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Ten Strategies for Weight Success With You and
Your Child
By Ellen Reiss-Goldfarb
Dear Parents,
You are the role model! Your kids
are watching every move you make. You need to
set the example and provide healthy food choices
for yourself and your family!
- Keep fresh fruits and vegetable
available and VISIBLE. Do you know that the
#1 vegetable in the diet of American Kids today
is French Fries? UGH! Keep a fruit bowl with
inviting colorful fruit out on the table and
easy to reach. Keep colorful fresh vegetables
cut up in the fridge and ready to go for quick
snacking. Make healthy snacking fun -- for example:
apples boats with peanut butter, yogurt, granola
and fruit parfaits, smoothies!
- What ever happened to the family
dinner meal? It went down the tubes, huh? (The
TV tubes, that is!) It is so important to take
time with your kids and enjoy the family meal
together. Kids get so much more from having
dinner with their parents than food; they get
connection and dialogue, and they listen to
you and learn. This is a great opportunity for
parents to provide healthier food options in
creative ways and getting kids involved in the
cooking makes it a fun, memorable event that
they look forward to doing.
- Invite your kids to go shopping
with you, and choose together healthier foods
such as fresh fruits in season, colorful new
vegetables at a local stand. They will have
a great time and want to consume these more
often.
- Not a clue how to eat or plan
your day? Speaking with a Registered Dietitian
is probably the best way, but for now follow
the Food Guide Pyramid and Healthy Eating Guidelines
that are being promoted by the American Dietetics
Association. They are there so that Americans
can have a guide on how to eat healthy, so USE
THEM (by the way, the new and improved Food
Guide Pyramid will be out in 2005… keep
your eyes out!). If you don’t know where
to find the Pyramid, ask your kids -- I bet
they know. They are now learning about it in
most schools and it is on almost every cereal
box!
- Most importantly, if your child
is going through a weight problem, comfort and
support him/her as best you can. It is more
than likely that other issues going on besides
weight are causing your child to eat more than
normal and gain weight. Most eating disorders
happen when children do not get the love, connection
and support that they need from their families
and people they are closest to. They start to
rebel when pressured to diet or use food for
comfort to cope with their emotional issues.
There are better ways to cope and deal with
them! Seek help from a family counselor, school
counselor, marriage and family therapist and/or
registered dietitian.
- Exercise does not have to be
fancy and expensive. Find activities you like
and get out there and do them! Start with something
slow (like walking) and work your way to more
intensive exercise when you are comfortable.
Do you like hip-hop or salsa dancing? That is
a great way to move and get calories burned.
Take family walks after dinner; you are burning
calories, de-stressing from the day and connecting
with loved ones, all at the same time!
- Forget fad diets! They just don’t
work. Getting in touch with your hunger, choosing
more nutrient dense foods vs. energy dense foods
and watching portion sizes is the best way to
go. By omitting and deleting important foods
out of your day, you may apt to binge eat on
them later (which can become obsessive-thinking
behavior). Legalize foods and you will naturally
start to choose healthier ones!
- Try to get a variety of
foods in your day: whole grains, at least 5
servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, at
least 2-3 servings of lo- fat dairy products,
lean meats and some good sources of dietary
fats like olive and canola oils, nuts and peanut
butter. Avoid fried foods or heavily sauced
or creamed foods and watch sugary, fatty desserts
and snacks. When you start to focus on choosing
more nutrient dense foods, the pounds will come
off and you will start to feel and look better.
For more information or
to make an appointment, call Ellen at 310-312-4888
or send an e-mail to: gethelp@throughthelookingglass.info.
Visit her on the web at www.throughthelookingglass.info
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