5 Simple Strategies to Smarter, Healthier Kids!

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You’re on your third cup of coffee searching for the car keys and haphazardly reviewing your presentation for this afternoon, all the while breaking up a bicker-fest between your two daughters and helping your son lace his new sneakers. Who has time to fix a healthy breakfast amidst this chaos?

Succumbing to time by giving your kids (and yourself) sugar-laden cereal is all too common in our faster-then-fast life.  Time to toss the excuses…and the guilt! The truth is, preparing healthy meals and snacks takes less time and energy than you might think.

Here are five strategies to make sure your kids get the nutrients they need for peak performance, health, focus AND an amazing future (because what they eat now dictates ALL of that).

1.  Simplify breakfast. Cereal manufacturers have cashed in on your lack of time at the expense of your kids’ health. But the one thing they got right is simplicity: you just pour the cereal in a bowl with some milk and bam! Instant breakfast. Try that same approach with a protein smoothie. Blend high-quality chocolate whey or vanilla pea/rice protein powder with berries, a tablespoon of almond butter, and coconut milk. (Bonus points if you can sneak a little kale in there!) Tastes delicious and will keep your kids full, focused, and functioning well without that mid-morning sugary cereal crash. Not a big protein shake person or family?  Hard boil eggs in advance. With the shells on they last in the refrigerator for at least 3 days.

2.  Make lateral shifts. Ruling with an iron fist is not always the best tactic with kids of any age.  It can create a bad relationship with food and drive them to go the extra mile to get what they want! Instead, slowly make lateral shifts by swapping their current junky snacks for healthier versions.  Keep swapping until you get to the point where they actually want only new additions (yes, that day will come!). Here are a few ideas:

  • Switch cookies and other processed foods for apples and pears cut into long julienne like strips. Dust with cinnamon and add a side of almond butter (kids love presentation, cutting the fruit into strips and serving the nut butter on the side in a little bowl like a restaurant can help seal the deal).
  • Switch French fries for baked sweet potato fries.
  • Make your own trail mix with raw nuts like almonds and walnuts, a bit of dark chocolate, unsweetened coconut flakes and pumpkins seeds
  • Up grade mashed potatoes for faux-tatoes: puree cauliflower with a little butter or coconut milk and salt.
  • Switch (if eaten regularly) chips and salsa for kale chips and hummus.
  • Switch ice cream for coconut chocolate pops: mix coconut milk and chocolate protein powder, pour into popsicle molds, and freeze. These go fast!

Be creative, make it fun, and before long your kids will forget they ever craved the fake stuff.

3.  Pull it together with amazing meals. Fast food family combos might seem like a bargain compared to homemade meals, but you’ll pay with health in the long run and focus and behaviors in the short. Avoid the drive-through temptations and let your kids pick a favorite meal one night a week. Assign tasks, from chopping veggies to setting the table. Lateral shifts make these meals almost as easy but far healthier than store-bought foods:

  • Baked almond-crusted chicken fingers with sweet potato fries (kid-friendly finger foods!)
  • Grass-fed beef patties with faux-tatoes
  • Grilled or baked salmon with julienned veggies and an array of dipping sauces like pesto, salsa and vinaigrettes
  • Spaghetti squash with ground turkey marinara sauce
  • Grass-fed beef fajitas with veggies, guacomole and salsa

4.  Lead by example. Kids absorb your habits, and if you’re veering health-wise they will notice (like I said in a recent newsletter of mine…they are watching you…not getting my newsletter? sign up here). You can’t reprimand your son’s soda habit, for instance, if your morning commute consists of a large sugar loaded coffee drink or soda. Show your kids how delicious fresh vegetables can be by eating them yourself and by switching up how you cook them – Brussels sprouts sautéed in olive oil and a little nitrate-free bacon, for instance – and they’ll quickly follow suit.

5.  Do the best you can. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about being consistent and giving it some effort! With everything else going on, focusing on your kids’ health and ensuring they’re not gorging on Cheetos and soda can seem like a Herculean task. Don’t give in and make it harder on yourself (and them) by keeping those junk foods at home.  Who wouldn’t be temped by that crunchy, ewy-goey fake food, especially if stressed and tired?!

If your day leaves you drained and dinner choices depend on something fast, bypass the Golden Arches and get a rotisserie chicken with some hot-bar green veggies. Sometimes you’re going to hit a home run and make a healthy meal your kids will rave about. Other times, your “hit” will be a bomb and you’ll have to resort to plan B. Don’t feel defeated during those times. Repetition = Results. Do the best you can and you’ll raise kids equipped to make the healthiest food choices…and higher earning power!

 

Reference:

http://www.nutritionj.com/content/9/1/53

A study in the Nutrition Journal showed pre-school kids who ate a low-glycemic, higher protein and good fat breakfast had decreased hunger all morning compared to kids who ate a higher-carbohydrate breakfast. Researchers here recommend a low-glycemic breakfast for children.

Gluten Free…Hype or Hope?

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What do Olympian gold medalist Dana Vollmer, tennis Pro Novak Djokovic and Green Bay Packers running back James Stark have in common? Besides being stellar athletes, they’ve both ditched gluten.

Stark spent too much time sidelined by shoulder and hamstring injuries, which made him determined to maintain optimal health. “I’ve been feasting off of carbs thinking it was good, but my body didn’t react to it the right way,” Stark said. “That played a big part in the healing process.” Going gluten-free improved his game: “I’ve gotten stronger. I want to lay some hits now.”

Vollmer, on the other hand, won a gold medal and set a new world record for the 100-meter butterfly at the 2012 Olympics. She triumphantly Tweeted her winning meal, which she credited for helping her win the gold: “rice w/almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, peanut butter and milk! I ate this before my swim last night!”

Gluten-free: hype or helpful?

Gluten-free diets are hot these days. Critics call it a fad spurred on by clueless celebrities. But many health and fitness experts find numerous symptoms that hinder their clients’ performance – including joint pain, fatigue, and bloating – disappear when they lose the gluten. They feel more energetic and focused, burn more fat, and feel better. And as Stark and Vollmer discovered, their game improves.

Gluten is a protein that, among its other problems, can damage your gut wall. Subsequently, things not intended to get into your bloodstream slip through, creating an immune response. Like a false car alarm going off, gluten makes your body panic and overreacts.

Those proteins that slip through your gut wall lodge in specific tissues, increasing inflammation and sending an army of immunity soldiers to battle the so-called problem. Joint pain is a great example of these proteins finding a home (in this case, your joint tissue) and creating pain, swelling, and other discomfort that interferes with your performance.

Many doctors refuse to diagnose gluten intolerance unless a patient manifests symptoms of full-blown Celiac disease. But according to Dr. James Braly, co-author of Dangerous Grains: Why Gluten Cereal Grains May Be Hazardous To Your Health, about 30% of people display some fort of non-Celiac gluten intolerance that triggers symptoms.

The right way to pull gluten 

It’s worth a shot to give gluten-free a try if you’re experiencing debilitating joint pain, achiness, fatigue, and other problems. Here’s the deal: you need at least three weeks with absolutely no gluten-containing foods to get benefits, although many people see improvements within the first week.

Gluten hides in strange places, including pickles, processed meats, and mayonnaise. You’ve got to read labels and familiarize yourself with gluten’s many hiding places. Here’s an article to help you better pinpoint those foods: http://www.modernmom.com/article/foods-with-hidden-gluten

Here’s what I don’t want you to do: rush out and buy every gluten-free processed food in the supermarket. Just because a cookie or pasta has the certified gluten label does not make it a healthy food. Many of these foods come loaded with as much sugar and added junk as their gluten-containing cousins.

Conveniently, nature gave us its own gluten-free diet. Lean protein, veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds (including quinoa), and beans provide numerous nutrients without gluten.

One criticism I frequently hear about gluten is that you won’t be getting the nutrients you need. Really? Have you looked at the nutrient profile of, say, spinach, blueberries, or raw almonds? Grains pale in comparison. The truth is you can get optimal vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber without touching grains and other gluten-filled foods.

I’ve had two clients told by doctors that their gluten intolerance was not real and just a fad and that going gluten free was dangerous. Sigh…one day these physicians will wake up and smell the research!

A final suggestion: keep a food journal along with any symptoms and how you feel. That way, you can troubleshoot any concerns and celebrate victories as you take this journey.

Reference:

Braly, J, et al. (2002). Dangerous Grains: Why Gluten Cereal Grains May Be Hazardous To Your Health. New York, NY: Avery Trade.

 

Forget the Milk…Got Water?!

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I won’t get into my rant on whether we should be drinking milk or not (my answer is NOT)…we’re hear to talk about WATER today.

I think most people benefit from drinking around 100 ounces of clean water per day-spread out throughout the day, preferably in between meals.  

This post is specifically geared for HYDRATION in athletes, and if you’re not an athlete stick around to make sure you are staying hydrated too!

First a warning/motherly suggestion: if you are an athlete or the parent of an athlete and you never or do not regularly weigh yourself/or your child right before a workout/practice/game and right after – start doing is IMMEDIATELY!

What we lose during a workout is mostly water/electrolytes via sweat. If you gain weight, you’ve mostly likely over-hydrated which is just as dangerous as geting dehydrated.

If you lose, the formula for rehydrating is simple and critical for recovery, performance, focus and most importantly safety.  It goes like this:

For every pound you lose drink 16 ounces of water to replenish…and if you drank water/sports drinks while working out/during competition and you lost that in weight too, then you need to add that back as well.

Example:  You drank 2-12 ounce bottles of water during your tennis match and you lost 2.5 pounds from start to finish.  Your rehydration amount is 16+16+8+12+12= 64 ounces water over the next few hours.

I personally believe if you lose more then 2 pounds you need to add electrolytes to your rehydration plan.  I am in favor of a sugar free powder like Designs for Health’s Electrolyte Synergy or Thorne’s PureLyte.

If you are in a tournament with another game or training within a day, then you may need a traditional sports drink along with water during rehydration.

Special Note:  Don’t drink all of your water at once, spread it out…I’ll have more in an upcoming newsletter about this.

Drink Up Everyone!

jill

It’s Time to Talk Veggies….Don’t Click Away yet!

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I’m back from the baby fog~at least I think I am.  If you see typos, I’ll blame it on the bit of fog I am shaking off!  My sweet baby is 3 months old and my blog is back-let’s do this!

Replace the starches with more veggies in this plate!

You hear me talking often, very often, about the benefits of protein for health. This week I am shining the light on what really is the most important food group out there – Veggies, AKA vegetables, AKA the green stuff (well not always, more on that below).  This is probably the only category all nutritionists and health professionals can agree on!

The bottom line is none of us eat enough.  My guidelines are this:  eat at least 5 big handfuls per day.  Once you’ve mastered that work up to 7-10.  Before you freak out and click away…think of it this way:  A typical salad is at least 2 handfuls lettuce.  Throw another handful of chopped veggies on top of it (think cucumber, tomato and celery) and you’re already up to 3.  Snack on a handful or two mid-afternoon with some raw nuts and then eat another 2-3 handfuls at dinner and you’re set!  You can do it, right?!

Still wondering why you should eat them?  Veggies provide the following benefits and more:  most are filled with fiber (which can help with fat loss, cholesterol management, skin health, digestive issues), antioxidant rich (not just your ‘run of the mill’ Vitamin C…but broccoli and the other cruciferous veggies contain one of the most potent antioxidant-like compounds out there called sulforophane, show to help with detoxification and potentially cancer protection/prevention).

Bored of salads…me too!  The easy first place we all start adding veggies is with salads…but they can get ‘old’ and monotonous.  So mix it up a bit, instead of eating your veggies raw try sautéing in olive oil over medium heat, lightly steaming and adding a squeeze of lemon juice after and, one of my personal favorites, roasting.  To roast-chop into small cubes an assortment of veggies, put in bowl and toss with olive oil a bit of sea salt and cracked pepper, spread on cookie sheet and bake 30-40 minutes at 400 degress. Yum!  If you haven’t fallen in love with brussels sprouts yet, roasting will do it for you.

Challenge:  buy a new veggie this week…and eat it! Don’t get stuck on salads!  Think jicama, string beans, snap peas, purple cabbage, kale…the more variety the better!

Extra Tidbit: the best veggies to buy organic based on pesticide exposure and retention are bell peppers, celery, spinach, lettuce and potatoes.

Until next time…do the work!

 

 

 

Want More Energy, Athletic Recovery or Fat Loss?

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I’m back…no baby yet! So on to nutrition and health talk : ) 

Do you have any of the following questions about drinking protein shakes? 

(wondering what kind to drink, see my last blog post Protein Shake or Toxic Sugar Bomb at www.jilllane.com/blog)

“How can a protein shake help me?”

“Aren’t athletes the only people who can benefit from drinking protein shakes?”

and/or

“What if I don’t need to lose fat, should I still/can I still drink a protein shake?”

You’re not alone – Here are my ”Top 3 Reasons You Could Benefit from Adding a Protein Shake to Your Eating Plan”

1.  Fat Loss: protein can help signal fat burning (as long as insulin levels are in check-meaning as long as you aren’t eating too much sugar).  Protein also helps with satiety, the feeling of fullness, which can help with portion control and overeating.  Breakfast is the meal I see people missing protein at most frequently-a protein shake for breakfast can get your metabolic fat burning fire revved up, it’s quick, easy and effective!

2.  Consistent Energy: as with fat loss, protein helps keep blood sugar levels in check which in turn sustains energy levels throughout the day.  Who doesn’t want that?! Aim to get a protein source at every meal – a protein shake is quick and easy once again!

3. Improved Athletic/Sport Recovery: athletes or people who train at a high level for at least one hour per day break down a lot of muscle. This is part of the process of getting bigger, stronger, faster and more fit. BUT if proper refueling is not accomplished all that hard work in the gym or on the court, field etc will be lost.  Protein is essential for athletes! Athletes generally require multiple portions of protein throughout the day, unlike the average person.  This is where protein shakes come in handy.  Many athletes, including my pro clients, find a protein shake pre and especially post workout/training/game not only aids in their performance it also shortens recovery time which keeps them from getting sick as often and speeds injury repair.

So if you need or want to lose fat, boost energy/or prevent the afternoon energy slump and or recover from training more quickly…check your protein intake and consider a quick and healthy protein shake as a source to boost your performance in 2012 (or heck let’s just start with this week)!

That’s it for this week.  Make it a great one!

jill

PS-Obviously a protein shake is not the only source of protein out there.  You can eat the real deal from foods like clean chicken, turkey, wild fish, omega-3 eggs and grass fed beef and buffalo as well. Sometimes you might just need another option, especially at breakfast, especially if you’re a woman (yes ladies, we are the worst protein under-eaters out there) and especially if you are an athlete with increased need. So dust off that blender and read my last post on how to make the perfect shake and enjoy!


 

 

 

 

Protein Shake or Toxic Sugar Bomb? Part I

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So here we are, 2012!  I am super excited-you? I haven’t written down any resolutions or goals yet…just trying on January for size while planning for baby number 3 to arrive (which could be any second, literally).

I have however been thinking about the many things I learned in 2011 and things I’d like to do in 2012-one being getting back into great shape after my sweet baby arrives.

Anyone else want to look and feel your best this year?!

One tool I will use to do that will be drinking a PROTEIN SHAKE for a meal or snack.  I’m a fan of protein shakes…but you need to know not all are created equal!  Most over the counter pre bottled or instant powdered versions are loaded with toxic artificial sweeteners, too much sugar and/or food colorings.  Not to mention many use soy protein which I don’t recommend for regular consumption (read The Whole Soy Story by Kayla Daniels for more on that).

So what do we do?

We make our own-here’s my favorite recipe:

20-40 grams Undenatured Whey Protein like Whey Cool

(or if dairy sensitive like me, my favorite dairy free protein powder is Thorne Research’s VegaLite)

1 cup unsweetened frozen berries

1 – 1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

2 TB fresh ground yellow flax seed meal or Paleofiber

This mixture is the perfect amount of clean protein, carbs, fiber and fat to sustain you until your next meal.  You can cut the portions in half and have for an afternoon snack if needed too.

Watch for my next post “The Top 3 Reasons You Could Benefit from a Protein Shake”…it’s not just fat loss!

See you soon!

jill

ps-ditch your protein shake if it has ANY of the following ingredients: artificial sweeteners like sucrolose/Splenda, aspartame/Equal, saccharine, hydrogenated fats/oils, food coloring, high fructose corn syrup or MSG/monosodium glutamate (often disguised as hydrolyzed protein).  Also, make sure there is not more sugar/carbs then protein per servings, especially if fat loss is your goal.  Remember-you are what you eat!

 

 

 

Welcome to my first ever blog post…

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Welcome to my first ever blog post and thank you for reading and sharing it!  I frequently have thoughts about what I see in the nutrition, exercise and health industry and just let them rattle around in my head and heart…but now they have a new home – here!

My intent is to sound off about the good and not so good ‘stuff’ out there so you and I both can look and feel the best we can all year long. So stay tuned for tips, tools and insider secrets I hope you find useful…let’s get the ball rolling with:

The Top 5 Energy Boosting Foods to get your through the Busy Holiday Season Without Busting your Gut (literally)!

#1 Green Tea – natures best pick me up (besides the sun!).  Not only does it have caffeine to give you just a bit of a boost, it also have EGCg an amazing constituent that has been shown to raise BMR (basal metabolic rate) which means it can help you burn more calories just drinking it!  Just make sure it is unsweetened and then drink it hot or cold, what ever suits your mood.  Studies show that around 5 cups per day could burn around 500 calories…thank you very much Mother Nature, free calorie burning? Sign me up!

#2 Protein – think lean chicken, turkey, fish, eggs and whey or pea/rice protein mix.  Protein at each meal is mandatory throughout the year, but during the busy and sometime stressful holiday season, it becomes more important as it not only keeps you burning fat (as long as you don’t junk out on sugar each day), it also gives your body the needed raw materials to keep your mood chemicals in check…if you’ve been to the mall lately you know there are a few people out there who need a little ‘mood check’!  Note to self: carry protein bars in purse for cranky people at mall, grocery store…

#3 Green Veggies –  I wouldn’t be a good nutritionist if I didn’t try to squeak veggies into every list  I pump out (foreshadowing hear, maybe) but veggies do actually help with your energy.  How? Two ways.  First, they provide needed fiber which can help keep blood sugar levels in check which in turn keeps energy levels steady…nobody wants to crash and burn during the middle of their holiday shopping, football game or deadline presentation prep. Secondly they help to keep the body alkaline, a topic worthy of many blog posts, but let’s just say that the high sugar, toxic fat, too little veggie diet most are consuming slows you down because you become too acidic-something the body doesn’t like in most instances.  So get your veggies (at least 5 handfuls) each day…your skin and waistline will thank you for this too!

#4 Water Ok, so not technically a food but another must mention like veggies.  Our bodies are at least 50% water. Dehydration causes fatigue and the munchies!  By the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated so stay ahead of the curve by drinking around 100ounces of water per day PREFERABLY in between meals.

#5 Sleep Ok definitely not a food or beverage but if I have one more person tell me they have NO energy or drive and I ask them how many hours of sleep they get per night and they say “oh about 4-5…’ I’ll scream or cry (you never know, I am 8 months pregnant so any emotion is possible).  Sleep is like a vitamin you should never be deficient in.  Ok, ok I won’t use never, as a mother of 2 soon to be 3 I know sleep can be a hot commodity at times.  The take home is if you can’t fall asleep within 15 minutes of laying down, you don’t stay asleep for the whole night and you can’t wake up feeling refreshed in the morning-chances are you have/will have energy ‘issues’ during the day leading you to bad habits like sugar, excess caffeine, crankiness  etc More on how to get good sleep in a upcoming post.

That’s That, the Top 5! Easy huh, You Can Totally Do This!

Happy Energetic Holidays to You!  Put Down the Sugar (ok take 3 bites and be done with it already!)

‘See’ you again soon,

jill