Easy Wellness Habits for the Whole Family

Children are sponges, from birth they are experts at absorbing information from the people closest to them. Yes, the kids are watching—learning and mimicking the behavior they see—so be careful what you say and do. Parenting is an awesome responsibility, but it's also a tremendous opportunity and lots of fun!

As the site of the world's largest hot springs pool, Glenwood Hot Springs Resort welcomes families year-round. In addition to helping families have a fun-filled vacation, we care about the health and wellbeing of our visitors. It's part of the reason we offer healthy meal options at the Grill, have an on-site athletic club and have designed our guest rooms to facilitate relaxation. Playing, swimming and soaking in the geothermal mineral spring water is a great way to destress, be active and spend quality together. Those are just a few of the qualities that healthy families share.

According to new research from Harvard University, mothers who follow five healthy habits —exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy body weight, consuming moderate amounts of alcohol and not smoking — can cut a child's risk of obesity (and the associated health risks) by 75 percent! Though the study focused on the impact of moms, dads of course also play a critical role in establishing lifelong healthy habits. The Global Wellness Institute's First 1000 Days Initiative aims to equip parents with critical knowledge in the areas of movement, nutrition, mental health, environment and fun.

The scientific research provides solid evidence that establishing healthy habits has positive long-term benefits but putting it into practice doesn't have to be a chore, even when you are on vacation. In fact, a wellness lifestyle should be fun and easy to implement, like these strategies that emphasize heathy eating, building strong relationships, exercising and stress management.

Eat together. Studies show that sharing a meal together is one of the best things you can do for your family's health. Parents and children tend to consume more variety and higher quality food when they eat as a family unit. Having everyone seated at the table also creates the ideal circumstances for conversation and connection, important aspects of mental and emotional wellness. It's easy to start the day eating together when you stay at the Glenwood Hot Springs Lodge because a delicious, nutritious hot breakfast is included with every stay!

Play together. Make movement a fun and natural part of your daily routine. Play a game of catch in the backyard, walk the kids to school, shoot some hoops or practice your dance moves in the living room. On weekends and vacations, plan to be active by engaging in favorite activities like swimming, hiking and cycling. If you're visiting Glenwood Hot Springs, swim some laps, play a game of Marco Polo or take turns showing off your best dives (or belly flops).

Handle stress. Stress is a normal part of life, but chronic stress can take a toll and trigger headaches, depression, stomachaches and more. Parents are in a good position to model healthy ways of dealing with stress. Instead of overeating, turning to alcohol, drugs or cigarettes, positive stress management techniques include talking things out, visualizing good outcomes, journaling about problems, exercising and volunteering to serve others. Taking regular vacations, or even a weekend getaway, are also great ways to blow off steam and decompress as a family. The Spa of the Rockies offers even more options to reduce stress through massage or other relaxing body treatments.

Our mission at Glenwood Hot Springs is to Help People Feel Better. At Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, we care about your family in and out of the pool. Learn more at www.hotspringspool.com.