| Getting and staying in shape is important for you | | | | research center, my staff and I see the impact |
| - but your workouts may be more important for | | | | that consistently exposing people to a healthy |
| your family. The reason: your family is inexorably | | | | lifestyle has on individuals. As people mature, they |
| drawn to follow your fitness example - for good | | | | embrace exercise as a natural, fun part of their |
| or bad. How you manage your personal fitness | | | | lives. |
| and nutrition has a ripple effect that spreads | | | | You have the power to influence the health and |
| across your entire family. | | | | fitness of every person in your family (your |
| Your "personal ripple effect" may be one of the | | | | children, your spouse, your siblings, your parents |
| most powerful forces shaping your family's | | | | --- and even your friends). The fitness habits you |
| mental and physical future. Consider the following: | | | | help them build will keep serving them in every |
| We are products of our environment. We | | | | area of their life. I can think of no better gift to |
| gravitate toward what we are repeatedly | | | | give people than the gift of health. |
| exposed to. It's a simple matter of repetition. The | | | | But here's the secret... |
| more we see, hear, use, or eat something the | | | | You absolutely must lead by example. Never "tell" |
| more it becomes ingrained in our psyche. In fact, | | | | a person what they should do, just keep living a |
| social scientists believe environmental repetition | | | | healthy life in a tight lean body, and people will |
| may have an effect on gene expression and can | | | | instinctively gravitate to you and learn from your |
| literally change your biochemistry. | | | | examples. |
| The power of suggestion is strong. The power of | | | | The process for some "hard-headed" folks might |
| repeated suggestion is practically unstoppable. So | | | | be a bit slower, but they'll come along once they |
| if you're making poor fitness and nutrition choices | | | | see how much more fun you're having in your |
| at any age, it's likely your family will be making | | | | new body than they could ever hope to have |
| the same choices shortly. | | | | unless they pick up the pace and learn from your |
| "When Junior sees Dad parked in front of the | | | | example. |
| tube and digging into a bag of chips, it's hard to | | | | So how do you do it? It's a day-to-day process |
| resist the same lifestyle. And chunky Mom, plus | | | | and a series of repeated small steps that add up |
| chunky Dad, often equals chunky kids". | | | | to awesome health habits. Every time you choose |
| The evidence is compelling. Your example, your | | | | the vegetables over the chips, a walk over a |
| behavior, your habits are being absorbed by your | | | | drive, and an active game over T.V., you've just |
| family at warp speed. The secret is making it a | | | | made another donation to yourself and to your |
| blessing instead of a curse. | | | | families lifetime health and fitness fund. |
| It's never too early or too late to start. In the | | | | |