out a lot, review the nutritional facts of the restaurant's menu and watch your portion sizes. Calories and fat can quickly add up when eating out.

10) Get Help to Stay Motivated

Most people know what they need to do to be healthier. Eating healthy and exercising often are not easy things to do though. Getting educated about the specifics of a healthy diet, getting the whole family involved, and setting goals, can help your family stay healthy and fit.