Fit by 40, Week 10 – A Healthier Family

Have you ever made a decision and had other unexpected benefits happen as a result of that decision? That’s what happened to me when I decided to take on the Fit by 40 challenge. One unexpected benefit to the Fit by 40 challenge is the positive effect it is having on my family.

As I shared in Week 8, my oldest daughter has noticed my changing habits and asked me about them, spurring a conversation about having and maintaining healthy bodies. My husband Nick and I decided that we should talk about maintaining healthy bodies with the rest of our children also. We have had several conversations with them, usually as we are eating dinner.

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So far we have had conversations focusing on portion control, eating everything in moderation and what types of food and how much of each type they should be eating each day. The kids have been engaged in the conversations and have asked thoughtful questions.

Also, in the past couple of weeks we have been exercising as a family two or three times a week. This is partly because of our dinnertime conversations about maintaining healthy bodies and partly because we are going to Disney soon. We are working on building their stamina in the hot weather since our trips to Disney usually take place during the cooler months. They also have some new supportive sandals that they’re working on breaking in.

What Went Well, Week 10:

1. Exercise: As mentioned above, we did some family exercising this week. I also did some strength training on my own. I did this once and plan to increase strength training to at least two times per week moving forward.

2. Making Better Choices at Night: Nick and I have been sticking to our modified schedule. We have a late dinner twice a week. Once is due to our weekly date night and the other is because of our schedules. Other than that, we forgo late night snacking. In addition, we are really focusing on being productive at night rather than sitting in front of the TV, with the exceptions mentioned above.

3. Staying hydrated: My first area of sustained success in this challenge was drinking more water. Though I really enjoy water and it is what I drink most often, I do like to mix it up here and there. I used to drink diet soda, but after the birth of my third child I learned about the negative effects of this habit. Now when I would like something different to drink I choose club soda. Typically I buy flavored club soda. Recently I switched to plain club soda with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime (or both)! Nick and I have a SodaStream, which makes it easy to grab a refreshing club soda!

Area That Needs Work, Week 10:

1. Eating Sweets: While I am continuing to work on eating fewer sweets, I have come to accept this area of my life, as I shared in Week 9. Eating sweets in moderation is my goal and I am definitely doing much better!

Our family is definitely healthier as a result of the Fit by 40 challenge. The kids have always had relatively healthy habits. I am happy to say that Nick and I are now consistently following the healthy habits we have been teaching the kids all along. Exercising together is really fun and I am so pleasantly surprised by the conversations about health and wellness that we have shared!

Is your family involved in your wellness routine?

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