As a parent and a dietitian I talk a lot about the importance of healthy eating with my kids. “Eating your vegetables will help you grow big and strong; too much junk will make you tired and hurts your teeth.” At ages 2 and 5, we keep it pretty simple.  It seems like talking to kids about healthy eating can only be a good thing, but it can be taken too far, especially in the mind of a child.  I ran across an article from the NY Times discussing how in some children certain messages around food makes them fearful to eat.  I’ve counseled children that have this very same issue. They are confused and feel that eating certain things - such as sugar or pesticides - will lead to very bad things, like dying.  They become extremely picky eaters and even malnourished as a result of avoiding so many foods.  We want to do only the right things for our kids and help them to stay healthy, so what’s a parent to do and say?

To begin we need to examine our own relationship with food and try our very best to develop a healthy, but moderate way of eating and way of talking about eating.  It can be a challenge especially as you’re trying to take off a few pounds.  If your kids are still young, now’s a great time to start working on it because like it or not, you’ll be the biggest influence on just about every aspect of their life and development. 

For my family and myself, I try not to talk about foods as good or bad but those that are healthier and better for you - staying positive.  We work on balancing the treats with healthy foods and nothing is completely off limits. So a cookie for dessert is perfectly fine as long as you’ve eaten some of everything on your plate, especially a nice helping of the vegetables. This is really a good approach for adults too - developing a healthy relationship with food will always be about balance and moderation.  Mainly, think about the way that your relationship with food and the way you talk about food impacts your children.  For example, buying organic can certainly be healthy for your family and the planet but steer clear of scary terms like pesticides or chemicals.  Whether organic or not, we want our kids eating lots of fruits and vegetables - never afraid thinking they’ll be poisoned by them.  So, stay positive in what you say and start your healthy (moderate) relationship with food today.

Tags: healthy eating, kids, organic, relationship with food, sugar

As I near the end of this pregnancy - 7 more weeks to go - I’m finding that I have less and less patience or energy for preparing myself anything to eat, especially if it’s just for me, as it is most days for lunch. I’ve been grabbing from the fridge and the pantry whatever is easiest and takes the least effort - and washing a dish is out of the question. But of course, I want to eat healthfully and feed my body and the baby what I know we need.   So, I’ve found some interesting solutions - including putting the ready-to-eat produce on the shelf of the fridge rather than in the drawer so it’s in sight and stocking frozen, microwavable-in-the-container items.  You might find these helpful on those days you just can’t bear to even throw a sandwich together. Here’s what I’ve been enjoying:

• Baby carrots and hummus or lowfat dip (I buy a container just for me so I can double dip all I want!) 
• Mozzarella cheese sticks
• Lean Pockets
• Grapes
• Bananas
• Steam Fresh Single Serve veggies
• Campbell’s Soup at Hand 25% Less Sodium Soups
• Hershey’s Extra Dark 60% Cacao Chocolate tasting squares*

*I’m a true believer in the study, which found that eating chocolate everyday during pregnancy makes for a happier baby.

Tags: chocolate, eating healthfully, fast, grab-and-go, pregnancy

A few posts ago I blogged about a higher protein breakfast with a frittata recipe.  I wanted to share the nutritional breakdown of a full breakfast with the frittata — remember, it is important to break-the-fast by eating breakfast at the same time everyday to lose weight and keep it off.

Baked corn tortilla frittatas (recipe below), two slices whole wheat toast (with 1/2 Tbsp unsaturated fat spread like Country Crock Omega-3), a banana and glass of skim milk -

Calories 463

Carbs 78 g (67%)

Protein 24 g (20%)

Fat 7.5 g (14.5%)

Fiber 38% of your daily needs

So, this is a higher protein meal at 20% protein with good carbs (energy to get your brain and body going), low amount of fat and an excellent amount of fiber - a healthful breakfast for anyone in your family.

Egg-Beater corn tortilla frittata recipe

1 serving

1/4 cup egg beaters

2 tbsp skim milk

1 handful shredded carrots (feel free to add other veggies)

1 handful crushed baked corn tortilla chips

Onion and garlic powder optional

Combine all ingredients and pour into greased (use spray canola or olive oil) muffin pan holes fill half way and bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes until fluffy.  Make several a few days ahead of time and pop in microwave for a quick meal.

Tags: baby fat diet, breakfast, Country Crock Spread, healthy, nutrition

Just saw the headlines yesterday that the guidelines for exercise were upped to 50 minutes a day. How’s a mom supposed to fit in that much exercise? Should we just throw our hands up and forget it, we’ll never fit into our old jeans? Not so fast. Luckily, after reading the position it seems a little less bleak, here’s what it actually says:

• 250 minutes of exercise a week or 50 minutes, 5 days a week, can help promote significant weight loss
• 150-250 minutes a week or 30-50 minutes, 5 days a week, while cutting calories, helps promote weight loss also
• 250 minutes of exercise a week or 50 minutes, 5 days a week helps people maintain weight loss better over time
• Exercise even without weight loss leads to better health

So, while it seems pretty evident that exercise is important for losing weight, keeping it off, and staying healthier, don’t get too caught up in the amount. Some is always better than none. And, I always tell my husband, the hardest part for most people is just getting on their sneakers and starting.  Once you do, you’ll find that getting 30 minutes isn’t all that hard and you may even find 50 minutes doable - and you don’t have to do it all in one shot if you don’t want to. Here are some tips from The Baby Fat Diet to help you fit in your 50:

• dance with your kids to music or to tv shows with singing (like the Wiggles)
• put the baby in the jogging stroller and hit the pavement
• take a few laps around the mall before you even start to shop
• pop in an aerobics DVD or turn to the fitness channel when your baby naps

About a year and a half ago I put a few pieces of cardio equipment in my basement and a tv. My exercise time is usually once the kids are asleep in the evening or during naptime. I schedule my hour of exercise during tv shows I like to watch and I can only watch them if I’m in the basement working up a sweat.  Making it convenient and giving myself an incentive are the most effective techniques I’ve found to exercise nearly every day.  So, the key really is finding what works in your life.  Get rid of the excuses - we can all find the time if it’s a priority.  And believe me, your health and wellbeing need to be a priority!

Tags: 50 minutes a day, exercise, guidelines, staying healthy, weight loss

There are certain foods you should always have on hand when trying to eat healthfully and lose weight.  Here is a checklist of foods -

Nuts - a variety - all nuts are different, for example, an ounce of almonds has 35% your daily need of vit E, whereas walnuts are rich in omega-3’s and peanuts contain the phytochemical resveratrol (also found in grapes and wine and may protect cardiovascular health).  Eat an ounce as a snack in between meals and make sure to choose the raw nuts.

Wheat germ - an important part of the wheat kernal, it contains several nutrients including protein, potassium, vitamin E and some fiber.  To make meals healthier sprinkle into your sauces, casseroles, oatmeal, cereal, salads, etc.

Omega-3 eggs - rich in omega-3’s, protein, choline (important for fetal brain development), folate, iron and zinc, and is only 75 calories.  This is a great way to add protein and nutrition to the start of your day or to any meal.  Stick with a yolk every other day, but eat as many whites as you want.

Salmon and Tuna - great sources of omega-3’s and protein, these make for great, lean protein lunches.  Buy the salmon in the pouch and the tuna in spring water to keep contaminants low.  These are also shelf stable, so you can keep them in your pantry for an anytime meal.  Try them on greens as a salad or eat them with whole wheat bread as a sandwich for an easy, quick high protein meal.

Whole grains - full of vitamins and phytochemicals as well fiber, make sure to always have whole wheat bread and brown rice on hand.

Beans - full of protein, fiber and minerals make sure to keep a variety in your pantry.  Dry is the best, but when you do not have time to soak, use the low-sodium canned beans for a quicker meal.

Low-fat yogurt - Great source of protein, calcium and vitamin D as well as healthy gut bacteria.  Eat yogurt once a day with fruit or Tbsp of granola as a snack or as part of your breakfast.

Frozen fruit and veggies - keep these on-hand for when you run out of fresh produce.

Tags: baby fat diet, frozen fruits, frozen vegetables, healthy foods, nuts, salmon, tuna, wheat germ

As I’m in the midst of growing a baby - and an expanding belly - I, like most expecting moms, have been relaxing a bit and giving in to a few more indulgences than I typically allow myself. (I swear to you the Doritos at the store were calling my name.)  So, when I ran across this study that found pregnant monkeys who ate a diet of 35% fat, which is not that high and fairly typical for Americans, had babies with more fat deposits in their livers than monkeys who ate a 15%, low-fat diet, I put down the chips and decided I’d better investigate if I was doing damage to my unborn child.  The monkeys on the high fat diet were actually eating mostly saturated fat, the kind you get from animal foods like meat and cheese. Luckily I’m not a big cheeseburger eater. But it is a good reminder that what I’m putting in my body is nourishing another being and staying on track is important for both of us. Even if the amount of weight gain is in check, how we gain that weight is pretty crucial - think extra servings of fruits, veggies, beans, milk not more Doritos, ice cream and cookies.  So, on that note, I’m going to grab the baby carrots and some hummus to satisfy my need for salty, crunch.

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