How to Be Healthy in an Unhealthy Family
By: Suzanne Kvilhaug
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If anyone is meant to write about being healthy in an unhealthy family, it’s me. For the record, my family isn’t obese, super unhealthy, or anything along those lines. There’s just no one that puts a lot of emphasis on wellness or any true foodies in the bunch. I was definitely following suit and eating a pretty standard American diet. Packaged and fried foods, candy all day every day, and gallons of Gatorade could sum it up. Instead of gaining the typical freshman 15 during my college years, I felt this desire to start changing my unhealthy habits to healthier ones. And by change, I mean that I started to have toast and jelly instead of bagels with butter, more canned vegetables were thrown in the grocery cart, and learning how to run a 10-minute mile became a goal.
As time progressed, I would get further in and incorporate another healthy habit then continue to build from there. What I can’t stress enough is that it is a process. Committing to becoming healthier, in the beginning, can feel overwhelming, especially if your family does not make healthy living a priority. Never in a million years did I expect to be where I am today in terms of what I’ve learned, the weight I’ve lost, and how healthy my diet is. If you’re determined to be healthier regardless of if you’re going on the journey solo or not, here are some tips to help you stick with it and enjoy it every step of the way.
Never let being the only one stop you
Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands. I’m a big believer in Buddha’s theory that to keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise, we shall not be able to keep our minds strong and clear. Choosing to start new healthy patterns in a family is admirable and regardless of any negative opinions or lack of support, be excited for all of the positive changes ahead of you. If no one else around you is healthy, try to be at peace with it. Being bothered about other people’s choices won’t change their thinking plus it will cause unnecessary stress for you. People who do great things often have to take a stand-alone in the beginning and then others eventually come around.
Don’t spend time or energy trying to convince everyone else to be healthy
When you start to experience how good it feels to be healthy, telling others to do it becomes hard to refrain from. Refrain! Even with the best intentions, this approach, unsolicited, won't spark someone's mindset to shift to a healthier one. People have to want to become healthy and take the actions needed because of a true desire, not someone’s command. The best inspiration can come from watching someone do something. Instead of starting to tell everyone that they should be healthy- simply live your life, share some of your health successes when the time is right, and happily answer questions when they come your way.
introduce new foods at family functions
I’m the only vegan in my entire family and I always try to bring something vegan to family functions. The proof is in the pudding so if people are able to see and taste healthier options, they can get excited about it. Seeing is believing and if people start to feel that it’s more doable than they originally thought, it could start a chain reaction.
Find a support system outside your family
We all have the family we’re born into, and then there’s the family we make. If healthy living is a priority for you, but not your family, find the support you need in your community. Whether it’s like-minded friends, people you meet at the gym, other people using the same diet program, or just joining a Facebook group for the inspirational memes. We all need support to make life changes, and if people at home aren’t on the same page, you don’t gave to go it alone, but you may need to seek the encouragement and camaraderie you need elsewhere.
Stay excited about the process even during rough patches
Rough patches on the journey to becoming healthier are unavoidable. Even the healthiest people have bad days, setbacks, and some tough chapters. When things get difficult, stay confident that the process will work and that it's worth it. The support system you build will be clutch in these situations so you can vent frustrations and struggles in a safe space. And they’ll help remind you that with perseverance, patience, and determination, in due time living a healthy life will become second nature.
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