Читать книгу Steve Miller's Slimming Secrets - Steve Miller - Страница 23

There’s no doubt that as your lifestyle changes and you eat less, eat more healthily and become more active, the example you set to your children will be excellent and will motivate you even further. It’s a fact that there is a direct relationship between fat parents and fat kids. This isn’t a genetic inevitability, but one of pure lifestyle habit that parents pass on to their offspring. If a child constantly sees his parents slouching on the sofa and packing in piles of junk food then, and I’m sure you will agree, it’s common sense that he will do just the same. And it’s logical to assume that the parents are overfeeding their kids on piles and piles of junk food, and that they too will become fat. It’s rightly said that underfeeding kids is child cruelty, but I also believe overfeeding kids is just the same. This may sound like a push style of motivation, but I want us to make it a pull style. In other words, a motivation that will excite you, knowing your children are becoming fitter, healthier and less likely to suffer health problems because you are leading the way for them to follow.

Being a role model to your kids is something you can be truly proud of. You can stand at the school gate knowing other children aren’t looking at you and thinking, ‘That’s little Tommy’s mum, I’m not surprised he’s so fat!’ Or take sports day as another example, when parents can go and see their children take part and share in the fun and pride of them being active. The reality is that embarrassment kicks in for the kids whose parents struggle to fit on one seat, or always come last in the parents’ race being a complete chunk. Believe me, this is the real world, and I want you to let this real world motivate you into becoming the best possible role model. Getting the whole family involved in your weight loss can be great fun, so consider some of the following ideas:

 Make lists with the kids to go shopping using the 80–20 rule, which I discuss in more detail later in this book (page 67).

 Cook healthy food with your children: encourage them to roll up their sleeves and really get stuck in!

 Explain to them that as soon as you lose a certain amount of weight that you will be celebrating by taking everyone on a day out.

 Take up a family sport that you can all participate in together. Keep it simple, such as a weekly swim, cycling, trekking or if the children are older, try Zumba classes.

 Ask the kids to develop a weekly menu plan using the 80–20 rule. Explain that a prize will be given for the best weekly plan.

 Plan a night-time walk in the summer (take a route that’s safe and exciting). Kids love the adventure of this.

 Like the gym? Why not join as a family if your kids are old enough? These days, there are some great rates to be had for family gym memberships.

 Take up hobbies and interests as a family: remember, a bored mind becomes a hungry one. Perhaps start doing something different, such as archery or kite surfing.

 Share your newfound knowledge about portion control, motivation, the 80–20 rule of eating and all the motivational tips that you are picking up with the kids.