LIFESTYLE NEWS - A healthy lifestyle should be enjoyed by all and it should be a family effort.

Here are seven ways to make healthy living a family affair: 

1. Keep a well-stocked pantry. Keep a fruit bowl on the counter, chopped veggies at eye level in the refrigerator and wholegrain snacks in the pantry so that when hunger strikes, a healthy snack is only an arm's reach away. 

2. Keep unhealthy foods out. This way, when they are hungry for a meal or a snack, the temptation of sweets doesn't overrule their need for fruits, veggies, whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins 

3. Avoid fast food. Fast food is NOT a treat and is quite toxic. Take a little bit of time at the start of the week to prep and plan a few meals. That way you won't rely on fast food when the week gets busy. 

4. Teach your kids through demonstration. Don't just tell your kids that they should eat their vegetables, be an example and eat yours. 

5. Modify recipes. By substituting unhealthy ingredients for healthier options, your family will learn to love healthy foods and no one has to give up their favorite dishes; instead, they can just prepare them differently! 

6. Enjoy family meals. Along with being a positive healthy living role model, it is also important to teach your family the value of sitting down at the dinner table together. Research suggests that families that eat at least one meal together per day have lower rates of obesity, lower rates of negative body image, have a better relationship with food, do better in school, and more. 

7. Get active. Get active, together. Play games in the front yard, go on a family walk after dinner, go swimming or take a class together - all of these things can be fun for the entire family and provide quality bonding time too!

A healthy lifestyle can be enjoyed by each of your family members if you all work together to help one another make the best decisions every day. 

'We bring you the latest Garden Route, Klein Karoo, Hessequa nuus'