Are There Healthy Diets for Kids?
Dealing with childhood obesity? Kids in Balance (KIB) has a simple, nutritious, tasty and proven program of lifestyle change and healthy diets for kids.
First a little discussion on the word "diet". I have actually never liked the word diet— if the meaning used was a quick fix, one-shot approach to deal with excess weight. Any styles of eating that were overly restrictive, or concentrated on foods that didn't have a long history of use (i.e. overly processed, artificially sweetened or artificially low fat foodstuffs), simply did not make sense to me—and were certainly not healthy diets for kids. I had too many parents in my nutritional consulting practise who had tried diets of that type with themselves or, thinking they were healthy diets for kids, with their children, only to discover they or their child didn't feel well on the diet. Or they put any lost weight—and more—back on again once they went back to their regular way of eating.
When I talk about healthy "diets" for kids I mean the whole, natural and quality foods your child is meant to be eating each day; and eating those foods in the volume and proportion that allows for a return to a healthy weight range and overall wellness. Depending upon your child's body type, that means daily intake of:
Healthy diets for kids also means supplying enough food—in the right ratios—for your child to feel comfortably full. Be sure to have a small meal or snack available every 3-4 hours, and ensure the meal or snack contains a nutritionally dense food (i.e. protein and fat such as a roasted chicken thigh or 6-8 almonds), along with a fibre-filled voluminous food (i.e. steamed broccoli or a handful of red pepper strips and a small amount of whole grain or starchier vegetable). It is that combination of nutritional density and volume that helps your child register fullness and minimizes both overeating and the cravings brought on by blood sugar level fluctuations—qualities you are looking for in healthy diets for kids.
If your child is overweight, depending upon her body type, you will want to minimize certain types of foods (i.e. grains and starchy vegetables) or increase certain types of foods (i.e. legumes, healthy meats and non-starchy vegetables) in order to provide the best fuel mix for your child—the fuel mix that allows her to shed excess body fat at a slow and steady rate (i.e. 1-2 pounds/week) and has her feeling energetic, mentally sharp and well-balanced in her moods.
Are there healthy diets for kids? Absolutely! Be wise in your evaluation, avoid fad or artificial-food based programs, get back to real food in healthy proportions, and individualize the game plan based on your child's unique body type. And good luck; you can have health in your home!
If you want extra support and need a Kids in Balance healthy diets for kids kick-start, purchase my Overweight Kids in a Toothpick World book and follow KIB's simple, clearly outlined, 3-Phase approach to a tee. Like many families before you, you'll find the KIB program of lifestyle transition easy, tasty and results-producing.
Looking for additional support to go along with Overweight Kids in a Toothpick World? Purchase Coach, ten weeks of helpful newsletters designed to provide further insight and encouragement for you and your child during each stage of the KIB journey.
You are also welcome to download the free handout, 10 Things You Can Do Right Now to Get Your Kids in Balance or sign up for KIB's free Connect newsletter.
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