Leading by Example | The Frito Epidemic | Live Strong. Live Lean.

?If we are what we eat, then American kids are fritos.?

?Alan Greene, M.D.

I?m troubled by the alarming rate in which the percentage of overweight children in the United States is growing. 32% or 1 out of 3 kids are now considered overweight or obese. I believe that helping children lead a healthy lifestyle starts with you, the parent, who leads by example. Changing the way your family eats and?exercise?is one of the best strategies in reducing childhood obesity.

Regularly eating high-calorie foods and lack of exercise could easily cause your child to gain weight. Set a good example. Make sure YOU are eating healthy foods and exercising regularly to maintain your weight. Emphasize to your kids the positive effects of a healthy lifestyle. Then, be patient and watch your child follow.

WHAT TO AVOID

Excess sodium (salt) is hidden in many processed, frozen and restaurant foods. Foods like pizza (oh no!), mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, french fries, chips, etc. Oh yes?and white bread, a kids biggest source of sodium because they tend to eat so much of it. Go with low-sodium whole grains instead. High sodium foods are not only high in calories but too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure and can cause ulcers, kidney stones and stomach cancer. Salty snacks also tend to make children thirsty and more likely to drink sugary drinks such as juice or soda.

Approximately 35% of Kids? Calories Come From Solid Fat and Sugar (SoFAS)

Not surprising considering the top food sources of SoFAS are baked goods, yeast breads, soda, energy drinks, hot dogs, bacon, french fries and pizza (ugh, pizza just can?t catch a break!). These foods are very high in calories but have little or no nutritional value (empty calories, also known as Junk Food!).

Solid fats are fats that are solid at room temperature, like beef fat, butter, and shortening. Most solid fats are high in saturated fats and/or trans fats and have less monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Saturated fats and trans fats tend to raise ?bad? (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood. This, in turn, increases the risk for heart disease.

Some foods that contain solid fats include many baked goods, sausages, hot dogs, bacon, dairy, french fries, fried chicken, regular ground beef, cheese and yes, foods that contain cheese such as pizza!

Sugars are healthy in foods such as fruits and milk. These foods contain nutrients that signal the body to use the sugar correctly. But when sugar is added to nutritionally empty foods such as desserts, the natural process is thrown off. Many American kids start consuming excess added sugar almost as soon as they start eating solid foods! The most common of added sugar foods/drinks are fruit drinks, desserts/baked goods and soda. Long-term consequences include obesity, heart disease and dental issues.

THE FIX

As a general rule, don?t use food as a reward or punishment. Come up with other solutions to modify their behavior. And don?t talk about ?bad foods? or completely eliminate all sweets and favorite snacks from their diet as they may rebel and overeat these foods outside the home. Make sweets an occasional treat in your family.

Help shape food preferences by offering a variety of healthy foods and discourage eating while watching TV or playing video games. Eat meals together as often as possible and choose fresh foods over frozen or processed products.

Kids need to be active. Encourage them to be physically active every day; whether it?s playing outside (running, climbing, riding a bike) or through an organized sport, martial arts or dance lessons.

If YOU eat well, exercise regularly, and incorporate healthy habits into your family?s daily life, you?re modeling a healthy lifestyle for your kids that will last. Talk to them about the importance of eating well and being active, but make it a family affair that will become second nature for everyone. Most of all, let your kids know that you love them, no matter what, and just want them to be happy.?

?

?

Source: http://livestronglivelean.com/leading-by-example-the-frito-epidemic/

nokia n900 nokia n900 frontier airlines sam agu agu wot