Healthy Weight Habits

• Eat together as a family once every day. When families eat together they eat healthier meals. Children learn to eat healthy when they see their parents eat healthy. Click here to learn why family meals are important .
• Plan easy meals for the entire week. Take the time to plan your meals for the week and stick to your list when shopping. Try the meal planner  at Dietitians of Canada to get you started.
• Eat breakfast every day .
• Limit beverages that are high in sugar. Drinking too many sugar beverages can limit a child’s intake of important nutrients. Re-think  what you and your kids are drinking and try to serve water or milk to quench thirst. Click here for more information on sugar.
• Limit juice - for children aged one to six, limit 100% juice to no more than 4-6 oz (125-175 mL) a day. Juice is filling and can affect children’s appetites. Children may miss out on important nutrients as result of drinking too much juice. Offer fruit instead of juice to get the benefit of fibre and other nutrients.
• Eat a fruit or vegetable with each meal or snack.
• Dine out less and down size fast food choices.
• Become familiar with portion sizes.
• Reduce screen time. Place limits on TV watching, computer time or video game playing to no more than one hour per day. Start with 30 minutes less each day. Make screen time active time
  • use commercial breaks to stretch and move around
  • take breaks when at the computer or playing video games
  • get up and walk around the house, run up the stairs or stretch to the ceiling.
  • try “on the spot hip hop” for ten minutes. It is refreshing and helps you reach your physical activity goals.
  
  
• Be more active
• Accept your natural size and shape
• Get enough rest