Challenge Yourself and Your Family

Just because you and your family spend the weekdays apart doesn’t mean you can’t be active together. “Invest in pedometers,” Meigs says. “Compare results at the end of the day. ‘I got my 10,000 steps. How about you?’”

Once you’ve thrown down the step-tracking challenge, pad your own numbers by chipping away at your recommended 30 minutes of physical activity throughout the work day:

• When you arrive at work, park at the end of the lot and walk.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
• Bring your lunch. It’s healthier, and it takes less time than standing in line for takeout. Then you’ll have time for a quick walk or maybe even a trip to the gym.
• Skip Soccer Practice

Yep, you read that right.

Meigs says that while team sports are good for children, sometimes they can also create stress from peer pressure -- and parental pressure. “I’m not against organized sports leagues,” Meigs says. “But sometimes we tend to overdo it, over-structure. Kids need unstructured play time.” Besides, while your kid is out there chasing a soccer ball, you’re sitting on your rear.

Instead of adding another sport to your family schedule, spend some evenings and weekends going for family hikes, riding bikes together, or just going to the park as a family. And if you do find yourself waiting around at soccer practice, see it as a chance to get yourself moving, too, like with a walk or jog around the field.

Dinner: The Second Most Important Meal

What you eat for supper is important, of course, but so is how you eat it. Meigs emphasizes the importance of making time for a long-lost tradition: dinner together at the family table.

“Not only is there better nutrition from a home-cooked meal, but there’s better cohesion in the family,” he says.

If you’re taking the time to put the fork down and talk with the family, Meigs says, you’re eating slower, giving yourself more time to feel full, and maybe eating less. Meanwhile, you can get clued in to what’s going on with your kids, good and bad.

Get Some Sleep

Just like your kids, you need rest to be ready for the next day. That’s 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. “When you get enough sleep, you function better, your stress levels are better,” Meigs says.

And if you get enough shut-eye, you’re more likely to have more energy the next day. You could use it to beat the alarm clock and hit the treadmill for 15 minutes or make a healthy lunch before you walk out the door. Even small changes can make a big difference for you and your family.

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