Tips for Combating Childhood Obesity

Let me preface this by saying I’m certainly no expert, and the only “credential” I have is that I’m a running coach and mom with full-time responsibility for the feeding/activity of my kids. Nevertheless, I thought I’d share some of the things I do to help keep Things 1 and 2 in robust health. Like many of you out there I suspect, in some areas I rock, in others I come up short. At any rate here goes:

Include protein in every meal. It can be as simple as giving them milk with cereal, a cheese stick with fruit for a snack, etc. Protein is a building block of all the cells in the body. It helps stabilize blood sugar, decreases hunger, and reduces cravings. I’ve been known to sneak a little whey protein powder in my pancakes and waffles too.

No high fructose corn syrup. This is lurking in lots of junk-, processed- and fast-food because it’s extends shelf life and is cheaper than sugar. It’s addictive and awful for you. Empty calories. Enough said.

Keep nitrates out. They’re used to preserve freshness and maintain color but nitrates convert to nitites, which are known to cause cancer. I buy uncured, nitrate-free lunchmeat, hot dogs and bacon.

Keep sugar under control. I buy only whole grain cereals and I don’t allow any cereals in the house that contain more than 10g of sugar per serving. I also try, sometimes in vain, to keep treats to a minimum. I’ve made it a tradition to confiscate (on the sly of course) the kids’ goodie bags, Halloween treats, chocolate bunnies, etc. Every blue moon or so the chocolate gets recycled into cookies. Stevia has become one of my favorite natural sweeteners.

Use whole grains as much as possible. Pasta, pizza crust, bread, crackers. Lower on the glycemic index means less of an insulin spike. I’m a huge fan of baking with whole wheat flour. It turns up in cookies, banana bread, and the like.

Sneak in as much fresh fruit/fresh veggies as I can. This is really tough because my kids don’t care much for sauces. Fruit is popular and I keep it handy at all times. Veggies are a challenge and seem to go in and out of vogue around here. The current star is baby carrots. Sadly, broccoli recently fell from fame. I definitely come up short on the veggie front.

1T fish oil daily. I use Carlon’s lemon-flavored Norwegian Cod Liver Oil. Omega-3’s are great for brain development, are a great inflammation fighter, lower trigycerides, reduce the instance of diabetes, hyperactivity and ADHD, I cannot say enough good things about them. Since my kids won’t come near fish with a 10-ft pole, this is a necessity in my house!

Cook at home. A lot. Go the whole foods route as much as possible and avoid buying most processed foods. My poor deprived kiddos don’t get out for fast food much either.

No soda. I used to buy organic, “cloudy” apple juice and water that down, but I’ve since dropped juice entirely. We drink a little bit of organic milk or good old H20.

Avoid hormone-laden meats/chicken/dairy. I buy only organic dairy products and grassfed meats. Grass-fed cattle, produce beef that is lower in overall and saturated fat, a natural source of Omega-3’s and has 400% more vitamin A and E than their grain-fed counterparts.

Watch for trans fats. These inflammation-causing fats raise bad cholesterol and lower good, contribute to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Even though the FDA mandated that trans fats be removed from foods, they’re still lurking, just in an amount less than 0.5g per serving, which is still too much. If “partially hydrogenated” or “shortening” is listed on the label, trans fats are present. Watch for them in cookies, crackers, baked goods, snacks and more.

 

Get plenty of exercise! Get out for fresh air and vigorous movement as much as possible. Many schools no longer have gym class or daily recess, which is a real shame.

Whew! I hope that wasn’t too much to wade through. I had way more nutritional ideas than I thought!