One of my favorite bands in the last 10 years is
Lifehouse.They are usually on my ipod on workout days, and their lyrics are always so true to life.One of their all time best songs is Sick Cycle
Carousel. When you listen to the song, it really speaks to anyone because we all have those life struggles that don’t seem to go away no matter how hard we try.We keep going around and around doing the same thing hoping for a different result.
For us to be free of any issue in our lives, we must get off
the carousel once and for all.I have
counseled hundreds of men, women and children (usually of those parents) on
managing their weight.More than ever, I
am seeing people continuing on the same cycle that has left them unsuccessful over
many years.It is my job to have them
consider another way so they can, not only be successful in the short term, but
once and for all.The cycle is usually
something like this:
click to enlarge
Your approach may change slightly – switching from one fad
diet to the next – but for the most part, it is the same.I am here to tell you they do not work.What I love about the new year is that it
gives us each an opportunity to do things differently.As mothers and fathers, we owe it to our
children to get it right for ourselves so we can be better role models.Jump off the sick cycle carousel and jump on
the wellness cycle.It looks more like
this:
click to enlarge
Although this pictorial algorithm is simplified, each component is vital for success. I spend a lot of my time encouraging my clients to eat enough calories at meals (especially breakfast) and snacks in order to get into the sweet spot of the wellness cycle. When they do, weight drops, lean muscle increases and for the first time in many years, they feel great. They are fit, and ready to tackle other challenges in their lives.
Some people come and go out of my office and choose not to get off the sick cycle dieting carousel. After all, change is very scary. Eat more calories? Eat more times per day? That goal of being thin no matter what will drive you to make wrong decisions. The media does not help with this at all. Everywhere you look, articles abound that promise the latest dieting secrets. Be very careful.
So, it is up to you. Which cycle do you choose for 2012? As for me, I continue to choose the wellness cycle. I have some agressive fitness goals for this year and it's the only way to get there. If you want to choose wellness, consider contacting a Registered Dietitian near you that specializes in weight management that can lead you along your new path. Many insurance companies are now covering the benefit. Even if it's not covered, it will be money well spent.
Goodbye, Food Guide Pyramid. Mr. Pyramid, you've had a good run, but your place is now inside the history books - we appreciate your efforts in keeping Americans healthy. There's a new graphic in town that's gonna try to improve on your healthy diet messaging.
Well, I'm hear Kingsville, Texas on a very interesting food investigation (future post!) so I was unable to join the news conference yesterday on the unveiling of the new USDA's MyPlate, which is the new icon that replaces the MyPyramid graphic.
The MyPlate was rolled out with the intention of educating the new 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines (just like the MyPyramid attempted in the past guidelines). The key messages here are:
Introducing MyPlate - the USDA MyPyramid replacement.
Balancing Calories
Enjoy your food but eat less.
Avoid oversized portions
Foods to Increase
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
Make at least half of your grains whole
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1% milk)
Foods to Reduce
Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.
Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
PROS: The MyPlate graphic reminds me of the Idaho Plate Method that has been out for years. In the past, I have used it with my adult weight management patients and it works very well. In fact, I used to give out compartment plates to them so they could practice loading their plate appropriately. This visual helped patients not only eat the right types of foods, but give them an idea of portion size for each food group. So this MyPlate visual is something I really appreciate as a clinician, and one that I believe will translate better to consumers.
I also like how the USDA has produced some printable aids that further allow consumers to understand and put the MyPlate into practice. Their Let's Eat For the Health of It provides practical tips that families can use. The 10 Tip Series is an educational set that delves deeper into the key messages of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. They can be viewed online or printed for future reference. I am pleased that the Get a Personalized Plan feature was not pulled off the new website, which is now http://www.choosemyplate.com/. I used this feature with the old MyPyramid plan and it really helps people see how much of each food group they need for proper nutrition. This personalized information can be integrated into the new graphic as well.
CONS: I had hoped that the focus on vegetables would translate into half the visual plate and place the fruit portion on the side like the milk. Again, this is how the Idaho Plate Method's visual had it and it looks like more food, maximizes vegetable intake and it shows consumers that they could get their sweet treat after a meal using fresh fruit.
Just like the other food guidance graphics, consumers need to know that this guidance is for the average American without special nutritional needs. It may not be completely appropriate for people with increased calorie needs (athletes, those dealing with injury or disease) or that are on special diets. The good news is that dietitians can put together custom plans that can assist with special populations.
It will be interesting to see how MyPlate translates to consumers. I plan to do a little sample study among my own patient population to see if this new graphic really does help them eat better. What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts!
Our family spent a very fun, active 9-day vacation in Disneyworld down in Orlando this month right before school started. Parents often ask me how to do a vacation without destroying all the healthy habits you worked so hard on at home. My answer? Vacations occur in brief timeframes so they should not completely de-rail any efforts made. However, there are 5 things you can do to make your next vacation as healthy as possible:
Remain strong like The Incredibles
on your family vacation by practicing
food and activity balance. Here, my
family poses with the crew that are
surely eating their vegetables!
1. Rental with a kitchen. Not only is this choice more economical, it enables you to have your own food choices that can continue some normalcy for your family. The same day we checked into our condo, we headed up to the local grocery store and stocked our kitchen with nutrient-rich foods. Each morning, we got up and had our family breakfast and then packed snacks and waters into our backpack for the long day at the park. We were thankful to know that Disney allows you to bring food and drinks into the park, so you could even pack your lunches for the day.
2. Seek out healthier options. Yes, there was plenty of what Americans call “kid food” at the park (chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, French fries, etc.), but there were also healthier options at many of the eating establishments. Kudos to Disneyworld! They have publicly committed to doing their part to make children in the U.S. healthier through the Let’s Move Initiative started by First Lady Michelle Obama. Allow yourself and your children to enjoy higher calorie faire in moderation, especially if you are remaining active throughout your vacation. Take advantage of those times when you can order healthier foods. At Hollywood Studios, we enjoyed a lunch at a diner with Handy Manny & Little Einstein characters that had a wonderful buffet with lots of fruits, vegetables, grilled meats and whole grains. At Epcot, we enjoyed other fresh options such as teriyaki stir fry and fish with steamed carrots at a cafeteria. Many times, the options are there and you just need to search them out.
3. Make your vacation active. Believe me, I am all about some down time! As a mother of 2 very active young children, there must be some time to just relax and unwind. But do make time to continue your physical activity. My husband and I estimated that we walked about 100 miles altogether on this Disney trip, which equates to over 6000 calories for a woman of my size (I am very thankful for the double stroller rentals at the Disney parks!). As you can see, if you make your vacation active then you can experiment with a variety of cuisines and flavors that might be a little higher calorie and you will still not destroy your healthy lifestyle efforts. Balance can take its course naturally.
4. Teach your children along the way. We did eat out much more than when we are at home, so I took the opportunity to empower our children to be satisfied with healthier foods that were being served. Although our 3 year old is a bit young to fully grasp this concept, our 6 year old understood that long park days required extra “super powers” to be able to have energy and stay happy while having lots of fun. She was happy to get a salad or mixed vegetables with her meals. Besides, she wants to have “princess” skin and she knows that healthy foods assist in this goal! We saw lots of Disney princesses on this trip so our home discussions about this really helped seal the lesson further.
5. Seek out nutrition education. Visiting a rural destination? Make a point to stop at a local farm that might be offering a tour. Going into a city? Try and visit a food manufacturing plant that might produce certain types of foods. Go shopping at one of the destination’s local farmers markets and show your children what the local people eat. At Disney’s Epcot, they have an amazing riding tour that I highly recommend called, Living With the Land. It is a family-friendly informative ride that discusses unique and sustainable ways food is being produced all over the world. Both our children loved picking out the food plants that they recognized. It was fun to see the 9 pound lemon that can produce a gallon of lemonade! If the this tour interests your family, you could go on an additional Behind The Seeds tour that provides further detail into the nutrient film, hydroponic and waterponic growing techniques. Fascinating! I included a video that I found of the entire Living with the Land tour (the greenhouse portion begins after about 5 minutes).
Just as in your everyday life, take some time to plan out ways to keep your vacation healthy and balanced. That way, you can have fun knowing that you will coming back home feeling great and energized, which complements the great vacation memories to fuel your busy lives. Although our vacation was extremely busy, we are still relishing in all the sites, sounds and experiences we were so fortunate to be a part of at Disneyworld.
Balanced nutrition education must start in the home. Don't feel equipped? I've got great news! I love to share great resources for families that help make nutrition education fun. This series of 5 blog entries, starting with this one, will feature some of my favorite "finds" when it comes to fun nutrition education for children.
One of the resources I recently found is a website simply called, "DooF." What is DooF? Well, it's food spelled backwards. But even more so, DooF is a food education initiative created by Mike Axinn in 2005 after seeing his daughter's interest in adult cooking shows. Mike has quite the professional resume in the film industry, having worked on well known films such as Star Wars, Titanic, Moulin Rouge and Fantastic Four. But this project of Mike's was something different. Combining his love for food, education and a desire to work with like-minded individuals with these passions, Mike moved forward with the concept of DooF. DooF features "Doofians" - Cookbot, Y, Pollo and Trippe, all from Planet DooF. The Doofians challenge Earth kids to discover the What, Why, When, Where and Fun of food through visits with food experts and regular Earthlings at markets, farms, and home kitchens. The characters discuss their food discoveries on their logs entitled, "DSS of Gastronomy." If you or your child would prefer to watch instead of read, have them tune into Channel DooF's School of Broc and they will find fun videos about food. DooF also has a database of healthy recipes that you can search by food type.
We all know the imbalance our children are exposed to when it comes to food advertising. DooF is one of those initiatives that allows children to see healthy food in a positive way. The goal of DooF is simple: they want to become the place kids come for good food fun, and to create a healthy alternative to the barrage of unhealthy advertising that indundates our culture. DooF recently aligned with a media company and together, they plan to do a traveling tour thoroughout the San Francisco Bay area and possibly even the entire West Coast. DooF will also continue to develop their television show. Over the next year, they will be rolling out a calendar of live events, new videos and Web-based activities so keep checking their website for new information. Right now, they are gearing up for DooF-a-Palooza 2011, a major hands-on food event featuring purveyors, fun food activities for children and well-known food celebrities. I was happy to learn that they hope to take DooF-a-Palooza to cities all over the country in the future. But they need our support - sponsors, ideas, information on how they can spread their message. They welcome the involvement of people who share their mission to get kids excited about healthy food. Anyone interested should contact them at info@foodbackwards.com. Stay in-the-know with DooF by following their blog, The DooF Glob.
My children have already spent some time on DooF and they absolutely loved it. We plan on checking in with them regularly as they continue to expand their love for creating fun ways for children to learn about healthy foods. I am so happy to have this resource for my children, and I hope that you join me in helping efforts like DooF keep doing what they do best. Stay tuned for more great finds. More features coming!
My children, almost 3 and 6 years of age, are at an age where they are curious, but cautious about the foods they eat. This is a natural and normal state for their ages and I am reminded to utilize my education to train my children to choose healthy foods on their own. Just like anything else in life, we would all agree that we want to train our children to eventually be able to do life on their own and it is no different with food choices. But how do we go about doing that? This is the challenge, and I fully realize it's a challenge, because I am living it out myself. But stay encouraged. we can do this together!
Educate. This requires us to be tapping into accurate and reliable informational resources. If you have inacurrate or undeveloped nutrition knowledge, then your children will naturally have the same. There are so many governmental, reputable origanizational and university websites that you can count on to bring you unbiased, reliable information. A great portal of information can be found starting on the U.S. Government's Nutrition landing site that connects to other governmental nutrition sites. The American Dietetic Association, which is the national association for Registered Dietitian and Dietetic Technicians, has a wealth of information as well. Start there. Obviously I am biased to say you should consider getting individualized guidance from a Registered Dietitian in your area as this is the best way to get off to the right start. But actively become educated so you can educate your children.
Educate, Expose & Empower Your Children!
Expose. Let's be honest. We all come to the food table with certain likes and dislikes. Are you a picky eater yourself? Do you dislike most vegetables? Do you eliminate certain food groups altogether? These things can directly impact your children's exposure to foods. Even if we would categorize ourselves as "healthy eaters," we all have a tendency to gravitate toward our favorite foods. This can also limit our children's food exposure because even healthy repetition is limiting. Head to a new grocer or even visit your local farmers market to investigate new foods.
The biggest thing I want to say about exposure is that we all need to remember to serve our children foods that they have already rejected. I know, I know - food wastage comes to mind - but if we remember that children are curiously cautious to new foods, we will gain patience. I have seen this many times with my daughter and continued exposure has lead to eventual acceptance much of the time. My son is at an age where he is rejecting most vegetables, and that's OK! I still serve them to him knowing that most likely he will accept some of them. Exposure is a big topic when it comes to child nutrition because we like to make the foods that we already know our children like because we want them to eat! Let's take the school lunch, for instance. Many of us commonly think that sending a school lunch with your child is the healthier option. I would challenge you by saying that is not always the case. The typical "healthy" brown bagged lunch has maybe a sandwich (primarily peanut butter and jelly, but also lean lunch meat), baked chips and a fruit cup or a fruit snack along with a juice or maybe even a milk. Where is the vegetable? Most children either do not have a vegetable or they get the same baby carrots everyday. Maybe your child will get the lettuce and tomato on the sandwich and that is good. But what about the next day? Is the lunch something different, or will it be more of the same? You see, the typical school lunch always provides the option of a vegetable and in most cases, provides variety from the home food. That is why I feel comfortable allowing my daughter to purchase school lunch mulitple times per week. This way I know my daughter will have the opportunity to take in a variety of nutrients by eating a variety of foods. But will she choose the vegetable, you say? That's where empowerment comes in.
Empower. This is another big one. It is essential that we teach the "why's" behind good nutrition. Let's not stop by saying "because it is good for you." And certainly, I do not encourage any talk, particularly with young children, about eating certain foods to avoid being "fat". This is sure to cause poor relationships with food, so please refrain from talking about your own fad diets and dieting practices around your children if at all possible. We all need to be healthy. And kids want to be strong and smart. I teach my children that healthy foods such as whole grains, lean meats, fruits, vegetables and milk provide "super powers" that will give them all they need to run fast, read better and can even make their skin nice. My daughter loves that eating vegetables makes her skin look like a princess. See, she gets that and it encourages her to make that healthy choice much of the time. I tell her that eating candy is fine when it is eaten sometimes, but when you eat it all the time, it does not give you the fuel her body needs to be all that she can be. So, right now she thinks she is carrying around the "secret" that healthy foods have "super powers." The other day, she asked if it was OK that she tell her best friend the secret. I told her it was OK. You can go ahead and share the "secret" with your kids, too. :)
