Fit Families

“We strive to eat a lot of fresh vegetables and a lot of fresh fruit and we try to make balanced choices. I think were far from perfect but I think we know what we need to be doing,” said Dougherty.

To help define those goals, Dougherty family started seeing Carol Plotkin, a registered dietitian. Plotkin began her practice in 2005. She believed Rochester families needed access to information on how to eat healthier and to put an end to the obesity problem plaguing America's children.

“We're seeing high blood pressure and children with high cholesterol and high blood pressure issues and we know that if our children have these problems as young people or as teenagers then when they become adults their lives are gonna be shortened or compromised,” said Plotkin.

Her business, called “On Nutrition” and her interest in becoming a dietitian comes from her passion for food. She hopes through counseling, she can teach adults how to eat better. They can then pass that message along to their children, as difficult as it may be.

“It's exhausting to get our kids to eat vegetables and to keep trying to get them to eat healthy foods and they would rather eat a happy meal or french fries and hamburgers.”

“As parents you can't give up, just offer them support and encouragement and let them know they're doing the right things.”