Want to Lose a Few Pounds? Feed Your Kids Healthier Foods

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It is hard to be a mom on the go and busy with kids all the time. You struggle to find time to exercise and make healthy eating choices. It is not always easy to turn away from that glass of wine after an exhausting day or say no to the chocolate dessert that makes your mouth water as you think about it. But there is something that you can do for you and do for your family that might just help you lose a pound or two.

There are many days when I am so busy running my kids to school and practice that I don’t always take the time to eat like I should. It is hard to plan ahead. Planning ahead requires buying healthy snacks, having them ready to eat, and taking the time to pack them so they are in the car when you need them. It is time consuming but take the time to do it. It is beneficial for everyone and significantly better than the fast food alternative.

I was recently on a vacation where it wasn’t always possible to have the normal healthy snacks that I consume on a normal day. Do you know what happened? Without realizing it, I was eating the food that my kids ordered but didn’t finish. Things that I don’t order for myself like fries, cheese sticks, chicken fingers. So why did I find myself eating the kind of fried foods that I usually avoid? When you spend money on food, you don’t want to see your money wasted. I was finding the same thing when it came to grocery shopping.

Do I feel like a mean mom when I don’t buy the Froot Loops? I used to. Which is why I would let the kids talk me into buying them and weeks later my husband and I would be trying to finish the box. So now, my answer is “no, too much sugar for breakfast.” Too much sugar for anytime really. Not that there are not snacks around our house but I make it an effort to stock the fridge with fresh fruits and vegetables and supply better choices. If I don’t want to have a type of food around so I won’t be tempted to eat it, then chances are, it is not good for my kids either. Not only am I providing better choices but I am also teaching healthy eating habits.

My husband and I joke that we feel like we always finish what is left on our kids’ plates. That might not change but at least the food that we buy can be healthier for everyone.

Edited by Alison Stanton

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