From improving eating habits due to a recent diagnosis of diabetes to trying to achieve a personal best at an upcoming race, many people are striving to make healthy lifestyle changes.
Even if you are not actively involved in making lifestyle changes, you likely know someone who is. Believe it or not, support and a positive attitude from friends and family can have a major impact on how successful a person can be at achieving their goals. If you would like to support someone in making these choices, here are some helpful tips to follow.
Ask how you can help. This is a great way to find out how you can have the biggest impact. We all face different challenges, so something you think they need might be different from what they actually need. It’s amazing how little signs of support can go a long way. It might be as simple as picking up healthy snacks when grocery shopping, packing a homemade lunch once a week, or picking up an extra chore around the house so they have time to go for a walk
Respect their choices. Once you determine what you can do to help, it is important to respect their choices. It is not your job to police their efforts. Supportive comments do not start with the word “should”. Comments such as: “should you really be having that?” or “you should go for a walk” may be well meaning, but are more likely to be discouraging than encouraging.
Instead, let them establish their own limits. If they choose to have a cookie, respect that choice. If they decline to have a cookie, leave it at that. Remember, even comments such as: “is that all you’re having” or “just one won’t hurt you” can pressure someone into making the wrong choice for them.
Do not offer unsolicited advice: it can be very frustrating to receive well-meaning advice that contradicts the recommendations provided by a health care provider. Advice appropriate for one person may not be appropriate for another. Different health conditions, as well as the stage of the disease, can vastly change which recommendations are appropriate.
For example, the nutrition recommendations for advanced kidney disease are different than the recommendations for early kidney disease. Sometimes it is better to lend an ear than offer advice that might harm the person more than help them!
Create healthy, supportive environments. Making the environment more supportive to a healthy lifestyle can greatly improve someone’s ability to stick with healthy changes.
The biggest determinant of what we eat is what’s available. Have a look around your environment to see what’s easily accessible. A candy dish on the coffee table, and a cookie jar on the counter mean these are the first things someone will grab when they are hungry. Alternatively, having fresh fruit and veggies cut up in the fridge increases the likelihood that these will be the snack of choice.
Participate. Changing eating habits or starting a new exercise routine can be difficult to accomplish alone. Offering to participate is one of the most powerful ways you can help!
According to a study published online by the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2015, “Women and men were more likely to quit smoking, become physically active and lose weight if their partner joined them in the new healthy behavior.”
Who knows, you might benefit from these changes as well!
Maggie Armstrong, is a dietitian with the East Wellington Family Health Team.
For more information about any of the free services offered by the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team, visit the website at www.mmfht.ca or call the Drayton office at 519-638-2110 or Clifford office at 519-327-4777. Like the team on Facebook (Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team) and follow them on Twitter (@MintoMapleton) for healthy living tips and information on upcoming programs and events in the area.
