What I Learned On The Intertnet Today - Healthy Eating

A little of everything - fruit, veggie, dairy, grain

I've been checking out some of the other blogs on the internet about raising healthy eaters.  Many of the authors are registered dieticians.  From the 6 or so I've read today I have made this shortlist for you…so you don't have to spend the time I did.

Before I present you with the list of ideas on getting kids to make healthy food choices I want to share this one thought with you.  It was an "aha" or "lightbulb" moment for me and I realized how true it was and is.  The gist of the thought was this.

Parents don't seem to have any difficulty understanding that one day their kids will successfully attend and graduate from school, learn to read and write, drive a car, learn to swim, etc., but for some reason when it comes to getting their kids to learn to make good food choices and eat a varied and healthy diet they throw in the towel.  So they are giving the kids the message that they don't have to eat what isn't their favourite, they can have whatever they want and a healthy diet isn't really important.        

5 Ways to Create Healthy Eaters

1. Don't be a short order cook.  If you start preparing different meals to meet every individual taste you are doomed to kitchen slavery and your family will come to expect it.  It often takes 10-15 exposures to a food before it is accepted as the norm.
2. Provide a fruit or veggie with every meal.
3. Learn to think outside the box.  Who said you can't put some leftover chili on a baked potato?  Why can't a whole wheat wrap contain dinner?
4. Always have cut-up veggies (store bought or home made) in the fridge along with a healthy dipping choice.  It's a great pre-dinner appetizer and calms the kids while dinner is being prepared or can be a great family time while everyone is doing their bit to help get dinner on the table.
5. Include the kids in meal planning and prep.  Then when they are hungry and hanging off the fridge door staring longingly at the array of possibilities, they won't hesitate to cut up an apple or orange, grab a few carrot sticks, heat up some leftovers, etc.  They won't be afraid of food prep.

Clean Out the Fridge Healthy Meals Are a Huge Hit

This was something my husband introduced me to and our kids always loved it, as do my daycare kids.  I'm told that his siblings and parents came up with some really interesting creations for Saturday lunch which was their weekly clean out the fridge meal.  For my daycare it is often on Friday, always a hit, and can't be anything but healthy when you have had pretty healthy meals all week.

FAMILY FITNESS IN SPRING

The light is changing, the days are longer, the animals are chasing each other all over the woods, the birdsong is noticeable again, the snow is melting and the sap is running.  Spring will soon be here. Fitness activities for everyone are changing from winter stuff to spring happenings. So if hibernating  has been your winter activityal because you don't like the cold, get out now with your kids.  Just a simple walk around the block, or to the park, or the corner store will make you feel great.Choose to do some simple kid-friendly activities. Soak up the sun and fill your lungs.  Share the joy with your child.  Teach them to appreciate and honour the changing seasons.  Make a family plan to visit a local sugar bush when they are making maple syrup. 

Encourage your children to pick an activity they would enjoy. You all want your fitness to be fun.  Give them some choices because they may not have any idea what is available.  What they really want is to be with you.  Just make memories of fitness oriented family activities you have enjoyed together.  Get out there, and don't forget your camera.  You will look back and be proud of yourself.  You are all worth it.

Family Fitness Challenge for TV Viewers

Somebody's got the idea!

Time spent in front of some sort of screen seems to be a way of life for everyone these days, and fit kids and families are really no exception.  Although the clincher might be the amount of time spent sitting there and the overall lifestyle choices made by people (adults and kids) who have developed healthy lifestyle habits.  These habits are best formed at a very young age.  Kids learn what they live so if they come to know what is likely to be found in a "healthy" kitchen, and that active living can be a way of life and not a punishment, and that it can be fun, they will be off to a great start.

Here are 5 simple tricks to do while the TV commercials are running and each should burn about 20 calories.  Since the average one hour show likely has at least 15 minutes of commercials and each of these TV fitness tricks takes about a minute, you can quite easily burn about 300 calories in the time it takes you to watch your favourite TV show.

Make this a fitness challenge and you will be taking the first steps to having a fit family.

1. Do 12 leg squats – slowly – 4 seconds up and 4 seconds down.  Make sure your feet are far enough apart that your knees form a 90 degree angle when you squat.
2. Slowly press your arms above your head 15 times, 4 seconds up and 4 seconds down.  You can do this while sitting in your chair or on the floor.
3. Do 40 side jacks.  These are an easier rendition of the dreaded jumping jacks.  With side jacks you don't jump.  While you raise both hands from your sides up through a range of motion so your arms form a V above your head, tap your heel on the floor out to your side.  Your arms will go up and down each time you move your leg and your count one after you have moved each foot to the side.  So your arms will actually be going up 40 times and each foot will go 20 times each.
4. Do 15 standing leg curls on each leg slowly – again 4 seconds up and 4 seconds down.  Think of it as touching your heel to your behind.
5. Do 20 slow toe raises while standing.  This is the best exercise for getting your shins in shape for walking so you don't experience shin splints, which some people get if they start out to quickly.  This requires balance if you raise both feet at the same time so hold on to something or do one foot at a time.