Raising healthy eaters & staying fit in the process

Aug 29, 2017
8 min read

With a husband whose favorite food is pizza, burgers and southern casseroles, a good long-term diet plan in place was a requirement from the moment I said, I do! For his health, mine and if I wanted to raise my kids to be healthy eaters, I had to start planning. I needed a healthy balanced diet as a priority in our lives and the reassurance that I would not be taking away from enjoying life- and, by that, I mean still eat ice cream and other favorites. I believe, it’s worked well so far. My husband has learned to eat- and enjoy- fresh raw and plant base foods, my kids (two girls, 9 and 10) choose vegetables over other foods; and I, feel healthy, lean and proud!

I totally believe that my success in guiding our kids to explore and enjoy healthy foods is grounded on the fact that, as a Colombian, in my childhood I learned to enjoy eating healthy myself. After all, “food culture” is something that starts at home and passes on to the next generation. I love this TED Talk video of Jamie Oliver where he talks about this issue and why it is important to “teach every child about food.”

After some observation and reading (added to 10 years of work in cancer support programs), I decided that through my experiences other mothers and fathers may find their way to raise healthy eaters and stay fit in the process just like I have done. I want to share my successful experiences with women (and men) that believe in a balanced nutrition and lifestyle for their families. So, If you’re interested in guiding your kids to enjoy healthy food, this blog may help you set your own plan in place. I'd like to share ideas to get you started on long term healthy eating routines and habits that can work for your family, and ways to lead your kids into healthy youth and hopefully healthy adulthood.

With all the information available today and all the advertisement on dieting and healthy cooking programs, I have learned that my best approach to my family’s nutrition is our “customized” BALANCE. While I admire women who can commit to diet, neither I nor my family follow a particular diet. I have managed to get rid of my pregnancy weight and stay fit throughout these years by using my goal to raise my kids –and convert my southern husband- to become HEALTHY EATERS and showing them the way to make balanced choices. What has worked for me is adapting and adopting wisely all the information that I find and is worth reading about nutrition, diets and recipes.

As the head of my family’s nutrition, I optimize on the good foods we love -and I know are good-, allow taste exploring and encourage joy for eating well every day. Of course metabolism and DNA have done their part, so I have learned to understand mine and each member of my family’s body response to food (metabolism) without being too scientific and annoying about it. Each body (each person) is different –different triggers, tastes and background- which calls for a constant assessment of where we are in our lives before we take any major steps in nutrition. That's where I started, exploration and assessment!

What’s my theory?

Some people go in and out of diets all their lives without finding long term results for either their health and/or their weight, but feeling miserable while doing it. Some diets may bring your weight down for a couple of weeks, even months, but very few diet programs guide you to a lifetime change in lifestyle. A long term plan will offer you and your family an opportunity to get healthy and stay healthy! Start with a plan that you can do and make it simple so you stay in it, evaluate and adjust to get better each day.

In terms of eating, my extreme is: BALANCE. I’m a part-time working mom and an enthusiastic advocate of balance in life- body and mind. I admire women who decide to go all in on a diet or sign up for an exercise regimen to lose extra weight in 3 months- I can’t even start to try. I have never been able to diet. So, I resort to FINDING BALANCE every day, every week and month- which means that I balance out activities and foods. I pay attention to what we eat, pay attention to what I do and at the end of the day try to make sure to evaluate and adjust for the next day- only adding food that is natural (try the rule of the amount of ingredients, if it has too many it is not natural). Over the years it has become something that comes naturaly and I don't have to think much about any more. Just like a habit, you can create your in 21 days!

Where to start?

Children who can grow to recognize what grows from earth can understand how to eat to be healthy, be happy and to enjoy food- with or without you! The best part is that while you teach them you have to have a balanced nutrition yourself. I keep it simple. What my kids don’t find in my kitchen, they can’t eat. So, my secret formula for a first assessment of metabolisms and preferences is: take a look at your pantry!

Children, pre-teens and teenagers most of all, confront peer pressure for dieting every day- and so do moms. I worry that we’re pounding on our kids about what they eat and they don’t even know what kind of alternative food there is to eat. Then, you find young boys and girls struggling with bulimia and anorexia to top it all with bullying. I started this healthy eating idea so that my girls learn to appreciate balanced diets and learn there are so many alternatives to sugar, saturated fat and junk food. Also through learning to balance their own diets and understand nutrition, they can make informed decisions to stay away from enrolling in the next frantic diet trend, or even more sad, that they forget the joy, the beauty and the pleasure that food offers by simply eating healthy diets.

Is this what you’re looking for you and your kids?

Stick to goals and motivators. Most of us look for motivators when it comes to staying healthy- kids do too. Do you know what drives your, and your family's, lifestyle and diet habits? For me, is my 8 and 10-year-old girls -and of course, my hope to stay healthy so that when I retire I can live an active life. At their age, my girls genuinely show me that they enjoy eating greens and fruits, which fills me up with pride. One of them even enjoys odd textures and foods -like escargot. The other doesn’t like chocolate- just like mom. I can’t say it’s been easy or I’ve had immediate results, nor will I say they both eat everything- they’re kids after all! They are totally different in their tastes, but their common denominator is that they –on their own will- already choose healthy over not healthy.

Most of the time because they want to and not because mom said! Most importantly, I can already tell how they’re building their own tastes and becoming conscientious healthy eaters and finding their own motivators. But, I’ll tell you one thing I noticed. Kids follow their mom and dad to some extent and as you change your diet, your food vocabulary, your understanding of balance and eating habits, they will learn to model their OWN healthy habits.

Ready for a balanced healthy family lifestyle?

It’s not just genetics!

My own eating choices of food at home have had a lot to do with my daughter’s healthy habits today and in shaping their own quest to find their healthy choices. The same has worked in reverse for me: I eat healthy, therefore they do / They eat healthy and so do I. In other words, if they don’t eat pizza, I don’t end up eating the scraps of pizza! Eating their healthy leftovers is keeping me thin and healthy.

My kids still love their treats! They have left their taste for cheap pizza, but they like cookies and ice cream- the one that has 3 ingredients. My daughter’s own signature Tarte Tatin- not just a pie, it’s a healthy pie (less sugar and less crust!)

I follow their taste buds! As the learn to cook in the kitchen they learn what is best for them.

I hear their conversations about their choices and preferences, and I follow their taste changes to continue in my crusade as an advocate for balance through healthy eating and cooking. As they build an appreciation and respect for all foods, I encourage them to explore their own healthy favorites through cooking simple recipes- with me or on their own. I also guide them to learn the joy in different flavors and textures by playing as judges of my cooking. I often tell them: “You know, your tastes changes over time…just be ready for when the change comes and try new things.”

Find your own routine!

When I post proud pictures on social media of my kids eating greens – ok, not just eating but LOVING something like spinach soup- I was getting comments like: “my kids won’t even get close” “you’re lucky, your kids will eat that”. So, I started to ask myself the same question, why do my kids like those things? I started to build on my fun “green” recipes to help them become little healthy eaters and be curious to seek healthy/balanced diets. Then, I factored the time issue- I work part time now, but used to have a full time job. Working or not “there’s never the time”.

I started to observe what kids get in their lunch boxes at field trips and in the school cafeteria- you know to get ideas! - What I found out is that, most boxes are packed with what’s easiest – pretzels, chips cheese and, these days, granola bars. I do it too, I’m not trying to be super mom here! But little by little I’ve been able to find BALANCE in what I send because I made my family nutrition a priority. I do have to say that I only have two kids, but I have seen moms sending healthy lunches to 5 kids in the morning!

You must find your own routine, but most importantly you have to make your family nutrition a priority first. I had to make some changes and apply some good habits I’ve learned to organize my day if nutrition was to be one of my priorities. I wake up early, make up my daily goals/intentions and then cook for 30 min- I just like that time for myself and I truly enjoy it. I started sending only 2 days of meals a week, then my kids pushed for 3 and 4 days- I would give myself Friday off. Now, they don’t even want the pizza on Fridays and, despite their friends’ comments, they request spinach soup, salads and many healthier home-made food creations in their lunchboxes and at home. Today, the early morning with my coffee and easy cooking recipes have become another moment for reflection and joy.

Hey, this worked for me because I’m a morning person, but other moms rather zip wine while packing lunches at night. That can work too!

OK, what are my next tips and secrets?

Without noticing, I have created my own “principals” for a long term healthy eater –I don’t have the 3 week program in case you’re still wondering. So in my following blogs, I will explain why I believe in the following ideas, which I live by and you can adapt and adopt to your family. Yo can learn how they can help you raise healthy eaters while you can stay fit in the process. Stay tuned.

Making a full assessment to build your healthy family plan – Observe, investigate, document!
Find your balance- it’s common sense, not only calories
Manage preferences- textures and flavors are important
You have the control to your pantry- you are the head of nutrition at home!
Teach Kids to cook -use your kitchen as a science lab!
Build a taste for good things – you’ll see results over time
Your taste changes -prepare for it!
Simple recipes + key ingredients = healthy nutrition
Take the best of all that you hear and enjoy food, don’t just eat!
Stay fit, make nutrition and exercise a family joy