Losing to Win – It’s a Family Affair

As any parent can tell you, the back-to-school season is only nano-seconds away. New backpacks, notebooks, sneakers, and oh yeah, lunchboxes. I wonder if we give what we plan to put inside those lunchboxes (and, ultimately, into our kids) half as much thought as which Disney character or pop singer graces the outside?

We are bombarded with information today, from Morgan Spurlock’s ”Supersize Me” and Michael Moore’s “Sicko,” to the recent cover story of Time Magazine (“Our Supersized Kids”). We literally pay billions of dollars toward sports programs and physical education. With all of this effort and knowledge, one would expect us to have the healthiest kinds in the world!

Let’s face it, making good choices in a world floating in high-fructose corn syrup and fast food isn’t easy!

In the last 20 years, the average American family of four has increased their sugar consumption by more than 8-10 pounds every week. Imagine filling your living room with two 5-pound bags of sugar, for each member of your family, every single month. Now imagine the same room ten years later. This is what we are allowing into our homes and our kids. It’s no wonder that two-thirds of Americans are overweight; we are literally sacrificing our personal sustainability in exchange for “the sweet life.”

Did you know that 32% of all American kids are overweight?

Penelope Slade-Royall, Director of the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion says, "Sit down on a bench in a park with a person on either side of you, if you're not overweight, statistically speaking, both of the other people sitting with you are."

So what happens now? What do we need to “lose” in order to “win” as a nation?

Every day we bring in, or send out for, bags and boxes of processed carbs and sugar (much of which becomes lunch and dinner), and then we spend our verbal energy berating ourselves and complaining about being overweight.

Where is that getting us?

Our sons and daughters hear every self-hating remark we make. “I’m so fat…” “I ate too much…” “My big butt…” etc, etc., and then we load on more self-hate with every spoonful and every meal. Talk about mixed messages!

1. Let’s begin a personal revolution right now and fill our mouths with self-loving words and healthy food. Let’s think “out of the box” when it comes to the lunchbox. Simple changes can make a big difference over time. How about peanut butter on whole wheat bread (or PB & Honey if your kids demand something sweet), then add an apple or a bunch of grapes and a skim milk. How about tossing in a sliced cucumber or some cherry tomatoes. Or consider a “do-it-yourself” lunch kit of whole grain crackers and lowfat cheese.
   
2. Next, let’s begin a self-dialog and a family-dialog focused on acceptance and self-love. Start by replacing words like “diet” with “healthy food” and “portions,” let’s replace “exercise” with “movement,” and let’s NOT give in to the quick-fix! Skip the drive-thru, and instead, stay hungry for ten minutes until you can get home and grab a delicious orange while preparing whole wheat pasta and lean chicken or fish.
   
3. Remember, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Busy working moms and dads need to plan every single meal in order to avoid last-minute crises. Take the time today to sit down and take stock of what you have and what you need, then put together a plan for the next week that includes twenty-one healthy meals and at least four or five fun, physical activities to enjoy as a family.
   
4. Get honest about your limits and free up your time. If time is an issue, and let’s face it, it is for most of us, how about swapping responsibilities with a friend or neighbor? Get creative, what do you need? The universe is more than willing to support you and so are your loved ones – so ask for help, because chances are, they need it to.

Do these things and you will invite your entire family to live long and live strong! Let’s face it, like the piper, you pay the grocer by either spending a few extra dollars on healthy food, or you spend it at the doctor’s office later on. Nutritious, healthy, invigorating food or illness and co-pays...

Which do you choose?


To your health! Laura Fenamore, CPCC, Body Image Mastery Mentor

http://www.laurafenamore.com/
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
415-464-1234