weight loss diet

Here is a sure-fire list of diet dos and don'ts to help your family triumph over obesity:

1. Be a ‘healthy’ role model. The number one thing that parents can do is to be a good role model for their children
Parents so often unknowingly set their kids up for failure. If there are chips
cookies and Twinkies and no fruit or vegetables when your kids look for snacks
how can they succeed? Line your refrigerator and cabinets with fresh fruits
nuts
low-fat cheese
easy things for kids to snack on besides ‘junk food’.

In a 2000 survey conducted by the CDC
close to 80% of adults reported eating fewer than the recommended five or more servings of fruit and vegetables daily -- not good role-model behavior.

2. Be positive. Don’t tell your child to ‘lose weight’ say
'Let's be healthy and start taking care of our bodies’. Focus on the foods you can eat
not the ones that you should limit eating. Say
'Let's go pick out fruits and make a fruit salad
' not 'Don't eat this or that.' Instead of saying
'We have to exercise
' say
'Lets go to the park.' Use positive words and phrases when talking with your kid.

3. Make healthy eating a family affair. Create family meals together and for the entire family. Do not single out an overweight family member with special diet food. Your entire family can benefit form healthy eating regardless of weight.

A family that eats together
eats better
according to a recent study in the journal Archives of Family Medicine. The study showed children who report frequent family dinners have healthier diets than their peers who don't.

4. Avoid portion distortion. When serving food you must use portion control
buffet-type or family-style situations tends to promote overeating. Fill up on salads and cooked vegetables at meals and always wait 10-15 minutes before having a second helping. Second helpings should only be taken if truly hungry.

5. Start the day off right with a good breakfast. A bowl of low-sugar cereal with low-fat milk
low-fat yogurt with a granola or breakfast bar
or an English muffin with peanut butter
rather than a doughnut or muffin. A healthy breakfast will put your family on the healthy track for the rest of the day.

6. Make time for physical activity. Make physical activity a family activity. Every night after dinner in the summer
go for a half-hour walk and make it an activity that kids look forward to. If you can afford it
enroll your kids in dancing or a sporting activity that they enjoy because they need to enjoy it to keep doing it. Or just turn on some dance music and have a dance party around the house.

7. Try again. Weight loss and healthy eating is not easy. There will be times when you and your family will struggle with this new lifestyle. It is important to keep trying. Failure is certain if you are not trying.

Here is a list of the top 7 healthiest foods to feed your kid and why it’s so healthy:


1. Oatmeal: A fabulous breakfast food
full of B vitamins
iron
zinc and calcium. Old-fashioned oatmeal offers plenty of carbohydrate for quick energy and high fiber. Add berries and honey to make it a delicious perfect food for those fast-paced school day mornings!

2. Yogurt: Kick your child's dairy consumption up a notch and include yogurt on the menu. A great source of calcium
yogurt is easier to digest than regular milk
and the cultures (check the label to make sure they're in there!) are very beneficial to good colon health. Watch it on the sugar content though. A great idea is to buy plain yogurt and sweeten it yourself with fresh fruit!

3. Broccoli: it is one of the best vegetables for anyone
especially growing kids. It has loads of calcium
potassium
beta-carotene and a wide variety of the B vitamins. If your child is not a fan of plain vegetables include broccoli in a casserole or put a little shredded cheese on top to add flavor.

4. Protein: One size does not fit all when it comes to protein. The fact is that growing kids need protein to keep growing. How you're going to give it to them can vary widely
according to your preferences. Good choices include legumes
beans (combined with a grain to make a complete protein)
soy products like tofu
eggs or lean meat
fish or poultry.

5. Whole Grains: The best nutrition is found in whole grains. Brown rice and whole wheat bread are a quantum leap over their white counterparts and offer necessary fiber
minerals and vitamins. Choose grain products with the words “whole”
“unbleached” and “intact” or “ground”.

6. Nut Butters: Peanut butter and other nut butters are great fast and easy foods for kids. Kids need fat (it's a good fat if it doesn't have hydrogenated oils mixed in it) and they need the protein. Try spreading almond or sunflower seed butter on crackers
toast or celery sticks for a quick and nutritious snack.

7. Fresh Fruit: My personal choice would be cantaloupe in the melon department. Vitamin C
beta-carotene
bits and pieces of B vitamins and trace minerals and calcium fill every juicy bite. Any in season fresh fruit is sure to be packed with healthy goodness!

Try these 7 tips to foster optimism and resilience in your overweight child:

1) Believe in your Children. Assure your children that you are on their side and that you expect then to be the best person that they can be
although you don’t expect them to be the best at anything. No one is perfect.

2) Find other adults who believe in your children. Teachers
aunts
uncles
neighbors and friends can help you make a positive difference for you overweight child. Other adults that can see beyond the weight and also believe in your child can help your child take control of their lives.

3) Encourage your children to stay interested in activities. Let them know that their interests are valuable and deserve to be developed
whatever it is.

4) Celebrate your children’s winning experiences and help them to accept defeats graciously. Let your child know that you appreciate their efforts and positive attitude win or lose. Positive attitude and effort is for more important than victory.

5) Encourage upbeat conversations about the future. Assume they are going to college and thinking about good careers. Let your child know that you believe they are capable.

6) Be a role model for perseverance. Be sure your children hear you say that some tasks are difficult
but that you are not a quitter.

7) Facilitate family fun and laughter. A family that can joke
laugh
and lighten up their day’s with humor can help to prevent negativity and tension.

1
Role Model –Your heath and weight directly effect your child’s health and weight. Children with just one overweight parent have a 25% risk of becoming an overweight or obese adult. If both parents are overweight the risk of becoming an overweight adult jumps to 50%.

2 Be Positive- No one enjoys receiving negative feedback. Talk to your child with compassion and encouragement. Instead of saying
'Lose weight'
say
'Let's be healthy and start taking care of our bodies'. Focus on the foods you can eat
not the ones that you cannot. Say
'Let's go pick out fruits and make a fruit salad
' not 'Don't eat that.'

3 Make healthy eating a family affair - A family that eats together
eats better
according to a recent study in the journal Archives of Family Medicine. Children who report frequent family dinners have healthier diets than their peers who don't
the study showed. Also fill your refrigerator and cabinets with fresh fruits
nuts
low-fat cheese
and things for everyone to snack on.

4 Eat Breakfast – A breakfast that consists of protein
starch and fat will keep your children more alert during school. Studies have shown that weight loss is much more difficult in people who skip breakfast.

5 Make time for physical activity - Make physical activity a family activity. Every night after dinner in the summer
go for a half-hour walk and make it an activity that kids look forward to. If you can afford it
enroll your kids in dancing or a sporting activity that they enjoy because they need to enjoy it to keep doing it. Or just turn on some dance music and have a dance party around the house.

6 Don't say diet - Put your child on any diet and you are setting them up for an eating disorder - whether binge eating or closet eating or another type of disorder. Lifestyle changes have proven to be the most effective to lose weight and keep it off.

7 Avoid portion distortion - When serving the food try to portion out meal on dishes and avoid buffet-type or family-style eating. When exposed to so much food it is easy for your eyes to be bigger than your stomach. Resist the first temptation to have seconds then check in with yourself to see if you are really hungry.

Is stress affecting your weight loss battle?

Stress brought on by dieting is added to the personal and work life stresses that we face every day
often resulting in a "vicious cycle" of increased stress and increased food intake. People under stress tend to engage in self-defeating and unhealthy behaviors such as binge eating and there is strong biologic evidence that stressed-out people may tend to put on the pounds faster. "I'm stressed
therefore I eat." Many people complain that they overeat in response to workplace or personal stress. If this sounds like you
read the following tips for managing stress-related overeating to help you check this unhealthy habit.

1. Practice waiting. Postpone your instant gratification when hunger hits. Tell yourself you'll wait 10 to 30
minutes to eat. Chances are good if your cravings are only stress-related
they'll disappear when you allow yourself to become distracted.

2. Keep a food journal of what you eat each day. Knowing you have to write down every snack or nibble can be a good way to remind yourself to think before eating.

3. Enlist a friend's help - ideally one who also is tempted by stress-related cravings. When you feel like eating
write him/her a quick note or make a phone call.

4. Keep yourself nourished. Eat regular
healthy snacks to maintain your energy level. Skipping meals while under stress only prompts you to eat more
and unhealthily
when you do get around to eating.

5. Post some reminder messages wherever you're likely to see them when stress-related cravings begin. Use any message that works for you. Examples might be "Are you really hungry?" or "Think about why you're eating."

6. Physically remove tempting food items from your home or office. Never go shopping while hungry and always make a list of food items prior to shopping; bring home only what you feel good about eating.

7. Take time for yourself every day. Whether it's 10 minutes to reflect and relax
or whether it's some fun activity that will revitalize you
it's critical to do it. Health is not just physical
mental well-being is just as important
you deserve to mentally de-stress everyday!

These are just a few habits you can embrace to start revving your metabolism right away. You may have heard stories about people who have lost dozens of pounds simply switching to diet soda or walking a few minutes each day. These are all small habits that contribute to a big difference and increase your metabolism over time. You will make weight loss quicker and easier by increasing your metabolic rate and burning more calories.

1) Move More

Sedentary people burn about one-third less calories per day. By simply taking every opportunity to move can make quite a dramatic difference to the amount of calories you burn in one day. Small movements will add up over time to lots of calories. The trick is to keep moving throughout your day. Write the word ‘move’ on post-it notes and put them in places you’ll notice them when you’re sitting still. Then
take every opportunity to move – here’s some ideas for burning extra calories:

Tap your feet
Swing your legs
Stand up and stretch
Move your head from side to side
Change position
Wriggle and fidget
Pace up and down
Use the restroom upstairs
Park in the furthest corner of the parking lot
Stand up when you’re on the phone and step from side to side
Clench and release your muscles

2) Eat Little and Often

Evidence suggests that eating small meals every 2-4 hours will keep your metabolism burning faster than larger
less frequent meals. When you eat small amounts often your body is constantly working to digest and absorb food which requires energy.

3) Eat Fat

If you want feel good and keep the fat off you need to first put it in. Fat not only tastes good our bodies need it to work efficiently. By consuming several servings of ‘healthy’ fats every day you will actually increase your calorie burning potential. Try incorporating fats like Flaxseed oil
hempseed oil
olive oil
avocados
salmon
albacore tuna
nuts and seeds into your diet daily.

4) Drink Cold Water

Evidence shows that your body might expend more calories trying to raise cold water to the temperature of your body then hot beverages. And overall being well hydrated will help your body’s metabolic processes burn quicker.

5) Exercise With Weights

Training with weights boosts your metabolism in a number of ways. By lifting weights you will build muscle tissue. And muscle tissue is metabolically active
so it requires calories even when at rest and so it helps to increase fat-burning enzymes in your body.


6) Spice up

Eating hot spices might speed up your metabolism. Just half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day can help boost metabolism and keep blood sugar levels in check. Can’t stand the thought of cinnamon in your morning cup of coffee? Spice up with cayenne
crushed red pepper or wasabi.

7) Eat More Protein

Protein requires a more complex chemical breakdown by your body in order to be digested and used as fuel. For example
100
calories of protein may take up to 30 calories to process. Protein also takes longer to digest and helps to stabilize blood sugar for longer periods of time and this can help you to not overeat later in the day. Eat a portion of protein at every meal and as part of your snacks and you will increase the total number of calories you burn each day.

#1 Don’t Skip Breakfast

The morning meal jump starts your metabolism and helps to prevent bingeing later in the day. A cup of coffee does not count – the caffeine and added sugar may give you a bit of energy and suppress your appetite for a little while it is sure to back fire into severe hunger and you will be more likely to overeat later. Breakfast should include complex carbohydrates like whole grain (granola or oatmeal)
along with some protein and fat (low-fat yogurt or milk)
will keep your energy levels even and hunger in check.

#2 Eat more often

Get into the habit of eating every three to four hours or at least four times a day. Eating frequently stabilizes blood sugar
when blood sugar drops too low you want to eat…a lot. By keeping your blood sugar stable you can control your appetite and keep you metabolic rate high. When you go many hours without eating your body will compensate by slowing down to conserve energy…this effect hurts your weight loss efforts.

#3 Eat protein at every meal

Protein will help to reduce your appetite
it takes more energy and time to digest
in effect you feel full longer than eating carbohydrates alone. Research shows that eating more protein can help you lose weight without cutting calories. Try these protein possibilities: turkey on whole wheat; hummus and pita; vegetarian chili; fruit and nuts; or protein snack bars that contain 12 or more grams of protein.

#4 Hold off on snacking

Many of us grab a snack for quick energy when we are feeling tired. But do not confuse true hunger with fatigue. If you are feeling tired go for a 15-20 minute brisk walk. This will raise your heart rate and give you a boost of energy. Follow it up with a large glass of cool water. If you are truly hungry have a protein and complex carbohydrate rich snack like; whole wheat crackers and peanut butter or cheese.

#5 Consume enough for your body’s needs

Eating too little slows your body’s metabolism the same way eating to infrequently does. If you want to lose weight
do not slash your calories too drastically. Instead
cut out some of the extras in your diet – things like soda
juice
packaged goods or candy. Processed foods tend to be high in fat and calories and low in vitamins
minerals and fiber.

It's no secret that many parents and their children are overweight. These 10 simple ‘secrets’ can help you change your family's lifestyle so that you can all become fit and healthy.

1) Eat Whole Grain Foods

Processed and refined grains
such as white bread
white rice
cereal
pasta
and other foods made with white flour have a high glycemic index
low amounts of fiber
and less vitamins and minerals as foods made with whole grains. Making the switch to whole grain foods
including whole wheat bread
whole grain pasta
brown rice
and cereals made with whole grains
are an easy and healthy way to make your family's diet more nutritious.


2) Limit Soda and Fruit Drinks

Soda and fruit drinks have low nutritional value and a lot of calories. At about 150 calories per 12 ounce serving
your kids will gain an extra pound about every 3 weeks if they drink just one can of soda each day.
Cutting back or eliminating soda
fruit drinks
and even fruit juice
can be a good way to get rid of a lot of extra calories and leave room for your kids to eat more nutritious foods.


3) Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Most children don't eat enough fruits and vegetables and that usually means that they are eating other less nutritious foods. With a high fiber content and lots of vitamins and minerals
fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. And because they have lots of water in them
eating fruits and vegetables can help you to feel full and satisfied so that you don't overeat.


4) Eat More Foods with Calcium

A common mistake people make when trying to lose weight is that they stop drinking milk
eating cheese and yogurt. Calcium is important to build healthy bones and to help you lose weight. You should encourage your kids to drink low-fat milk
eat portioned amounts of cheese and yogurt to help lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.


5) Be More Active

Everyone knows that part of the cause of the current obesity epidemic is that people are much less active then they used to be. Getting kids involved in organized activities
which can be either team or individual sports
and cutting back on the amount of time in front of the TV
computer and playing video games will burn calories and improve fitness levels.

Family activities are also a good way to be more physically active. Even simple things
like walking across a parking lot
using stairs
and going for short family walks or bike rides
can make a big difference.


6) Know Where Calories Come From

While you don't necessarily need to do daily calorie counts
keep a diary of what your family eats for a few days can help you see where extra calories are coming from. Are your kids overweight because of the calories they get from a bedtime snack or those two glasses of Kool Aid or soda he drinks? Or maybe because his portion sizes are too large?

If you know where your kids' calories are coming from
you will know where to make changes and how you can cut back
especially on foods that have a lot of empty calories.


7) Learn About Carbs

Carbs get a bad wrap
especially with all of the proponents of high protein diets
like the Atkins and South Beach Diet. Not all carbs are created equal. While it is a good idea to avoid foods that have refined such as white bread
foods made with white flour
and foods and beverages sweetened with sugar
other carbs should be part of a balanced diet.

Instead of avoiding all carbs
just learn about how to choose foods with ‘good’ carbohydrates
which includes fruits
vegetables
beans
and whole grain foods.


8) Learn About Fats

Like carbs
there are ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fats. Instead of making the mistake of trying to stick to a low fat diet
and simply substituting other foods that are often just as high in calories
you should eat foods that have ‘good’ fat in them. This includes foods with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. On the other hand
you should avoid saturated fats and trans fats.


9) Choose Healthy Meals when Eating Out

Even if your family eats healthy at home
if you eat super-sized fast food meals a few times a week
they are probably still at risk for becoming overweight. If you eat out a lot
review the nutritional facts of the restaurant's menu and watch your portion sizes. Calories and fat quickly adds up when eating out!


10) Stay Motivated!

Most people know what they need to do to be healthier however
eating healthy and exercising is not easy. Education about the specifics of a healthy diet
getting the whole family involved
and setting goals
can help your family stay healthy and fit. Hire a personal trainer or seek the counsel of a dietitian to keep you on the healthy track.

Creating a Healthy Home can be easier than you think.

Creating a nutritionally healthy home is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure the health of your child. To start
make smart food choices
and help your child develop a positive relationship with healthy food. Your children will learn their food smarts from your example.

Here are the top 10 tips for getting children to eat healthy food:

1. Do not restrict food. Restricting food increases the risk your child may develop eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia later in life. It can also have a negative effect on growth and development. Also by restricting food you will actually increase the risk of overeating later in the day which will cause weight gain.

2. Keep healthy food at hand. Children will eat what's readily available. Keep fruit in a bowl on the counter
not buried in the crisper section of your fridge. Remember
your child can only choose foods that you stock in the house
by limiting ‘junk food’ you will
by default
teach your child how to choose healthier foods.

3. Don't label foods as "good" or "bad." Instead
tie foods to the things your child cares about
such as sports
academics and hobbies. Let your child know that lean protein such as turkey and calcium in dairy products give strength to their sports and academic performance
the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables add luster to skin and hair and the carbs in whole grains will give them energy to play.

4. Praise healthy choices. Give your children a proud smile and tell them how smart they are when they choose healthy foods. Kids thrive on positive reinforcement!

5. Don't nag about unhealthy choices. If your child chooses unhealthy foods infrequently
ignore it. However
if your child always wants fatty
fried food
redirect the choice. You might try roasting potato sticks in the oven (tossed in just a bit of oil) instead of buying french fries. Or
if your child wants candy
you might make fresh strawberries dipped in a little chocolate sauce. Too busy? Then keep naturally sweet dried fruit at home for quick snacks. With consistent effort taste buds change and soon your child will be craving healthy foods.

6. Never use food as a reward. This could create weight problems in later life. Instead
reward your children with something physical and fun -- perhaps a trip to the park or a quick game of catch.

7. Sit down to family dinners at night. If this isn't a tradition in your home
it should be. Research shows that children who eat dinners at the table with their parents have better nutrition and are less likely to get in serious trouble as teenagers. Start with one night a week
and then work up to three or four
to gradually build the habit.

8. Prepare plates in the kitchen. There you can put healthy portions of each item on everyone's dinner plate. Your children will learn to recognize correct portion sizes. Too often people go for seconds and even thirds just because the food is right there. You might notice that you need less food to feel full!

9. Give the kids some control. Ask your children to take three bites of all the foods on their plate and give it a grade
such as A
B
C
D
or F. When healthy foods - especially certain vegetables -- get high marks
serve them more often. Offer the items your children don't like less frequently. This lets your children participate in decision making. After all
dining is a family affair!

1. Consult your pediatrician. Always talk with your child's doctor before putting your child on a diet
trying to help your child gain weight
or making any significant changes in the type of foods your child eats. Never diagnose your child as too heavy
or too thin
by yourself. If weight change is recommended seek the help of a Dietitian.