Healthy Snack Ides for Kids

As we work on our health goals as adults we need to make sure our kids are also making healthy choices too. Here is a list of good healthy snack ideas for kids and adults!

• Apple slices with peanut butter
• Carrot sticks with ranch
• Grapes and cheddar cheese
• Sliced turkey on wheat bread
• Snack mix made with raisins, nuts, and whole wheat cereal
• Whole grain tortilla or bagel with low-fat cheese or cream cheese
• Bean burrito on a whole-wheat tortilla
• Cut-up fruit or easily portable whole fruit, such as apples, oranges or clementines
• Whole grain cereal, dry or with milk
• Low-fat yogurt with fresh berries
• Frozen bananas with peanut butter
• Strawberries plain or put with some vanilla yogurt

Do you keep a Fitnees Journal?

Why is an exercise journal so important?
In today's lives it is so easy to forget what we do from day to day, much less from week to week. Having a fitness journal allows us to review where we were in the past and to develop a plan where we would like to be in the future. It can also help to determine why some days are harder/easier then others.
Your journal doesn't have to be anything too elaborate! A spiral notebook or some paper stapled together would work great.

Listed Below are things you should include in your journal:

• Type of activity performed- carido, strength training, yoga, etc.
• Time spent exercising
• How you felt during your exercise- were you tired before you started? Did you cut your time short due to fatigue? Did you feel energized?
• Sleep patterns- Many times the first sign of over training is a disturbance in your sleep pattern. If you begin to experience a change in your sleep habits, you may need to allow a few days off to allow for recovery.
• Refueling- If you exercised an hour or more did you eat/drink to refuel your glycogen stores after your workout.
• Weather Conditions- If you exercise outside, include the weather conditions.
• Strength Training- Make sure you update your training routines regularly.
• Mileage- Runners should keep track of their daily and weekly mileage.
• Injury- Documenting an injury will allow you to see how quickly you recover or to know if you need to see a Doctor for an issue that is not resolving.

Not only is a journal another motivator, but many times it can help pinpoint any issues that may arise. Keep a log, while tedious for some, is just another tool to help many people stay accountable!

Little Chef Salad Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 8 lettuce leaves
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into matchsticks
• 1 to 2 cups shredded carrots
• 6 ounces deli-sliced turkey breast, cut into matchsticks
• 6 ounces deli-sliced ham, cut into matchsticks
• 4 (1 ounces each) slices cheese, cut into matchsticks
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
• 2 hard-cooked egg whites, chopped
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c low-fat dressing of your choice.

Directions:

• Rinse lettuce under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place lettuce on a clean surface.
• Top each lettuce leaf evenly with cucumber, carrot, turkey, ham and cheese. Sprinkle with tomato, egg and onion. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Nutrition information per serving:

• Calories: 275
• Carbohydrate: 17g
• Cholesterol: 40mg
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Fat: 11g
• Protein: 19g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Sodium: 950 mg

Recipe from Hy-vee.com

11 Things Children can Teach you about Healthy Living:

Everything you need to know about fitness and nutrition you can learn from watch kids.

1. Everything can be a game. Make up rules, shoot for personal records, and regain your competitive spirit.
2. Don't walk when you can run. Everyday is full of opportunities to increase your fitness. The rule is closely related to "don't drive when you can walk".
3. If you don't like it, don't eat it. Chances are, your eating habits won't stick around long if you hate what you're eating. Healthy eating involves balance and moderation.
4. Laughter feels good. Kids seem to inherently know that laughter can ease blood pressure, help your brain function, give you energy, and help you reach your goals.
5. Playtime is important. We get so caught up in work, and "have-to's" that we forget to take time for ourselves. Not only does relaxing make life worthwhile, it has real health benefits.
6. The world should be full of color-- especially on your dinner plate! Splash it with as many colors as possible, paint it like a rainbow with food.
7. It's always more fun with friends around. Children ten to gravitate toward other children. It gives them spirit and makes them want to play all day. Working out with other people is almost like having a playgroup.
8. Adventures are found outside, not inside. Every kid knows that the good stuff is the great outdoors-- fresh air, wide open spaces, limitless possibilities.
9. It's important to use your imagination. Give yourself permission to believe in your own super powers and let your mind take you wherever it wants to go.
10. Anything is possible. No fear, no self-doubts, no negative self talk, no self-criticism, no worries, no destructive anxieties or thoughts of failure. To a child, he/she can do anything. And they are right!
11. You have your whole life ahead of you. Here's your chance to do it right!