Do your parents have an active lifestyle? If they eat healthily and exercise regularly, count yourself lucky. About three-quarters of American teens say they are worried about their parents eating habits and non-active lifestyles. These could have dire consequences in the future for their health. Almost half of this number have asked their parents to switch their diets, but parents can be hard-headed sometimes. But here’s the thing: a survey found out that parents are willing to make changes if their non-active lifestyles worry their kids.
Make Changes to Your Own Lifestyle
You can take a naturopathic nutrition diploma course. That will give you more knowledge about eating the right food, especially for your parents. What many people don’t realize is that when they ask their parents to live an active lifestyle, they should lead the way. How can your parents jog in the morning if they see you lounging on the sofa and browsing your news feed? How can they eat healthily if you munch on cheesy fries in front of them? You need to make changes in your lifestyle, too. Lead the way. Show them that you’re willing to join them in this new lifestyle.
Think About How to Talk to Them
Plan on how you’re going to talk to your parents. Some may see your comments as a form of attack on their weight and conditions. If your parents can’t take the cues, try talking to them directly. Tell them that you are worried about their health; that’s why you want them to exercise more and eat healthy food. Let your parents know that you’re willing to change your own lifestyle to help them switch theirs. Also, if you’re already going to the gym, why not take them with you? It’s a great bonding experience.
Create a Plan Together
The plan is to start eating healthy food and exercise. This will not happen overnight. Instead, create a plan that you can work on together. For example, you can both start by eating five fruits a day and exercising for 15 minutes. Then, you can move on to eating fruits only for snacks and exercising 30 minutes a day. You can climb up the ladder one step at a time until you reach your goal.
Show Encouragement and Support
Your parents are bound to slip up. That’s always the case with those switching to a healthier lifestyle. Don’t scold them when they do. Offer words of comfort and encouragement. Tell them that you’re having a hard time, too, but you all want to work to be healthy. Praise your parents when they reach a milestone in their journey. Tell them that it’s great they are doing this for themselves and for you.
Your parents will not immediately say yes to your suggestion. It may become difficult to convince them to exercise and change their diets. Don’t lose hope. Continue giving them suggestions on how they can switch their lifestyles. You cannot lose patience with your parents. Remember that they went through the same phase with you when they were trying to make you eat vegetables when you were a kid.
