I find it very interesting and not all that surprising that a study revealed family members of those who’ve had bariatric surgery also lost weight. We tend to do what those around us do! The family member who had surgery got a kick start, so to speak, lost a bunch of weight, and then hopefully started making some healthy food choices to keep the weight off. The spouse and kids are most likely going to witness all of this, and may want to jump on the weight loss bandwagon. At the very least, if the person who had surgery is in charge of meal preparation, the rest of the family may have no choice but to eat healthier.
Here’s a little thing about me: I do not like to cook. Those who know me well know that if I won the lottery I would hire a personal chef long before I would hire someone to clean my house. How amazing would it be to come home to a healthy, well-balanced meal with fresh produce, etc., that I didn’t even have to think about? But I live in the real world, and I prepare breakfast, lunch and most suppers/dinners during a typical week because I feel responsible for my kids’ well-being. I hope my husband gets something out of it too! I also know that if I eat a home-cooked meal I am less likely to overeat and more likely to eat healthier food items.
I’ve often heard that kids will eat what you put in front of them, and I definitely find that’s true. Yes, they balk at most vegetables, but we deal with that and force feed on occasion. But snacks are the real problem. If I can find the time and energy to cut up some apples or carrots and put them out for a snack…that’s what they eat! So once again it comes down to being prepared. If I cut up the carrots as soon as I get home from the grocery store (would a personal chef do the shopping too?), I don’t have to think about it when we need a healthy snack.
So for me the take-home is just a reminder that I am setting an example every day, all the time. Not only do healthy habits keep me alive and well, but they do the same for my family.