You have spent all kinds of time changing your diet, exercising to get more fit, changing your lifestyle to be healthier.  Now, what about your friends and family?  Do you encourage or discourage them with your changes?

I get daily emails from Sparkpeople.com and a recent one stuck in my mind – and in my inbox as well.  This particular email was part of a subscription to their “family health and wellness” series.  It discussed helping your family stay healthy or improve their health.  

The email starts by saying you may not be comfortable discussing health, exercise or weight loss with loved ones.  While I can understand this feeling, I want to say – separate from the ideas in the email, get over it!  You need to voice your concerns to loved ones.  You need to be able to discuss  their specific dietary requirements – both by their age, their fitness level and their health.  You need to make known what you know to help your loved ones get healthier on their own.

Sparkpeople.com’s email goes on to discuss “random acts of fitness” or “random acts of health.”

Some ideas (in random order of course):

• Make sure you talk to them about other things besides weight loss and fitness.
• Maintain an upbeat attitude.
• Invite them to take part in a fundraiser that supports something important to all of you.
• Get a physical and urge them to do the same.
• Use positive language all the time.
• Be straight up and let them know you’re concerned about their health.
• Ask them to help you stay on track.
• Give big, positive attention to changes that are made.

So jump over your uncomfort and start committing “random acts of fitness and health.”