Actions for Individuals and Families
Family and friends play an important role in encouraging more healthful behaviors and giving individuals the knowledge and support they need to make healthful eating and physical activity choices. Family mentoring can help pass on healthy habits to children. Intergenerational activities can help connect individuals and family members, and empowering elders can help facilitate change. Strengthening the individual culturally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally helps people to live Life in Balance and to adopt healthful eating and physical activity behaviors.
Family and friends play an important role in encouraging more healthful behaviors and giving individuals the knowledge and support they need to make healthful eating and physical activity choices. Family mentoring can help pass on healthy habits to children. Intergenerational activities can help connect individuals and family members, and empowering elders can help facilitate change. Strengthening the individual culturally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally helps people to live Life in Balance and to adopt healthful eating and physical activity behaviors.
- Make a commitment to healthful eating.
- Learn about local healthy weight and healthful eating resources available to you.
- Set realistic goals for the number of calories you will take in based on realistic weight loss goals (1-2 pounds a week).
- Eat moderate portions of a wide variety of healthful foods that you enjoy.
- Drink more water and fewer or no sugar-sweetened beverages.
- Keep track of what you eat, and evaluate your progress.
- Practice mindful eating by being aware of your surroundings and of your mind, body, and spirit.
- Listen to your body, and eat only until you have had enough.
- Avoid eating to cope with stress; get physically active instead.
- Get emotional support, and plan for setbacks.
- Celebrate your successes with small rewards for the healthful eating lifestyle changes you make.
- Get 30 minutes or more of daily physical activity.
- Limit television and non-work/school screen time to no more than 2 hours per day.
- Take daily walks with your family.
- Advocate for adequate, safe play areas and walking trails in your community to friends, family, local leaders, and at public meetings (Tribal, school board, planning board, and elsewhere).
- Advocate for policies to increase daily physical activity (including physical education classes) from Early Head Start and Head Start to child care centers and from elementary through high school.
