VavistaLife Programme for a Healthy Lifestyle

I know that healthy eating and weight management can be tough when looking after a family, especially when you’re being pulled left, right and centre – leaving no time to focus on yourself. 

The best way to be successful in focusing on healthy eating is to incorporate it into the whole family’s lifestyle. Here are a few tips on how:

1. First and foremost – get the kids involved. Whatever their age, if you include them in the cooking and prepping you’ve not only got an extra pair of hands but you can use this time to educate them on why the foods are healthy, hopefully setting them up for healthy habits in the future. Also, if they’re helped you to cook their green veggies, they’re more likely to be enthusiastic about eating them.
2. Instead of rewarding with food e.g. "Be a good girl and you’ll get some sweets", try rewarding with a family trip to the swimming pool or doing something else active. This way you’ll getting everyone active and have fun, building on relationships too.
3. Take control of mealtimes – try to avoid cooking a different meal for different people. Encourage the kids to eat the same as the adults, this will help to develop their tastebuds and it saves you from sneaking a chicken nugget when you think no one is looking.
4. Preparation is key – batch cooking and freezing a bolognese sauce which can be turned into a chilli con carne or freezing a soup could be the key to avoiding that "oh, let’s just get a take away" kind of night.
5. Keep a good stock of store cupboard favourites: a tin of tuna, a pack of ready-cooked quinoa, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1/4 pack of frozen chargrilled veg (find it in the frozen aisle at the supermarket) can make a meal in minutes. Make extra and you can take it to work or save it in the fridge for lunch tomorrow.

Remember that kids pick up on parental behaviour, so if you show healthy habits, they’re more likely to pick up on them too, benefitting the whole family long into the future.

The VavistaLife Programme fits into family life as modules can be completed at a convenient time, for example when the kids are at school or in bed.

I am also on hand to provide support to programme-users if they feel they need extra support such as a food diary analysis or 1-1 motivational support.

Watch out for out special offer on the VavistaLife Programme.