Last Friday, while I was tooling along Interstate 25 in the Perfect Weight America tour bus from Denver to Colorado Springs, I did a phone interview with Nora Froeschle, a reporter for the Tulsa World newspaper. She had been assigned to write a story about me coming to Metro Christian Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this week to present the Perfect Weight America plan to staff, students, and parents.

I appreciated the interest, and yesterday Nora’s story appeared in the Tulsa World with the headline, “Health Guru Will Lead Program at School.” While I wouldn’t call myself a health guru—and I know Ms. Froeschle didn’t write the headline—or appreciate the baggage that comes with being called a “guru,” I’m hoping that coverage will bring more school families out to hear me talk tomorrow at Metro Christian, a K-12 school with 995 students.

That’s why I’m flying out to Tulsa today and looking forward to seeing what happens. Metro Christian is the first school in the United States that has agreed to let us try out an adapted version of Perfect Weight America. We’re calling the pilot program “Metro Perfect Health,” and we hope will be adopted by other schools around the country. Much like the “Healthy Toledo” initiative, “Metro Perfect Health” is a 16-week lifestyle program that involves a comprehensive eating plan, a nutritional supplement protocol, a call for after-school exercise, ways to get more rest—students seem particularly sleep-deprived these days—and ideas to improve emotional and spiritual health.

Around 40 families have expressed an interest in jumping aboard and giving “Metro Perfect Health” a try, according to Dody Patrick, the director of health and safety at Metro Christian. The program is not mandatory for school families or teachers and staff, however. The official kickoff is Monday, February 25. I’m speaking tomorrow night to rally the troops, so to speak.

I’m pleased that “Metro Perfect Health” has the support of the administrative staff. Metro Christian has inserted a “Respect Your Body Week” into the curriculum and made changes in the lunch cafeteria menu and vending machine offerings. Out is soda, chips, and cookies and in are juice, protein bars, and healthy snacks.

Which reminds me of something. You know, I meet a lot of school moms around the country, and one of the things I hear quite often is a mother who tells me that she has the toughest time getting her children to eat healthy. “All they want is junk, junk, junk—hot dogs, pizza, ice cream, candy, and soda.”

As a new parent, I now realize the truth that I’ve been told for years: Children don’t do what we say, they do what we do. Because of this, oftentimes I will ask the mother, “Mom, what’s your diet like?”

“Uhhhh, well, you know, I don’t have time to eat well. I’m too busy. . . .”

Come on parents, start a health legacy by modeling a healthy lifestyle yourself. If you teach your children the principals of good health by setting a good example, your children will reap a lifetime of health.

That’s one of the major points I’ll make tomorrow night at Metro Christian. I’ll give my three-year-old son, Joshua, as an example. At this time in his young life, Joshua loves salad and veggies like broccoli, peppers, zucchini, and carrots. He’s keen on grass-fed buffalo, venison, and wild-caught fish. He devours fresh fruit by the bowlful. He can’t get enough sheep’s milk yogurt. We’re also amazed at what Joshua won’t eat. We’ve seen him shake his head no when offered cake, cookies, lollipops, and all sorts of candy. Even at his tender age, he knows what isn’t healthy for him.

What about your children? Do they have winning health, or have they fallen behind in the score? Are you pleased with their weight and fitness, or have they given up a couple of touchdowns? You’re their health coach, the person responsible for their well-being, so they’re depending on you, Mom and Dad.