Healthy Kids

image from Google

I have been SO busy with the school play that I have barely had time to put makeup on mySELF so I am sorry for another post without it. I was the assistant director for Seussical Jr and it was just wonderful! I am so proud of all the kids, especially my own ; ). The play was last weekend so it is officially DONE and we had our last cast party on Tuesday....whew! My hubby will be happy to hear that I have more time for everything non play related!

I got an email in regard to my healthier eating habits and they asked about what I make for my children while on this "diet". I look at it as a lifestyle change to clean eating instead of a diet. It's true, our kids don't need to diet but they do need our help in forming the building blocks for healthy eating. There is a HUGE variety of things to choose from and I just wasn't choosing the right things. We love rice, but now I buy brown rice and cook it in coconut oil in the rice cooker mmmmmmm. We love pasta, but now I buy wheat pasta and make my own sauce or read my labels enough to use natural things. We love meat but now portions are smaller and we choose different meats all the time instead of always having ground beef. I've lessened our cheese, our dairy but have NOT taken it out. I'm a believer in moderation in all things and the only thing I would be okay with completely cutting out is sugar. We eat more salads and I let the boys choose their toppings (like tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, dried fruit, cucumbers, onions, olives) they love that. They get a green smoothie everyday packed with protein (but to them it tastes like a chocolate smoothie lol sneaky sneaky). Some of the dinners I eat include: almond crusted chicken, coconut curry chicken, steak with asparagus, fish tacos, soy sauce marinated chicken. They are loving it! They are needing to get used to the different looking foods we eat but if you make them fun, it just works! =)

Was it easy? HECK no! Is it worth it? YES!!!!!! I have helped women all over the country with healthy sleeping habits for babies and if any mother thinks it's not going to take effort then that's not reality. We look for the easiest route sometimes with making money, losing weight, parenting...EvErYtHiNg!!! We want to pop a pill and see instant results, do next to nothing and make a lot of money, have one night with a screaming child and call it quits with training them to sleep on their own. It doesn't work that way nor will any of the shortcuts provide lasting results. Boy and IIIII learning that with this whole weight loss thing. I soooooo was one of those people that wanted to pop a pill! I kept thinking,"Just get me quickly there and I'll maintain it! I will want it so badly that I'll work to keep it!" Nothing short of me doing the work and sweating will keep me motivated to keep the body I make for myself. I digress...my oldest is a SuPeR picky eater. He used to gag, throw fits, not eat, throw up, you name it. I read somewhere (very early in his life) that picky eaters are made, not born. I ran with that idea but still wanted to be a nice mom. As he got older he realized our rules were sound and they would not change. Breakfast and lunch are "safe meals" where he, within reason, can choose what he wants. Mostly he loves grilled cheese sandwiches, dino nuggets from Costco, buttered noodles, PB&J etc. But dinner is exploration time. He has to take "thank you bites". Thank you Mom for making this meal, I am going to try it. He may have gaged a bit the first few times he tried some "out there" things but now I am happy to say that he eats things like Jambalaya, Borsh, salmon, steak, SUSHI!!!!, various casseroles, cream of pumpkin soup...SO many things that if I would have given up at the 6th tantrum he wouldn't be eating. Now that I am changing our diet a little he, and my youngest named the "garbage disposal" since he'll eat anything, are more prone to try out these new foods. I may add a touch more salt to their items. I use dressing on their salad that I know they'll like but slowly we are making the switch and that has made us a healthier, happier family =). P.S. I love our runs on Saturday mornings LOL. They get so pumped to "work their bodies" they say ; D.