One of our top searches is for alternatives to childhood's favorite sandwich, the PB and J. Visit "Sandwiches in a Peanut Free World" for alternative sandwich ideas or simply substitute sunflower seed butter for peanut butter. It has a great taste and texture and is available at Trader Joe's.
If you are trying to make lunch healthier for you or your children, try our post "Cut Calories without Losing Taste," where we give you flavorful changes to your diet that can save you 1743 calories per week without making a single sacrifice.
If your family needs to start fresh on many fronts, try some of the goals in "New [School] Year's Resolution". From reminders on how much sleep children need to the only reason that you need to justify overhauling their lunch menu, it gives simple ideas for starting the school year off healthier.
Finally, make sure that their lunch boxes are ready for the new year:
-If using their lunch box from last year, clean it thoroughly and let it dry in the sun.
-Make sure that you have an ice pack that is sufficiently large to keep their food cool; the paper-thin cartoon character packs will melt before they get on the bus.
-Consider reusable containers and bags to save money and landfill space.
For general tips on healthy eating, consume the following:
"Pyramid, Plate, Pattern" breaks down the recommendations from "My Plate," which replaced the food pyramid.
"Fruits & Veggies: Recommended Daily Servings and Serving Sizes" breaks down daily servings of fruits and vegetables for young people.
Finally, "Children's Caloric Needs" helps with daily calorie needs based upon age, gender, and activity level.
2.10.2015
Playground Workout: Using Common Playground Equipment for a Challenging Workout
Kids love to visit the playground, but why should they be the only ones having fun? Below are exercise that turn common playground equipment into a challenging workout for all levels. Yes, people will stare, but only because you are tackling what they wish that they could, so smile and invite them to join you on the next set.
Raised Platform (e.g. step, base of a slide, balance apparatus)
Step-ups
Step-ups have been proven to be one of the most effective exercises for the glutes. The higher the step, the more challenging the work. The maximum height you should choose will allow you to stand flat-footed with your supporting leg straight with the raised foot on the platform so that you form a 90 degree bend at the knee. Beginners should choose a lower platform.
Exercise: Face the platform with one foot on the ground and one on the platform. Keeping your knee over your heel, squeeze through the glute of the
raised leg to bring your body to standing position on the platform. The moving leg will pull forward to the front of the body (see left) and come to balance, which will challenge your core. Stabilize, then, with control, lower to the starting position. Complete 10-15 on one leg and then switch to the other. Strive for 2-3 sets.
Adding to the challenge: As you get stronger, choose a higher platform, up to the safe max height described above, or at the starting position, you can bend the back leg and rise on to the ball of the foot to start the exercise from a lunge (see right).
Push-ups
Skip the "girlie" push-up. The same platform can be used to assist in strengthening your body to do
a push-up on your toes. The lower the platform is, the harder the work.
Exercise: Place your hands on the platform. Walk your feet back to where you are standing on your toes and your hips are in line with your body, forming a straight line from the base of your skull to your heels. You shoulders should be directly over your wrists. Lower your body until a 90 degree bend is formed at your elbows and then push smoothly to the starting position. Find a platform sufficiently high to allow you to do 6-8 for beginners and 10-12 for those more advanced. Strive for 2-3 sets.
Build up to it: If you are already on the ground and knocking out push-ups from your toes, try placing your feet on the raised platform and hands on the ground.
Dips
Wave goodbye to your underarm waddle with this tricep toner.
Exercise: Sit on your hands with fingers bent over the edge of the platform. Shift your weight off the platform and move your hands closer so that they are directly behind your shoulders. The further your feet are from your body, the harder the work (a 90 degree bend at the knee will be less difficult than straight legs and resting on your heels). Lower your body to form a 90 degree bend (see right) with your elbow and then push to re-straighten the arm. Make sure that you feel the platform brush your back with each dip. Strive for 2-3 sets of 10-15.
Swing
Plank with Oblique Contraction
Exercise: With your back to a swing, go into plank so that your feet are under the seat. Lift one leg and place your foot, top side down, in the seat. Hold the free leg beside it to form plank. Bend at the knee and hip to move knee out to the side of your body and toward your shoulder to contract your oblique. Strive to complete 2-3 sets of 8-10 on both sides.
Adding to the challenge: As you bring your knee to your shoulder, go down for a push-up.
Single-Leg Squat
Combine core stability with serious glute work in this highly effective squat.
Exercise: Stand a leg's length or less in front of the swing with your back to it. Lift leg behind you to rest your foot, laces down, on the swing. Keeping your chest up, slowly lower yourself on one leg, pushing your hips back, so that your knee does not go past your toe. At the base of the move, contract your glutes to return to standing with your foot still on the swing. Strive for 2-3 sets of 10-12 on each leg.
Build up to it: Make balance harder and force more work into the glute by lifting your toes and balancing on the heel.
Monkey Bars
Hanging Leg Lift
Put your shoulders under pressure while you work your lower abdominals.
Exercise: With arms extended overhead, grip the bar. Lift bent legs toward chest. Be careful not to use momentum. Strive for two sets of 8-10.
Making it more difficult: straighten legs during lift toward chest.
See-Saw
Plyometric See-Saw Squat
The see-saw is a great tool for squats because it naturally positions your legs, at near-shoulder width to bend in front of your body, while keeping your weight back. It is also great practice for learning how to control your landing. Grab your child for this one and get ready for a challenge. (Note: This move involves jumping; if you have never done plyometrics or jump training or have concerns, you should complete the move without your feet leaving the ground.)
Exercise: Squeezing your inner thigh to keep your knees forward, contract your glutes and push off the balls of your feet. When on your way back down, use your muscles to stop the see-saw with your legs at 90 degrees. Hold for a moment at the base of the move and then push off again; the seat should never touch the ground. Strive for 2-3 sets of 10-15 squats.
Adding to the challenge: Make the move harder for you and more interesting for your child by changing how hard you push off; the smaller and faster the rhythm, completed by only barely rising out of the 90 degree bend will keep your muscles under pressure and add to the burn.
Parents frequently disappear to the gym or on a run for their exercise, so kids never see mom and dad exercising. Working out in front of them sets a great example for being active and allows them to get involved, giving them positive associations with physical activity, if only because they got to do it with you.
Raised Platform (e.g. step, base of a slide, balance apparatus)
Step-ups
 |
| Keep your body upright . |
Exercise: Face the platform with one foot on the ground and one on the platform. Keeping your knee over your heel, squeeze through the glute of theraised leg to bring your body to standing position on the platform. The moving leg will pull forward to the front of the body (see left) and come to balance, which will challenge your core. Stabilize, then, with control, lower to the starting position. Complete 10-15 on one leg and then switch to the other. Strive for 2-3 sets.
Adding to the challenge: As you get stronger, choose a higher platform, up to the safe max height described above, or at the starting position, you can bend the back leg and rise on to the ball of the foot to start the exercise from a lunge (see right).
Push-ups
Skip the "girlie" push-up. The same platform can be used to assist in strengthening your body to doa push-up on your toes. The lower the platform is, the harder the work.
Exercise: Place your hands on the platform. Walk your feet back to where you are standing on your toes and your hips are in line with your body, forming a straight line from the base of your skull to your heels. You shoulders should be directly over your wrists. Lower your body until a 90 degree bend is formed at your elbows and then push smoothly to the starting position. Find a platform sufficiently high to allow you to do 6-8 for beginners and 10-12 for those more advanced. Strive for 2-3 sets.
Build up to it: If you are already on the ground and knocking out push-ups from your toes, try placing your feet on the raised platform and hands on the ground.
Dips
 |
| Your chin should be level to help relax your shoulders away from your ears. |
Exercise: Sit on your hands with fingers bent over the edge of the platform. Shift your weight off the platform and move your hands closer so that they are directly behind your shoulders. The further your feet are from your body, the harder the work (a 90 degree bend at the knee will be less difficult than straight legs and resting on your heels). Lower your body to form a 90 degree bend (see right) with your elbow and then push to re-straighten the arm. Make sure that you feel the platform brush your back with each dip. Strive for 2-3 sets of 10-15.
Swing
Plank with Oblique Contraction
 |
| Maintain a strong plank throughout the move and ensure that your hips face the ground. |
Adding to the challenge: As you bring your knee to your shoulder, go down for a push-up.
Combine core stability with serious glute work in this highly effective squat.
Exercise: Stand a leg's length or less in front of the swing with your back to it. Lift leg behind you to rest your foot, laces down, on the swing. Keeping your chest up, slowly lower yourself on one leg, pushing your hips back, so that your knee does not go past your toe. At the base of the move, contract your glutes to return to standing with your foot still on the swing. Strive for 2-3 sets of 10-12 on each leg.
Build up to it: Make balance harder and force more work into the glute by lifting your toes and balancing on the heel.
Monkey Bars
Hanging Leg Lift
Put your shoulders under pressure while you work your lower abdominals.
Exercise: With arms extended overhead, grip the bar. Lift bent legs toward chest. Be careful not to use momentum. Strive for two sets of 8-10.
Making it more difficult: straighten legs during lift toward chest.
See-Saw
Plyometric See-Saw Squat
The see-saw is a great tool for squats because it naturally positions your legs, at near-shoulder width to bend in front of your body, while keeping your weight back. It is also great practice for learning how to control your landing. Grab your child for this one and get ready for a challenge. (Note: This move involves jumping; if you have never done plyometrics or jump training or have concerns, you should complete the move without your feet leaving the ground.)
Exercise: Squeezing your inner thigh to keep your knees forward, contract your glutes and push off the balls of your feet. When on your way back down, use your muscles to stop the see-saw with your legs at 90 degrees. Hold for a moment at the base of the move and then push off again; the seat should never touch the ground. Strive for 2-3 sets of 10-15 squats.
Adding to the challenge: Make the move harder for you and more interesting for your child by changing how hard you push off; the smaller and faster the rhythm, completed by only barely rising out of the 90 degree bend will keep your muscles under pressure and add to the burn.
Parents frequently disappear to the gym or on a run for their exercise, so kids never see mom and dad exercising. Working out in front of them sets a great example for being active and allows them to get involved, giving them positive associations with physical activity, if only because they got to do it with you.
2.05.2015
Calcium for Kids Who Don't Like Milk
First, understand how much calcium they should be consuming. For children 1-3 years of age, it is suggested that they consume 700mg/day, 4-8 year-olds 1,000mg/day, and 9-18 year-olds is 1,300mg/day. For those who cannot visualize milligrams, one cup, or eight ounces, of milk contains approximately 300mg of calcium. On most labels, calcium is given as a percent of the "Daily Value," which is the amount that is recommended that should be included in the healthy diet of an average adult, and, in the case of calcium, is 1,000mg. Thus the percent given may represent a larger or smaller percentage of what your child actually needs.
For a child who will not drink one glass of milk, the three to four needed to meet their calcium needs is out of the questions, so parents must help them to consume other foods that contain calcium. Below is a list of healthy, kid favorites that are also rich in calcium:
50-100mg/ Serving
1 navel orange (60mg)
1 cup of kiwi (60)
1T Parmesan cheese (70)
1/4 cup almonds (72)
1 medium egg (55)
100-200mg/Serving
1 tube of yogurt (100mg)
1 packet instant oatmeal (105)
1 cup Cheerios (114)
1 slice American cheese (165)
1 cup Greek yogurt (180-200)
1 cup broccoli (180)
1 cup white beans (191)
1 Clif Kid Honey Graham Z Bar (200)
300-400mg/serving
1 cup yogurt (300-450mg)
1 cup Kefir (300)
1 cup calcium fortified orange juice (300)
If a child's objection to milk is merely surrounding taste, adding a small amount of chocolate at home may silence the protests and only minimally adds to the calories, whereas store-bought flavored milk is loaded with added sugars. Cereal will also kick up milk's flavor, so adding a little extra to their cereal bowl may be a mutually agreeable solution. Depending upon your cereal and how manufacturers add additional nutrients, many may wash off in the milk, so drinking the leftover milk may be the only way to ensure that all of the calcium from the cereal is consumed.
The intake of calcium is only part of the equation, as it must be absorbed, and common unhealthy habits may be getting in the way. Smoking, and the consumption of alcohol, sodas, and other caffeinated beverages, all interfere with the way that the body absorbs calcium, as does a lack of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is contained in many fortified foods and supplements, and naturally, in some fishes and mushrooms, but the best way to ensure adequate amounts is to spend time in the sun. Far from an endorsement for sun bathing, a fair-skinned person can spend as little as ten minutes in summer, midday sun with arms and legs exposed without sunscreen and produce up to 10,000 international units (IU) of the vitamin (the government currently recommends 200 IU's per day for those under 50 years of age, but scientists believe that may be inadequate). Those with darker skin may require 15-20 minutes and people with black skin may require up to sixty minutes, but research is ongoing to determine optimal times for the elderly and those with darker skin.
For some parents the calcium battle may not be fought with a young child but an adolescent, and it may be a very small part of the larger war of body image and eating disorders. Adolescents often perceive of dairy products as being fatty, and it may be one of the first food groups that they cut out of a desire to lose weight. Offering skim milk, which contains the same amount of calcium as whole milk but with none of the fat may be an option, but at this age, educating them about their body's needs and, for females, the import of calcium with preventing osteoporosis, may be helpful.
1.08.2015
A Personal Trainer's Guide to How to Get in Shape....and Stay in Shape
People love to ask me how I can workout as much as I do, but hate my response: "I love it." It is the same answer that will get anyone in shape and allow them to sustain the changes that they make. The difficult part is finding what you love.
The good and bad is that there are thousands of ways to get active, so how do you find what works for you? First, be willing to try new things and accept that you may feel silly. You should also keep in mind that you will need multiple exposures to fairly judge whether you like something; when people first try my classes, I tell them that they will hate it for the first 5-6 times. The only activity that you should not try more than once is one that is unsafe.
So where do you start?
Below are reviews of and honest advice on the most common first steps in fitness.
Gym Membership
Gyms are great for those who know what they are doing and require no accountability. For most beginners, this is not the case. You will never see results by mindlessly using machines, nor will you enjoy the workout, so you will stop going. Unfortunately, guilt will guide you to maintain the membership for a few months so that you do not look like a failed New Year's resolution and then you will cancel, having only lost money, not pounds or inches.
Group Fitness Classes
Whether as a part of a gym (be sure to ask whether fitness classes ("group ex") are included in the membership fee or separate) or in a specialty gym, classes provide comradery and structure.
Any class is only as good as its instructor, who are part knowledge and part personality. A teacher who will help you meet your goals is also one who can teach in a way that inspires you, whether that be through intimidation or encouragement. The best instructors for beginners are going to offer "modifications" or ways to make an exercise more appropriate for your fitness level; they are also going to coach on form and safety.
Even the best instructors cannot identify every concern in a class of fifty, which means that participants can easily hide in the back and get nothing from class, or worse, do things incorrectly and get injured.
Boot Camps
Boot camps can be an effective and engaging way to get into shape and a confidence booster, due to their reputation, but most are not for the beginner, unless groups are small and the instructor is a great coach. Unfortunately, many boot camp instructors are more interested in furthering a reputation for being tough, not good. Thus they are barking orders and dishing out exercises to people who are not using proper form and struggling both physically and psychologically. If participants are left to flounder, they stand to either push themselves too hard, risking injury, or simply quit.
Personal Trainer
A personal trainer is much like a group fitness instructor, but the need for both the right knowledge and personality are intensified. Clients are one-on-one with a personal trainer, and if a client is uncomfortable with their trainer, it can be miserable. Be sure to select a trainer who specializes in your goals. That does not mean that male trainers cannot effectively train females, but it does mean that you want to look at their other clients, as trainers do specialize, and no matter what they promise, not everyone is good at everything.
To find a great trainer, ask friends for a referral, or never be afraid to approach a trainer that you see and like. Another smart move is to ask a favorite group ex instructor if they also do personal training. Thus, you know his or her personality and specialties, and it will allow you to work with them more frequently through classes and personal sessions.
Putting It into a Plan
Start with a personal trainer, but find someone who is willing to educate you as you workout. Train with them consistently for six months to a year, as it will provide you with accountability and sufficient time to see changes in your body, if you are putting in the effort both while with them and on your own.
Fitness gets more interesting the further you progress into it, and, for many, consistently working out for six months will progress you to a point where you can safely take on more challenging classes. Thus armed with a knowledge of how to properly execute exercises, you can choose group ex or boot camps and have them be safe and effective.
Unfortunately, most classes lead to a plateau, so I would advise developing goals and rewards that encourage exploration outside of a gym. Your reward for working out four days per week for three months is to sign up for a 5k, which gives you a new focus for your training and a chance to try running. Keep exploring activities, and eventually, whether hiking, climbing, paddling, or biking, if you find what you love, you will want to keep doing it. At that point, it ceases to be "working out" and becomes "doing what I love."
The good and bad is that there are thousands of ways to get active, so how do you find what works for you? First, be willing to try new things and accept that you may feel silly. You should also keep in mind that you will need multiple exposures to fairly judge whether you like something; when people first try my classes, I tell them that they will hate it for the first 5-6 times. The only activity that you should not try more than once is one that is unsafe.
So where do you start?
Below are reviews of and honest advice on the most common first steps in fitness.
Gym Membership
Gyms are great for those who know what they are doing and require no accountability. For most beginners, this is not the case. You will never see results by mindlessly using machines, nor will you enjoy the workout, so you will stop going. Unfortunately, guilt will guide you to maintain the membership for a few months so that you do not look like a failed New Year's resolution and then you will cancel, having only lost money, not pounds or inches.
Group Fitness Classes
Whether as a part of a gym (be sure to ask whether fitness classes ("group ex") are included in the membership fee or separate) or in a specialty gym, classes provide comradery and structure.
Any class is only as good as its instructor, who are part knowledge and part personality. A teacher who will help you meet your goals is also one who can teach in a way that inspires you, whether that be through intimidation or encouragement. The best instructors for beginners are going to offer "modifications" or ways to make an exercise more appropriate for your fitness level; they are also going to coach on form and safety.
Even the best instructors cannot identify every concern in a class of fifty, which means that participants can easily hide in the back and get nothing from class, or worse, do things incorrectly and get injured.
Boot Camps
Boot camps can be an effective and engaging way to get into shape and a confidence booster, due to their reputation, but most are not for the beginner, unless groups are small and the instructor is a great coach. Unfortunately, many boot camp instructors are more interested in furthering a reputation for being tough, not good. Thus they are barking orders and dishing out exercises to people who are not using proper form and struggling both physically and psychologically. If participants are left to flounder, they stand to either push themselves too hard, risking injury, or simply quit.
Personal Trainer
A personal trainer is much like a group fitness instructor, but the need for both the right knowledge and personality are intensified. Clients are one-on-one with a personal trainer, and if a client is uncomfortable with their trainer, it can be miserable. Be sure to select a trainer who specializes in your goals. That does not mean that male trainers cannot effectively train females, but it does mean that you want to look at their other clients, as trainers do specialize, and no matter what they promise, not everyone is good at everything.
To find a great trainer, ask friends for a referral, or never be afraid to approach a trainer that you see and like. Another smart move is to ask a favorite group ex instructor if they also do personal training. Thus, you know his or her personality and specialties, and it will allow you to work with them more frequently through classes and personal sessions.
Putting It into a Plan
Start with a personal trainer, but find someone who is willing to educate you as you workout. Train with them consistently for six months to a year, as it will provide you with accountability and sufficient time to see changes in your body, if you are putting in the effort both while with them and on your own.
Fitness gets more interesting the further you progress into it, and, for many, consistently working out for six months will progress you to a point where you can safely take on more challenging classes. Thus armed with a knowledge of how to properly execute exercises, you can choose group ex or boot camps and have them be safe and effective.
Unfortunately, most classes lead to a plateau, so I would advise developing goals and rewards that encourage exploration outside of a gym. Your reward for working out four days per week for three months is to sign up for a 5k, which gives you a new focus for your training and a chance to try running. Keep exploring activities, and eventually, whether hiking, climbing, paddling, or biking, if you find what you love, you will want to keep doing it. At that point, it ceases to be "working out" and becomes "doing what I love."
12.18.2014
Cut Calories without Losing Taste
To lose weight, you have to create a calorie deficit. If you attempt to do it through exercise or reduction of intake alone, you will probably burn out before your see results. A realistic and sustainable approach with health benefits far beyond weight loss, starts with smart substitutions.
Lowfat Milk vs Whole
One cup of milk represents 28% of the recommended amount of calcium that an adult should consume in a day. But drinking whole milk, may be adding up to 45 unneeded calories per cup. A cup of whole milk contains 148 calories vs a cup of 1% at 103 calories. If you like the full-flavor of the fat, but want to lose the calories, try a few different brands; Publix Organic 1% has a creamy taste as does Mayfield's.
Whole Milk Cheese vs Reduced Fat
Very rarely is cheese the main focus of the meal, so put its calories in proportion to its import. A whole milk slice of cheddar is 113 calories and represents 30% of the saturated fat that should be consumed in a daily 2000 calorie diet (click here for information on children's daily caloric needs), but a 2% slice of cheese is only 45 calories. One drawback to the reduced fat is that additional salt is added to replace the taste lost by the fat. A neat experiment is to forego the cheese and see how much you miss it. With all the flavors of a well-crafted sandwich, it may not be missed.
Mayo vs Endless Possibilities
If you were asked to put oil, eggs, and vinegar on your sandwich you would cringe, but they combine to make America's #1 condiment: mayo. This fatty staple of the American sandwich is rich in fat, sodium, and at 57 calories per tablespoon, not much that is healthy. Losing the mayo, though, means gaining variety in addition to health as the possible substitutes are delicious and endless. Hummus, which comes in a flavor for every personality, has only 25 calories per tablespoon, and because it is made from protein-rich beans, will help keep you full. Avocado, is another alternative that though fatty, is a plant-based fat that at 23 calories per tablespoon is loaded with good-for-you elements and a delicious creamy texture. If you like tang, try tzatziki, which is a yogurt based, Greek favorite flavored with cucumber, garlic and dill that has only 35 calories per tablespoon. Finally, there is the sandwich-classic of mustard, which at 5 calories per teaspoon is a low-cal winner with plenty of zing.
Ranch Dressing vs Italian
Your salad dressing may be taking your healthy salad and turning it into a caloric nightmare. Ranch dressing contains 73 calories per tablespoon; but when was the last time anyone used only one tablespoon of dressing? Switch to Thousand Island and you are down to 58 calories per tablespoon, but switch to Italian and you are down to 43. Want to reduce the calories further? Buy an Italian or other vinegar-based dressing that comes separated (i.e. Newman's Own) and pour off half of the oil to cut the calories roughly in half. You can then save the oil to make another salad dressing of your own.
If you are using the ranch dressing for dipping veggies, consider tzatziki as a replacement. It is still milk-based, but has half the calories of ranch dressing per tablespoon serving.
Sour Cream vs Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
These two different foods have the same taste and similar texture, but pack different nutritional punches. With use of Wendy's packet of sour cream on your baked potato, you consume 60 calories. If you elected non-fat Greek yogurt instead, at the same serving size, you would only consume 16 calories and get approximately 3x the protein, which means that it will keep you full longer. You can also substitute non-fat Greek yogurt for buttermilk, sour cream, or mayo in most recipes.
If none of these suggestions sound like meaningful savings, consider the following day:
Breakfast: replace whole milk over cereal with 1% to save 45 calories
Lunch: replace whole milk cheese with 2% and mayo with hummus to save 100 calories.
Dinner: on a baked potato, where sour cream is replaced by Greek yogurt you will save 44 calorie and switch Ranch dressing to Italian (no extra oil removed) for a 60 calorie savings (assuming a 2 tablespoon serving size).
With every other element of your diet remaining constant, the above simple changes removed 249 calories from your plate in one day or 1743 calories in a week. To burn those 1743 calories, the average woman would need to run 19.2 miles per week at a 9:30 pace or walk 40.3 miles at a 19 minute per mile pace, which would mean approximately 13 hours of walking per week to work off unnecessary calories. It's probably easier to tell the calories to take a hike!
Lowfat Milk vs Whole
One cup of milk represents 28% of the recommended amount of calcium that an adult should consume in a day. But drinking whole milk, may be adding up to 45 unneeded calories per cup. A cup of whole milk contains 148 calories vs a cup of 1% at 103 calories. If you like the full-flavor of the fat, but want to lose the calories, try a few different brands; Publix Organic 1% has a creamy taste as does Mayfield's.
Whole Milk Cheese vs Reduced Fat
Very rarely is cheese the main focus of the meal, so put its calories in proportion to its import. A whole milk slice of cheddar is 113 calories and represents 30% of the saturated fat that should be consumed in a daily 2000 calorie diet (click here for information on children's daily caloric needs), but a 2% slice of cheese is only 45 calories. One drawback to the reduced fat is that additional salt is added to replace the taste lost by the fat. A neat experiment is to forego the cheese and see how much you miss it. With all the flavors of a well-crafted sandwich, it may not be missed.Mayo vs Endless Possibilities
If you were asked to put oil, eggs, and vinegar on your sandwich you would cringe, but they combine to make America's #1 condiment: mayo. This fatty staple of the American sandwich is rich in fat, sodium, and at 57 calories per tablespoon, not much that is healthy. Losing the mayo, though, means gaining variety in addition to health as the possible substitutes are delicious and endless. Hummus, which comes in a flavor for every personality, has only 25 calories per tablespoon, and because it is made from protein-rich beans, will help keep you full. Avocado, is another alternative that though fatty, is a plant-based fat that at 23 calories per tablespoon is loaded with good-for-you elements and a delicious creamy texture. If you like tang, try tzatziki, which is a yogurt based, Greek favorite flavored with cucumber, garlic and dill that has only 35 calories per tablespoon. Finally, there is the sandwich-classic of mustard, which at 5 calories per teaspoon is a low-cal winner with plenty of zing.Ranch Dressing vs Italian
Your salad dressing may be taking your healthy salad and turning it into a caloric nightmare. Ranch dressing contains 73 calories per tablespoon; but when was the last time anyone used only one tablespoon of dressing? Switch to Thousand Island and you are down to 58 calories per tablespoon, but switch to Italian and you are down to 43. Want to reduce the calories further? Buy an Italian or other vinegar-based dressing that comes separated (i.e. Newman's Own) and pour off half of the oil to cut the calories roughly in half. You can then save the oil to make another salad dressing of your own.
If you are using the ranch dressing for dipping veggies, consider tzatziki as a replacement. It is still milk-based, but has half the calories of ranch dressing per tablespoon serving.
Sour Cream vs Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
These two different foods have the same taste and similar texture, but pack different nutritional punches. With use of Wendy's packet of sour cream on your baked potato, you consume 60 calories. If you elected non-fat Greek yogurt instead, at the same serving size, you would only consume 16 calories and get approximately 3x the protein, which means that it will keep you full longer. You can also substitute non-fat Greek yogurt for buttermilk, sour cream, or mayo in most recipes.
If none of these suggestions sound like meaningful savings, consider the following day:
Breakfast: replace whole milk over cereal with 1% to save 45 calories
Lunch: replace whole milk cheese with 2% and mayo with hummus to save 100 calories.
Dinner: on a baked potato, where sour cream is replaced by Greek yogurt you will save 44 calorie and switch Ranch dressing to Italian (no extra oil removed) for a 60 calorie savings (assuming a 2 tablespoon serving size).
With every other element of your diet remaining constant, the above simple changes removed 249 calories from your plate in one day or 1743 calories in a week. To burn those 1743 calories, the average woman would need to run 19.2 miles per week at a 9:30 pace or walk 40.3 miles at a 19 minute per mile pace, which would mean approximately 13 hours of walking per week to work off unnecessary calories. It's probably easier to tell the calories to take a hike!
8.11.2014
At Home Obstacle Course
Our culture is fascinated by obstacle courses. Flip on the television and people are spinning, leaping, and swinging and the public is watching. I teach college students and the hardest class that I have them do is an obstacle course, but it is also the class that students most often request. Even my five year-old loves bike and scooter obstacle courses that run through our driveway.
Obstacle courses offer variety, short durations with activities, and you set your own pace, which combine to allow individuals to feel successful and challenged. It is also why they are great for children, but most people think you need a bounce house and spinning water feature for a fun kid's obstacle course, which could not be further from the truth. You can create an obstacle course using household items, kids games and basic exercises to get the whole family moving. Below are different ideas that could be strung together all over the house and yard, but you can also be creative and make up challenges that appeal to you and your children.
Get up off the couch:
Every time you sit and stand, you are actually doing a squat. For adults, using a seat is great practice on squat form, as it forces you to put your weight back, and for children, it may turn into a jumping exercise, but it gets them moving!
Walk the plank:
No pirates involved, but encourage balance by making a challenge that asks them to walk the length of one deck plank.
Hop to it:
Challenge your children to draw their own hopscotch board on the driveway that they must use to get to their next challenge.
Feel like you're just hanging out?
Have a tree climbing or branch hanging contest to work out the upper body.
Stumped for other challenges?
Have a stump in your yard? Make a challenge jumping on and off of it or leap frogging over it. If you have any large logs, cut them into differing heights and have kids jump from one to another.
Sacked out yet?
Use old pillow cases for a sack race. Want more of a challenge? Let them hop up a hill!
Feel like you are being dumped on?
If you have a little boy, you probably have a truck that can hold body weight. Make one activity to do a lap pushing it around the yard. They will get a kick out of you doing it, and you can get bonus points for making truck sounds. Big wheels and little bikes will also work well.
You could even make this into an indoor, rainy day, get-out-the-energy activity:
Everyone is crabby:
Adults hate crab walking, but kids love it. Have them do it across the floor or as another way to get upstairs.
On a roll:
Have a twin size bed? Have your kids stand beside it and then roll across it, so that their legs go into the air, making them ready to land on the opposite side. Sound unsafe and or like something that you told them not to do? It is a move used by one of the top trainers in the nation!
Jump out of bed:
With their heals against the bed, have them roll back, as if they were going to do a backward summersault, but when their head touch, roll forward again, drop the feet and jump up. Want to make it harder? Do it on the floor!
Pile it on:
Use a soft, old rug that slides easily to allow them push it across the slippery floor with their hands. As that is no problem for adults, try putting your toes on it and pulling your body behind as your hands walk across the floor. You will remember that one tomorrow!
Keep your fun under wraps:
Put a blanket across the space between your couch and coffee table and have everyone crawl through the tunnel without touching.
High five a job well-done:
Children can try plank or even do it on hands and knees while adults are in plank, but stand far enough a part so that you can meet in the middle to slap hands.
Whether you pull out the hoola-hoops, jump ropes, basket or soccer ball, make sure that you move forward, backward, and side-to-side and do not limit yourself to the prescribed use of an item. My personal training clients know that they will squeeze a foam ball between their legs whiling jumping up and down and that a hoola-hoop twirled around one arm while standing on one leg is a full-body workout, but one that cannot help but make you feel young. If it feels silly or you forgot that you were exercising, then know that you have probably crafted a good obstacle course....and found a great way to be active with your children.
Obstacle courses offer variety, short durations with activities, and you set your own pace, which combine to allow individuals to feel successful and challenged. It is also why they are great for children, but most people think you need a bounce house and spinning water feature for a fun kid's obstacle course, which could not be further from the truth. You can create an obstacle course using household items, kids games and basic exercises to get the whole family moving. Below are different ideas that could be strung together all over the house and yard, but you can also be creative and make up challenges that appeal to you and your children.Get up off the couch:
Every time you sit and stand, you are actually doing a squat. For adults, using a seat is great practice on squat form, as it forces you to put your weight back, and for children, it may turn into a jumping exercise, but it gets them moving!
Walk the plank:
No pirates involved, but encourage balance by making a challenge that asks them to walk the length of one deck plank.
Hop to it:
Challenge your children to draw their own hopscotch board on the driveway that they must use to get to their next challenge.
Feel like you're just hanging out?
Have a tree climbing or branch hanging contest to work out the upper body.
Stumped for other challenges?
Have a stump in your yard? Make a challenge jumping on and off of it or leap frogging over it. If you have any large logs, cut them into differing heights and have kids jump from one to another.
Sacked out yet?
Use old pillow cases for a sack race. Want more of a challenge? Let them hop up a hill!
Feel like you are being dumped on?
If you have a little boy, you probably have a truck that can hold body weight. Make one activity to do a lap pushing it around the yard. They will get a kick out of you doing it, and you can get bonus points for making truck sounds. Big wheels and little bikes will also work well.
You could even make this into an indoor, rainy day, get-out-the-energy activity:
Everyone is crabby:
Adults hate crab walking, but kids love it. Have them do it across the floor or as another way to get upstairs.
On a roll:
Have a twin size bed? Have your kids stand beside it and then roll across it, so that their legs go into the air, making them ready to land on the opposite side. Sound unsafe and or like something that you told them not to do? It is a move used by one of the top trainers in the nation!
Jump out of bed:
With their heals against the bed, have them roll back, as if they were going to do a backward summersault, but when their head touch, roll forward again, drop the feet and jump up. Want to make it harder? Do it on the floor!
Pile it on:
Use a soft, old rug that slides easily to allow them push it across the slippery floor with their hands. As that is no problem for adults, try putting your toes on it and pulling your body behind as your hands walk across the floor. You will remember that one tomorrow!
Keep your fun under wraps:
Put a blanket across the space between your couch and coffee table and have everyone crawl through the tunnel without touching.
High five a job well-done:
Children can try plank or even do it on hands and knees while adults are in plank, but stand far enough a part so that you can meet in the middle to slap hands.
Whether you pull out the hoola-hoops, jump ropes, basket or soccer ball, make sure that you move forward, backward, and side-to-side and do not limit yourself to the prescribed use of an item. My personal training clients know that they will squeeze a foam ball between their legs whiling jumping up and down and that a hoola-hoop twirled around one arm while standing on one leg is a full-body workout, but one that cannot help but make you feel young. If it feels silly or you forgot that you were exercising, then know that you have probably crafted a good obstacle course....and found a great way to be active with your children.
8.06.2014
How to Make Group Fitness Classes More Effective
95% of women come to the gym to get "toned" which actually does not mean anything. What most women mean is that they want to strategically reduce body fat and have more defined muscles without bulking.
What that means in terms of activities is a mix of cardiovascular and resistance work. So you sign up for a weights class on Monday and spin Tuesday or you join your friend for a boot camp in the park, and lose a few pounds, but never accomplish your goals. Here is why.
You are not using proper form.
It only makes sense that to see results you have to do the exercise correctly. Proper form is also the only way to ensure safety. So if squats hurt your knees more than your glutes and your quads, after class, ask your instructor to look at your form or hire a personal trainer for a few sessions to practice proper execution of basic exercises. Learning more about form will further develop your understanding of what muscles are being targeted and should be firing, thus allowing you to get more from the exercises.
You are hiding in the back.
Mirrors are generally at the front and they are not there for vanity but form (see above). Also, it is amazing how feeling like you are being watched can get you through the last set of pushups. In the back, when the going gets tough, the tough take a longer water break.
This does not mean that newbies should be on the front row; your confusion will be noticed by teachers and fellow-students alike and will not win you friends. Simply be far enough forward that you can see the mirror and try to have a clear sight-line to the instructor.
You are tuning out your instructor.
Assume that everything that the instructor says is meant for you. Good instructors know thirty ways to cue proper form for a given exercise, but we choose which ones we use based upon the issues we see. So when you hear us repeat something, check your form to ensure that you are not the reason that our soundtrack is stuck.
You forgot to pick up weights.
Women are taught that weights are for men and cause women to bulk. Wrong. Bulking is dependent on testosterone production and a deliberate weight regimen, so it does not happen easily for anyone and is even more difficult for women. Women actually need weights more than men because we are walking a shorter road to bone and muscle loss as we age, so choose challenging weight for vanity now and health later, unless you have specific health concerns.
Some of you want to stand up as the exception to bulking, so let me burst your bubble. Women often perceive of themselves as bulking, when they are actually building muscle that is still covered by too much fat. The best remedy? More weights. Muscle burns fat long after you have left the gym, where cardio stops at the door, so do not give up on lifting because you think you are bulking. Remember the scale may actually reinforce your perception of bulking, as muscle weighs more than fat.
You are just going through the motions.
You go to the same class every week and do the same routine with the same resistance. Your body has plateaued and you mind is bored. Luckily, both problems have the same solution: change your routine. Dare to take a new class or set a goal that will require training, but find a way to break the habit.
If you deliberately come to class to do the bare minimum and never seek to push yourself, I would encourage greater soul searching than "do I train for an adventure race or longer distance?" While it is great that you are exercising, if you hate the class and do not try, not only do you benefit little from your time, but you demotivate everyone around you, including the instructor. Yes, the truth is out, how good our class is is dependent upon the energy of our students.
Instructors understand that people are insecure about their bodies, which is only heightened by wearing spandex and bouncing up and down in a bright room of mirrors. After all, we are we really do have people watching and judging us, where students merely fear it. We do not share these little hints because we do not want to make you feel like you are doing something wrong in your moment of greatest insecurity. If you still question moving to the front or fear having to put down the heavier weights that you have attempted to complete a set, the final truth may help; good instructors love those who push and try; you are why we teach. It is only those who do not try that will cause us to roll our eyes as the mic comes off.
Have more questions about group fitness? Just ask!
What that means in terms of activities is a mix of cardiovascular and resistance work. So you sign up for a weights class on Monday and spin Tuesday or you join your friend for a boot camp in the park, and lose a few pounds, but never accomplish your goals. Here is why.
 |
| Proper squat form: knees behind toes, heels on the ground and chest up. Use your inner thigh to keep toes and knees facing forward. |
It only makes sense that to see results you have to do the exercise correctly. Proper form is also the only way to ensure safety. So if squats hurt your knees more than your glutes and your quads, after class, ask your instructor to look at your form or hire a personal trainer for a few sessions to practice proper execution of basic exercises. Learning more about form will further develop your understanding of what muscles are being targeted and should be firing, thus allowing you to get more from the exercises.
You are hiding in the back.
Mirrors are generally at the front and they are not there for vanity but form (see above). Also, it is amazing how feeling like you are being watched can get you through the last set of pushups. In the back, when the going gets tough, the tough take a longer water break.
This does not mean that newbies should be on the front row; your confusion will be noticed by teachers and fellow-students alike and will not win you friends. Simply be far enough forward that you can see the mirror and try to have a clear sight-line to the instructor.
You are tuning out your instructor.
Assume that everything that the instructor says is meant for you. Good instructors know thirty ways to cue proper form for a given exercise, but we choose which ones we use based upon the issues we see. So when you hear us repeat something, check your form to ensure that you are not the reason that our soundtrack is stuck.
You forgot to pick up weights.
Women are taught that weights are for men and cause women to bulk. Wrong. Bulking is dependent on testosterone production and a deliberate weight regimen, so it does not happen easily for anyone and is even more difficult for women. Women actually need weights more than men because we are walking a shorter road to bone and muscle loss as we age, so choose challenging weight for vanity now and health later, unless you have specific health concerns.
Some of you want to stand up as the exception to bulking, so let me burst your bubble. Women often perceive of themselves as bulking, when they are actually building muscle that is still covered by too much fat. The best remedy? More weights. Muscle burns fat long after you have left the gym, where cardio stops at the door, so do not give up on lifting because you think you are bulking. Remember the scale may actually reinforce your perception of bulking, as muscle weighs more than fat.
You are just going through the motions.
You go to the same class every week and do the same routine with the same resistance. Your body has plateaued and you mind is bored. Luckily, both problems have the same solution: change your routine. Dare to take a new class or set a goal that will require training, but find a way to break the habit.
If you deliberately come to class to do the bare minimum and never seek to push yourself, I would encourage greater soul searching than "do I train for an adventure race or longer distance?" While it is great that you are exercising, if you hate the class and do not try, not only do you benefit little from your time, but you demotivate everyone around you, including the instructor. Yes, the truth is out, how good our class is is dependent upon the energy of our students.
Instructors understand that people are insecure about their bodies, which is only heightened by wearing spandex and bouncing up and down in a bright room of mirrors. After all, we are we really do have people watching and judging us, where students merely fear it. We do not share these little hints because we do not want to make you feel like you are doing something wrong in your moment of greatest insecurity. If you still question moving to the front or fear having to put down the heavier weights that you have attempted to complete a set, the final truth may help; good instructors love those who push and try; you are why we teach. It is only those who do not try that will cause us to roll our eyes as the mic comes off.
Have more questions about group fitness? Just ask!
7.21.2014
Our Favorite (and Easy) Baby Food Recipes
First Lunch Puree
¼ to ½ ripe avocado
½ ripe banana
3 T jarred carrot puree or to taste
Other fruit as introduced
Blend in handy chopper until smooth
Other fruit as introduced
Blend in handy chopper until smooth
Baby Yogurt Lunch
(great lunch for the whole family)
(great lunch for the whole family)
1 small container baby yogurt
¼- ½ avocado
Fresh or frozen fruit to hunger and taste including banana, peaches, mango, or pears
1-2T wheat germ
1T flax seed oil
Blend in handy chopper or mash to desired texture.
Add enough water to coat the bottom of your baking dish.
Cover dish and bake at 350 degrees until apples are soft.
Add water as needed to achieve desired consistency; puree and freeze or serve immediately.
Growing up: once introduced, add a sprinkle of cinnamon before cooking
Pour can of organic pumpkin over apples (fresh is more trouble and can have a chunkier texture)
Cinnamon to taste.
Enough water or apple cider to coat bottom of baking dish.
If you are not using sweet apples, you may need to add a sprinkle of sugar to taste, especially as the pumpkin flavor can be a little drab.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees until apples are soft.
Puree and serve, refrigerate or freeze immediately. Both of my children love this and will eat it for every meal and snack, so it never stays around long enough to freeze!
Blend in handy chopper or mash to desired texture.
Pear Apple Sauce
(great batch recipe)
Peel and slice pears and apples into uniform pieces and place in a baking dish. You may also leave the skin on for cooking and peel before pureeing. Add enough water to coat the bottom of your baking dish.
Cover dish and bake at 350 degrees until apples are soft.
Add water as needed to achieve desired consistency; puree and freeze or serve immediately.
Growing up: once introduced, add a sprinkle of cinnamon before cooking
Pumpkin Apple Sauce
(fall favorite for the whole family)
Peel and slice 5-6 apples and place in baking dishPour can of organic pumpkin over apples (fresh is more trouble and can have a chunkier texture)
Cinnamon to taste.
Enough water or apple cider to coat bottom of baking dish.
If you are not using sweet apples, you may need to add a sprinkle of sugar to taste, especially as the pumpkin flavor can be a little drab.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees until apples are soft.
Puree and serve, refrigerate or freeze immediately. Both of my children love this and will eat it for every meal and snack, so it never stays around long enough to freeze!
Butternut Squash Puree
(Parents should try Butternut Squash White Bean Soup)
(Parents should try Butternut Squash White Bean Soup)
Cut the squash in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds
Put the halves face down on a in a dish filled with about ¼ in of water and cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Turn the squash face-up and continue cooking until soft/you can easily make a hole in it with a fork
Scoop out meat, place in food processor, and add liquid as needed to achieve desired consistency
Growing up: In a bowl with a touch of water, combine fresh spinach leaves, a clove of minced garlic and an onion slice. Cover with a plate and cook for three minutes in the microwave. Puree cooked spinach mixture with squash puree, a little cheese and rice cereal. Add your Great Northern beans or serve them separately as a finger food. As beans may be a choke hazard, watch your child closely.
Growing up: In a bowl with a touch of water, combine fresh spinach leaves, a clove of minced garlic and an onion slice. Cover with a plate and cook for three minutes in the microwave. Puree cooked spinach mixture with squash puree, a little cheese and rice cereal. Add your Great Northern beans or serve them separately as a finger food. As beans may be a choke hazard, watch your child closely.
Sweet Potato Puree
(Parents should try Sweet Potato Enchiladas)
(Parents should try Sweet Potato Enchiladas)
Wash the potato and puncture it with a fork or knife.
Place in an oven at 400 degrees until soft or
Place in a covered dish in about 1/2 inch of water and microwave until soft.
Once ready, hold hot potato in oven mitt and make an incision in the skin, which will easily peel to reveal the meat.
Once introduced, cook with a sprig or rosemary and olive oil.
Growing up: Cut uncooked potatoes into strips and place on cookie sheet covered with foil. Brush with EVOO and sprinkle with rosemary and a pinch of salt to taste. Bake at 400 degrees until soft.
Surround beans with fresh peeled and cut garlic and chopped onion, a dash of pepper and some parsley or rosemary. Quantities used will be according to taste.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees until thoroughly cooked and soft.
Immediately puree and freeze or serve.
Growing Up: Combine green bean puree with baked chicken, rice, rice cereal, or a baked potato, and Plain Yogurt for a kick of taste and calcium.
Super Oatmeal
1. Empty your packet of oatmeal into a microwave safe bowl (I used my everyday china's cereal bowl)
2. Pour your fruit over the top (don't be afraid to mix it up); generally 2-3 tablespoons, depending upon the fruit, is perfect, but more is great.
3. Add your milk. How much depends upon what fruit you used (some contribute more juice than others) and how wet your child prefers their oatmeal. I got it wrong most every morning, so my son grew to love moist oatmeal!
4. Heat per the instructions on your oatmeal, though if you can get away with less, it will save you time in the cooling phase, as kids are notorious for not liking food too warm.
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon, stir well, and place on granite counter (amazing for rapid cooling) or in freezer to cool for consumption.
Once introduced, cook with a sprig or rosemary and olive oil.
Growing up: Cut uncooked potatoes into strips and place on cookie sheet covered with foil. Brush with EVOO and sprinkle with rosemary and a pinch of salt to taste. Bake at 400 degrees until soft.
Green Bean Puree
(also appropriate for chicken, summer squash, etc.)
Place washed and prepared beans in casserole dish.Surround beans with fresh peeled and cut garlic and chopped onion, a dash of pepper and some parsley or rosemary. Quantities used will be according to taste.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees until thoroughly cooked and soft.
Immediately puree and freeze or serve.
Growing Up: Combine green bean puree with baked chicken, rice, rice cereal, or a baked potato, and Plain Yogurt for a kick of taste and calcium.
2. Pour your fruit over the top (don't be afraid to mix it up); generally 2-3 tablespoons, depending upon the fruit, is perfect, but more is great.
3. Add your milk. How much depends upon what fruit you used (some contribute more juice than others) and how wet your child prefers their oatmeal. I got it wrong most every morning, so my son grew to love moist oatmeal!
4. Heat per the instructions on your oatmeal, though if you can get away with less, it will save you time in the cooling phase, as kids are notorious for not liking food too warm.
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon, stir well, and place on granite counter (amazing for rapid cooling) or in freezer to cool for consumption.
Toddler Salad
For one child, dice the following:
1/4 of an Avocado
2/3c tomato
1/2c cucumber
1/4c onion
1/4c bell pepper
Pour off 80% of the olive oil from a bottle of Newman's Own Italian or Oil and Vinegar dressing and save for cooking. Shake the remaining dressing well and sprinkle over salad. Mix well, breaking up the avocado, which will help the dressing to go further.
Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt
(1 serving)
3/4c Low Fat French Vanilla Yogurt
4T canned pumpkin (or more to taste)
1T wheat germ
a pinch of cinnamon
1/2t brown sugar
Mix all of the above in a cup and place in the freezer for 1.5 hours.
7.18.2014
Nine Months
Nine
Months
At nine months, you can start to introduce foods to your
child that make eating far more flavorful and nutritious.  |
| Time saver: peel fresh garlic faster by placing entire pod in a tightly covered pan and shaking it. Then remove the tips, chop and cook. |
Garlic: some lists will say that you
may start garlic as early as 7-8 months, as it is not a common allergen, but
certainly by nine months, garlic should be a staple in your child’s diet.
Garlic has many purported health benefits, including being a natural
broad-spectrum anti-biotic, which many recommend as part of a home-remedy for
ear infection and good source of iron, but the best part of garlic is its
flavor. Garlic can be strong and cause stomach aches, especially if eaten
raw, so until your child’s digestive system develops further, stick to cooked
garlic, which can be baked to have a sweet flavor.
Garlic can be bought fresh in a
clove or pre-minced, etc. in a bottle. Some contend that bottled garlic
has a bitter taste but it is certainly faster to use. I prefer fresh
garlic, which to flavor a food that will be cooked and pureed, need only to
have its ends cut, crushed by the side of the knife and the peel removed; if
the garlic is to be incorporated into a dish, it will need to be chopped further
so as not to overwhelm.
Onions: Onions are a member of the
same family as garlic, have many of the same properties and benefits, including
being a great natural way to fight colds, and a great source of fiber and
flavor.
Also, at this time, you may start to
introduce herbs and spices, including pepper, basil, parsley, oregano,
cinnamon, nutmeg, mint, ginger, rosemary, and dill.
Beans: the school yard song was
true; beans really are good for your heart! You may either buy dried
beans in a bag, which are slightly healthier or purchase them in a can.
Dried beans take a long time to cook and a bag can feed an army, which is why I
purchase low-sodium beans in a can and thoroughly wash and drain them before
serving them to my son, who eats them like candy. Be advised: 1. Washing
will not remove all of the sodium, which can be substantial in canned beans and
2. Beans can be a choke hazard so watch a child as they consume them. Remember your child's
love of beans as they mature, because they make a great finger food for
children of all ages.
Recipe: Baby Mexican
1 thawed cube of chicken
1 glove of cook garlic
1 slice of cooked onion
1T avocado
2T your favorite beans
1T plain, whole milk yogurt
1cube squash or other vegetable
Microwave raw onion in a small container or water until soft. Thaw other foods. Mix thoroughly with fresh ingredients, modifying portions to match appetite, and blend to desired consistency.
Other great foods to introduce to a
nine-month-old’s diet are white potatoes and mushrooms, cream cheese, and
cottage cheese.
Mom and Dad Meals
Dragon Breath Pasta
(4 servings; 15 minute prep time)
 |
| Child's version: limit garlic and ensure it is finely chopped as raw garlic is strong and is chunks, crunchy. |
Spinach or whole wheat pasta (according to package)
2T EVOO
8 cloves of fresh garlic (more or less according to taste)
2T fresh minced basil
1c Parm
1-2 hot peppers (optional)
2 medium tomatoes
Use a pasta with a lot of surface area, such as a spiral, so that the garlic can adhere. Bowl water for pasta add a 2T of kosher salt and some olive oil to the water. Cook pasta until it reaches the desired texture.
Choose a pod of fresh garlic. Fresh cloves of garlic are heavier than older. Mince well and place in bottom of bowl with EVOO, basil and optional hot peppers. Once pasta is cooked, drain noodles, reserving 1/4c of water. Toss reserved water and pasta in bowl with the above. Once noodles are coated with mixture, add cheese and gently toss again.
Place in bowls and sprinkle with additional cheese and tomatoes according to taste.
Choose a pod of fresh garlic. Fresh cloves of garlic are heavier than older. Mince well and place in bottom of bowl with EVOO, basil and optional hot peppers. Once pasta is cooked, drain noodles, reserving 1/4c of water. Toss reserved water and pasta in bowl with the above. Once noodles are coated with mixture, add cheese and gently toss again.
Place in bowls and sprinkle with additional cheese and tomatoes according to taste.
Covering the Bases Couscous
So many people are unfamiliar with couscous, which packs a heavier nutritional punch than pasta, but much like pasta, is available in a wheat option.
2/3c+ of sweet onion
8+ medium to large white mushroom
1c+ frozen green peas
1T Olive Oil
2/3c+ of sweet onion
8+ medium to large white mushroom
1c+ frozen green peas
1T Olive Oil
1 can wild salmon
Near East Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Wheat Couscous
Parmesan Cheese
Dice onions and mushrooms and place with olive oil in a pan that has a lid. Sweat the mushrooms for 5 minutes and add peas, liquid from directions on the box, and flavor packet. Follow directions on box. Serve with a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan on top. Prep and cook time approx. 15 minutes.
Near East Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Wheat Couscous
Parmesan Cheese
Dice onions and mushrooms and place with olive oil in a pan that has a lid. Sweat the mushrooms for 5 minutes and add peas, liquid from directions on the box, and flavor packet. Follow directions on box. Serve with a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan on top. Prep and cook time approx. 15 minutes.
Eight Months
Eight
Months
At this point your baby should be
having three meals per day. This was also the point where I started to
structure meals, so that my son was getting the most out of foods. I also
cut back on breastfeeding and isolated feeding so that I was not trying to get
him to eat solids and immediately breastfeed.
Each day, my day loosely went as
follows:
Morning: Wake and breastfeed (also,
the sooner I breastfed, the sooner I could have coffee, if I am honest).
An hour or so later, my son would have cereal mixed in pureed fruit.
Mid-day: His lunch would consist of
a yogurt blend (more below), followed two hours later by breastfeeding.
Evening: Vegetables with a cereal
for iron, followed at bedtime by breast milk.
Some experts recommend some finger
foods at this time, but my son was far from ready. Watch your baby for
his or her comfort level with thickness and chunkiness of foods and recognize
he or she will progress at their own pace. |
| Purchase whole milk, plain yogurt in a large container vs individual cups labeled for babies to save. |
The most important food to enter
baby’s world at this point is yogurt. If you eat adult yogurt, your
concept of yogurt is about to change, as baby’s first yogurt should be plain. Baby or plain yogurt does not contain all of the sugar of regular
yogurt and is generally made from whole milk, which contains the fats that
infants need and will continue to need until about their first birthday or
as advised by your pediatrician.
Yogurt is one of my family’s organic
items. Regardless of organic or conventional, choose a yogurt with simple ingredients that contains live and active cultures,
which are essential for getting the full potential benefit of
yogurt. The cultures are what help to keep the good bacteria
flourishing in your digestive system, which promotes good health, in babies and adults.  |
| Savings: ask your doctor or pharmacist if you may use the adult probiotics vs children's to save. |
Eight-months-old in our house hit
mid-summer and at the height of blueberry season, which is my favorite Super
Food that is only worth eating in-season. As blueberry is not a common
allergen, I decided to let my son try it earlier than some of the experts
suggest. He loved it pureed in his cereals and I felt good about what he
was eating. I did make sure not to serve him the blueberry skin, as it
would end up in hard-to-chew chunks, but they are easy to navigate
around. I tell this not to advocate flying in the face of experts,
but as a reminder that sometimes it is worth deviating from the prescribed
path.
At eight months, some experts
suggest introducing wheat germ, which is an amazing food that I only learned of
because of my son. Wheat germ contains 23 nutrients, and has more
nutrients per ounce than any other vegetable or grain. It is also a great
source of iron and folic acid. Even more importantly for feeding a baby,
it has a great toasted taste. I also introduce flax seed oil around eight months, which is a great source of Omega-3, which many diets lack. Flax comes in many different forms, but oil is the easiest for the body to absorb. This is not an oil used for cooking (see label of bottle), so I used it in my son’s yogurt, as it has a nice light taste. Only use the recommended amount on the bottle, as too much flax seed oil can produce loose stools.
Flax seed oil and wheat germ were as far as I delved in to new health foods, as I felt strongly that though I wanted my son to have a healthy diet and that trying new things is good for all of us, his diet had to be realistic and something that would prepare him to eat what the rest of us were having for a given meal. If your family eats amazing and exotic foods, making their introduction imperative, I commend you, but if your family’s diet is basic, it does not make it any less healthy.
Recipe: Baby Yogurt Lunch
1 small container baby yogurt
¼- ½ avocado
Fresh or frozen fruit to hunger and taste including banana,
peaches, mango, or pears
1-2T wheat germ
1T flax seed oil
Blend in mini-chopper until smooth. I would also
suggest doubling the recipe, as it is a delicious and amazingly healthy lunch
for adults, too.
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| Tip: quartering grapes is time-consuming. Try placing whole grapes them between two plates and running a sharp knife between to halve. |
I love cranberries, but like 99% of
the population, I cannot eat a plain, fresh cranberry. So to allow my son
some of their nutritional value, though with some needed sugar, in this case, I
would rehydrate cranraisins. Finely chop them and add them to the
water in which you are cooking sweet potatoes, carrots, etc. Drain excess
water and then puree them with the food. Some tiny chunks may remain, so
be on the lookout when serving.
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