News, Recipes & Workouts — weight
Is The School Lunch Causing Your Child's Weight Problem?
If you’re like me, there aren't enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done. So adding one more thing to your to-do list can send you over the edge. However, I have some information that might just motivate you to start packing your child's lunch every day.
Shockingly, most school lunches altogether lack nutritional value. Processed chicken nuggets, pizza and cookies for dessert are the norm. It’s also the reason our children are growing more overweight by the second. If they serve vegetables (most schools do not because kids throw them away), chances are it’s a tiny portion of frozen peas that are salted to preserve them and lack flavor.
The fact is that most school lunches are downright unhealthy, not appetizing, and expensive compared to the simple, delicious lunches you can make yourself at home. Your kids might even eat them if they are involved in the decision-making process.
School lunches rightfully get a lot of attention. Positive nutritional steps are beginning to be set into motion, but the truth is we still have a lot of room for growth. It’s still, and will always be better if you save money and make the lunches at home. You have better control over your child’s balanced diet this way, and you’ll be improving his or her health while assisting in the weight loss process should your child be overweight.
One of my big tricks is to have a "big cook night" where you make large portions of everything so you can pack the leftovers in reusable containers for lunch. I like to do this on Sundays after I’ve gone grocery shopping. I invite my kids to help me. This working together is good, not only for the diet it's also a good time to stay close and reconnect with your kids. Almost always, if your child takes part, he or she will gladly eat what they pack for lunch. Don’t forget the "I love you" notes or "I’m so proud of you." We all need to hear more of that.
I can hear the moaning now — it takes too much time. But, it takes less to do this than it does to visit the doctor when your child is sick or to deal with issues caused from being overweight — saving you both time and money. Most of all, your child will be happier, not just healthier.
DID YOU KNOW THAT children who are overweight are more likely to be bullied at school?
School lunch rescue recipes can be the remedy for your overweight child. Your kids will inevitably still be eating lots of sandwiches, wraps, and not so healthy carbs. That’s ok—it’s all about balance. You can make any meal much healthier by swapping out the heavily processed and potential allergy-triggering wheat bread and carbs for some creative options instead. Don’t forget most kids (grown ups too) prefer to eat with their hands making these foods fun alternatives that are good for us.
Here are some simple solutions to your kid’s school lunch issues:
Turkey "Not" Wraps: Simply use turkey as your wrap instead of bread. Pack/stuff it with ½ cup of shredded vegetables such as carrots and lettuces. Top it with a delicious and healthy gluten-free honey mustard and add a side of peanut butter balls (see The Metabolism Solution for the recipe). You’ll have a lunch that your kids could sell it's so delicious. It's exceptionally nutritious too. It’s high-protein, full of good for you carbs that won't jack up blood sugar levels. It contains healthy good-for-you fats to help keep them full. It also boosts brain power and sustains energy levels that help them focus.
Does it get any better knowing your child eats what he or she loves, and it’s good for them? Moms, you should eat this too and don’t forget to pack dad's lunch too if he is struggling with his weight. Heck, even the dog can eat it’s so healthy. Top it off with an apple and bottle of water and it’s a lunch suitable for a king or queen. If your child needs to gain weight, add a homemade smoothie for extra protein without all of the sugar and food dyes.
Blueberry Smoothie Bomb (big trend for teens):
2 scoops of Vanilla Complete Protein Powder
Coconut water or milk
½ cup of berries or fruit (mango is in)
*This is less expensive and much better for your child. In fact, it can even be a lunch on its own.
For more information on keeping your child healthy:
LynFit Lean Teens
The Metabolism Solution by Lisa Lynn
Expert Tips On Avoiding The “Female 15” — The Best Way To Avoid Lifelong Weight Issues
College weight gain can be the beginning of continuous weight struggles that continue throughout a lifetime. This is a time of life where males and females, whether they go to college or not, can begin to gain weight at a rapid pace, unless you interrupt this weight gain cycle with new healthy habits. Stress is a huge factor when it comes to college weight gain.
USA Today reported that 76 percent of female students and 33 percent of males said they eat when under stress. To make things worse, the female metabolism begins to decline between the ages of 17–19 and continues throughout their lifetime, making it easier for women to gain weight and almost impossible to lose.
Often, they have gained 10 pounds before they notice. This creates another issue: metabolic resistance due to the rapid increase in weight. This flips the weight gain switch on and can last a lifetime due to the metabolic changes that take place.
Did you know that .....- Gaining 10 pounds is enough for you to outgrow your current clothing size
- Most college students walk more than they ever have due to the dorm room to classroom distance, so food is 90 percent to blame, not lack of exercise
- Most people who gain weight in college are less likely to ever lose that weight
Here are three simple, healthy habits that flip the weight gain switch off:
1. Boost energy and metabolism at breakfast with the right kind of smoothie. Not all smoothies are created equal. In fact, most smoothies you buy commercially cause rapid weight gain because they are loaded with sugar as well as other not-so-nutritious ingredients such as soy or vegan sources. These stop weight loss and cause weight gain. Melt more fat by making your own smoothie.
What’s trending now is “The Dorm Room Smoothie”, aka "The Freshman Fat-Loss Bomb." The recipe is as follows (just mix the ingredients together and drink):
- 2 scoops of a high-quality, metabolic boosting whey like Lynfit's Complete Protein
- ½ cup of water
- Shake until it’s blended, or you can leave it lumpy
- Then pour over 1 cup of iced coffee
2. Pass on the campus diet and choose “thermogenic” foods that flip the weight gain switch off and turn on the weight loss switch. Thermogenic foods are leafy green vegetables, white fish, salmon, as well as turkey breast. These foods create a “thermic effect” on your metabolism, causing it to heat up, so you burn more calories.
3. Snack leaner and keep it to 1 snack per day. Before you grab that protein bar or bag of chips from the vending machine, stop and read the label. Here is what you should look for:
- Choose snacks that are under 150 calories
- Contain less than 5 grams of fat
- Contain less than 25 carbs and have little or no sugar
Dial Down Your Diabetes With 3 Simple Steps
Every 5 minutes, 2 people die of diabetes-related causes and 16 adults are newly diagnosed according to Centers for Disease Control 2015 statistics.
You just got back from the doctor, and he told you that you are pre-diabetic. Your blood work didn't look good; your fasting glucose was 110 — which is not diabetic, but not normal either. I'm guessing you have a million questions, and most of them are questions about what you can eat. More importantly, which of your favorite foods (which probably are what brought you to this point) will you have to give up.
The truth is; the "kick pre-diabetes to the curb diet" is a healthy, balanced diet with the elimination, or at a minimum, moderation of simple sugars. It's the way we should all be eating to stay healthy and fit. But with all the conflicting information out there it can be confusing. I'm going to teach you some simple solutions to help you kick pre-diabetes to the curb. The best part is that you will lose weight and melt off belly fat. For most of us, food is our entire world, so giving up our favorite foods is highly unlikely. However, it's important to understand how your food choices affect your blood sugar levels and how lowering them is much easier than you think.
Prevention is the cure. Diabetes can cause complications such as heart disease, eye disease, and kidney disease. A little prevention is worth it and is much easier than you think.
I dare you to take the 7 Day Lower Your Blood Sugar (pre-diabetic) Challenge. The Challenge will not only help you lose weight, but it will also help to prevent diabetes and melt off belly fat. You will have more energy all day and won't be cranky all the time.
Here are Three Simple Steps to help you lose weight and lower blood sugar levels while enjoying some of your favorite foods. Try to follow these simple steps for seven days straight while monitoring your blood sugar levels so you can see your progress. Do your best and focus on progress, not perfection. If you slip up, get right back on track at your next meal. Lowering your blood sugar is that simple.
SIMPLE STEP #1: Prevent blood sugar spikes with this high protein breakfast
Cinnamon Smoothie
Simply combine the following items in a blender or shaker cup and drink up.
2 scoops of Complete Protein Vanilla Whey
½ cup of water or black coffee
1 serving of Sunfiber
5 ice cubes
1 tsp of cinnamon (cinnamon helps lower blood sugar levels)
SIMPLE STEP #2: Snack smart to lower blood sugar
- Oil palms grow for 30 years.
- Fruit is harvested every 3 months.
- They are non-GMO.
- No chemical processing required to produce the oil. It’s simply squeezed out. This is always best for our bodies
Pour 1 tbsp. of Malaysian palm oil into a heavy-bottom, medium-large pot. Cover the bottom of the pot with ½ cup of popcorn kernels. Spread in a thin layer (if the kernels are too crowded, not all of them will pop). Cover the pot and heat on medium, shaking the pot every minute or so until all the kernels have popped. Take care not to cook too long, which could scorch the popped kernels. Sprinkle the popcorn with any of the following:
- ¼ tsp of No Salt
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp Allspice or cinnamon or 1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
SIMPLE SOLUTION #3: Do this trick before you cheat
Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Don't forget your 1-2-3 punch to lower blood sugar and kick your diabetes to the curb.
Everyone has individual needs. Work with your doctor or a dietician if you need help. They can help you decide how to balance the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in your diet. Here are some general guidelines: The amount of each type of food depends on:
- Your diet
- Your weight
- How often you exercise
- Your other health risks
