Better Eating Habits

Al, the boys, and I started this new thing last night...eating healthy. My cousin Amy turned me on to this very awesome website called Spark People www.sparkpeople.com. It is similar to weight watchers but its FREE. You can track your food, activity, and weight, and really make some conscious decisions about what you eat and how much you move.

Yesterday was our first full day and it went pretty well. I stayed on track because I am able to sit in front of the computer and track everything I put in my mouth. Al did well because he only has access to the food he takes to work. The real test was when the boys came home. They eat cafeteria food and I wondered how they would handle the new eating plan.

Christian did pretty well; he had an orange juice, chicken flat bread and fries (???) but he stayed under his fat and calories. When Nicholas came home I asked what he had and he said he ate from the healthy line...a French Dip and mashed potatoes. He was shocked at how much fat his French Dip had in it. The day before I had told him to go through the line that offered the balanced meal instead of the lines with just an entree or pizza and this is what he got. Now you know why we have a childhood obesity problem. It isn't just McDonald's, its also the school lunch menu.

None of us met the water goal. Al and I have no excuse but it is really hard for the boys to get water all day. They need to carry water bottles and keep them in their lockers. The best part of the whole day was having the boys track their own food. It was a real eye opener to them. Neither fully understood how much fat and calories were in the food they ate, and they had never really stopped and thought about the things they were putting into their bodies: carbs, fats, proteins, fruits, veggies, etc... (I'm aware, I'm just in denial.) If nothing else, I think everyone will learn a little bit more about food and start making some conscious choices.