It is appropriate to begin this Top 10 series with the activity that we do most of and spend a lot of time planning and thinking about ... eating and our diet. What, when, where, and why are all important elements of our diet and how it affects our weight.
Here are some general age-specific tips:
Prenatal: It all starts in momma's belly-- likes, dislikes, and preferences are formed at this very early stage. Believe it or not, research has shown that children whose mothers who eat a variety of fruits and vegetables in their diet while pregnant are more likely to prefer them as well (and you will see come toddler hood how important these preferences are!). And when it comes to obesity prevention, it is important that the mom-to-be avoids more than the recommended weight gain and gestational diabetes, continues to be active and do the allowable exercise, and maintain a healthy diet herself.
Newborn: Hands down the absolutely best food for a newborn (without any major medical complications) is breast milk. It is strongly recommended and encouraged by organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, my training zone and La Leche League who provide support and resources to all mothers whose is desire to provide this complete meal for their baby. Breastfeeding may certainly be more or less challenging for some than for others but the benefits for the baby have been shown to be irreplaceable. Let me just name a few... stronger immune system leads to less infections, seems to be protective against developing allergies, asthma, eczema, diabetes, and interestingly enough has been shown to decrease the incidence of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and obesity. However, do not distress if your baby does not receive breast milk. Thanks to the advances in nutrition today there are excellent formulas out on the market and if this is the route in which you and your baby are headed, you and your baby's doctor can decide which is the best. Know that there are plenty of formula-fed babies and children who are strong. healthy and not obese.
Toddler and School Age: The main point to remember in these more-than-challenging-at-times phases is to not stress. Babies and children are amazingly able to self-regulate the amount of food that they eat. Unlike adults and older children, they eat simply only because they are hungry, not to satisfy a need or due to stress or boredom. So, be aware of their cues and respect them. It is important to provide them with a lot of variety of health foods and when they indicate that they are full, allow them to finish-- do not insist that they eat all on their plate. Mix veggies and fruits together or in with their cereal of other favorite foods such as mac-n-cheese (goal is at least 3 veggies and 2 fruits per day). Make feeding times fun. Allow them to play with a favorite toy while they eat or you feed them (sticker books, small cars or dolls, etc). Cut food into different shapes and sizes. Use toothpicks instead of fork or spoon (supervised). In diar moments you may need to put on a video or TV but try to not do this often as they will, of course, learn to love to eat in front of the TV and this is a hard habit to break.
Adolescents and Teens: They are older now, eat at home less often, and you have much less control than you used to regarding their food choices. Make it a priority to eat together as a family -- not only does this lead to less hurried eating or overeating, but also promotes vital communication during this fragile time. Eating in front of the TV is common and can lead to overeating. Encourage your preteen or teen to remove from the packaging a proper portion for their age and to put away the rest. Have easy-to-grab fruits and veggies already chopped or washed and ready to eat for snacks. Low fat dairy (milk, yogurt, and cheese) are important not only for bone growth but brain, eye and nervous system development in general. Introduce them to fun educational websites suchwww.coolfoodplanet.org and www.healthyfridge.org. And, yes, certainly give them some independence in making their own food choices while gently providing your input and, yes, you must be an example yourself -- in this age group, if you don't walk the talk, your suggestions will fall on deaf ears.
For more info: National Breastfeeding Awareness Month 2009
Picture by Ekaterina Shvigert, PhotoXpress
1 comment:
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