Phil Parham (8 page)

The starting point is to understand why we eat. We eat to fuel our bodies. We don't eat to comfort our emotions, to make us feel better, to fill a void, or to satisfy our cravings. We eat to give our body the fuel it needs to work at an optimal level. I like to say that we eat to live. Every time you sit down to eat a meal or snack, you have to ask yourself whether it will fuel your body or slow it down. This is a mind game you have to conquer and this is something you must teach your kids. If they learn early enough that food is not an emotional crutch, they will be more likely to live by this lifestyle principle as they get older.

Having a nutritious lifestyle doesn't mean you can't ever have some ice cream or a piece of cake. The key is moderation. A slice of pizza every now and then won't compromise your health; just don't make it a habit. We've also learned that when you snack or treat on something, there are also healthier alternatives. We'll talk about some of this later in this chapter.

Think Natural

Good nutrition means choosing foods that are natural, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and lean meats. Natural means that the food is as close to its original state as possible and has not been or is only minimally processed. Your body functions best when it is nourished by natural foods.

Did you know that our bodies are efficient at healing themselves with the right foods? You'll notice the more natural you eat, the less you are sick. Americans are among the sickest people in the world. I believe it comes back to our diet. Too many people in our country eat at fast-food restaurants too often. All that preservative-filled junk is what is sending us to an early grave. It's this simple: Stop eating fast food. Drive past the drive-thru.

Below is a list of basic foods that has helped Amy and me keep the weight off. We feed our children from the basic sources of food below (the breakdown of protein, carbohydrates, and fat will be explained later in this chapter). This preliminary list will also give you an idea of what we mean by eating natural. A more comprehensive shopping list will be discussed in chapter 7 and listed in appendix A.

Protein Source

• eat only lean cuts of meat: chicken, turkey, fish, beef (sirloin or round cuts), lamb

• turkey (sausage, ground, whole)

• eggs

• vegetarian choices include firm tofu, tempeh, cooked lentils, kidney beans, lima beans, black beans, chickpeas

Carb Sources

• oatmeal (not instant)

• fruit

• vegetables, vegetables, vegetables

• brown rice

• whole grains

Fat Sources

• olive oil (the best to use for cooking; use cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil)

• safflower oil

• coconut oil (great for high-heat cooking)

• almond oil

• avocado

How Much Should We Eat?

There is so much different information about how much and what kids need to eat at a particular age. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new Food Pyramid, the five main food groups that your child's meals and snacks should come from are:

• Grains—any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain. Eat whole grains such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal.

• Vegetables—any vegetable or 100-percent vegetable juice.

• Fruits—any fruit or 100-percent fruit juice.

• Milk—all fluid milk products and many foods made from milk, such as cheese and butter.

• Meat and Beans—all foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of this group.

The chart on the following two pages specifies the amounts your child will need at different ages to maintain a healthy diet. Keep in mind this recommendation is based on children who get less than 30 minutes per day of moderate physical activity, beyond normal daily activities. Kids who are more physically active may be able to eat more.

(To get a better grasp on how much you need to eat as an adult, refer to our first book,
The 90-Day Fitness Challenge,
for more information.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drink Your Water

Water is a vital component of good health because much of our bodies consist of it. If we don't drink enough, we become dehydrated and can get a whole slew of health problems. Here are a few of the reasons you and your family should be drinking more water:

• Keeps your energy up

• Keeps your weight down

• Removes waste and eliminates toxins

• Helps carry nutrients and oxygen to cells

• Cushions joints

• Helps body absorb nutrients

• Hydrates skin and hair

• Regulates body temperature

How much water is enough? Adults need to drink half their body's weight in ounces of water each day. So if you weigh 200 pounds, you should be drinking 100 ounces of water. For children, there isn't any magic number. Most experts suggest 6–8 ounces of water and more than that if they are playing or exercising hard.

Drinking water is a challenge for many kids because they prefer soda or other sugary drinks instead. (We'll talk more about the dangers of soda later in this chapter.) When Amy and I got back from the ranch, we got rid of all the soda in the house; now the only beverages we regularly stock are water and milk. We occasionally allow some fruit drinks such as apple, orange, or grape, but we make sure the sugar content is low or that it is 100-percent juice (no added sugar). We often tell our kids to drink equal parts fruit juice and water to cut down on the sugar content.

When we eliminated soda from our house, our boys complained like you wouldn't believe. Amy and I jokingly refer to our “soda ban” as ripping off a Band-Aid. One day the soda was just not available to our kids, and they couldn't do a thing about it. It took several months for them to quit whining about not being able to drink soda, but finally they developed a taste for water. After a year, they started using such words as
dehydration
and saying they needed more water.

Bring on the Fiber

Fiber is a nutrient we don't often talk about but is wildly important to our bodies. Fiber refers to carbohydrates that cannot be digested. It's present in all plants that are eaten for food, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.

Fiber benefits us in several ways:

• Curbs overeating because it fills us up.

• Steadies blood-sugar levels.

• Slows down fat absorption.

• Reduces cholesterol.

• Promotes bowel regularity.

Keep in mind that not all fiber is the same. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble, and they affect your body in different ways. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the intestine and slows the rate of glucose digestion and absorption in the bloodstream. Insoluble fiber adds bulk and softness to your stool and aids elimination.

The best sources of soluble fiber are:

• oat bran

• kidney beans

• lentils

• sweet potatoes

• oranges

• broccoli

• pears

• apples

• barley

• peas

The best sources of insoluble fiber are:

• wheat bran

• legumes

• skin of fruit

• seeds and nuts, such as sunflower seeds, soybean nuts, almonds

Most experts recommend that children and adults consume at least 20 grams of dietary fiber (a mix of the two types) per day from food, not supplements. Unfortunately, most Americans don't consume that much. Incorporating more fiber into your diet is not that hard to do. Remember, think natural. The more natural you eat, the more fiber you will get. So just say no to processed foods and say yes to natural foods!

Balance Macronutrients

The three major macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. Many fad diets teach you to take one of these three out to trick your body into losing weight. You have to realize that your body needs them all.

Protein is the building block of muscle. Carbohydrates give us energy and are our greatest source of fuel. Fat helps burn stored body fat, gives us energy, and surrounds and protects our tissue and vital organs. It also regulates our body temperature and hormone production. Fat is beneficial in appropriate quantities (not more than 25 percent from your daily calories); too much or too little can be harmful.

Our nutrition coach, Dr. Rick Katouff, gives us this formula for incorporating the correct balance of macronutrients into our daily diet. This is especially helpful when preparing meals:

• 40–55 percent carbohydrates

• 20–30 percent protein

• 20–30 percent fat

When Amy started balancing her meals this way, she stopped having sugar cravings in the middle of the night. I believe eating with this correct proportion aligned her hormones the right way. When you eat with this macronutrient balance, you will notice several things. You will have more energy, fewer mood swings, and fewer afternoon crashes. Your kids will notice the same thing. So focus on having snacks and meals that are properly balanced with good complex carbohydrates and lean protein with a small amount of healthy fat.

We also recommend eating four or five smaller meals throughout the day instead of three large meals. Eating small, healthy snacks and meals gets your metabolism moving, keeps your energy up, and keeps your hunger at bay. You never want to sit down to a meal when you are famished because you will tend to overeat.

Watch Your Portion Sizes

Let's face it. Our kids have a whole different worldview than ours. It's unfortunate, but today's society teaches that bigger is better. We supersize everything—cars, houses, and meals (especially meals!). In this super-sized life, our food portions have gotten way out of control. People are simply eating too much. When you eat more than you're supposed to, it takes a long time for your body to digest all that extra food. The key is to eat for one, not for two or three.