Healthy Halloween!!

It’s Halloween Week and that means 3 things; candy, candy & candy! Sweets and treats will be tempting your kids (and you, too!) for weeks to come. As with many things in life, they are best served in moderation. Once your kids are back from their neighborhood prowl, remember that one of the healthiest ways to deal with the candy that comes home is to manage its consumption. To avoid arguments when the temptation of candy is staring them in the face, set up the rules with the kids first, before they head out the door to trick-or-treat. Some good tricks that seem to help:

• Send them out with tummies full of a warm and healthy dinner so they don't come home starved or, worse, end up eating candy along the way.
• Be a sport and allow a little extra on Halloween night.
• Store candy out of sight, such as in a kitchen cupboard that only you can reach.
• Limit candy to one a day at an agreed-upon time, such as with a glass of milk as an after-school snack, or for dessert at dinner.

Are you having a Halloween party this year? If so – here’s a couple of healthy snack ideas:

BooNanas
Slice bananas width wise in half.
Stick a popsicle stick into the flat end lengthwise.
Dip them in orange juice and then into shredded coconut.
Press raisins onto them to make eyes

Black & Orange Dip
Place black bean dip into a bowl.
Cut Orange Bell Peppers into triangle, rectangle and crescent shapes.
Use triangles as eyes and a nose, crescent as a mouth to make a face in the dip.
Arrange Sweet potato chips and orange pepper strips around a large plate with bowl of black bean dip in center.

Remember to have a SAFE Halloween. Escort your kids or know where they are at all times. Lend them your cell phone and keep in touch. Make sure they have reflective costumes and watch for cars. Most of all – make sure you have fun!!

Diana

Hey Everyone!

I hope you had a great weekend. I sure did!

I was running some errands this past Saturday and I saw literally hundreds of people participating in the Breast Cancer Walk. It was very moving to see all those people wearing pink clothes and accessories in support of their cause. There were people standing on their front porches cheering them on and offering them refreshments and support.

This got me thinking. I’d say half of the walkers looked like they were not regular exercise enthusiasts, but there they were, smiling and sweating simultaneously! What had driven them to take part in this day? I am sure they were touched by the disease one way or another and wanted to help raise money for a cure. I see the same thing with “Walk for a Cure”, The MS “Bike-A-Thon”, Leukemia & Lymphoma’s “Team in Training” and so many more.

If this is what it takes to get folks off the couch, then that’s great. They are helping some magnificent causes and are helping themselves in the process. It’s a true “win-win”. If you are looking to inspire your children to create healthy lifestyle habits, then perhaps participating in one of these events is something you can do as a family. Develop a training regimen, which will prepare your family for the event. Discuss the importance of not only exercise, but community as well. Hopefully you will instill in your Children great healthy habits, which will make you look good on the outside and a desire to help others, which will make them feel good on the inside!

Thanks and see you out there!

-Diana

Well it certainly is a wonderful time of the year. It’s baseball playoff season! Here in the Greater Philadelphia Region, we are very excited about our Phightin’ Phillies!

Some of us are even lucky enough to go to a game! How exciting! But you know me. I’m thinking about what people are consuming during the game! So let’s talk about the dangers of stadium food. When I think of baseball food, I think of hot dogs, Cracker Jack, peanuts in shells, Super Pretzels and soda. So let’s break it down.

· A handful of Cracker Jack has 120 calories, 23g carbs, 15g sugar & 2g fat.

· A hot dog (in a bun) has 240 calories, 25g carbs, 2 g sugar and 21g fat.

· A serving (1 cup) of peanuts in their shells has 305 calories, 27g fat, 8g carbs and 2g sugar.

· A Super Pretzel has 160 calories, 1g fat, 34g carbs and 3 g sugar.

· Finally, treat yourself to a 16oz soda and you have 200 calories, 0 fat, 27g sugars and 54g carbs!

So, your day at the ballpark just got you over 1020 calories, 142g carbs, 49g sugars, and 51 grams of fat! (Not to mention the fact that you probably just spent about $45.) Instead of stretching at the 7^th inning, you may want to consider running up and down the stadium stairs a few dozen times!

Save your health and save money by providing healthy snacks for you and your kids when watching the game at home or at the ball park.

Have a great day and GO PHILLIES!!

-Diana

Wow! Can you believe it’s Fall already?! When I think of the fall, I think of The World Series, Football, beautiful foliage and pulling my leather jacket out of storage. I also think curling up in a comfy chair with a blanket and hot chocolate.

The last one – the one on the chair, is the dangerous part! Too much time inside puts you in danger of weight gain. So what can you and your kids do to maintain a healthy lifestyle when you are inside more often? Here’s a few ideas:

1. First you can exercise. Visit our website, www.mykidsbfit.com for some workout ideas.

2. Exercise in front of the TV. Riding a stationary bike or a stretching regimen are great ways to burn calories while watching “The Tube”.

3. Don’t snack your day away! Remember you need to take in fewer calories than you burn per day to maintain a healthy weight.

4. If you do snack, snack well with healthy snacks.

5. Bundle up and take a walk. It’s nice if you have a friend to walk with. I love the sound of crunching leaves under my feet!

6. Speaking of leaves, rake ‘em!! The repetitive motion of raking is a workout! Every 10 minutes or so, switch arms so that you are pulling the leaves with opposite muscle groups. Quicken the pace and you will really work up a sweat!

Once back inside, if you need a snack, here are a few healthy ideas.:

· Air popped popcorn is a good healthy snack – but bland. Spice it up a bit by sprinkling some grated cheese and cayenne pepper on top.

· Frozen yogurt pops are a great treat for kids. Put low-fat yogurt into Dixie cups and cover with plastic wrap. Insert a popsicle stick into the top and place in freezer until solid.

· Fruit kabobs are a fun snack that can be ready for your kids when they get home from school. When they are already made and ready to grab, the kids will eat them and love them!

Talk to you next week!

-Diana