Read Online Phil Parham by The Amazing Fitness Adventure for Your Kids - Free Book Online Page B
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and save half your meal for lunch the next day.
Hereâs another piece of advice: read labels (Iâll talk more about that next) to find out the size of a single serving of chips, cereal, ice cream, and so on. Then compare that amount with how much you are feeding your family. I suspect youâll notice a drastic difference.
To help our family stay within a single-portion limit, we keep measuring cups and a food scale within reach in the kitchen. These are great tools to educate you into what a single portion looks like. Because I have a tendency to overeat, I always watch my portions, so I rely on these kitchen gadgets a lot.
Read Labels
Most people do not read food labels, but those labels are your best source of information for how many calories are in a food, what the ingredients are, and how nutritious it is. There are six basic items you need to look for when reading a label:
Ingredients âIf the ingredients list includes words I canât pronounce or I know are not good for me (such as high-fructose corn syrup or added sugar), I donât buy it.
Serving size âThis helps me determine how much of a product I should eat.
Calories âI always pay attention to the number of calories in a serving size. As a general rule of thumb:
⢠40 calories per serving is low in calories
⢠100 calories per serving is moderate in calories
⢠400 calories or more per serving is high in calories
These numbers will vary for children. Our suggestion is simply to stick with eating whole, natural foods and limit processed foods and junk food so your kids donât have to count calories.
Sugar âWe always choose foods that are low in sugar. Our family avoids eating anything with added sugar. (More on the dangers of sugar later.)
Sodium âWe choose only foods that are low in salt. (More on this topic later.)
Fiber âChoose high-fiber foods with at least three grams of fiber per serving.
The Trade Game
Substitution is the name of the game. Eating healthy doesnât mean you have to sacrifice taste. We eat a lot of different foods that our kids enjoy, such as healthy fried chicken, pizza, and burgers. The key is to substitute unhealthy ingredients with healthy ones. In appendix B, youâll find a list of the top ten recipes we regularly make that kids just love!
Below are some examples of how you can create a healthy meal plan for your family by replacing unhealthy ingredients with healthy ones.
Instead of This:
Try This:
White flour
Whole-wheat flour
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Ketchup
Salsa
Ice cream
Frozen yogurt
White rice
Brown rice
Regular pasta
Wheat or quinoa pasta
White bread
Wheat bread or wraps or Ezekiel bread
Ground beef
Ground turkey or chicken
Whole milk
Skim milk
Sour cream
Plain low-fat yogurt
White, creamy sauces (such as Alfredo)
Red, tomato sauces (such as marinara)
Salt
Herb seasonings such as pepper, Mrs. Dash, and others
Â
Sneak It In
Sometimes what our kids donât know wonât hurt them. In fact, it could make them healthier. Have you found it challenging to feed your kids vegetables? Do they fake-vomit at the sight of broccoli and brussels sprouts? Amy and I have figured out how to be strategic in keeping our kids healthy by sneaking in fruits, veggies, and other good things into their meals. They canât tell the difference. The food is delicious and healthy. Here are some ideas:
⢠Add wheat germ or flaxseed to cereals and oatmeal.
⢠Add pureed vegetables such as sweet potatoes, squash, broccoli, and cauliflower to muffin and cake mixes.
⢠Add fruits such as apples, blueberries, and peaches and protein yogurt to waffle and pancake mixes.
⢠Add vegetables such as peppers, onions, spinach, and mushrooms to eggs.
⢠Mix green veggies in all of your favorite lasagna, spaghetti, and other casserole dishes.
⢠Make quinoa pasta instead of oatmeal for breakfast to add extra protein and iron.
Areas of Special Concern
Hereâs another piece of advice: read labels (Iâll talk more about that next) to find out the size of a single serving of chips, cereal, ice cream, and so on. Then compare that amount with how much you are feeding your family. I suspect youâll notice a drastic difference.
To help our family stay within a single-portion limit, we keep measuring cups and a food scale within reach in the kitchen. These are great tools to educate you into what a single portion looks like. Because I have a tendency to overeat, I always watch my portions, so I rely on these kitchen gadgets a lot.
Read Labels
Most people do not read food labels, but those labels are your best source of information for how many calories are in a food, what the ingredients are, and how nutritious it is. There are six basic items you need to look for when reading a label:
Ingredients âIf the ingredients list includes words I canât pronounce or I know are not good for me (such as high-fructose corn syrup or added sugar), I donât buy it.
Serving size âThis helps me determine how much of a product I should eat.
Calories âI always pay attention to the number of calories in a serving size. As a general rule of thumb:
⢠40 calories per serving is low in calories
⢠100 calories per serving is moderate in calories
⢠400 calories or more per serving is high in calories
These numbers will vary for children. Our suggestion is simply to stick with eating whole, natural foods and limit processed foods and junk food so your kids donât have to count calories.
Sugar âWe always choose foods that are low in sugar. Our family avoids eating anything with added sugar. (More on the dangers of sugar later.)
Sodium âWe choose only foods that are low in salt. (More on this topic later.)
Fiber âChoose high-fiber foods with at least three grams of fiber per serving.
The Trade Game
Substitution is the name of the game. Eating healthy doesnât mean you have to sacrifice taste. We eat a lot of different foods that our kids enjoy, such as healthy fried chicken, pizza, and burgers. The key is to substitute unhealthy ingredients with healthy ones. In appendix B, youâll find a list of the top ten recipes we regularly make that kids just love!
Below are some examples of how you can create a healthy meal plan for your family by replacing unhealthy ingredients with healthy ones.
Instead of This:
Try This:
White flour
Whole-wheat flour
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Ketchup
Salsa
Ice cream
Frozen yogurt
White rice
Brown rice
Regular pasta
Wheat or quinoa pasta
White bread
Wheat bread or wraps or Ezekiel bread
Ground beef
Ground turkey or chicken
Whole milk
Skim milk
Sour cream
Plain low-fat yogurt
White, creamy sauces (such as Alfredo)
Red, tomato sauces (such as marinara)
Salt
Herb seasonings such as pepper, Mrs. Dash, and others
Â
Sneak It In
Sometimes what our kids donât know wonât hurt them. In fact, it could make them healthier. Have you found it challenging to feed your kids vegetables? Do they fake-vomit at the sight of broccoli and brussels sprouts? Amy and I have figured out how to be strategic in keeping our kids healthy by sneaking in fruits, veggies, and other good things into their meals. They canât tell the difference. The food is delicious and healthy. Here are some ideas:
⢠Add wheat germ or flaxseed to cereals and oatmeal.
⢠Add pureed vegetables such as sweet potatoes, squash, broccoli, and cauliflower to muffin and cake mixes.
⢠Add fruits such as apples, blueberries, and peaches and protein yogurt to waffle and pancake mixes.
⢠Add vegetables such as peppers, onions, spinach, and mushrooms to eggs.
⢠Mix green veggies in all of your favorite lasagna, spaghetti, and other casserole dishes.
⢠Make quinoa pasta instead of oatmeal for breakfast to add extra protein and iron.
Areas of Special Concern
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