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Article: How to Be a Healthy Role Model for Your Children
by Roslyn Franken

As a mom, you are a primary role model for your children with every word you speak and every action you take. As your little ones watch and listen for your direction, support and approval, they learn what is to become the beliefs and habits they will live by for a lifetime. When it comes to healthy eating and positive living habits, it is no different than anything else.  You're probably great at ensuring your kids learn to read and write and do their homework properly.  But what about healthy eating habits and positive living?  Equally important, these all start within the home.  Here are 5 ways to be a healthier role model for your children through your own healthy food and lifestyle habits, attitudes and behaviours.

1. Stop dieting - if you're on a different diet every few weeks with one week cutting out all carbs and the next only eating cabbage soup, then what message are you giving your children in terms of what healthy eating actually looks like?  Instead, youneed to look at your own relationship with food and your inner self and start making healthy changes gradually starting today.  When you eat better you will feel better and as you feel better you will live better. 
2. Stop using unhealthy foods as a reward system This typically includes chips, chocolate, cookies, cake, ice cream and other sweets, fatty and salty snack foods.  Find other ways to reward yourself that don't involve these types of food. 
3. Stop filling your cupboards and counters with high calorie snack foods - Out of sight out of mind.  By having your favourite high calorie snack foods in plain view you are more vulnerable to reaching for them on automatic pilot.  It is also too easy for your kids to grab handfuls of snacks without you even knowing. Keep them out of your sight.  Instead leave a bowl of fresh fruits on the counter and limit the amounts of snack foods in your cupboards.
4. Avoid overindulging in fast food, take-out, unhealthy snack foods and too much highly processed choices on a regular basis -  With all the fast food restaurants, microwaveable meals, highly processed and convenience foods available, it is becoming easier and easier to fall into unhealthy eating and lifestyle traps.  Although McDonalds and pizza nights are considered a treat by some, they are too often becoming the norm for many parents and young children. 
5. Avoid skipping meals - When you're overtired, overstressed and overwhelmed by the demands of daily life, it is all too easy to get so caught up that you end up skipping meals during the day.  This will lower your energy levels and leave you vulnerable to binging, overeating and over-indulging in less healthy choices later in the day and into the evening when you do finally sit down to eat.

Don't set your children up for developing the same bad habits that you now struggle with.  Spare them the same pain and heartache.  Follow these 5 tips and your children will notice the difference in you because you will have rediscovered your inner smile and be happier with yourself and have more positive energy to share.  When you look at what is truly important and meaningful and what you can start doing differently to simplify your life, you will then find the time and energy to plan and prepare healthy meals, eat regularly and incorporate more activity into your daily routine.  Your children will thank you for it.

If trying to follow these guidelines is scary, that’s okay.  Perhaps you’re afraid to try for fear of failure.   I ask that you not let the fear stop you from going after what you want for yourself and your family.  Believe in yourself.   If you have trouble doing it alone, reach out for the guidance and support you need.  You don’t have to do it alone!  Start taking better care of yourself. The positive lessons your children will learn from you will last a lifetime so get started on healthy changes today and keep it going.

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Roslyn Franken is the author of The A List: 9 Guiding Principles for Healthy Eating and Positive Living, a powerful self-directed guide for achieving your long term health, lifestyle and weight management goals.

To purchase The A List book and for more information on Roslyn Franken’s personalized counseling and professional speaking services, please visit www.roslynfranken.com. Take your complimentary online Readiness Assessment and be sure to sign up for your FREE Healthy Hints newsletter.

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