Creating Healthy Eating Habits with Kids

I received a copy of The Pizza Trap and compensation in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own. 

One of the worst realizations I had as a parent, was that I had failed to keep my two oldest children healthy. I had allowed my unhealthy eating and exercise habits to take over their lives. I deceived myself, and kept saying over and over that they were just “big boned” or that one more treat wasn’t going to hurt.

It’s incredibly hard to say that I failed. I decided to share this painful truth, because I know somewhere there is someone like me. Someone that needs help. When I realized what was going on in our life, I had to decide right then and there to put a stop to the way were were living, and live so we could have a beautiful future.

After I had my fourth baby, I decided we all needed a life change.  Although it’s ongoing, we’ve had a lot of success with increasing activity and changing up our eating habits. Here’s a few things we’ve done to help make our family a bit healthier.

My 4 year old Harley in one of her dance costumes. Forgive the dirty hands and face, it was dirty back stage!

• 2 Bite Rule:  My picky eater has to take at least 2 bites of everything I cook.  99% of the time, she likes it and eats.
• Stop offering food as an incentive or reward: No more if you do this you can have a fast food meal.
• The Kitchen closes after dinner: No more late night snacking.  Or hiding it in your room.
• Dance Class: My girls dance in Ballet Folklorico (traditional Mexican dancing). They work hard, but have fun!
• The Gym:  I usually go to the gym at least 4 times a week.  Although it cost a bit more, I got memberships for both my oldest children.  They have a deal to attend at least 2 times a week.
• Once a Week Treat: Once a week they get a special treat, like an ice cream cone.  I’m not going to completely cut out all the junk, because if they get access to it (like a friend’s house) they will binge….I know because I’ve been there!

These are just some of the things we started in my home.  But, I wanted to get better, and I wanted the changes to be permanent.  In the new book The Pizza Trap: Every Mom’s Guide To Breaking Children’s Dangerous Food Addictions, Ending Mealtime Battles And Building Healthy Habits For Life., by Gabrielle H. Welch. You get the education, the understanding and the plan to help your child in creating healthy eating habits.

Junk food is everywhere: at school, at the ball field, at the mall — even at your dinner table. Today, more and more American children are suffering from conditions that were once reserved for adults: obesity, diabetes, coronary artery disease and hypertension. And unhealthy eating the primary cause. It may seem like a battle that can’t be won, but you can get your kids off junk food and set them on a lifelong path to healthy eating and wellness. As a Nutritional Consultant and mother of three, author Gabrielle Welch offers easy, practical and fun ways to educate and empower your kids to eat right. The Pizza Trap is a guide for every parent. Gabrielle’s simple tips will help you experience less mealtime struggles and discover new ways to eat healthy on the go.

One of my favorite things sayings that Gabrielle uses is a quote from Ghandi “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” This can apply to so many things in our lives. I think it’s going to be our new family motto.  As a nutritional consultant, Gabrielle lays out a battle plan starting with understanding what we are feeding our kids and how to see the deception on food labels. She offers wonderful, easy alternatives to some of your kid’s favorite meals. She gives you a step by step plan to help make the changes you need in your child’s life.

The Pizza Trap is exactly the book I need in my family.  One of the scariest moments of my life was hearing that I had to schedule an appointment with an endocrinologist for my oldest daughter.  The Pizza Trap also helped my understand that I am not alone, my family is similar to so many families here in the United States. It also is helping me understand that I can succeed, it won’t be easy but it will be so worth it!

The Pizza Trap is available from Amazon in Kindle and paperback format.

Do your kids fear veggies?