FamilyInShape

Don't forget to fill the tank...eat breakfast!

Photo by sweeteats

Imagine a teenager waking up just 20 minutes before running out to catch the school bus.  If you have one of these creatures you'll know that in their list of priorities, breakfast is not near the top. There are other, more important things topping that list like clothes, hair, make up, shoes and if time allows maybe, something to eat. If I was a junk food mom that's exactly what they would eat for breakfast. In my dream world my kids would get up earlier giving themselves time to eat a hot breakfast or even a cold breakfast full of all the good stuff nature has to offer.  You know, eggs, fruits, whole wheat toast, jam, hot cocoa, yogurt, oatmeal, etc...mm-mm.  That's not happening as often as I would like.  

Personally, I rarely, if ever, skip out on breakfast.  I make it a priority because I know it is one of many important meals of the day.  I'd like to say that it is THE MOST important meal of the day, however, I believe every meal to be important for different reasons.  Breakfast, however, is the one that gets me started and thus I plan to start my day off right, every single day, whether I'm in a morning rush or sitting back sipping green tea.  I do occasionally fall off the wagon and here's what happens:

The other day I decided to take some time off from my usual daily routine to stay home with my little Bear, catch up on chores and organize something that needs to be organized.  Well, I was in such a high to get started with whatever multi-tasking activity I had planned for the day that I went right to work.  Every so often reminding myself that I needed to eat and drink my tea which was steeping in the kitchen.  Every time I would say to myself, "well when I go in the kitchen to do the dishes I will eat, but let me finish this first."  Yeah...3 hours later, my tea was still steeping and my stomach was screaming at me.  Funny thing is that I took the time to feed, play with and entertain the toddler, clean out a closet, reorganize my pantry, make 6 scented candles and organize two other kitchen cabinets...all without eating a darn thing.

Bad move.  I was shaky, fatigued, felt exhausted and weak.  I could feel my glucose had dropped, I was completely out of whack.  It took about 3 hours to get myself back to normal and in the end, I had a pretty bad headache.  Of course I know better, but I got carried away.  In my job I often hear my clients tell me that they just don't have time to eat breakfast or they just aren't hungry so they don't eat until lunch time.  It's very easy to get up and get busy right away, every day and go on without thinking about eating.   Kids do the same and probably feel the same, they just don't know it.  One of my teens will get a migraine, usually by the end of the day; the others get irritable and cranky when they don't eat a nutritious breakfast. Of course, they would never admit that the lack of food had anything to do with their issues.

One of the problems with this time of day is that many people think they have to sit down to eat breakfast; others feel hat they need to cook or do some time-consuming task.  While sitting down to eat is best because it gives you the time to really enjoy your meal and slow down while you eat, that is not always possible.  Everyone is busy and many rushing out the door. 

There are many ways to fuel your body quickly and effectively with little preparation. Here are some easy ideas for the entire family:

Yogurt with Granola----or your kids favorite cereal

Oatmeal with raisins, brown sugar ----- any fruit will do

Whole grain/whole wheat toast with peanut butter

Banana, Strawberry (or any fruit combination), yogurt, orange juice & protein Smoothie

High fiber/high protein cereal with 1% or 2% milk---add any fruit with this meal

Apple with Peanut butter

Banana with Peanut butter

Egg whites with cheese & toast

Cottage cheese & fruit

Frozen waffles with peanut butter & fruit

Protein bars

ZonePerfect: 210 cal, 7g fat, 3g fiber, 13g sugar, 14g protein

Balance: 200 cal, 7g fat, <1g fiber, 17g sugar, 15g protein

SouthBeachLiving: 140 cal, 5g fat, 3g fiber, 7g sugar, 10g protein

Granola bars

Nature Valley: 180 cal, 6g fat, 2g fiber, 11g sugar, 4g protein

NutriGrain: 130 cal, 3g fat, 2g fiber, 12g sugar, 2g protein

There are many, many, many other options for quick and sit down meals out there.  Think nutritious, think energizing, think brain power.  I usually make my kids drink at least 100% pure orange juice, apple juice or milk even if they don't have time to eat a thing.  Generally, when they are rushing out the door I'm handing them something to eat as well.  The granola bars are OK options, not the most nutritious but not terribly bad either.  A banana and a granola bar is more powerful than nothing at all and sometimes it's difficult to please picky, cranky, morning teens.

For us adults, we need to take control of our nutrition if we are going to teach our children well.  Lead by example.  It may require you to get up a little earlier or do some prep work the night before but be prepared to fuel your family with easy to prepare, portable, or sit down breakfast every morning.

Stay well,

Crossposted at BlogHer

Re-evaluating fitness and setting goals

Photo credit Tizzalicious

(cross posted at BlogHer)

I think everyone can agree that we all get in a workout rut every once in a while. I realized that I'm there and that I've been doing is just not giving me the results I want. I think I'm doing plenty, but it is obviously not the quantity of my workouts that's holding me back but the quality and so I need to make some changes. For a little while there I used my Little Bear as my excuse, "I have some baby fat to burn off, but he's only six months old, I have time" I recall telling myself. It is a really bad idea to even START using the pregnancy and the birth of a baby as a crutch or as a reason why we hold on to excess body fat. Soon the child is getting ready to graduate High School and we're still claiming baby fat. Well, Little Bear is now 2.5 years old and the oldest is 18 with a 15 and a 6 year old in between. Luckily, I kept off most of whatever I gained during pregnancy. My focus is now on losing body fat and trimming down the inches and not so much on the number on that cranky scale. I'm not a good friend of the scale so I will stick with a tape measure instead.

My fitness routine on most weeks includes Boot Camp, Muscle Conditioning, Spinning®, Turbo Kickboxing, and Pilates. I say most weeks because when I don't teach or train someone I CHOOSE to stay home and catch up on my chores, homework, sleep, etc… And there it is, the culprit and the reason I'm not getting results. Did you catch the operative words—MOST WEEKS. I have to commit to go workout on days when I don't have to teach, regardless of what else needs to be done at home. Chances are the chores will still be there waiting. Besides, if I had to teach or meet a client I would have to go, right? Right!!

My other issues are that I sometimes go off track with my eating habits, I stay up late and get up early, and lately, I have not been writing anything down as I should. Did I mention stress? I have a few things that add unnecessary stress to my life. Let's see now, we are a military family expecting orders to move mid-school year – no, not crazy about that; we have a house to sell; I'm taking classes online (what was I thinking?); our oldest is going AWAY to college and did I mention we have a 15 year old girl? Yikes! What happened to my little girl? It can all be handled, I just have to get organized, re-evaluate and set some realistic goals. Here are some things I know I need to do:

1. WRITE IT DOWN! A goal has to be on a paper, on the calendar, journal, or on the fridge door. Once it's written down I am accountable and more likely to stick with it.
2. It is important to set realistic goals. In other words, I can't just write that I want to lose 15 pounds by next Friday and expect it to happen, at least not following a healthy routine. I am willing to trim down at a much slower pace because I want it to stay off. I also don't want to lose muscle mass just body fat and inches.
3. I will be prepared to succeed every day. This means, don't leave home without my water and healthy snacks such as a fruit, protein bar, nuts, etc. I will pack my gym bag and have my workout clothes ready every day. Sometimes I wait to the last minute (procrastinate) then I end up stressing if I can't find my shorts or my shoes.
4. Use my calendar to keep track of what I am doing to reach my goal – sleep, nutrition, exercise, relaxation, etc.
5. Re-visit the fridge, freezer and pantry. There are some pesky snacks left over from a party that need to go. I must eliminate the temptation and replace them with healthy snacks—again!

This is my week to evaluate my fitness, nutrition, stress, and sleep. To reach my goals I have to get them down on paper, give myself the time it takes to get there, eliminate some of the stressors in my life, and get some well-needed sleep. I'm excited and energized by seeing my plan on paper or on screen in this case. I hope this list will give you a boost to get started on your goals as well, try mine or tell me about yours…I'd like to know what you are doing or plan to do to reach your fitness goals.

Stay well,

Teens and their bodies

(cross posted at BlogHer.com) 

Anyone with a teenage daughter (or son) will or has already experienced the blues about body image. Do I look fat in this? or Am I fat? are just a few of the questions I have heard from my teen15 whom I'll call M&M because she's sweet with a split personality (I'm kidding...well, maybe not).  Actually, that was a nick name we gave her way back in pre-school when she dressed up as a red M&M.  

It is no secret that today's teens have more health problems related to obesity then they did when we were growing up.  There's more junk food, less physical activity, and more false advertising about the way their bodies should look.  When I was growing up (ok I'm dating myself, but I'm not alone here) we played outdoors all day long, on our bikes, with home-made sports equipment, roller skates....I remember we used to play baseball  with a stick and some fruit that fell off a tree (or was that just me?).  Back home (Dominican Republic) we had access to fallen fruits like oranges and lemons and the weather was always conducive to outdoor games. Yes, it was messy at times but it was fun and I remember that fun. Then when we moved to New Jersey things were the same..."get outside and play" my parents always said. It was great no matter the weather.

Today, kids seem to spend more time indoors playing video games and watching TV.  My M&M loves the TV.  I almost feel I should install an alarm system so I know when she turns it on.  It's never good when the house is suddenly quiet and she's no where in sight. 

Another problem I encountered is that teen girls cling on to every word you or anyone says and they analyze it to make it like it was about them.  I am guilty of having said things like "I feel so fat today" (only once a month ) or my personal favorite, "do I look fat in these shoes?" That's just a joke to see if my husband is listening.  I honestly don't have a negative body image nor do I feel I'm fat, although I do have a few "baby pounds" I want to loose (working on it).  However, she overhears me saying anything related to my body and she will repeat it at a later date.  Then there are those girls in the magazines or on TV.  

I've learned to say lots of positive things about my body, even when I'm feeling a little bloated, and we've had many discussions about how those girls are made to look so "perfect" so I'm on the right track with this mini-battle.

I thought it would be easy to encourage her to participate more in sports, to go for walks with me, to go to the gym with me, etc. But then I remembered, I really don't know anything, her friends do.  It's frustrating.  Still, I realized that although she appeared to be ignoring me, she was actually listening.  I walked into her room the other day and found a workout plan she had written out and stuck it on her mirror (I was so proud).  I didn't want her to think I was snooping and I wasn't about to ruin what she was planning so I left.

Later that week she asked to go grocery shopping with me so that she could pick out foods that she likes that are also good for her.  So I asked, how do you know what 's good for you?  and she said, you ready for this? "Mom, you know, you do this all the time with your people at the gym, that's why I want to go with you so you can help me."  Oh wow, I'm knowledgeable after all.  She also asked her dad if she could go to the gym with him a few days a week, he picks her up after work 2 days a week.

So now my little M&M goes to the gym with dad 2 days a week and works on her strength and muscular endurance.  She goes to the gym with me where we do a variety of classes which she finds "too hard" but somehow the class makes her feel good in the end.  

She is eating much, much better. More fruit and still working on the vegetables, less bread, more yogurt, whole grain cereal and she does practice portion control most of the time.  I'm very proud of all the changes she's made and the fact that she's trying harder to eat well, not for weight loss but because eating healthy is just good for you.  

I'm glad we have come full circle and I'm excited to workout with her.  She has seen the effects obesity can have on a young person and an adult and she is by no means obese or even overweight, however, being physically fit doesn't mean she has to loose weight, it just means her heart will be stronger, her body will be strong and better defined and she will feel better and happier and that is my goal!

My top 10 rules to help improve your teens fitness and nutrition habits:

1. Talk to your kids about the benefits of the food they eat every day.  (i.e. Have a cheese stick for a snack, it has calcium which is good for your bones, your hair, your teeth, etc.) 
2. Teach them to read the food label as soon as they can read.  My six year-old, likes to tell me how much of everything is in food so she'll blurt out "Mom, this yogurt has 8 grams of protein, is that good?"
3. Let them help with meal preparation and talk about the ingredients.  
4. Don't bother buying the junk food but do supply healthy snacks such as granola bars (chewy or crunchy), dried fruit, popcorn, fruit, peanut butter, etc.  
5. Teach them portion control.  Chips with salsa and cheese, delicious mexican treat once in a while, but we don't have to finish a whole bag in one sitting.  Cookies? have a couple not a dozen.
6. Forget the sugary drinks (soda, "fruit" juice) - instead provide them with 100% juice, water, milk.  Get some lemons and make lemonade, at least you wont have yellow #8 in your drink.
7. Introduce vegetables at every meal. I will be first to admit that there are many vegetables I hated as a child and love today.  Sometimes it just takes a little longer but we continue to introduce the ones they do like to eat along with some they don't.
8. Lead by example.  Don't expect your child to eat healthy or even be concerned about fitness and nutrition if you're not.
9. Don't criticize a child with a poor self esteem about his/her body, instead, encourage physical activity and good eating habits by following #8.
10. Finally, support your child every step of the way and be patient.  Even when they roll their eyes to the back of the head, they're listening.

 Now about that teen attitude...sorry, still working on that one :-)

 Stay Well,

Eat all day

Fruit Salad by yikesleanne

I had a discussion with my friend Lisa who is trying to loose weight and said she was failing, nothing seems to work and what little she looses one week she gains the next.  She shared her daily menu during the week when she was loosing weight and it would seem to her that she had established good eating habits.  She was eating more fruits and vegetables and refraining from late night eating as well. He schedule was what we've all known since forever, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at AM, noon and 6 pm, respectively.  However, this schedule was also the problem as she felt hungry, tired, and cranky around 3:00 pm every day and then she found herself splurging just before dinner because she was just too hungry to wait.  To make matters worse, the late night munchies came back into the picture.

Obviously, this schedule is not working for her so told her to try a new way of eating.  "I want you to eat 5-6 times a day." "What!? Are you crazy? That's way too much food," she said.  "Actually, no, it's about the same amount your eating now but we're going to break those up into smaller meals, that's all.  Just try it for a week or two."

• Old Breakfast:  Bowl of whole wheat cereal, 1/2 cup fat free milk, Yogurt, fruit, tea or coffee.
• New Breakfast: Bowl of whole wheat cereal with fruit or 100%fruit juice, tea or coffee.
• Add a snack about 2 hours later:  Yogurt with granola or plain OR fruit. 

  

• Old Lunch:  Grilled Chicken salad (Romain lettuce, tomato, carrots, celery, radishes and light dressing), Soda and a bag of sun chips.
  
• New Lunch:  Keep the salad and dress it with lemon juice and olive oil instead. Drink water or Crystal Light and drop the chips.
• Add a snack about 2 or 3 hours later: fruit salad OR 1 apple with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter OR a Cheese Stick with 6 wheat thinks or Triscuit crackers OR a Banana.

• Old Dinner: Usually grilled chicken or fish, side of either rice or mashed potatoes and a cup of green veggies or salad.
  
• New Dinner:  Keep the grilled meats lean, but good choice there.  Switch to brown rice and sweet potatoes or eat less off them if you're not ready for the brown version or if sweet potatoes are not your thing.  Definitely keep the veggies, add more of them and/or a salad.
• Evening snack: Not a problem, keep it sensible:  Hot Cocoa made with water, yogurt, fat free pudding or gelatin, popcorn, any fruit, hot tea.

• Drink green tea through the day.
• Drink water in between meals.
• Stay a step ahead of those cravings by keeping protein bars, hand fruits, nuts, and water bottles in the car, gym bag, purse, etc.

The first week she lost 5 lbs, the second and third week she lost 3 lbs, now she is loosing between 1 and 3 lbs each week.  She has since started walking because, she has the energy in the afternoon or after work and she doesn't feel so cranky at the end of the day.  She really didn't have to change much to get her going. 

Personally, I try to keep protein bars and hand fruit in my gym bag and my purse as well as bottles of water.  I really don't like going shopping on an empty stomach because crazy things happen, like the other day my car just automatically turned into a Starbucks.  I don't remember ordering my grande- skinny-vanilla-latte-with whip but there it was in the company of a low fat blueberry muffin, as if that was a good thing.  

I do the same for my kids if I know I will be out running around for more than 2 hours - pack good, healthy snacks and drinks then I will be less likely to buy junk food on impulse or out of desperation.

Are you a scheduled eater or do you eat sensibly all day? I want to know what works for you!

Stay well,