Is your New Year’s resolution about trying to lose weight? Are you tempted to put the whole family on a diet? Most diets do not work and 95% of dieters regain the weight lost while on a diet. The risk of gaining more body fat increases with each weight loss diet you try.
What does work is to shift your thinking to focus on health as a value rather than weight as a goal. Try one or two of the following tips to start improving your health and the health of your family.Try more tips when you are ready to take on more changes.
Eat Well
- Use Canada’s Food Guide to help you choose healthy meals and snacks
- Enjoy sharing 3 meals a day and healthy snacks with your family
- Start your day with breakfast to help your mind and body wake up
- For meals, make half your plate vegetables or fruits, one quarter grains, one quarter protein (e.g. meat, fish, beans) and serve with a glass of milk, fortified soy beverage or water
- Satisfy your thirst with water
- Avoid pressuring your child to eat, using food as a reward or punishment or labelling foods as “good” or “bad”
- Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied
Move for Fun
- Being more active can improve your physical and mental health
- Make activity part of your daily routine
- Plan activities with family and friends
- Trade screen time (e.g. computer, TV, video games) for active time (e.g. walking, dancing, yoga, soccer)
- Spend time in nature (e.g. park, community garden)
- Find an activity you enjoy
Feel Good
- Healthy bodies come in different shapes and sizes
- It is important for you to feel good about yourself regardless of your shape or size
- Get enough sleep so that you have more energy and to help manage your stress
- Build your child’s self-esteem by focusing on their strengths, accomplishments and efforts (e.g. funny, helpful, artistic, caring, etc.) rather than on their appearance
Health Services to Help with Weight Issues
Check with your family doctor if you are concerned about your weight or your child’s weight.
For questions about healthy eating, food, or nutrition, call Dietitian Services atHealthLinkBC, 8-1-1. Translation services are available in over 130 different languages.
Children and Youth
Your doctor can refer your child toShapedownBC, which helps children, adolescents and their families achieve healthy weights. You can also call BC Children’s Hospital at 604-875-2345, local 5984 to find out more about the Shapedown program.
The Vancouver Coastal Health Healthy Attitudes Program provides free counselling and nutrition services forVancouverresidents, ages 11 -19 years, who have concerns about body weight, body image or disordered eating behaviours. Call 604-321-6151 for more information.
Jessie’s Legacy provides eating disorders prevention education resources and support for BC. Visit www.familyservices.bc.ca or call 1-888-988-5281, local 204 for more information.
The Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre is an information source about eating disorders and other mental health issues for children, youth and families. Call 604-875-2084 or visit their website at www.keltymentalhealth.ca
Adults
Vancouver General Hospital offers two programs to help adults with weight or food issues. The cost for each program is $25. Call 604-875-4120 for more information or to register for a program.
Bodysense – You would like to take steps to gain a sense of control and you are fed up
with the dieting experience. Eight 1 hour weekly sessions from 5:30-6:30 starting on Tuesday, January 8
Craving Change – You know what you should eat, but find that you just aren’t able to do it.
In Craving Change you will learn strategies to use as alternative to problematic eating. Five 1 hour weekly sessions from 5:30-6:30 starting on Tuesday, April 9