The power of paying attention

I was working at the computer the other day, and overheard an interview on a local news station with an inspiring woman who lost a substantial amount of weight - I believe she was in her 60's, and had gotten into dancing. The reason she decided to try and lose weight was because some of the dance moves she was learning required her partner to lift her up in the air - she felt bad for her poor partner, so made some changes so that she would be lighter.


The thing she did that struck me the most was this - she started paying attention to her hunger. She said that sometimes her life was so busy that she simply ate because it seemed like the thing to do - she learned that if she would simply check in with herself before eating (take a breath, focus, calm the chaos a bit, have a little water), she discovered that more often than not, she wasn't even hungry!

Here is an inspiring video to promote a new book by Dr. Michelle May, who runs a business called Am I Hungry? (amihungry.com). Dr. May is all about intuitive eating, and I am looking forward to reading (and probably wholeheartedly recommending!) her new book. It is a reminder of the power of simply paying attention to what you eat, and making sure that you enjoy it!

The One Bite Rule

Feeding kids can be tough. You do your part and buy the food, cook the food, get everyone to the table, sit down to enjoy the food and... protest from the 4-year old begins. So, you break out your rule: "Just take one bite (or three bites, or whatever your household rule is)".

But, is the one-bite rule a good thing or a bad thing? My answer is - it completetly depends on the mood at the table. If the child is enjoying the attention, and needs a little nudge to remember to take a spoonful of peas once in awhile, then so be it. But, once the mood changes and the child is now feeling bullied, it is time to back off. The reason is simple - nobody has ever been bullied into liking broccoli. Okay, maybe some people were bullied into trying a food and ended up liking it, but if you ask ten adults on the street if they were ever forced into trying a food and later ended up liking it, you'd get about nine NO WAYS. Many adults will tell you about food they still avoid just because of being forced to eat it as a child.

As much as possible, keep the atmosphere at the dinner table light-hearted - this isn't a time to argue, nag, complain, etc. The family meal is a valuable part of children's development, and keeping it pleasant makes it even more powerful. You don't have to do circus tricks, but put it at their level - sing some songs, like this silly one from a popular kids' TV show (I learned it because my 4-year-old was singing it one day as he ate his lunch). Help kids realize the connection between the food they are eating and their muscles, or growing big and strong, or whatever else they are into. Just stop short of forcing - you will know the point.

My favorite magazine....

I don't think you can find a single Dietitian out there who does not gush over Cooking Light magazine. I am one of them, and here goes -

Cooking Light magazine really manages to capture the happy side of being healthy; after a few issues, you really start to get the feel for a balanced way of living, without any of those pesky "should's" and "shouldn'ts". It is never preachy, and doesn't fall for the latest fad diet - it simply celebrates good food and good living.

They also have a great website with a search engine for recipes (free!). I love the reader's comments and rating, too - they help when trying to choose a recipe. (the search engine switches over to Myrecipes.com, but it will tell you where each recipe originally came from, including the issue it came from).

I'm going to try this five-star rated recipe for Classic Potato Salad this week (my husband and I both grabbed bags of potatoes on our individual shopping trips, so we're up to our eyeballs in taters). What will you make next?

Soda and beans

I love this kind of nutrition advice, especially when it's based on actual research:

Researchers at the University of Southern California working with overweight Latino teenagers concluded that making small changes similar to cutting out one can of soda a day and adding just a half cup of beans a day can make a big difference in health.

These simple dietary changes do two things - cutting out one can of soda a day wipes out 150 calories of pure sugar - it's the equivalent of about 10 teaspoons of sugar that the teens are no longer taking in. Adding just one half cup of beans a day will add in about 7 grams of fiber and about 7 grams of protein - both fiber and protein are very helpful in keeping us full for longer.

The take-home message is that it doesn't have to be huge to make a difference - adding in some nutrient dense foods like beans, vegetables, whole grains and whole fruit really helps; calories can be shaven off in all kinds of places without making you feel deprived or unsatisfied - a can of soda less here, a slice of low-fat cheese there.

If you're in Arizona, tune in to Arizona Midday on Weds, June 24 (Channel 12 from 1-2), when I'll be giving tips for sneaking in nutrition, including a recipe from the Meal Makeover Moms website (with their permission, of course!) for Cheesy Black Bean Burgers - getting in those beans can be yummy!

Friends Don't Let Friends Fat Talk

I've stumbled across this powerful video, which was produced as part of a "Fat Talk Free" Week that actually happened last fall - the idea was promoted by Delta Delta Delta in coordination with Seventeen magazine and some other interest groups to promote body image in women - check out the video by clicking here.

After the video, sign up to receive email blasts on the issue of ending fat talk - and, just for today, don't let the "f" word cross your pretty lips!

Raising Arizona Kids - April issue

I've got an article in this month's issue of Raising Arizona Kids, about starting to garden with your kids. I think learning how to garden is a lot like learning how to cook - it's best to start learning when you're really small and you can just absorb the lessons while you hang out and watch. I didn't grow up gardening or cooking, so I'm playing catch-up now as an adult. Kids that grow up watching someone cook (and garden!), asking questions, sometimes participating, sometimes messing things up - become adults who are truly comfortable in the kitchen (and garden!). They don't worry so much about minor details, and develop an intuition on what will work and what won't. So, let your kids bug you in the kitchen, and let them dig their hands in that garden - even if things aren't planted in neat little rows when they are involved!

Spongebob in my kitchen

I found this bag of frozen edamame with Spongebob on the front, and I figured I'd buy it to coaxe my picky little 3-year-old to actually eat a vegetable. Now, as you know from my blog, I believe in putting the veggie on the plate but not forcing the veggie down the hatch - they need to be able to try the veggie in their own (excrutiatingly slow) time.

Being a bit of a slacker mom, my 3-year old has been introduced to Spongebob and his friend, Patrick. So, yes, he was very impressed to see the weird little guy in our refrigerator. His brother, the more ambitious eater of the two, dove right in to the edamame, popping them into his mouth. The 3-year-old watched, amused, and finally - he tried it! And he liked it!

I forget about edamame in the world of veggies, since it's not something I was raised on - the only time I eat it is when I'm out with my husband for sushi, with no kids in sight (aaaaah...) But, edamame is actually very kid-friendly. It has a very mild, almost buttery taste, and it is fun for kids to be able to "play with their food" by popping the soybeans out of the pod into their mouth. It's a great source of protein and fiber, and contains something called isoflavones, which are quite healthy and only found in soy.

I think I'll invite the yellow guy back again soon.