Cascadian Farm Organic Goodness

After a tough session at the gym, do you grab an energy bar?  Upon finishing soccer practice, do you hand your son or daughter a neon-colored sports beverage?  If so, it may be time to rethink your post-workout nutrition plan.  The fancy marketing strategies of sports food companies lead us to believe that we need expensive, special product.  Fortunately, the truth is that simple, whole foods are both cheaper, better for us and refuel us as well as fancy sports bars, powders and drinks.

While I’m not a sports nutritionist, I have been fortunate to be able to work with some of the best in the field.  Except for under certain conditions (i.e. after racing or in extreme heat), I have never had a nutritionist advocate refueling with sports bars or drinks.  Real food is always best.  The nutrition principles that I have been given are straightforward and simple.  When I come into the kitchen sweaty, hungry and eager to assemble a snack, I’m grateful that I haven’t received tons of complicated advice to try to remember!

The rules of post-workout nutrition that I’ve picked up are as follows:

1)  Try to eat within 30 minutes of your workout. 

2)  Drink plenty of water.  If the conditions are hot, a few sprinkles of table salt might be needed to replace electrolytes.

3)  If plain water seems unappetizing, try a glass of dilute juice.  Be aware of your liquid calories, however, as they are never as filling as solid food.

4)  Be aware of the calorie content of your snack.  Aim for 100-300 calories, unless the session is particularly long or intense. 

5)  Remember some protein, but don’t go overboard.  Most people assume that you need tons of protein to recover, but you don’t need much!

6)  If the idea of post-session snack is nauseating, try to consume your calories in liquid form, like in a small fruit and yogurt smoothie.

7)  When you have the choice, opt for real food and not a processed sports-specific product. 

Ideas for a post-workout snack:

-a handful of healthy trail mix

-yogurt and fruit

-a small bowl of cereal

-a small smoothie

-1/2 sandwich

-granola bar and an apple

Happy eating!  If you have any suggestions for a good post-workout snack, please let me know.  I’m always interested in new food combinations to try after exercise!

My children are in perpetual motion.

My eight year old son slides down the stairs on his stomach, hits the bottom floor, grabs a ball and begins bouncing if off the walls. My two year old daughter climbs every surface she can find and wiggles off every chair I put her on.

Watching them, reminds me that children are designed to move.

But put on the television, or hand my son a video game, and they come to a complete stop – a dangerously, sedated stop. (I have to admit; sometimes it is a delicious stop for a tired mom!)

This generation of children is facing a new challenge – while life speeds up, our bodies are slowing down. We are sitting still, while technology moves for us.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not hating on technology. As I write this post, I am sitting in Starbucks, connected via Wi-Fi and typing on my laptop. I work online. I love technology. But I know its inherent dangers. And I know I have to work to counteract them.

With physical education programs cut back at schools across the country, homework loads increasing, and the constant temptation of video games, television and computers haunting our children as soon as the school dismissal bell rings, children are losing their natural state of activity and play. They simply aren’t moving enough.

And it isn’t hard to see the results. According to the American Heart Association, one-third of America’s children and teens are overweight or obese, nearly triple the rate in 1963. The increase in childhood obesity is causing a broad range of health problems that previously weren’t seen until adulthood, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and elevated blood cholesterol levels. There are also psychological effects. Obese children are more prone to low self-esteem, negative body image and depression. (www.heart.org)

So what should parents do? The world of computer screens, commuting, and long work days is the new reality. It is life in the 21^st century.

But we can’t give up. If we don’t want our children to be the first generation to have a shorter life span than their parents, we have to help our kids, and ourselves, get moving!

Don’t get overwhelmed though. We can do it -- even if we have to do it in baby steps.

7 Tips to Keep Kids Active

1. “Walk” to School – My son’s school started “Walk to School Wednesday.” Families are encouraged to walk to school and children get recognition in class for doing so. For those of us who live too far to walk, we simply park a few blocks from school and walk. The morning exercise helps get our children’s mind and body ready to face the long school day ahead of them.

2. Sign Them Up! – It drives me crazy that I have to taxi children to organized sports and it definitely is a strain on the family budget, but a regular schedule of after-school sports activities ensures that your children get the much needed physical activity they are missing during their school day.

3. Get a Dog – A dog is an additional member of the family and brings along extra stress and costs. But if a dog fits well in your family, it is a great way to encourage regular physical activity.

4. Family Walks – After dinner is a great time to relax and enjoy some much need family time. Establishing a regular evening walk time with your children will not only improve everyone’s health, but it helps build stronger relationships.

5. Activity Breaks – Most kids want to enjoy video games or TV at some points during the week. Encouraging short activity/exercise breaks during their screen time can refresh their bodies and minds.

6. Get Equipment – Put up a basketball hoop, buy a hockey net, get everyone baseball mitts and then PLAY with your kids!

7. Go Online for Resources – There are countless programs and ideas online to encourage healthier lifestyles. Check out the American Heart Association for tips on activities with kids, weight and stress management, nutrition and more. www.heart.org

Photos by Janice Croze

It is 3pm. I want coffee. Or a nap.

My body is stiff and my mind is tired. My productivity is down and my creativity is fading.

I can reach for the coffee, or, instead, I can get moving!

For those of us who sit at a computer for the majority of our work day, it can be a challenge to stay fit and focused during the long, sedentary hours.

The only way I survive and keep my creativity flowing is to keep moving physically.

Here are 5 Ways to Get Your Body (and your MIND) Moving:

1. Stretch – I love to do yoga stretches throughout my day. I found some great yoga-based office stretches at About.com.

2. Take Breaks and Move – I am often too busy to move from my desk for a second. But I try to force myself to take even a quick “moving” break. If you have to, make an extra trip to the copy machine and jog over!

3. Make Lunch Time, Walk Time – I find walking to be the most invigorating, inspiring activity I can do. Most often, I use it as a time to brainstorm and start writing my next piece or proposal.

4. Work the Stairs – Making time for the gym sometimes isn’t an option for a busy working parent. So if you are working at home or at the office, don’t forget the stairs – the busy mom’s Stairmaster! You can do sets up and down the stairs – it is a mini work out in the middle of your day!

5. Get Your Office Moving – As employers realize that healthy workers save them money, companies are becoming more health conscious. If your office isn’t already a “Fit-Friendly Company” you can find tips at the American Heart Association and the AHA Start! program to help your office become a healthier workplace.

Bonus Tip: Skip the sugar; go for protein! When your energy level drops, reach for some nuts, low fat cheese, or plain, low fat yogurt.