I've thought long and hard about how I wanted to start off these series of post for Kids Food Week, and wondering which would be the best way I should approach the subject...
I threw around the idea of quoting facts and statistics of the rate for childhood obesity and diabetes, and the reality of what an unhealthy diet would do to a child...
But, then I figured I might scare some people, and I should probably go light on some of the statistics, and just stick to helpful hints and what not...Yet, I wasn't quite sure about that approach either because I really wanted my readers to understand the importance of raising healthy children, and I'm not a fan of sugar coating things... (or anything for that matter.)
So, here's the deal.
There will be some stats, some facts, some real life, and a lot of helpful ideas a long the way. If you get scared, don't run and hide. Just take a deep breath, then a huge bite of dark chocolate, and relax.
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It's always hard to know where to begin when it comes to eating healthy, let alone feeding your family healthily too. Sometimes it can be overwhelming as to where to start, what to eat, and frankly, "Where the heck do I begin."
But, before we focus on the how, I think it's extremely important to focus on the WHY first...
To me, the answer isn't difficult. Simply put:
I love my daughter.
No parent likes to watch their child suffer, whether it be a sickness or just a bad day, we all want what is best for our children.
One of the first impressions I had when my daughter was born, was that she was so innocent and pure. Everything perfect about her in every way.
And although I enjoyed having her as a new born, I knew that eventually she was going to grow, and she needed my help.
Now picture this, that new born baby 18 months later working her way up to enjoying solids and big girl food. Still so innocent and pure, growing each and every day in the healthy and strong body that God created for her...
Imagine that pure and healthy body sitting down for lunch, at McDonalds...
Chicken nuggets for protein.
Fries for veggies
Apple wedges for fruit
and Milk for calcium.
Only instead of the above, what she is really getting is:
Chemicals, unhealthy amounts of fat, ridiculous amounts of sugar, additives and preservatives damaging the most valuable components of her healthy body...
Now imagine this:
Meal after meal, whether she is eating at McDonalds or not, she continues to eat foods with little to no nutritional value, foods that are frozen and packaged, foods that are mass produced, more animal products and not even a trace of veggies/whole grains/legumes...
What is the result:
15 years later does she have diabetes? Is she over weight? Is she insecure about her weight/out side appearance? Does she have the energy a 15 year girl should have? Is she active? Is she sick all the time? Is she happy? Is she taking medicine? Does she have digestion problems? Acne?
Probably the answer to a lot of those questions is Yes...
But more importantly:
Does she view her body as a temple...or a trash can.
Now that we have the why, where do we begin?
I know first hand how gosh darn difficult it is to getting a child to eat healthy, and trust me, I feel like quitting a lot of times.
But the one thing that keeps me motivated more than anything is my "WHY"...
I love my daughter more than anything, and I want to keep her around forever. I will do everything in my power to keep her healthy and safe, and that means giving her body the proper nutrition it needs to grow, thrive, and endure.
I truly value the bodies we have been given, and that God created, and I want to do my best to respect it and treat it as a temple...
So first,
Establish YOUR "Why":
Whether it comes to trying to get yourself to eat healthy or your children, each takes work, and it's far from easy. You have to have establish a WHY so you can be motivated to follow through each and everyday. Really understand why it's important for your children to eat healthy, and don't just say because it's important...Get deep down and truly understand WHY it's important, and not just that it is. Whether it be because you hate to see your child unable to focus in school, or sleep at night. Or that you wish your teenage daughter was more motivated, or felt better about her appearance. Or maybe it's because you really value the body that you have been given in this life, and you know it's of greatest importance to treat it right...
Whatever your reasoning, keep that in your mind.
Next comes the food!
Through out the week we will be talking about the following subjects:
-Stocking up your kitchen with the right ingredients
-Breakfast/lunch/dinner ideas
-Healthy Snacking
-Healthy tips on eating out
etc...
If there is anything you want to know more about and would like me to address it this week, leave a comment in the comment section below, tweet me HERE, write a comment on my FACEBOOK wall HERE, or email me at thedivadish@yahoo.com
I look forward to the following week!! See you tomorrow with ideas of stocking up your pantry!! ;-)