We all come in different shapes and sizes. Focus on your children’s strengths and abilities, not on their weight. Here are some tips that may help your family lead a healthy lifestyle.

Have Healthy Food Choices Available. Children will eat more healthy foods if you have these in your home. They will also eat more unhealthy foods if they are in your home. Limit the amount of unhealthy foods you have in your home.

Avoid Restricting How Much Your Child Eats. Very young children know when they have had enough to eat. When someone else decides how much they should eat, children can lose track of their feelings of fullness and hunger as they get older. Restricting a child’s food may lead to overeating.

Be Positive Not Pushy About Healthy Eating. Trust that your children will eat an amount that is right for them. Let their appetites guide how much they eat from the healthy foods you provide. Handling food and eating situations positively encourages healthful food choices now and later in life.

Be a Healthy Role Model. Your children are more influenced by what you do than by what you say. Be a healthy role model by eating well and being physically active everyday.

Make Family Meals a Priority. Family meals allow your children to do better socially, emotionally, and academically. Visit the Dietitians of Canada website to help you plan your meals.

Promote Active Living. Talk to your children about the benefits of physical activity. Encourage them to be physically active everyday.

Set limits for Screen Time. Limit TV time to less than 2 hours a day. Turn the TV off during meals. Don’t have a TV in your child’s bedroom.