How healthy is your family?

So now that you have made this choice to change your lifestyle, how has it affected your family? Are those that are close to you healthier because of the choices you have made? If you are the grocery shopper for your household, you have a great influence of the type of foods that are brought into your house and in your life. Choose wisely. If we rely on someone else to make the best choices for us we are not taking responsibility for our own health. If someone else is leading you down a path you do not want to go it is your responsibility to right your course. Don't let someone else have a negative affect on your life. Speak up. Be proactive in the food and activity choices in your life. If you are around people that lead a sedentary life style are you more likely to be a couch potato? I think so. Encourage your family to live a more active lifestyle. Live your life, don't be on the sidelines. Be a leader and encourager. Make good choices and be steadfast in your decisions. Enjoy everyday and make the most of it. Have a great day, Rick

Hi Rick. It's been interesting to see how my lifestyle change has affected my family. My extended family will be visiting me this week from Michigan. They eat fairly healthily so they won't be surprised by the food I serve them. My Florida family, on the other hand, is completely different. They are very unhealthy eaters. My mom will be here for Thanksgiving and one of the first things we'll do is buy soda. We don't have any in the house and she'll need some. We'll probably also buy ice cream. But I will stick to my NSA fudgsicles! That doesn't mean I won't have a little pie on Thanksgiving, but I won't stock my house with stuff like that. My husband has begun walking three miles a day. I'm so proud of him! The doctor just put him on a low dose of blood pressure medication and he has been borderline for years. I'm not sure the walking can combat that, but he is healthier when he exercises. I think he will join the gym with me for the winter. I will really enjoy going with him on the weekends and it might help motivate me as well. I feel good about the choices that we've both made to be healthier. Hugs, Stephanie

Stephanie, It sounds like overall your positive changes have had a positive affect on those around you. Good for you and good for them. I'm also glad your husband is walking with you. That will be good for the both of you. My wife has been waling with me in the morning at 6:00 a.m. it sure is dark, but we enjoy the time together. Have a great day, Rick

I have to say that I am the main grocery shopper in my house and my family is still a work in progress. They have no choice what they eat here..I just don't bring the bad stuff in. Don't get me wrong they do have minds of their own and when I am not there to monitor them they still see what they can get away with..For instance...for the last game of the ALCS my DH and son went to the store to get some snacks...OK...so what did they come home with Doritios, and Sour Cream and Onion chips and 2 2liter of soda..but by the end of the night both were complaining of stomach ache and very sleepy ..it was all I could do not to yell "SEE I TOLD YOU SO" but I was good...and after feeling crappy both have decided they made wrong choices and hubby is going to the gym after work today..My son is 15.5 and he is starting to realize that I am making sense. (At least that is what I am hoping for) we shall see only time will tell... Jannine

Jannine, Trust me, all families are a work in progress. I'm sure your family missed the treats, but it was good that they saw the physical affects from eating the less healty food. It was a lesson you could have told them over and over again, but until they saw it themselves they wouldn't have believed it. It pays to set a good example. Have a great day, Rick

Good question Rick! Sadly, in all honesty the answer to your question is no.. My family doesn't live with me and I don't have kids. I'm the shopper and am in the store for about an hour reading labels, picking the right ingredients. My sister travels a lot for work so her and her bf constantly eat out (even when they're home). My brothers single and a state trooper, no breakfast, fast food for lunch and dinner is his daily routine. Hes skinny as a beanpole, fast metobolism and could eat twice the amount I could as a pre-op (my father was the same way at his age, hes still young so hes got that working for him). Mom eats a lot of veggies, but still loves her chips and french fries. The only thing thats changed with BF is hes exercising with me His foods haven't really, he still loves his beer on the weekend.. I'm happy he exercises, when I cook, he eats it healthy, I suppose anything helps!