Traveling (Part 2 of 3): Kids Meals

Why is it that when you visit a restaurant, every kids meal seems to come with a side of fries and ice cream for dessert? For some reason in our culture, it is just assumed that children will not eat vegetables and so we don't even try. On top of that, the meal options are pretty standard no matter where you go and sound something like this: chicken fingers, pizza, cheeseburger, cheese quesadilla, or grilled cheese. Is there any wonder with such a menu that children are developing what used to be adult diseases (i.e.--Type 2 diabetes) at earlier ages? Forget it if your child is a vegetarian or, heaven forbid, vegan! My son's options at a restaurant usually end up being pizza or grilled cheese. This does not have to be, however. You can ask for items not necessarily on the children's menu. For example, at Cheesecake Factory, I asked the waitress to substitute asparagus for fries and Christopher gobbled it up. At P.F. Chang's we substituted tofu for fried chicken and he enjoyed that as well. It is truly frustrating though that children's meals have to come with such (excuse me) crap. We went to Houlihan's for lunch while we were in Baltimore and the kids meal came with ice cream (which I asked her not to bring out) and applesauce. You may be thinking "Well, applesauce is healthy." Not when it is the color of pink playdough and the second ingredient is high fructose corn syrup! It is also rare that you can find a place that serves soy or almond milk too. If we go out to eat when we are at home in Kansas, I try to find a vegetarian restaurant (not always easy in the land of BBQ) or order something relatively healthy off the regular menu. It is crazy for us to assume that kids won't eat vegetables! (!!!) As role models, we must set the example that vegetables are delicious, healthy, and enjoyable. Our children will do as we do, so let's do it!

Traveling (Part 1 of 3): Detox Me!

So when it comes to eating well on the road, our culture does nothing to help us out! We traveled this weekend to Baltimore, and I was viewing this trip as a challenge. In the past, I would just give in while traveling and say, "Well, we're on vacation. I'm not going to worry about eating well." This time I was determined to do better. I packed Lara Bars (healthy snack bars with 4 to 5 ingredients and yummy!), apples, clementines, ground flaxseeds, cashews, berries, and our vitamins and supplements. The best way to eat well on the road is to prepare, right? Well, while this was a good strategy, once you run out of good food, it is really hard to find healthy, vegetarian meals in a touristy area. We did our best (ordering sandwiches without cheese or having steamed veggies and tofu at P.F. Chang's) but by the time we got to the airport on the way home, we were left with grilled cheese and fries. The traveling also seemed to take a lot out of us so I caved in and had some sugary coffees in the afternoons while we were there. It certainly isn't the end of the world to eat the SAD diet (that is, the Standard American Diet) for a few days, but my body was screaming for healthy foods when we got home. After we returned and I was thinking about our food options on the road, I realized how important it is to eat at home as much as possible. When you are cooking in your own kitchen, you can load your dishes up with veggies, beans, and fruits and you know exactly what is going into them. What we eat does make a difference and when you go from eating nutrient rich foods to more "standard" foods, your normally energetic body can feel lethargic and deprived. All I can say is, it's good to be home!

Quality vs. Quantity

In order to lose weight and increase your health, you need to eat more. (Huh?) That is, more of the right foods. On the surface, it seems counterintuitive that eating more could help you lose weight but let's examine this concept further. Instead of looking at how much you eat, it is important to look at the nutritional quality of what you eat. For example, it does no good to cut back on calories if you are eating white flour or processed food products. Also, our bodies are designed to conserve when you cut calories. We go into starvation mode and stop losing weight. And because you are not getting the proper nutrients, you will continue to feel hungry until you fulfill your body's needs. Nutrient dense foods are plant-based, whole foods that are rich in color and phytochemicals. They also happen to be naturally low in calories and free of saturated fats. There is so much we know about the nutrients in these foods and still so much we don't know about how these foods work so well to create and maintain our health. Nature created perfect foods that work together with our bodies to promote vitality. It's no wonder that when you incorporate a huge amount of natural foods into your diet that you feel fabulous. So it's okay to load up your meals with large amounts of fruits and vegetables, beans and lentils. Also, be sure to eat something every 2 1/2 to 3 hours in order to prevent drops in blood sugar and to prevent the tendency to overeat later in the day. And when you have to make a choice about which food to eat, ask yourself if that food will make you feel healthy after you eat it. Chances are, if it is a food that comes with no packaging and was grown by a farmer, it will make you feel healthy and improve the quality of your life!

Overheard

Here are four crazy things I've heard people say in the past week...

1. "After all, french fries are vegetables."

2. "The only way I can get my son to eat strawberries is to load 'em up with sugar."

3. "Ketchup... that's with tomatoes, right? So it's a vegetable."

4. Mom A: "So I had to force her to eat the broccoli!" (Said in a disbelieving tone).

Mom B: "What were you and ______ (husband's name) eating?"

Mom A: "Pizza. We don't like broccoli."

Each of these statements was uttered by mothers of both small and grown children. 15% of children are overweight or obese in this country and that number is growing. We have to educate ourselves on nutritional information, if not for ourselves then for the sake of our kids. With statements like the ones above being made (in all seriousness), it is no wonder heart disease and Type 2 diabetes is growing among our youth. MUCH more to come on this topic from me. Stay tuned.

Treats

I have a confession to make... I ate a cupcake yesterday! Oh and it was goooooood. You may think that because I am an advocate of caring for your health and eating nutritious foods that I am totally anti-sugar or anti-dessert. I'm not. On the contrary, I think a tasty treat is good for us now and then. The key is the "now and then" part. In my observations (and own personal experience) I feel like treats have become an everyday occurrence which in my mind defeats the purpose of something being a treat. It is certainly okay to have a dessert or something "bad" for you now and then. The problems start when you start having that cupcake every other day or drinking that tall pumpkin spice latte once or twice a day (that's the personal experience part). I've also heard this said quite often when in places such as Target: "If you're good, Tyler, Mommy will buy you a Snickers to have in the car." Sugary food should not be used as a reward. Instead, save your treat for a truly special occasion (and not just because it's Wednesday people!). I ate the cupcake yesterday (my first sugary dessert in seven weeks) at my best friend's baby shower. Wait for a holiday or your birthday or anniversary. Or wait until you visit the Tuck Shop with your grandparents. Better yet, find another way to treat yourself! I can only speak for the ladies here, but get a manicure, a facial, or a massage. Buy yourself a cute new outfit or accessory. These things can make you feel fabulous without making you feel guilty or being detrimental to your health. Let's rethink how we "treat" ourselves.

Choices

We live in a world of fast food, convenience packaging, and (dare I say it) Lunchables. We also live in a world of growing famers markets, unlimited fresh produce, and increasing nutritional knowledge. Thank goodness we have been granted the free will to choose what is best for us! It's not always easy to put our health first, but it is essential to living a full and happy life. When your health is strong and you can take control of what you put into your body, it will carry over to every other aspect of your life. Here are my top five choices that have helped me lose weight and body fat, improve my skin, hair and nails, and sleep better over the past two months:

1. Increase your consumption of vegetables, lentils and fruits. I'm not just talking about having a cup of broccoli with your dinner. Vegetables and lentils (i.e.--beans) should be what everything else at dinner revolves around. Incorporate vegetables in your main recipe and also have a salad on the side. Make fresh fruit your dessert rather than an ice cream sundae. Increased fruits and vegetables are the single most important factor in reducing the incidence of disease.

2. Reduce or eliminate dairy products. Sound like it can't be done? I've had cow's milk and cheese for much of my adult life, but have replaced it with soy and almond milk when I feel like having some. I have a little cheese now and then but not every day like I used to.

3. Prioritize exercise. Aside from diet, nothing can be more important. Exercise reduces stress, improves body image, and supports mobility even into old age. Think you don't have time? Get up 30 minutes earlier in the morning (gasp!) and go for a walk.

4. Eliminate added sugar and processed foods. There are many great things made by man, but food is not one of them. Read labels and if you have to buy packaged foods, look for those with fewer than five ingredients. I've even stopped drinking my beloved Dunkin' Donuts coffee because I realized I only enjoyed it with 2 to 3 scoops of sugar!

5. Reduce or eliminate animal products. This one is similar to cutting back on dairy. High consumption of meat and animal products has been linked to heart disease, high cholesterol, and certain cancers. I've chosen to go vegetarian, but even reducing your intake of meat by a little is beneficial.

These may seem like drastic measures to some. I tend to be an all or nothing girl so for me, I need to be a little drastic. However, I've also experienced some drastic changes for the better. If you don't want to do all these things right away, just start with one. For example, choose one day a week when you will eat vegetarian. You may just find that it is easier than you think.

Here goes...

In recent years, nutrition has become a personal passion of mine. I am writing this weekly blog to provide myself with an outlet for my thoughts, reflections, and personal journey on the road to living a healthy, vibrant life. Keep in mind, I am not a doctor or nutritionist and my thoughts here are going to be one of two things: my opinion or information I have come across in my reading. You can agree with it or not; you can take it or leave it.

But here are my own personal facts at this moment: In the last six weeks, I have lost 12 pounds and 4% body fat. And most importantly, I feel incredible! Those of you who know me may think that I did not need to lose that weight but I'll just say, it helps to be tall. Although I do exercise consistently, this is not the ultimate reason for my success. I have changed the way I eat dramatically. Sure I've made small changes here and there in the past, but nothing has led to the way I feel today. I want to share my journey with you, and if you want to take some of the information I share and apply it to your own life, you may be happy you did.

I'm not perfect (who is???) so I'll share some of that with you along the way, too. I just feel passionate about how excellent nutrition and an active lifestyle can change your life and the lives of those you love. So here goes...