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We caught up with Nutrition Expert, Angela Lemond, RD, CSP, and LD, to get her perspective on living healthy from her family to yours.
What's the best advice that you can give to parents to encourage healthy eating habits for life?
The best thing you can do for your kids is to practice what you preach. Deal with your own food issues first so you can be the best role model for them. This transcends into all areas of life, not just nutrition!
When is the best time to instill good eating habits in your children?
Before they are born! Ideally, it is best to be in a good place yourself nutritionally before conceiving. More research reveals the lifelong impact we can have on our children even during pregnancy, so be convinced of the power of nutrition.
How do you make physical activity a fun family event?
For our family, it's a matter of being outside together and exposing all of us to fun things to do. When we are having fun outside, it always involves moving our bodies. The key is making it fun!
What is your position when you hear parents say "they're young, they can eat that"?
I agree with them that kids can burn calories off easier. However, we want to make sure that their eating patterns are balanced. While there are no forbidden foods and children do have high energy needs, many families have gotten out of balance. Eating "that" should not be done all the time. There is no such thing as kid's meals! There should only be one type of meal - the family meal.
How do you help families get a hold of their portion sizing?
I encourage families to plate the meals prior to bringing it to the dinner table. Make just enough for one serving of protein, starch and then make extra vegetables. If someone wants seconds, grab the bowl of veggies and let them have it!
What is your philosophy on desserts and sweet treats?
Children are so smart and we often fall short in explaining them the rationale of why desserts and sweet treats are "sometimes" foods. We can explain that these foods can certainly be enjoyed in moderation, but eaten too much and they will not give them the POWER to do the things they want to do in life. My philosophy is to empower parents to load their kitchens predominantly with what I call "always" foods so it allows for an occasional dessert. But for the most part, families may opt to go out of the house to enjoy those foods so they are not beckoning you over and over until they are gone. Just like everything else in life, train your children to make these types of decisions for themselves by explaining the "why" behind your decisions and this will hopefully follow them throughout their life.
If there was only one message you could convey to families about childhood nutrition-- what would it be?
Make it a priority to serve wholesome foods. It takes proper planning and seeking, but can be done without too much fuss. You can seek out a registered dietitian (RD) who can assist you with practical and realistic tips. We lead such busy lives, but invest in this very important task of feeding your children. It's one of the best things you can do for them!
What do you feed your kids for breakfast?
It varies. Some family favorites are whole grain waffles (Kashi), fresh fruit such as banana, strawberries, red grapes, pineapple, mandarin oranges (canned), pears; reduced sugar yogurt (Stoneybrook Farm), Clifford Crunch or Honey Nut O's (Cascadian Farms) or Fruity Cheerios with Horizon 1% milk. We also do whole grain toast with fruit preserves, Earth's Best Organic Yummy Tummy Oatmeal, low-fat biscuits (once/week), omega-3 scrambled eggs with low-fat Mexican cheese. Dad likes to make his whole grain Belgian waffles on the weekends sometimes.
Do you have a quick and easy family favorite meal?
Green Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa (Source: The Six O'clock Scramble - www.thescramble.com)
We live in Texas, so we love this quick and healthy meal. The Six O'clock Scramble is a weekly newsletter that provides wonderful recipes that are healthy, fast and very good! I recommend this newsletter all the time and use it for my own family. Each week comes with 5 recipes and a shopping list for all the ingredients. It doesn't get easier than that!
Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 lime, juice only
1 T olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
2 avocados
1 tomato, diced
¼ red onion, finely diced
½ tsp salt
1 T fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions:
Place the chicken breasts in a flat dish with sides just large enough
to hold them in a single layer. Add the lime juice, oil and kosher
salt and flip the chicken several times to coat them well. Preheat
the grill to medium-high heat. In a medium serving bowl, gently
combine the avocados, tomatoes, onions and salt. Add 1 T of cilantro
and 1 tsp of lime juice for additional flavor (optional).
Cook the chicken for about 3-4 minutes per side until they start to brown on the outside and are no longer pink in the middle of the thickest breast. Remove them from the heat and serve them whole or sliced onto strips, topped with avocado salsa.
Prep and cook time ~30 minutes.
Consider serving a Mexican salad and grilled corn on the cob as side dishes!
What is your secret for managing your weight?
MODERATION! Self-control, but not over control. That is KEY because people get it wrong going to both extremes. ENERGY IN - I have seen firsthand that the foods we eat directly impact our health and well-being so I WANT to eat those foods that maximize my health. I make it a priority in my life to plan healthy meals and snacks for myself and my family. I rarely go more than 4 hours without eating and I believe that helps me make good decisions when I am around food, including food choice and food quantity. The emphasis in my life is consuming nutrient-rich foods as much as possible. I still enjoy my favorite "sometimes" foods in moderation! I share with many of my clients that my favorite "sometimes" meal is still a hamburger and French fries (since childhood!) and I allow myself to eat it up to once a week. But I never feel the need to supersize it. ENERGY OUT - I have fallen in love with a variety of physical activities and do them regularly. I happen to have a love affair with running, so it's a time I can be by myself and zone out. It wasn't until I got into dietetics that I truly learned to trust my body to do the rest. It works and I am living proof!
Do you have school aged children?
Two children and the oldest will be starting kindergarten soon.
What do you think schools can do to help encourage healthier kids?
Everyone needs to play a part for a child's nutrition. From parents' setting healthy examples at home is a good place to start to schools offering healthy choices. But schools need to show a profit, so they offer what children want and are used to. I have seen parents on both sides of the fence. Some parents get upset if the school doesn't make fries available to their children and others are upset that the fries are offered. Schools need balance.
How do you think we can overcome America's obesity epidemic?
America's obesity epidemic is a multifaceted issue on every level. It is not just about food. It's our entire lifestyle. More specifically, when looking at the lifestyle of overweight kids, it is a common theme in these households that the child takes the role of a mini-CEO. This is a result of permissive parenting, not enough structure, bedtimes, or clear guidelines when it comes to the house. Nutrition is just as important as appropriate parenting. With guidelines being lax in these houses it is common to see the parents being short-order cooks, having separate meals, i.e. adult food and kid food, instead of one family meal. Children get everything they ask for TV, video games, what they want, when they want-- including the cookie jar. Disciplining that has not taken place. Not an authoritative household, but structured home. Clear lines, parents take charge of when the kids eat, what is available for dinner and snacks; it is a parent's decision. In my practice I also deal with a lot with parenting techniques because it manifests it's self in many nutritional aspects.
Angela Lemond, RD is an Angela Lemond, RD, CSP, LD (www.angelalemond.com) is a registered dietitian and Board Certified as a Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition with a specialty in pediatric weight management and healthy family lifestyles working in the Dallas, Texas area. You can also read more about Angela on Our Editors or visit her blog: www.angelalemond.blogspot.com
