Ready, Set, Go! The Zappley Family Is Off to a Great Start!
Setting wellness goals with a family is a great way to head into springtime, when fresh fruits and vegetables are so readily available, and the great Carolina weather beckons us to get outside and be more active.
Tonda [Carolinas HealthCare System dietitian Tonda Gridley] and I met with the Zappley family to discuss their top health concerns and to focus in on what they feel is important for them in this Fit Family Challenge. So, what did we find out? Ms. Zappley wants what a lot of families want: to engage her children in healthier eating while still appreciating that each family member has his or her own interests and preferences!
Mom and kids (Christion and Ariana) would really like to focus on two things:
1- Doing more together as a family when it comes to nutrition and fitness.
2- Planning meals for better variety.
Mom is very motivated, which makes the process a lot more fun. She noted her challenge to the success of our efforts will be getting the children fully plugged in to the process. Our suggestion for step one in that process is to invite both kids to research and plan one meal each week.
The family tends to buy healthy foods already, which is a great start. Now is the perfect time to ramp up that effort with fresh, seasonal items. We suggest the family begins a Saturday trip to a local farmer’s market, with each child choosing something they would like to try. Getting the children involved in cooking would be helpful to Mom and allow them both to explore that activity. The Cooking Light magazine or website is a solid resource for healthy recipes.
Looking for more healthy recipes the family will love?
Download Carolinas HealthCare System’s free recipe book “Food for Thought” for great, family-friendly meal ideas.
Dr. Samuel Adkins is a physician with Cabarrus Family Medicine-Prosperity Crossing, part of Carolinas HealthCare System. Tonda Gridley is a registered dietitian with Cabarrus Family Medicine-Concord, also part of Carolinas HealthCare System.
