Childhood obesity prevention, parental guidance only goes so far

A few recent articles and blog entries I came across took parents to task for the childhood obesity epidemic. I agree parents have a responsibility to teach wise food choices and provide optimal nutrition at home. I personally don’t allow sodas, fruit juice, baked goods and other junk or snack foods in our house regularly. These are cosidered treats to enjoy occasionally. But it was obvious several of the people taking parents to task had no experience raising children. Talk about clueless.

Educating a child to discern between healthy foods and unhealthy foods only goes so far. Most children over the age of six are away from home the better part of the day. My nine year old catches the bus at 8:10 am and returns home at 4:10 pm. He eats two meals, a snack andlunch, in the school cafeteria every day. Kids are faced with making their own food choices and school cafeterias are as bad as grocery stores. It’s easy to eat a sub-standard diet.

Read more and watch the videos.

You Really Are What You Eat – Part Two

You Really Are What You Eat – Part Two

These are the foods you should eat for muscle mass, health and weight loss / control. Portion sizes, nutrient ratios, and total calories required will very by age, sex, height, present weight, goals, and workout load. No two people require the same nutrition profile.

Lean Protein – The majority of the time you should get your protein from lean sources. I know most of the “low carb” crowd will disagree with me but there’s good anecdotal evidence that lean protein has enough fat. And I haven’t met many Atkins-style low carbers nibbling on pork rinds who have actually reached goal. On the other hand amateur bodybuilders and other fit people are careful about their fat intake as well as their carbohydrate and caloric intake. Your steak doesn’t need to be marbled, and eating chicken skin and pork rinds – which I personally find disgusting – have no nutritional value beyond being a source of fat and calories. Excess fat - or protein or carbohydrates for that matter - is the same as excess calories.

Healthy Fats – Stress Omega 3s balanced with Omega 6s and 9s. Don’t be afraid of saturated fats in reasonable amounts as in lean steak, pork, chicken, etc. but you do not need a lot. It just adds empty extra calories. Avoid trans fats at all cost.

Dairy – Whether you choose full fat or skim, dairy is a good source of protein. Some evidence suggests the lower fat versions of milk may have less calcium and vitamin D. Full fat cheeses should be eaten sparingly. One ounce the size of two dice averages 100 calories. Choose plain yogurt whenever possible. Most flavored yogurts are loaded with sugars. A better option is to add some fresh fruit.

Fruits and Vegetables – these foods should never be limited with the exception of starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn which are healthy in limited amounts. Avocados are loaded with healthy fats but are calorie packed also and should be eaten in moderation. I don’t advocate avoiding apples, citrus, bananas, grapes, carrots, and other traditional “low carb” no no’s. Unless you’re a diabetic with blood sugar issues or you eat a whole pound at one sitting these healthy foods are not going to make you fat.

Whole Grains and Legumes - steel cut oats, whole wheat bread and cereals, quinoa, beans, peas, lentils, etc. are healthy high fiber sources of carbohydrates particularly useful for fueling intense workouts. Remember these should be unrefined, high in fiber, and portion controlled. If you’re a low carb dieter and / or going to sit all day at a desk, or your workout will be limited to moderate duration and intensity then go ahead a skip the grains.

Cheat Foods – yes, you should eat cheat foods from time to time. As long as your indulgences are reasonable portion wise and limited to an occasional snack or meal it’s actually helpful to cheat. Make sure you lose the “all or nothing” mentality that derails dieters faster than a quarter on a train track (okay miniature train track). There’s evidence that the occasional cheat day is beneficial and not just for your mental health. More on that later…

Next – some sample menus from my personal program.