Include some rest and relaxation in your schedule this Monday. Not only will you feel better, you’ll have more energy and a positive attitude for tackling your to-do list!

Mondays are a great day to renew Family Health vows. Every Monday, you will find some healthy tip to help your family start the week off on a Healthy Note!
Thanks to Healthy Monday organization for sharing their Monday tips.

A new study published in Pediatrics was conducted using McDonald’s menus.  The research showed that when parents were provided with calorie information, they chose foods that were about 100 calories less per meal.   The study surveyed 99 parents of 3-6 years.  The researchers showed parents food items, half with calorie information and the other half without calorie information.

• On average, parents with calorie information would select a meal that had 102 calories less than if they did not have the calorie information

• An interesting side note, in this study there was no difference in the food choices parents made for themselves.

This is obviously a very small study and there is a lot of press discussing how this study is really hopeful in fighting childhood obesity.

I personally think this gives mixed results.  I am not trying to down play the importance of calorie information because I do believe that it will be helpful.  I have written several blogs on this topic and even I, myself, have changed my menu choices when I saw the calories!  So I do think menus should show the calories.

But my concern is that kids are learning from their parents, we are the role models.  So if this study shows that parents continued to choose high calorie foods despite the fact they chose a lower calorie option for their child, I think that is a big red flag.  Eventually when the child becomes more independent, they will probably choose food items similar to their parents’ choices.  AKA high calorie foods!

The child may also resent that they are given a “lower calorie option” while their parents are eating the higher calorie foods.  This could make them want their parents’ food choices even more.

So, my take away is simple.  Changing a child’s food choices and helping them form healthy habits starts with the family making a commitment to eat healthier.  Changing habits as a family doesn’t have to be this awful, depriving experience.  Gradually changing choices and setting small goals is the best way to change habits.  And finally, celebrating each small step towards a healthier lifestyle.

Here are more tips on how to work with kids to set goals and track changes, all in a fun and positive way.

Free Cute Friendly Goal Contracts

Free Kid Friendly Tracking Sheets

This is that time of year where everyone is making New year resolutions and for many, losing weight will be their resolution.

When we tend to focus on a “losing weight” goal, it usually means some extreme restrictive diet that makes us feel like we are “sacrificing”.  But it is hard to sacrifice forever and to maintain a healthy weight is a life long commitment.  So in a way, we have already set ourselves up for failure by committing to do something we already know we can’t do for the rest of our lives.  And yes, I am certainly guilty of doing that to.

But for kids, the focus should not be on losing weight but rather eating healthy and being active.  Eating healthy means eating foods from all the food groups in the correct proportion.  This is also good advice for us adults.  This is something we can do for the long term and the only sacrifice is really learning to eat in proper servings.

This year, I say, throw out the diet resolution and instead work as a family to eat healthy foods and a balanced meal.  Work on increasing activity steadily.   By working as a family, you help kids learn the importance of being healthy but in a positive way rather than a restrictive way.

To start, set small steps towards changing your habits because it is too hard to make big leaps in eating and activity levels.  Help kids learn how to set healthy goals as part of a family activity that is fun and positive.  Here is a great article written by our dietitian that gives a step by step planning process on how to set and achieve goals in a very fun and positive way with the kids.

If you haven’t set your family goals, it is never too late.  Keep it positive and keep it fun.  And remember that each small change will add up to a healthier child (and family!)

Setting Goals as a Family and Keeping Kids Motivated

Setting Goals and Tracking Success Activity Page

Free Printable Kids Healthy Goals Contracts and Activity Tracking Sheets

This Monday start your new year early!

Take stock of last year and resolve to do better, love more and live healthier. Sit down as a family and write down five ways to get a head start!

Mondays are a great day to renew Family Health vows. Every Monday, you will find some healthy tip to help your family start the week off on a Healthy Note!

Thanks to Healthy Monday organization for sharing their Monday tips.

This Monday go nuts and teach the kids to eat a handful of nuts. They’re healthy!

They may be packed with calories – but all from healthy fats. Plus, their fiber and protein increase calorie burn and cut cholesterol levels. Try an ounce a day.

Mondays are a great day to renew Family Health vows. Every Monday, you will find some healthy tip to help your family start the week off on a Healthy Note!
Thanks to Healthy Monday organization for sharing their Monday tips.

Don’t leave home hungry this Monday.

Have a fresh salad or soup before you head out to that holiday bash. You’ll eat less, feel better and have more time to concentrate on activities.

Mondays are a great day to renew Family Health vows. Every Monday, you will find some healthy tip to help your family start the week off on a Healthy Note!
Thanks to Healthy Monday organization for sharing their Monday tips.

It is the day after Thanksgiving! There is always so much focus on foods during this time of the year that I don’t want to forget about activity. That is the other half of the equation and so important for kids, (really for all of us!)

Use the fact that the kids are out of school for a couple of days to be active together. Eating healthy as a family is just part of keeping healthy during the holiday season. Exercise can help de-stress and energize everyone during the cold months.

Sometimes, during such a busy season, we think that we just don’t have time to do some activity. That is because we are thinking to “big”, so the time commitment seems overwhelming.

Even if you do just a 15 minute walk with your children and that would count, and it would help kids learn that there is always a little time for activity. Keep it simple and take small steps. Ir really all adds up!

Finally, take this holiday time to find some time to relax and enjoy the kids – play board or card games. We get into such a rush with things to do, it is important and healthy to bond with your kids – and that is what the holidays are all about.

Here is a list of ideas for indoor and outdoor activities that the kids can do to be active.

Set some simple goals for activity (15 minutes at a time!)

Track your child’s activity time with our fun and cute activity tracking sheet.

Alex Jamieson was the nutritional consultant on the movie Super Size Me. She will be participating in a free webinar today! I am very excited to hear her talk about the book she wrote, The Great American Detox Diet: Feel Better, Look Better, and Lose Weight. Learn how to detox your body of excess fats and artificial, low quality junk foods and about her career as a nutritional consultant.

How often do you have the convenience of participating in a seminar, ask questions and get tips right from a convenient place?

And it is free.

If you haven’t signed up, there is still time. The seminar does not start until 3pm, today. Check out this interactive webinar from 3:00 to 3:30! November 18, 2009.

Click here to log in and sign up.

For more information, go to Integrative Nutrition School.

I wrote a few months ago about my mother-in-law (ma) and my father-in-law (pa) who went out to dinner and were surprised to learn the calorie count of the dinner they ate. Read the story

I spoke with ma about the new law that is being proposed that would actually require restaurants chains to list their calories.

She told me that her and pa went back to the same restaurant for dinner. This time she did not quickly select a salad but wanted to look at the calories first. She could not find them on the back of the menu. She called over the waitress and asked her where are the calories listed for the meals. The waitress replied, “We took those off the menu because too many people were walking out of the restaurant when they read the calories!”

I have to say. I had a similar experience. I was also at a restaurant with my cousin and noticed that all the calories were listed. So I thought, “Great! This will make it easy for me to pick my lunch!” Nope. All the salads were over 1000 calories and the sandwiches were 750-900 calories. I was actually stuck and couldn’t find something to eat because the calories were so high! I called over the waitress and she mentioned that many patrons had complained to her about the calories of their meals!”

It is a proven fact that most Americans underestimate the calories of foods, (and that includes me too) .

So I say to all those lawmakers that are taking so long to pass this restaurant food labeling bill (there a few currently being debated)

“This is a no brainer! Help us Americans eat healthier by giving us the information we need. We are facing a huge crisis with childhood obesity. We need this bill to pass now, not months or years from now. Do your job.”

Please write your congressman to help get this bill passed.

In the meantime, there are some helpful tips you can use to help your child eat healthier when you eat out as a family.

Eating out Guide to helping your child make healthier choices.

“Smart Choices” healthy food labeling program is now ready to start rolling out their new system. This is a new labeling program (I should say another labeling program because there are now several!) that has some major retail and manufacturers on board.

It’s pretty simple, if you see a food label that has this symbol on it, it has meant certain standards and meets the USDA food guidelines as a healthy food item.

Now you might be wondering why we need all these food labeling systems. A Good question! Well first of all, we probably don’t need all of them and I think they will probably confuse us more. We already have a food labeling system that is found on the back of all food packages and all these other food labeling systems will not replace that. So, for those of you that have made it a habit to compare food labels and read the labels – great job! and that will still be there. This is a mandated by the Food Labeling Act so this is here to stay, at least for now.

The problem is that many of us are not using the food labels on the back of packages or maybe I should say we are not reading it.ÂAnd food labels gives us nutrition information but doesn’t really tell us if a food is “healthy”. It is up to the consumer to decide that by comparing labels. Unfortunately, we are the “just give me the highlights” society so there is a need for a quick way to identify healthy foods.

The goal of these different programs is to do just that – find a much quicker and easier way for consumers to quickly identify the “healthy foods”. Just like you can quickly identify organic foods by the “O” at Safeway or the “green packaging” at Costco.

Hopefully, we will see one or two systems that really do make a difference in helping us eat healthier and the rest will fade into oblivion. Part of the confusion is all the marketing “health labeling” (aka, “mis-health labeling”) you find on packages – but who wants to tackle that!

Depending on where you shop you might be seeing other food labeling systems designed to make it easier to compare foods and make healthier food choices.

Until I check them out myself and try to use it, it is hard to say which one will be the easiest and most efficient in helping consumers make healthier choices. I hope these rating systems are completely objective and not being influenced by food manufacturers. That is another concern but we will have to see what foods get these seals!

Read a summary of food labeling systems.

Understanding Food Labels Tool

Food Manufacturer Health Claims Overview

Handy Printable Guide to Food Label Health Claims