I am categorizing this post as Weight Loss Motivation because if you have children, then providing them with a better life should be the ultimate motivation for you to lose weight.
One of the first posts that I ever wrote on this blog was about how obese parents are more likely to raise obese children and how I wanted to lose weight so that my children would have a better chance of NOT being obese. If we model active behavior and healthy eating to our children then they in turn will be more inclined to live healthy lifestyles.
Right?
I can tell you unequivocally that this is truth.
While in Dick’s Sporting Goods a few weeks ago my little girl asked me if she could have a Camelbak hydration pack. I asked her why she wanted one. She told me that she wanted to run with me and she hoped that I would train her to run across the Cooper River Bridge. She knew that I always ran the bridge with my water backpack and she thought since they had a pink one at Dick’s that she needed it. I got a little choked up thinking that she actually WANTED to run, and run WITH me. It made me very happy. It also made me think that Camelbak needs to pay attention. Greyson is a very smart child and we would make quite the ambassador team for them! (wink wink)
This isn’t the first time I have noticed my new lifestyle rubbing off on the kids though.
Both of my kids eat more vegetables than most other kids I know. Charlie knows how to do push-ups because he sees me doing them. He has run over to my EcoCross (KettleHell) class several times while I am doing them and joined right in. Greyson is always talking about exercise and running. It is great. I know that my lifestyle will give them a much better shot of being healthy and that because of that they will have less chance of being obese. It makes me happy that I can give myself the gift of health and then indirectly give that gift to them as well.
I cannot encourage you enough to be a model to your kids. Be a living paragon of health and activity. If they see you being healthy, they will want to be healthy. If they see you being active, they will want to be active. Do it for yourself AND do it for you kids. If you don’t have kids, but you plan to, then know that the earlier you start living a healthy lifestyle the easier it will be to model it for your progeny.
Let me leave you with one last example of how modeling an active lifestyle with benefit your children.
My wife and I have always wanted our kids to be laid-back and easy going. As quasi-nouveau yuppie-hippies (aka Yippies) we have done all sorts of things to encourage this in our children. Be it taking them to bluegrass concerts or hanging out in Asheville, we have always tried to model this type of behavior as well. One thing that my wife and I have always said is that we hoped that our kids wanted to surf, because all of the kids we knew who surfed seemed to be that laid-back easy going type. We have spent a lot of time at the beach this summer (if you follow me on Instagram you will know this!) and it seemed for a while that the dream of our kids wanting to surf would never come to fruition because they both were seemingly afraid of the waves. Then it happened. Greyson started getting a little more brave. Then she started wanting to go out a little further. Then she wanted me to get her a boogie board.
Then I got a surfboard.
And then this happened…
It is all she can talk about.
Folks, your kids will do what you do. They will want to emulate you. Make sure that whatever it is you are doing, that it is something that you would want them doing.
Peace out.
Greta post..couldn’t agree more!! Keep it up, dude!
Twitter: Gregontherun
Well said, Hank. You are changing your family’s legacy. A friend wrote about the same thing a few weeks ago. Same thing has happened in his family. http://www.mooreonrunning.com/2012/08/make-it-normal.html
Sound words!!! Now if I could just get my 4 year old out hiking with me….
Twitter: courtnorm
This is so true. I have noticed the change in my 2 year old since we started having healthier habits. Thanks for sharing!
Twitter: Mooreonrunning
Awesome! I totally get this and agree. Love that you are sharing this with others.
Twitter: cyu888
I love this so much!! She looks like a natural. I totally want my kids to learn to surf. They aren’t quite there yet although my oldest (5) did try boogie boarding for the first time and loved it. Can’t wait to get them up on a surfboard!
Christine, Greyson just turned 6 so go ahead and your oldest ready! 🙂
Twitter: stellarpath
This makes me really happy; our baby is almost here, but my wife and I have both talked about ways we can stay active to keep our kid(s) active.
Twitter: dks2008
this is truly wonderful. good on ya,
Love this post Hank! You are exactly right on with this. Never too young to get them started being healthy and appreciating the beauty in the world around us!
Twitter: DarwinianFail
SO AWESOME! So happy you got her the backpack! YAY GREYSON! And YAY HANK! You are setting such an awesome example for your kids, and leading a healthy lifestyle at a young age is so important for their overall health!
I LEARNED IT FROM WATCHING YOU, DAD!
Twitter: curlsz
Think it goes pat emulation, you at opening up new doors to them, showing them a different part of life, love it!!
Just read this post. It’s incredible. As my husband and I are trying to get pregnant, it’s a good reminder to me that we need to follow through with all the conversations we have about what we want to do with our hypothetical children and fitness. Thanks for this!
I linked up here from The Lean Green Bean, and it’s my first time seeing your blog. But ohmygoodness what a fabulous transformation and what a great message!
When I was younger, my parents were never overly active, but we certainly were outdoors people. We would often bike or walk where we needed to go instead of taking the car. I used to love spending that time together. They also encouraged us into any sports that we wanted to try (even if we were horrible at them!). It’s something that I’ve taken and (literally) run with as an adult.
I’m incredibly glad that you’re setting your little ones up for a better future. They may never thank you for it, but their bodies and their self-esteem most certainly will shine because of it! Congratulations! 🙂