NEW PRODUCT

By Susan Bowerman, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D.

There's no denying it – as a nation, we're getting heavier and heavier. And, our poor diets and sedentary lifestyles are affecting our kids, too. Just as adults are struggling with the "battle of the bulge", statistics show that our kids are getting heavier and that they are experiencing obesity-related health problems at very young ages.

Parents face an uphill struggle when it comes to getting kids to be more active and to eat healthy foods. Like adults, many kids face pressures of too much work and too little time for leisure-time activity, and the lure of television, video games or surfing the net often keeps them indoors. Food choices are influenced by taste, cost and convenience, and many foods are marketed as "cool" – something kids may value more than healthy nutrition.

Ultimately, parents are responsible for helping kids to make proper choices, and making sure there are healthy foods at home is a great place to start. Parents also need to set an example for their kids by eating right and staying active, too. Here are some tips to help your child eat smart and play hard:

1. Keep a bowl of fresh whole fruit on the kitchen counter where it can be seen, or some cut up fruits or vegetables in plain view when the refrigerator door is open. By making these items convenient and easy to consume, kids are more likely to eat them.
2. Take kids to the grocery store with you and use the time for some nutrition education. Older kids can learn how to read food labels, and often enjoy making comparisons between items and trying to find healthy alternatives. You can also do some negotiating with your kids by selecting items together that you both agree are acceptable.
3. Get your kids involved in food preparation. Children are much more likely to eat foods when they have helped to prepare them. If you enjoy cooking, encourage your child to try new foods by preparing new dishes with you.
4. Be patient when trying to get kids to try new foods. Studies show that repeated exposure does work – so keep offering foods, and encourage kids to try "just a bite". It may take more than a dozen tries, but it's worth the effort.
5. Be a good role model. It's difficult for busy parents to put a balanced meal on the table every night, but kids need to know that their parents value their own nutritional intake. Try to include veggies or a salad at mealtimes, and serve fruit for dessert.
6. Help your kids (and yourself) with portion control. Serve foods from the kitchen, rather than placing serving dishes family-style on the table, to avoid taking "just another spoonful". Studies show that we tend to eat what we are served – whether it's a little or a lot – and empty plate usually signals that we're finished.
7. Don't be a couch potato yourself. Your kids need to know that you value an active lifestyle. Get outdoors with them for a bike ride, a jog, or to shoot some hoops, and make sure they know how good you feel when you get your blood pumping.
8. Plan ahead. It's easier said than done, but planning meals ahead of time, making a shopping list, and preparing meals in bulk so you have extras on hand can help make evening meals less stressful.
9. Snack smart. Active kids need snacks, but typical snack foods are loaded with fat and sugar. Keep the sodas and chips out of the house, but have fruit, yogurt, string cheese, nuts or soy nuts or healthy cereals on hand for those snack attacks. Kids also like making their own smoothies, so keep some milk, fresh or frozen fruit and some protein powder around and let them experiment.
10. Build exercise into your day, and encourage your kids to do the same. If you're on the phone, walk around the house or yard while you talk, instead of sitting down. Find errands you can walk to, rather than taking the car. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, and park a few blocks away from the mall.

Susan Bowerman is a consultant to Herbalife.

When it comes to your meals, what do you do to make them special? I’ll bet if I asked you what you ate for lunch two days ago, chances are pretty good that you can’t remember.  Maybe you worked through lunch and ate at your desk, or picked at some leftovers from the refrigerator.  Or you were so caught up in your favorite television show, that you scarcely noticed what was on your plate.  On the other hand, if I asked you to recall a special meal you’ve had lately – not even a holiday or birthday meal, just what you’d call a ‘nice meal’ – you can probably recall that meal in great detail.  And it’s likely that it was more than just the food that made that meal memorable.  It’s the little things, too, that make meals more special – and, more satisfying.

 So, aside from the food, what makes a meal memorable?  Maybe it was your dining companions. Maybe, instead of shoveling it down, you lingered and talked over a meal.  Maybe it was the way the food was presented on the plate, or the shiny silverware, or the slice of lemon in your ice water.  Or it could have been the cool jazz playing, or the candlelight, the crisp linens or the sprig of fresh green basil nestled next to the grilled fish.

 All our senses are involved when we eat.  When a plate of food is appealing to the eye, has a wonderful aroma, and a variety of flavors and textures, we take note.  And we usually rate those meals as not only more pleasant – but more satisfying, too.

 If your eating has become routine – and your meals look the same, day after day  – that could spell trouble.  In an attempt to get more satisfied, you may find yourself eating more, but enjoying it less.

 So why not try making meals little more special?

It doesn’t take much.  Turn off the television and listen to some music.  Throw a tablecloth on the table, grab a cloth napkin and maybe light a candle or two.   Having leftovers?  Try putting them on a plate – rather than eating them out of a plastic container. 

And try a little accessorizing.  A ripe red strawberry on top of a protein shake would brighten anyone’s day; a shower of fresh chopped parsley on top of your grilled chicken or fish takes it from drab to delightful.

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.

It’s amazing how just a handful of small changes to everyday habits can add up to big rewards.  I’ve mentioned before that when someone tells me they’re ready for a major diet and lifestyle overhaul, I usually tell them to proceed with caution. There are a couple of reasons for this. For one thing, when you try to make too many changes at once, you run the risk of …if you’ll excuse the pun… biting off more than you can chew. And, I think that once you’re successful at making a change – no matter how small – it gives you the confidence to keep going, and to keep chipping away at new challenges.  On top of that, just a handful of small changes to your everyday habits can add up to bigger reward than you might think. 

 Here’s a way to look at it.  Think of the changes you’re going to make in your lifestyle as an investment.  You could rely on an aggressive strategy that might give you quick rewards – but there’s also a high risk that it won’t.  On the other hand, you could ‘diversify’ – and use blend of strategies that are more likely to give you the results you’re after, even though it may take a little longer.  So when you’re investing in your health for the long term, slow and steady usually wins the race.

When you take a closer look at the foods you routinely eat – and your everyday exercise patterns -  it’s amazing how a little fine tuning can add up to big rewards. Here are some recent changes I worked out with a patient of mine – enough to lead to the loss of 60 pounds in a year:

• Add 20 extra minutes to daily exercise – could be an additional 20 minutes of brisk walking in the morning, or a second walk later in the day.  The extra 100 calories burned per day could equal 10 pounds less at the end of a year.
• If your usual breakfast five days a week is a coffee drink and a bagel with cream cheese.  A switch to a protein shake will shave off about 250 calories a day – enough to drop more than 18 pounds in a year.
• A healthy habit of eating salad about 7 times a week is a bit counterproductive if the greens are drenched in dressing.  Reduce salad dressing from three tablespoons to one will lead to savings of more than 1000 calories a week – and the loss of about 16 pounds in a year.
• About three times a week, instead of having a candy bar as an afternoon pick-me-up, have a small protein bar and a cup of tea instead. You could be cutting as much as 600 a week – enough to shed nearly 9 pounds in a year.
• Sandwiches are eaten 5 times a week on average and always include a slice of cheese.  Lose the cheese and replace with veggies, and save 500 calories a week.  Another 7 pounds could be lost in a year with this one change.
• Dessert is eaten six times a week – usually cookies or ice cream, to the tune of about 200 calories.  Swap for a piece of fruit, and cut enough calories to lose another 10 pounds in a year.

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.