Momcafe

Kalpna from BOBOBABY and Callie from Fit 4 Two provided great tips on how to keep your family fit and healthy this school year.

Kalpna from BOBOBABY

Being a mom is a tough juggle. When it comes to food, we often resort to ready-made options as we need the convenience. But in the store, there are many prepared foods that are not healthy – keep in mind that organic is not always synonymous with healthy! Many conventional and organic products aimed at children are high in added fat, high in sugar, high in sodium and low in fiber. There is a huge selection of chicken nuggets and fish fingers out there, but not much range of healthier options.

Sadly, this is why by 2013, more than 25% of children under ten will be obese in North America…

Type two diabetes, traditionally an adult’s disease, is being seen in kids as young as two and three years old. And allergies are on the increase. We need to look at what we are eating and what we are feeding our children.

We do a lot of work with Feingold Association organization. They research the many additives found in foods and the interactions between these additives. Some food additives are suspected to cause conditions like conditions ADHD, eczema, asthma, irritability, headaches, ear infections, and more.

So as a concerned parent, what can you do?

• Start to read the labels. Know what ingredients are in the foods you are eating. Look at the nutritional information and compare different foods.
• Be aware that organic does not always mean healthy. Organic pop tarts are still a junk food and are really not very good for you!
• Look for products that are not too processed. Find ones that are low in sugar and low in added fat, and especially keep away from products with partially hydrogenated fats, artificial colour, artificial flavour, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives such as Sodium Benzoate. Be careful as sometimes low fat products have higher sugar or higher salt. Remember that manufacturer’s goal is to sell stuff, not always to make the healthiest food.

So what does this mean when buying food? Let’s look at some choices from my pantry.

Unhealthy choice / Healthier choice

White rice / Organic brown rice

Sweet kids cereals- even organic ones / Home-made oatmeal sweetened with honey or maple syrup, or Kashi Go Lean crunch (this cereal is not organic but it has five grams of fiber per serving!).

Kraft dinner / Brown rice pasta, kamut pasta, brown rice pasta – vary the grains. For a quick school lunch take a handful of pasta, cook that up, in the last couple of minutes toss in a handful of vegetables. Send in a thermos and eat with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Or try Annie’s Whole Wheat Pasta – which has no orange dyes, no artificial flavours, and is high in fibre. Another option is the BOBOKIDS line of products that are all with less salt, less sugar, less added fat than other kids products. All BOBOKIDS products are organic and kosher.

Milk / Organic milk, preferably in glass bottles

Soy sauce / San-J brand organic light tamari sauce, which has less salt than other brands, and has no sodium benzoate

High fat high salt salad dressings / Homemade salad dressings

Heinz apricot dessert baby food – with added sugar!/ BOBOBABY baby food – nothing but organic fruits, vegetables and grains

Yogurt / Good quality organic yogurt

Pop / Water, Lemonade and Limeade made with organic lemon or lime juice, and organic fair trade sugar

Crackers / Crackers than are low in fat, hydrogenated fat free, low salt and sugar

Smarties / Sundrops – made with natural food dyes

Check our site for recipes and to ask our nutritionists questions. Also check out two new BOBOKIDS products. Nut free trail mix that kids can take to school. And Mookies – not a muffin, not a cookie, healthier than both!

Callie from Fit 4 Two

How do audience members find time to fit in exercise?

• Walking kids to school
• Dropping kids off to the rec center’s child minding and enjoying a workout or class
• Making use of Just Ladies Fitness and their kids club
• Getting together with other mom friends from the neighborhood and hiring a personal trainer to come do a local group workout at a convenient time.
• Meeting with friends at a pre-agreed upon spot for a Saturday morning 8 am run.

What are some things to keep in mind when planning activity?

• Warm up! Take the time to start off slow and get your body warmed up gradually.
• Get the gear and be prepared. Purchase a decent sports bra and treat yourself to a new pair of runners.
• Stay hydrated. Especially if you are pregnant or nursing, it is so important to drink water.
• Join a class. If you learn exercises you can do on the go and with minimal equipment you can do them at other times too.
• During your day, take as many chances as you can to get fitness in. If you are alone in an elevator – do some lunges!
• Get someone else involved as a motivator. Have a push up contest with your husband! Go out with a girl friend who is also pregnant. Pick someone at a similar level and support each other.
• Set SMART goals for yourself. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.
• Carve out at least an hour a week where you can work out on your own. It will make you a better mom! If momma ain’t happy, nobody is happy!
• Find ways to work out with your children. Remember you are a role model for them!

With babies

• Get a home yoga mat and do some floor work when your children are playing at home. You can engage your children and be active at the same time.
• Use music – it will help keep your children involved.
• Invest in a good stroller or carrier for younger children.

With Toddlers

• Toddlers get bored in the stroller and when they get out to walk, they want to see every crack in the side walk. Slow down your pace too. Do some squats and bum kicks. Get your toddler to join you in doing dinosaur walks.
• Use an “if and then” with your child. For example, if you ride in the stroller, then we can go to the playground.”
• When your children are napping, do a home circuit workout – do two sets of stairs, ten sit ups, stop to write it down. Then you have a plan for a day you are feeling less creative. You can also bench mark yourself and see yourself make progress.

At the playground

• Slip in your own work out while your children play. Do a squat with each push while pushing your child on the swing.
• At a sand box, use it like a step for step class. Do tricep dips or push ups on park benches. When the kids stop to snack, put down a picnic blanket and do some mat work, like sit ups or plank work.

With Preschoolers

• Preschoolers love games. When you are warmed up, play games like monkey see monkey do, frog hops, or ski jump hops. Play go go go stop with them.
• If at a child’s soccer game, why not go for a powerwalk around the field while you watching?

Questions

Q1 How to deal with peer influence around food as children get older?

A1 Find healthier treats for your children to enjoy. Keep the kids informed about why you choose certain foods. And don’t let your kids watch ads.

Q2 You were talking about low fat – is full fat dairy a problem for my 3 year old?

A2 No not when it is natural fat in milk or yogurt. When I speak about choosing low fat products that is more added fats in processed foods.

Q3 In the UK, many restaurants offer health baby and toddler products. Here I am appalled at the kids offerings and I find I have to bring my own food for my little ones. Have you ever thought about approaching restaurants to partner with them?

A3 Bobo baby is talking to some companies about this. Good for you for bringing healthier choices.

Q4 Where can you buy Bobo Baby products?

A4 Choices, Capers, and some Save on Foods.

Q5 What are some healthy cookie options?

A5 Make your own! There are not a lot of good prepackaged options.

Q6 Callie, are there any fitness classes where you can take both a toddler and a baby.

A6 If the toddler is happy in a stroller, then a double stroller for both children can work well. If the toddler wants to be out and about, it is not safe given there is equipment around at many Fit 4 two classes. For example, take the toddler to a playground and wear them out while feeding your baby, then give them a snack in the stroller while you do your work out.

Q7 Are there daytime prenatal classes?

A7 Right now no, as many of the community centers say we won’t get enough draw. The majority of the women are at the work place during the daytime.