3 Easy Eating Tips For Healthy Kids

So all we are hearing lately is how to stop the children's obesity problem that is rising so quickly. And let's be completely honest. This is a very big, very difficult problem to solve. With all the trends of the last 20 years from fast food to packaged food, from Atari to Wii, from small outdoor playtime to huge inside screen time, we have obstacles to health in abundance. But I want to focus on food for a minute. There are easy and small changes that we can make to our children's diets that will lead to great results. Unfortunately as a society we are all to blame for the growing dependency on packaged and sugar-based foods that provide little to no nutritional value. And because of this, we have not been able to give our kids the tools to choose their nutritional needs correctly. So it is time we give them that knowledge so they can make the correct choices and help be an active part of returning to healthy, strong little humans. They need to understand that if we don't fuel our bodies correctly that, like a vehicle, we don't run correctly.

The very first small change is getting rid of all sweet, sugary drinks. Soda is out. So are all energy drinks and kool-aid. Many juices would fall into this category as well. If our children cut back on 200 calories a week of sweet, sugary drinks, that is 10,400 calories a year! Not to mention all the monetary savings at the grocery store and at the dentist!

Next, let's try decreasing the boxed, bottled, and canned food and increasing the consumption of free-standing foods. You know what I mean....foods that you purchase that have no packaging, don't need any added ingredients, and are found on the outer edges of the grocery store. Things like bananas, apples, cucumbers, nuts, onions, rice, and the list goes on.

Finally, let's return to a time when dessert was not an everyday thing. When I was young I remember getting homemade pudding in special little pudding cups maybe once a week. And you know what? It was so special! Let's continually remind our children that every meal should not be followed by a sweet treat. They will be so much more appreciative of them when they don't come around as often. This in no way means that we should deprive kids of having sweets here and there, but the goal is to get back to a place where kids understand that if you eat treats every day, your body will pay the price.

So I know that although these changes are small, they may seem huge when you are trying to convince a child that he doesn't need another cookie today. We may also have to face a little sugar withdrawal and some really cranky kids. But, I think the reminder we have to keep giving ourselves is that we created this lack of knowledge in our kids, and we have to be the ones who fix it. We are responsible for their health. We wouldn't send a child off to college who didn't graduate the 6th grade, so why would we send a child out into adulthood with no knowledge of how to keep their health? If we continue to allow them to eat the sugary, chemically-filled, fattening foods that are out there, we are only preparing them for a lifetime of health problems, like heart disease, diabetes, weight-management issues, joint disorders, and chronic pain. We have the power to change this, it's time to turn it around! Let's start with these 3 simple ideas and let's see what happens.

In Good Health,

Jenn

Gwen and I are teaching a healthy eating/cooking workshop for our next Sporty Sprout Saturdays event on Saturday, March 26th. Boys and Girls are welcome, just message us on facebook for the details!

Gateway Exercise

I have been considering the theory of gateway drugs lately. You know the one I mean, the hypothesis that the use of less "serious" drugs like tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana can often lead to the use of "hard-core" drugs and to full-on addiction. What I have been considering is whether or not this theory can apply to other things, like exercise. Do we have a gateway exercise that determines whether or not we will continue into a lifetime of fitness? The more I've thought about it, the more I think the answer is yes. But, I say yes with certain criteria and amendments attached.

My thought is that there is a sport or exercise that a child participates in at some point in childhood that has all the right conditions happening at the right time, and therefore it becomes the gateway exercise to a life of fitness and health. For instance, the child has just watched the Olympics and really enjoyed the beach volleyball team winning the Gold medal. It just so happens that someone has started a beach volleyball league for children in the area. It turns out that 3 of the child's closest friends are also interested in playing on the beach volleyball team. The league is affordable, meets at convenient times, and is run by a former beach volleyball pro. All the conditions have been met, the potential for success in the program is certain, and so, this may be that child's gateway exercise for a life of fitness. Now, I am not saying that every criteria has to be perfectly met in order for this to be a successful gateway exercise, but the more criteria that are satisfied, the better the chance of leading into full-on adult exercise passion.

Now, that being said, there is the amendment. The most important amendment is, "is it fun?" You almost never hear an adult discussing the athletics they did in childhood being boring or stupid and that's what kept them involved. No one ever claims they kept exercising into adulthood because they thought the sports they did were monotonous or awful. You might hear someone say, "it wasn't my favorite sport, but I did have a fun time learning it." Fun is the factor that can tip the scales. In the beach volleyball example, if all the conditions were met, but the child wasn't having fun, would this be the gateway exercise? Probably not. But, if most of the criteria were met, and the fun factor was high, then guess what? Gateway exercise found. Lifetime of fitness, check.

So, I suppose what I am saying is this: Let's work hard to find each child's gateway exercise. Let's keep in fun. Let's try all types of sports, even stuff not on a parent's regular radar, because you never know when the right conditions will present themselves, when the fun factor will be high enough, and what combination of the two will create the perfect moment for a child that will influence the course of their health and fitness for a lifetime.

In Good Health,

Jenn

I've spent the last few weeks contemplating the transition from teenager to adulthood and how this applies to fitness and personal workouts. I have a child in this age bracket right now. My oldest son graduated from high school last spring, and he has always been an active kid. Whether it is playing basketball or chasing his younger siblings around the neighborhood, he has always loved joining in for any sport or activity. But the question I have been asking myself is this, "What happens when organized sports are over and you are just too old to run around outside with your little brothers and sisters?". My son has been trying to answer this question himself. All of a sudden he is noticing that he is a bit out of shape compared to the last few years and he is trying to figure out what to do. He has started running a few days a week, and ran about 2 miles with me the other day. I feel lucky and proud that he is motivated enough to want to get up and head out the door. But, it really makes me think about all the youth out there that are not motivated to do this. So many kids get out of high school where they have been active members of teams for years. In an instant, they have no practice to attend, and no reason to get up and go to the gym or hit the courts for a workout. And what about the kids who haven't participated in fitness? What are the chances they will be motivated to go workout?

Thinking about these things has lead me to a few conclusions: The first is that we have to work very hard as parents to find activities that our kids really love to do. Just like adults, if they don't love their workouts, are they going to keep doing them? Chances are they won't. They may be able to take those big lessons they've learned about teamwork or overall health and apply them, but they may just decide that now they can finally take a break from doing that sport they hated anyway. This is the last thing we want to see happen.

The second thought I've had is the necessity to keep encouraging kids to participate in team sports that they do love. For instance, I suggested to my son that he join a basketball team at the local recreation center or at his community college. There is no reason that we can't continue with team sports just because we turn 18, is there? Not only will they be happy with their fitness regime, but the social interactions will be great.

My final thought about this transition goes back to the same old idea that those who know me have heard me say forever. We have to set the fitness example to our kids and demonstrate consistency that fitness time is a part of every day. Kids who watch parents that workout daily will follow that example because they understand it to be the norm in life. They won't think it is unusal at all to go to the gym when they have been watching their parents do it every day since birth.

Encouraging our post-high school, early adult children to keep up the habit of health and fitness is one of the best gifts we can give them. Just a few positive words on the topic may help them stay motivated, help avoid the weight gain that often coincides with the early college years, and set them up for a lifetime of great health. But, in order to reach this phase, we have to make sure we haven't skipped any of the steps along the way....in other words, we start health and fitness early and often to ensure that we continue the habits well into our late aduthood.

In Good Health,

Jenn

The Gift of Health and Fitness

It is difficult to sit back and watch a loved one continue with unhealthy habits, knowing what some of the terrible consequences might be. I think we have all been there at some point in our life. It could be bad eating habits, lack of exercise, smoking, or drinking. It might even be poor emotional health, high stress, or depression. It hurts to see the people we care about not living the best life they can, and sometimes we see what is hurting them before they do. I know I am not the only one who notices when my friends and family aren't taking care of themselves. It can put us in an uncomfortable place because we don't want to hurt the feelings of those we love, but isn't it our job as the person who cares the most to step forward and offer assistance to the person who needs it? We have to find a way to offer support in whatever way is needed to help that person become healthier and live a more fulfilling life.


I work in fitness, so I get to spend an enormous amount of time helping people identify their unhealthy habits. I consider myself lucky for that reason. I also get to say things to people that are difficult for others to say. People rely on me to tell them what they need to do to change their bad habits and come back to a place of health. From spending years as a trainer and fitness expert I have learned something very important when it comes to client goals: Everyone gets healthier when they have support from family and friends. Did you know that one of first questions most trainers ask is, do you have support from your family to begin this fitness program? This is a question we need answered because it can guide us in helping this client be successful. I say all this so the message is clear. Family support is invaluable when it comes to health and fitness goals.


With that being said, it is easy to see why giving the gift of health and fitness to someone you love is so important. By gift, I mean many things. Your gift can be offering to go for a walk every day at 5:00 p.m. with your aging parents. It can be setting up appointments with physicians, and taking your family members to them. It can be calling your sister on the phone every day to find out how her eating plan is going. There are so many options of how to give this gift, and it will be one of the most precious gifts you ever give. The holidays are a fantastic time to give this gift. We all know that January is resolution time, so why not give a gift of health and fitness that can roll right into the first of the year resolution season? It's the perfect time. Here are some great options: a gym membership, sessions with a personal trainer, some new home fitness equipment, some visits with a nutritionist, massages, acupuncture visits, or even smoking cessation programs, or counseling sessions. If this is something you have been thinking of doing, look into some of your local options. Many of these types of services offer specials during the holidays for just this reason!


You will never regret helping those you love become healthier and live more active lifestyles. It is the gift that will fulfill not just their life, but also yours when you get to spend more time together doing fun activities that aren't limited by health. If we can all affect just one person's health in a positive way, think how much we could impact our country, our healthcare system, and our happiness!


In good health,


Jennifer


PS. In honor of this blog and spreading the gift of health, Sporty Sprouts is offering $150 off of our upcoming session!

Lead By Example

As parents, we spend enormous amounts of time worrying about how our children are going to turn out. Will they be intelligent, caring, generous, outgoing, or friendly? Will they be financially responsible, philanthropic, interested in the world? Will they go to college? Will they be good parents? The truth is, we can spend all this time worrying, or we can act in a way that we hope our children will emulate. If we hope to raise non-smokers, then as adults we need to lead by example and never smoke. If we hope for children that grow to be financially responsible, then as adults we should live within our means. And if we want our children to be healthy and fit, then we better eat right, workout, limit use of alcohol, and avoid drugs. Although this sounds simple, it can be exceedingly difficult.

Our world today is set up to move quickly. Have a question? Look online and have an answer in 30 seconds. Need to reach someone? Expect a text back in even less time. In this fast-paced world, we also need ways to eat, and workout quickly and efficiently. There are so many times when we are running around to practices, games, work, and appointments that the drive-thru is the only option to feed the family. When we are rushed by all these commitments, we are forced into bad nutrition and tend to neglect our own personal needs in terms of workouts. Kids see this. They learn that as an adult, you don't always have time to care for yourself while you are taking care of others. This is the message we don't want kids to see. So no matter what, scheduling time to keep ourselves healthy is a must for all parents! Even if it means we have to take a different commitment off the books. We have to prioritize our own health, not just so that we have years of functioning ahead of us, but so that we can set the right example for our children. Learning to work in our own personal fitness at the same time as our children's fitness is a great option. How many times have you taken a child to practice and sat around waiting for an hour to pass? Try walking around the soccer field while you watch your child. Or how about running around the track during track practice? Most coaches will not be upset at all if you join right in during your child's conditioning phase of their practice. It is a great way to show your child you are there to support them and teach them that you believe in your own fitness as well.

We have all had that drive-thru moment when you don't want to feed the kids a high fat, high calorie, no substance meal, but where do you get a meal for 4 in 5 minutes flat? Leaving some options in the trunk is a great way to avoid this quick stop (and probably save yourself some money in the process). A small cooler with some bottled water, healthy nutrition bars, some nuts and dried fruit might be a simple way to provide the snack everyone needs without busting out the daily caloric intake. If a bigger meal is what's needed, try the grocery store instead of a fast food restaurant. Pop in to the deli and grab a few chicken breasts, some apples from the produce aisle and a couple cartons of milk. Kids will still be pleased and their fuel levels will be restored. To top it off, you will feel better about your own intake and have energy to last for several more hours because you have consumed a healthy meal.

As parents, we can't underestimate our influence in helping our children make great choices for their future. But, with that being said, we have to remember that not always do children decide to follow our influence. Sometimes, we set all the right examples and we have a child that still decides to pick up smoking, or a teen that eats terribly. The important thing to remember is that we have laid the foundation and eventually that child will remember what they have seen and learned and likely make their way back. But even if they don't, we know we have done the best we can and we can have no regrets about the lessons we taught!

In Good Health,


Jennifer

Latest details for the Sprouts...

Many of you have been wondering about where we are at with our program. So...here are the latest Sprout details!

1. Where will we be meeting?

Sporty Sprouts will be meeting at Lighthouse Christian School, Gig Harbor Wa! For those of you with kids on LCS campus, we're going to make it easy for you! One of us will be on campus to pick up any girls participating in our program by 3pm. We will hang with them until we get started. This will give the girls some time to have a snack and get changed. We suggest that you pack an extra snack with the girls. Most kids are super hungry after school and they will be very active during their time with us.

2. What date are we starting?

We wanted to start yesterday! However, we have had to delay our start date due to obstacles with days and times for interested girls. Our plan right now is to start on Monday, December 6th, based on our total enrollment. We are planning a "sample" session on Wednesday, December 1st, so girls can come and enjoy a free session and see what we are all about. We are very excited to get started with the girls! So if you know of anyone interested in enrolling in our program, tell them the time is now!

3. What are the days and times?

Sporty Sprouts will meet Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 - 5:30. So far, these appear to be the best days and time. We would love any feedback you might have in regard to dates, times and even about our program! The more information we have from you, the better we can make our program.

Please let us know if your daughter will be attending the Sporty Sprouts Sample Day so that we know how many to prepare for. Space is limited, so RSVP today! You can do that at sportysprouts@comcast.net or you can also register on our fb event page at: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=153408188036957&id=550299020&ref=notif¬if_t=like#!/event.php?eid=168416833183654

Finding A Fitness Program Your Child Will Love

It is a common belief that your level of physical fitness can be greatly influenced by your personal interests. If you don’t enjoy the type of fitness activity you are doing, then chances are you just won’t stick with it. Adults continually start fitness programs and fail to meet their goals within weeks because they don’t enjoy anything about the activity they have launched into. When searching for a health and fitness program, don’t go into it knowing you don’t like it, but instead, attempt something you know you enjoy. If you hate running but love dancing, don’t sign-up for a 5k, but instead get registered for ballroom dance classes. The same concept applies to children’s fitness programs. Some kids will latch on and have fun in any type of program, but others only enjoy programs tailored to their personal interests. The problem is that it can be difficult to know what type of program your child will like until they have had a chance to try it, and sometimes that means you signed your daughter up for soccer, she despises it, and you are stuck either forcing her to go, or losing out on that soccer fee.

Helping your child discover what type of fitness program they will enjoy is a fairly easy task, and can make the difference between creating a lifetime of health and fitness or resulting in a child who always avoids activity. Health and fitness should be fun, not a moment of fear and dread. There are some simple questions to ask:

Does my child work well in groups, or does he/she prefer to complete tasks on their own?

If groups are his/her thing, try sports like basketball, soccer, or football. If your child prefers to go it alone, try gymnastics, dance, track, or tennis. These options give your child a chance to meet individual goals, but also participate in smaller goals as a part of a team.

Does my child have a lot of manual dexterity and good hand/eye coordination?

Look for sports that involve the use of balls, batons, bats, and other small pieces of equipment. Don’t forget about sports like golf, baseball, or wrestling, that involve good hand/eye coordination in combination with movement.

Is my child naturally flexible?

Sports like gymnastics and martial arts will allow these kids to use their flexibility at the same time they are building very strong core muscles and overall strength. He/she may even enjoy something like yoga, where they feel positive about their flexibility and can balance it with strength work.

Would my child benefit from the opportunity to get out some aggression?

In today’s world, children have a lot of demands placed on them. Being constantly over-stimulated by technology can make them stressed out just like any adult. Having a sport available to them where they have the opportunity to be aggressive in a safe way is a great outlet for stress reduction. Sports like football, dodgeball, wrestling, and kickboxing are fantastic for this.

Just a few moments addressing these questions can really get you moving toward finding a fitness program that your child will love. All organized programs have lessons to be learned, and your child will appreciate your hard work in helping to find a program that they will love. In addition, remember, if your child is particularly finicky about activity, many programs will have a chance to attend one class for free before purchasing. Or, take your child to watch the program a few times prior to enrolling. This will really help them see what they are getting involved in. Fitness should always be fun (even with the hard work involved)!


In Good Health,

Jenn