When you have a family, you take on the responsibility of ensuring that everyone remains as fit and healthy as possible. But knowing where to start can be relatively difficult. Of course, numerous factors play into well being – ranging from exercise to mental wellness. But for now, let’s focus on diet and what we consume!
Managing Calorie Consumption
The first step that you need to take into consideration to make sure that everyone’s getting what they need from their daily diet is to effectively manage everyone’s calorie consumption. Now, you don’t have to be hyper-vigilant and excessively strict with this. If your family goes slightly above or below their recommended calories every now and then, it’s not the end of the world. You just need to make sure that everyone’s having roughly the right amount the majority of the time. Calories can be spread across meals and snacks and will vary depending on your age and lifestyle. The below list will give you a good idea of where different family members should be though!
- Children aged 2 to 8 – 1000 to 1400 calories
- Girls aged 9 to 13 – 1400 to 1600 calories
- Boys aged 9 to 13 – 1600 to 2000 calories
- Active women aged 14 to 30 – 2400 calories
- Sedentary women aged 14 to 30 – 1800 to 2000 calories
- Active men aged 14 to 30 – 2800 to 3200 calories
- Sedentary men aged 14 to 30 – 2000 to 2600 calories
- Active adults over 30 – 2000 to 3000 calories
- Sedentary adults over 30 – 1600 to 2400 calories
Ensuring Everyone Stays Hydrated
A factor we often forget to evaluate in our diets is what we drink. Sure, we don’t chew drinks up and swallow them and we don’t dedicate whole meals around drinks, but they do still contribute to what’s going into our bodies. It’s absolutely essential to ensure that your family are all staying hydrated. This involves drinking around eight glasses of water a day, though the recommendation for younger children could be less. This will keep you hydrated, keep organs functioning well and will prevent issues such as loss of concentration or dry skin. Having a fresh water supply available at all times is essential. Generally speaking, the water system in your home will provide you with this. But you could visit this link for backup water sources too!
Balancing Everyone’s Plate
Everyone’s plate should contain all of the different food groups in appropriate moderation throughout the day. This includes fruit and vegetables, starchy food, dairy or dairy replacement, protein and fats. Avoid cutting any single food group out. Everything works together to keep everyone’s bodies ticking over properly. If you’re struggling to get all of the food groups into your family’s diet, consider consulting a nutritionist who will be able to help! Or, if you’re pressed for time and have the budget, meal delivery plans are an excellent option. Most services come with a variety of options, include key nutrients for a healthy lifestyle and can lend themselves to different diets (e.g. vegan, paleo/keto, etc..).
These are just a few steps that you can do to move towards ensuring your family has healthy and balanced diets. The steps are simple to implement and will quickly become routine when you get into the swing of things!
