Happy & Healthy Easter!

I love how holidays allow provide opportunities for children and their families to spend quality and creative time together. There are so many fun physical activities you can do at Easter time to offset any extra calories that may have been eaten. Easter egg hunts using hollow eggs filled with trinket toys or even a "clue" to where the next Easter egg might be is a great way to have fun. You can even have an Easter egg race by dividing into 2 teams or even bunny hop races using potato sacks and bunny ears could be lots of fun. Use your creativity to get the family and neighbors out to celebrate this great holiday. I found a great selection on the Little Kids' Games Online. Do a Google search to find even more ideas to get pumped up about being outside this Easter for some family exercise and fun.

Many parents ask me about ideas on putting healthy Easter baskets together. Easter, much like Halloween and Valentine's Day, is one of those holidays that is vulnerable to exposing your children to excessive amounts of candy. It doesn't help that Easter candy portion sizes have increased with the rest of food portions. While it is fine to have some candy in your child's Easter basket, it really would be a better idea to mix it up with fun toys, brain teazers and games. SuperKids Nutrition has an awesome article out on creating healthy easter baskets. I happen to be one of the contributing editors for SuperKids Nutrition, but I truly believe that the SuperKids website resource is one of the best ones out there on pediatric nutrition! All the articles are free for your reading pleasure and are written by dietitians specializing in pediatrics and wellness. Melissa Halas-Liang, dietitian and creator of SuperKids Nutrition, has written a series of children's books with "Super Crew" characters that serve as healthy role models for your children on healthy eating. My daughter absolutely loves her books!
So if you were wondering, yes. At our house, we do allow our children some Easter treats. However, as a Christian family we choose to emphasize the true meaning of Easter with friends and extended family. Enjoy your holiday within moderate limits and Easter will remain a much-anticipated and unintimidating thing for you and your family.

New Blog Name: MOMMY DIETITIAN

Texas dietitians from across the state gathered at the Texas Dietetic Association's Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo at the Hyatt Regency in Dallas March 18-20. I happened to be the co-chair for planning this year's event and I must say, it went very well! It was important that we make it extra special because TDA was celebrating 75 years. Even as tiring as it was to plan this event, the speakers left all of us energized and more passionate about the profession of nutrition education.

One of the sessions I attended was on social media, and I was reminded of the main drive for my profession. It is to encourage families on how to live out healthy lifestyles. My original blog name was "Life of a Dietitian" because I wanted to show people that as a nutritional professional, I don't always get it perfect. Life gets in the way at times for all of us! What this session reminded me was that I have specific insight to offer when it comes to being not only a dietitian, but a mother of small children. So, I have decided to change my blog name to Mommy Dietitian. Knowledge is one thing and being able to translate that knowledge into real living is another. Trust me, I don't always get it right but my knowledge is the constant reminder to focus and re-focus. If I can help one mom or one family, I have done my job here. Please encourage your friends, family and fellow bloggers to follow along with me. I would love to hear from you. What would you like to see in this blog? How can I help your family? What do you think families everywhere need when it comes to raising healthy children?

Oh, I have also updated my professional website so check me out - new practice locations for pediatric patients.

Special thanks to Teresa Pangan, PhD, RD and Mandi Wong, RD, co-owners of Feed Your Career for great inspiration on social media!

Happy GREEN Day!

I mean, Happy St. Patrick's Day! We certainly should honor what St. Patrick has done in Ireland for the Christian faith on this day, the day of his death. But I can't help but think about taking this "going green" thing we do on March 17th to remind ourselves of everything green. Let's all go a little greener in our lives, not just by wearing the color.

"Going green" generally means to pursue knowledge and practices that can lead to more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyles, which can help protect the environment and sustain its natural resources for current and future generations. In nutrition, there are a couple easy things you can do. One major thing we can do is to support local farmers by purchasing their produce, meat/poultry and other food resources. You can search for Farmers Markets in our area on the USDA website. Better yet, you can even start your own produce garden and eat your own! When you do either of these, you decrease a food's carbon footprint (a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide) because that food did not require excessive amounts of fossil fuel in order to transport it to your home. At our house, we recently started a berry garden. My daughter absolutely loves strawberries and she now has her very own strawberry plant. In the process of learning how to grow the fruit, she has actively invested and taken part in the process of sustaining its life.

Another major thing you can do when it comes to nutrition is eat less processed foods. I still stand on my position that all foods fit, but when able, try and eat more foods in their natural form. Some ingredients found on a food label take entire manufacturing plants to produce. As a mom, I know the temptation of going to the canned sauces and boxed dinners, and there's nothing wrong with that when life gets crazy sometimes. However, try and reduce those types of dinners depending on how many of them you are doing right now. I see many people flocking to the boxed potatoes for the sake of ease, but did you know that boiling your own potatoes takes almost the same amount of time it takes to boil the water to make those boxed ones? And the taste of fresh mashed potatoes is no comparion to its processed counterpart.

On this St. Paddy's Day, commit to going greener and eating more unprocessed green. At the Lemond house, we need those types of reminders as well.

Power Up With Healthy Fats

I remember so well back in 1990's when fat was something to be avoided at all cost. It was before my dietitian days and I jumped on that bandwagon. I would look at a label and if there was any fat in the product, I would stay away. Many of us believed that fat in our food equated to fat on our thighs. All the magazines promoted the fat-free lifestyle so I assumed it was good advice. Wrong! Flash forward to when I finally got up the nerve to go to school to pursue my dream of being a dietitian - which consisted of mostly science classes - and the veil of misinformation was lifted. I learned the importance of fat in the body. Fat forms the cell membrane of every cell in our bodies. It is part of hormone molecules. It assists us in feeling satisfied when eating a meal. There are many benefits to the body. When fat is taken in, it is broken down into glucose for energy just like everything else. And yes, if that energy is not needed, it will be converted to fat storage. But fat in your food does not always equal fat on your thighs. Fat is more dense in calories - 9 calories per gram versus 4 calories in one gram of protein or carbohydrate - so you do need to keep your intake moderate in order to have energy balance. But some fat is very good, especially certain types of fats.

As a dietitian, I encourage a diet with 30-40% of calories coming predominantely from healthy fats - monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are high in vegetable oils such as olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil. Other sources include avocados, peanut butter, and many nuts and seeds. Polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3, are found in soybean oil, corn oil and safflower oil, as well as fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and trout. Other sources include some nuts and seeds such as walnuts and sunflower seeds. There are also some food products with therapeutic amounts of omega-3 added [A therapeutic amount of omega-3 is 1-4 grams (1000-4000 mg) per day]. Therapeutic amounts of omega-3 can decrease LDL or "bad" cholesterol, lower triglycerides, decrease inflammation and can have positive effects on overall mood. One food product that I love is Kroger brand, "Private Selection" omega-3 eggs. They contain 600mg per egg! Check them out at your local Kroger. Before you start a regular therapeutic dose of omega-3, check in with your doctor. High levels of omega-3 do have blood thinning effects and could impact other medications you may already be taking. Also, all blood thinning medications must be stopped before going under anethesia. It's always good to check with your doctor first!

Have Your Girl Scout Cookies, and Eat Them, Too!

It's Girl Scout cookie time here in North Texas. And yes, I am a Cookie Mom! By media's standards, you would think that this is an oxymoron. How can Angela be a dietitian, with pediatric expertise nonetheless, also promote Girl Scout cookies? This is a really good example of what I believe is the problem with society's obsession with weight. More on that in a moment....

Girl Scouts in an amazing organization that teaches young girls core values, self- confidence to withstand peer pressure and solid work ethic, all which have a lifelong impact. Girl Scout cookie sales is one tool they use to assist in their teaching. Cookie sales builds confidence, responsibility and develops great social skills. I am seeing this firsthand with my daughter! It saddens me that I am seeing a lot of Facebook posts of people commenting about how "bad" they have been with their Girl Scout cookies. It is not the intention of Girl Scouts to make people feel bad. On the contrary, we want to make people feel proud that they have donated to a great cause! Our troop is donating part of our cookie profits to Haitian relief, although all troops are raising money for a good cause. If you really feel out of control around Girl Scout cookies or other similar sweets, consider donating your cookies to a local food pantry or even sending it overseas to our military troops.

But this brings me back to my bigger point than Girl Scout cookies. Many people see things as black and white, and food habits are no exception. Being a healthy eater is defined differently on an individual basis. I have found that many people define it as an unrealistic standard that is difficult to attain by anyone. This has caused people to become very uneasy around high calorie foods, including Girl Scout cookies. We need to stop this belief! Food has been put on this earth to enjoy and nourish. In order for any person to get in command of their eating habits, they must make friends with all types of food. Stop thinking that eating certain foods makes you unhealthy or even worse, a bad person. What are we teaching our children with this mentality? Now, on the other hand, you must also teach your children healthy eating habits by eating high nutrient, lower calorie foods most of the time. I firmly believe that it is our attitude around food that has caused much of our problems. Let's get back to enjoying traditional, homecooked meals with lots of vegetables and appropriate portions. Let's enjoy tasty treats like Girl Scout cookies every once in awhile and let's get off the couch and play with our children more. Eating high nutrient foods make us "strong and smart" whereas too many high calorie, low nutrient foods do not give our bodies what it needs to excel in all areas of life. It's not about weight, it's about quality of life. If you believe that in your heart, your children will as well. Invest in them here and you will not regret it! Model any behavior you want to see in your children and they will follow suit.

All food fits into a healthy diet. And Girl Scouts does publicize the cookie nutritional information in order for you to plan them into your healthy lifestyle. Instead of being uneasy to view this information, look at it as information that provides power and confidence.

Have your Girl Scouts cookies, and eat them, too. :)

Fight the Winter Blues Part 2: Balancing Comfort Food Cravings

Ahhhh.....the effects of comfort foods. Why is it that we crave more comfort foods in the winter time? I think there is certainly a tempertature connection - comfort foods warm us up inside and make us feel nice and cozy. I get that. But there may be even more at play here. A lack of energy expenditure can cause some people to have episodes of insomnia. It is a fact that people that are inactive have a tendency to have disrupted sleep patterns. Comfort foods can help increase serotonin levels, which can assist helping people fall asleep. The next time you eat a big bowl of pasta, make note of how it makes you feel afterward. If you haven't been very active, most likely it will make you feel tired.

Webster tells us that comfort foods are "foods prepared in a traditional style having usually a nostalgic or sentimental appeal." Comfort foods also have a reputation of being high-calorie and high-fat, which can be a concern if eaten excessively. What is your favorite comfort food? My favorite comfort food by far is mashed potatoes. Potatoes in any form is and has always been a love of mine, but there is something about homeade smashed, buttery and salted potatoes. [Have you ever met a meat and potatoes dietitian?? If not...nice to meet you!!] Whatever your favorite, allow yourself those indulgences balanced with lower fat, lower calorie foods. The great thing to note is that many comfort foods are high nutritive quality. The Eating Well website provides several food recipes that can provide the comfort while not sacrificing on nutrients. I love their baked mac and cheese recipe with a layer of spinach in the middle. :) Look for comfort food recipes that provide the calorie content so you can get an idea of what you are eating, especially if you are trying to lose weight or lower your cholesterol. Even the healthy versions can still get up there in calories, but if you balance your eating patterns out with lower calorie foods, you can still enjoy them. Another great healthy comfort food recipe resource is Evelyn Tribole's Homestyle Cooking Cookbooks. Every dish I make out of her cookbooks are amazing!

My take home message to myself and everyone else as we round out the winter season is to enjoy some of your favorite comfort foods in moderation. Counteract excessive cravings with creative, winter time exercise and you are good to go!

Fight the Winter Blues Part I: Invigorate & Energize Naturally

Are you feeling the winter blues? You know, that sleepy, low movement, low energy, hibernation mode with excessive cravings for comfort foods? As a healthy lifestyle educator that promotes regular physical activity, I am feeling it myself and chance are, you are as well. If you are, don't be discouraged. Luckily, spring is just around the corner. Weather - good or bad - can set the tone of our moods if we let it. It's great when it's a positive effect such as the feeling a nice, sunny day has on us. But it can be quite challenging if you are living in area of the country that provides several dreary, cold and/or cloudy days back to back. The majority of the states throughout the country are experiencing this for short or long spurts. My favorite workouts have always been outdoors, although I do not prefer to workout in cold and wet weather. If you are like me, this can be a recipe for missing regular workouts.

On top of the weather challenge, most Americans have sedentary jobs. Even my job of improving the health of others requires many hours in front of a computer. This "screen time" - whether you work professionally from home or at the office - must be counteracted by purposeful physical activity in order to keep us fit and healthy.

For me, mornings and late afternoons are great opportunities for workouts at home. What time of day is best for you? Whether you have 5 minutes or an hour, there are many opportunities to get your heart rate up and energize. Push away that temptation to reach for caffeine and instead break the day up with a workout! If the weather is poor, consider doing your workouts indoors. I love doing Exercise TV workouts through my AT&T Uverse Free On Demand, but you can also download the workouts straight off their website. My favorite trainers are Jillian Michaels and Steve Maresca - check them out! Both of them use such great words of motivation throughout their workouts which helps in maximizing your time. Exercise TV have everything from yoga to pilates to target zone training. What is also great is that many of them do not require any equipment. And if you only have 5 or 10 minutes, no problem. They have a quick, pick-me-up workouts that will get your heart rate up and help in finishing the day off strong. Regular exercise and proper nutrition together are the keys to beating the winter time blues. Set the timers on your phones or computers to remind yourself to get UP and get moving every so often. You may have something else in place like a treadmill or a mini trampoline or even the Wii Fitness. If you are at a workplace, take a 10 minute break and walk the staircase or walk the corporate floor. Whatever it is, take time to move. Endorphins will be released and you will have a renewed outlook on the responsbilities that lie before you. Let's do life together, and stay strong in body, mind and spirit. In Part 2, we will discuss ways to balance our comfort food cravings. Stay tuned!