The Gift That Won't Stop Giving

This is something I've been thinking about for a few months now and one of the main reasons Chris and I started The Challenge.

What is your legacy to your children?

If any of us had learned proper, healthy eating habits when we were younger, we wouldn't be in the situation we are in now. We are all doing a very positive thing for ourselves and our families. We are learning things that we will take with us for the rest of our lives. We are finally measuring and counting our portion sizes; we are figuring out that healthy food can be delicious and satisfying; we are becoming more active; we are monitoring our weight - not just watching it go up; we are caring about what we do to ourselves.

This is not a "diet" - it is healthy living! I understand that I am not in a position to speak with any authority on what I am about to say but I hope that we can all consider this and try to incorporate it into our daily lives. Do we want our children to grow up and have to fight this particular fight?

Or do we want our children to grow up and make smart choices for themselves? We should encourage our families to make smart decisions about food and involve them in the meal planning and cooking process. Empower them to choose the right thing for themselves - have fruits and veggies as a snack instead of cookies or chips; have eggs or cereal for breakfast instead of Poptarts or doughnuts; go outside as a family for a walk after dinner instead of turning on the television.

Personally, I don't want my daughter to ever think that she has to go on diet. Eight year olds don't need to be on Weight Watchers. I will not want my children to experience the pain and difficulty of my problems with food. Let's commit to breaking the cycle and not passing this legacy on to another generation.