Australia has one of the highest childhood obesity rates in the world. We can hang the blame wherever we want, but at the end of the day, we need to take responsibility for changing that statistic. There is no argument that children learn behaviours from their parents. So it is extremely important that we stop regularly and take stock of the example we are setting for them. Do we make time for and value exercise? Do we have a healthy relationship with food? Do we mask the symptoms of pain with medication rather than seeking assistance to rectify the source? Do we seek out opportunities to be active as a family? Are we stress eaters or under eaters? Do we have a nagging injury or condition that stops us being active, but we just don’t have the time to do something about it? The reality is that none of us are perfect or need to be, but if we are more conscious of the choices we are making and the example that sets for our children, then we will make better choices more often and instill healthy habits in our children. With today’s busy lifestyle, this is easier said than done, but remember that the changes you make do not have to be big to make a significant impact. Small manageable changes set a better example than making a big change that you cannot maintain. Call The Exercise Physiology Group today if you want to get started on setting a good example.
