Encouraging healthy choices -support thread

[quirkycooking]

Well done, Meagan!!  I feel dreadful today - bad hayfever turning into a cold   I feel the need for lots of raw fruit and veges and juices!  Made chicken soup for lunch, and had a grapefruit for morning tea - better go make a juice for afternoon tea!

[dyljon]

I'm trying really hard to get my boys (5 and nearly 3) to stop wanting so many processed bars (milo bars, lcms, etc.) so have started making them myself since getting tmx. Trouble is, the won't eat anything homemade. And they can tell - I've even tried making them when they are not home and putting them in commercial packaging, but the 5 yo still says "no, you made this - I don't like it." Charming hey! I think they are so addicted to the crap I used to let them eat that they will not eat the home made stuff.

[Meagan]

I am lucky in the sense my boys are little and have only ever had homemade stuff at our house. I guess if it isn't in the pantry they won't eat it. Easier said than done I am sure. Have you sat down and talked to them/ explained why you want to make the changes? Ie health additives preservatives cost behavior etc.
Maybe the transition needs to be gradual. So one bar every 2 or 3 days with homemade on offer on the other days. Have you tried involving them in the making?
I hope it changes for you. Kids can be so harsh sometimes.
I know the healthy kids talk I went to said it takes kids two weeks to reprogram ie sweet yoghurt to natural etc.

[KerrynN]

While we have never really had a lot of snack foods in the house (as my DH has NO willpower) my kids certainly love them. I'm lucky in that they will eat (or at least taste) anything that has chocolate in it so I don't have so much trouble with the homemade versus bought. However my elder son (9) will say he likes something the first time then refuse to eat it again - very frustrating. He is becoming a lot fussier too.  I need to try out some muesli bars before school goes back though.

As for exercise, my kids are a bit hit and miss. My eldest hates the idea of going out most of the time (eg. walking the dog) but then usually enjoys himself, despite his very best efforts to stay grumpy and unhappy. The younger (6 next week) is usually quite happy to get out and about and often asks "can we walk there" which is great but he has no sense of distance so will ask this when visiting my Mum over 30km away.

We did go on a bike ride with our Cub Scout pack yesterday though. From Yarra Junction to Warbuton (about 18kms return) and it is a great ride. Elder DS did it on his own bike with no gears and I was really proud of him. Younger went on his own bike attached to the back of mine with a Trailgater, so I was exhausted by the end. The thing I was most proud of though was our dinner last night wasn't take away! We stopped on the way home and bought enough groceries just to make dinner.

Went for another walk/ride today with the kids too. Mind you this kind of walk isn't really exerising other than being more movement than if I didn't go. As you say though Megan, you have to start somewhere and we do what we can within the constraints we have.

[Katya]

Exercise always has been - and always will be - my main stumbling block.  We live in Melbourne during the week so I tend to walk most places - but I use the term "walk" loosely.  I start out with good intentions, striding along the street, but then I forget I am meant to be getting some exercise and drop back into my usual 'stroll', which really does me no good at all.  Ah well, I'll keep at it.

Have you thought about timing your walks?   If you are doing the same walks regularly, then you could set yourself goals of trying to do it a bit faster each week - nothing too ambitious mind 

[Caroline J]

My top tips- no eating after 8pm, period!  That's when a lot of the bad stuff gets consumed, or eating for reasons other than hunger.  I also have been getting up at 5.50am and going for 6am walks with friends.  We chat, we don't notice the workout.  Plus, we are home before the husbands or kids even wake up   Exercise done for the day.  Oh, and I also find I eat better during the day as I don't want to "waste" the early morning walk

[hools003]

I'm trying really hard to get my boys (5 and nearly 3) to stop wanting so many processed bars (milo bars, lcms, etc.) so have started making them myself since getting tmx. Trouble is, the won't eat anything homemade. And they can tell - I've even tried making them when they are not home and putting them in commercial packaging, but the 5 yo still says "no, you made this - I don't like it." Charming hey! I think they are so addicted to the crap I used to let them eat that they will not eat the home made stuff.

My kids always had easy to get snack foods in the cupboard too, but I just said to them that I'm not buying it anymore and I'm making homemade things. They are 6,11 & 13 and I explained to them why, now they are snacking on fruit, bircher muesli, or make themselves a sandwich. Occasionally they will winge but if I don't buy it, they can't eat it. Normally they want lollies or something bad for them when we go shopping and today my 6 yr old begged me to buy him a small tub of yoghurt that he could eat in the car on the way home!!! Now that's progress!!!

[Cuilidh]

Exercise always has been - and always will be - my main stumbling block.  We live in Melbourne during the week so I tend to walk most places - but I use the term "walk" loosely.  I start out with good intentions, striding along the street, but then I forget I am meant to be getting some exercise and drop back into my usual 'stroll', which really does me no good at all.  Ah well, I'll keep at it.

Have you thought about timing your walks?   If you are doing the same walks regularly, then you could set yourself goals of trying to do it a bit faster each week - nothing too ambitious mind 

That's a brilliant idea, Katya, thanks, I'll give it a go.  I bought a pedometer a while ago, but it was so complicated to use I gave up on it but I think it has a 'stopwatch' on it somewhere so perhaps I'll drag it and the instruction book out again and see how it goes.

[Meagan]

Bike riding again this morning with ds4  feel great, bottom not faring so well  cada with berries and yoghurt again this morning. I think I have made a huge mental shift  pretty happy about that. I am feeling really dedicated to change. Have a great day everyone 

[quirkycooking]

I'm trying to have more raw foods and salads - having a raw soup for lunch today (with lots of garlic to chase off any bugs!) with gluten free pizza bianca - yum! Not doing so well with the excercise though... I should do some when my dh does his - he even bought two total gyms so we could use them together! He does gym and exercises every day - but I always seem to be cooking when he's exercising in the evening.    He bought me a fit ball the other day, and now he's ordered me a book of exercises for it... so I'd better do some!

[KarenH]

I agree that kids can be so difficult somtimes!  I posted a request on here for alternatives commercial breakfast cereals, and got a heap of wonderful ideas from people, and DH and myself and our 18 month old are loving them .......... but stubborn Mr nearly-4 refuses to eat anything except his weetbix.  I have tried sneaking bits of CADA or raw fruit cereal into his weetbix, hoping to slowly increase the amount he eats ...... but even just the tiniest amout of anything else, and he flatly refuses to eat breakfast at all 

But one victory ..... we have been using star charts for certain behaviours, using a choc frog as a reward for getting 5 stars ...... the other day DS asked for a choc ball (quirkyjo's raw cacao treat ball) instead of his choc frog!! YAY!!      small steps .......

[KerrynN]

Can someone tell me what the CADA breakfast is please?

I have been having a variation on Cyndi O's oats. Her recipe was way too sweet for me, so I am trying some alternatives. Last two days was a blized whole apple with oats, chia and water. It was OK but I did add a little sugar the first day, while today I added some strawberries from the garden and some frozen blueberries. I may add the berries in to cook next time.

We also did another cycle ride today, not too far though, only to friends but it was better than taking the car. DS9 went his own way home and took much longer than expected, was just starting to get worried. Then when he did get home he asked if he could go for a ride on his own around his school. this is progress! I wish though that it was way back when I was a kid and our parents didn't bat an eyelid at kids riding bikes around the streets. I did let him go around the block a few times by himself though and will discuss the foray to school with DH. It seems that the extra independence and trust has invigorated him.

[judydawn]

Kerryn, here's the CADA thread

http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=1119.0

[CreamPuff63]

It seems that the extra independence and trust has invigorated him.

Exactly right! Parents nowadays stifle their kids, every thing they do is supervised and its not good for childrens development.

[Meagan]

Coffee after breakfast Sushi for lunch a peach for a snack homemade pizza for dinner and a small bowl of frozen choc custard. not too bad for food intake except the dinner side of things. Overall happy with my day.