Tips to Get Your Kids to Eat More Greens

Getting your kids to eat a healthy, well-balance diet is like getting a camel to go through the head of a needle. All they want to do is eat sugar, bread, pasta, and any other form of carbohydrates they can get their hands on. Nothing is wrong with carbohydrates, but a diet rich in carbs and nothing else is a diet that can lead to suboptimal health.

I can only imagine how difficult it may be to get them consistently eating veggies. And I can imagine that it’s far easier to cave and just have them eat something, because something is better than nothing.

But don’t.

Don’t cave, don’t give in. Encouraging your kid to eat a well balanced diet isn’t only going to allow them to have a healthier childhood, but it will also impact the behaviors and habits they have as adults. This is something worth fighting for, and these tips will help you continue to fight for your kid’s health.

TIP #1: THINK LIKE A KID

As adults, we tend to forget that we used to be kids. We used to hate certain foods, especially vegetables. Heck, a lot of us still act like kids when it comes to food. I know I’m guilty of eating a massive bowl of cereal instead of a massive bowl of brussels sprouts because that sugary crunch just sounded better.

In order to get our kids to eat well, we need to think like them.

Kids have an amazing imagination. They can create their own world spontaneously as each new thought crosses their mind. They can put themselves into the eyes of a superhero, an animal, or whatever it may be.

Cater to that.

One of my favorite, mind-blowing tips to give people when they want to get their kids to eat more nutrient dense food is to cater to their role-model or favorite super hero. I don’t know one boy that doesn’t like the hulk. I also don’t know one boy that doesn’t like pancakes. But most of them hate spinach. So, blend the spinach in the pancake mix, making it green, and call them hulk pancakes. They can put syrup, agave, honey, or whatever they like on top. And they have a serving of greens that they won’t even taste.

No matter what it is, you can find a way to sneak veggies into your kids meals. The good ol’ pancake mix works real well.

TIP #2: ORDER FOODS BY IMPORTANCE

You may see this as mean, but parents that have used this tip swear by it.

There is usually an order in which kids want to eat their food. They want eat the carbs and fat first, the protein second, and if they’re absolutely ravenous the may eat the vegetables. But usually, they finish their carb and hardly make it through the protein.

So, here’s what you do. Rather than giving them the whole meal at one time, give them what they never eat but should eat first. That can be a salad or whatever other veggies you are serving for dinner. Tell them that when they are done with their veggies, they can have their protein. And when they’re done with their protein they can have their carb.

Sorry, kiddo. If you want your mashed potatoes, you need to eat your salad first. Then after you eat your salad you can have your steak. And when you’re done with your steak you can have your mashed potatoes!

They likely will revolt and refuse to eat anything at all. This is where you gotta stand strong. They know that if they threaten to go the night without food, you may cave because you love them so darn much you don’t want them to starve.

They won’t starve.

Let them end the night without food. They will be irritable, grouchy, and a royal pain in your ass, but if you stand firm they’ll realize mom and dad aren’t f****ing around, and they’ll do what you say. Because they ultimately don’t want to starve. And if they’re that hungry, they’ll eat what is in front of them.

TIP #3: ONLY HEALTHY OPTIONS IN THE HOUSE

One of the easiest ways to get your kids to eat healthier is to make eating healthy the only possible choice. That’s what we even do as adults. Heck, that’s what I do, and I’m a health and fitness coach. I live a much healthier life when I have to go way out of my way to get my hands on the unhealthy snack that I am craving.

Do the same with your kids.

If they like to snack on goldfish, have some cheese and fruit ready for them to snack on. If they want to snack on chips, air-fry some potato wedges. If they want to have milkshake, make them a super smoothie with some greens.

If they really want that snack, they’ll take the healthy alternative. If they don’t, they’ll say “eh, that doesn’t sound good.” And that’s when you say “ok” and get along with your day.

A great way to live a healthy lifestyle is to make the good choices the easy choices, and make the bad choices, the hard choices.

TIP #4: GET CREATIVE

In order to get your kids to eat more veggies, you’re going to need to get creative with your recipes. Make a list of some of their favorite meals and foods. Then, find ways you can sneak some greens in there. One of my favorites is to serve spinach pasta or black bean pasta instead of regular pasta. The texture is the same, and they won’t even notice the taste because it’s drenched in spaghetti sauce anyway.

Maybe they love lasagna, find a way to throw some veggies in there. Maybe they love fruit juice and they want to drink it by the gallon. Make a smoothie with a little fruit juice and some blended greens would do the trick.

You get the point. You’re simply going to have to go out of your way and do lots of trial and error, but it’ll be worth it.

TIP #5: TAKE ANYTHING AS A VICTORY

A lot of parents get frustrated because the expectations they have on their kids are absurd. “Johnny is so frustrating. He only eats about a handful of salad which is about one tenth the massive bowl I serve him.”

Woah, cool it, Karen. Johnny is doing fine.

When I coach my clients, make recommendations to people, or even aim to improve my health and fitness journey, I always begin by suggesting very small changes to build upon. I’ll give you an example. I neglect my stretching and mobility more than any other thing in regards to fitness. I hardly ever do it. So my goal for 2020 was to do five, 10-minute stretching and mobility sessions per week. Sounds pretty simple, right? Only 10 minutes per day. Well, I didn’t do it. And I got so frustrated with myself. In the midst of that frustration I had a realization. I thought, why in the world am I this upset when I used to do literally no stretching or mobility work before? So, I reduced the expectation. I set out to complete ONE stretching and mobility session per week, and I’ve been consistently building.

Same goes for your kid. You can’t expect your kid to want to eat like some sort of prehistoric herbivore when he/she used to vomit at the thought of vegetables.

Start small with them. If they never eat anything green, and they choose to eat two bites of your hulk pancake before pushing it away, that is a HUGE victory.

Start small with them, and build when they are consistent with the initial challenge you gave them.

TIP #6: LEAD BY EXAMPLE

This tip is the last thing parents want to hear, because it causes accountability and responsibility to be put on us. But, we must take that and lead by example.

You may not realize it, but you are your kids’ idols. They may want to watch some youtuber’s videos all day long, but they really do look up to you, and they will mimic your actions. So you must lead.

If you want your kids to eat their greens before they can eat their potatoes, you need to do the same for yourself. If you want your kids to only eat healthy snacks, you need to do the same for yourself. Being an adult does not exempt you from the responsibility of leading.

When you choose to do what your kids are asking you to do, they will see that it is done for a reason, as opposed to being something that their parents are making them do because they are kids. There is nothing worse than a kid being told that they have to do something because they’re kids and mommy and daddy don’t because they’re adults.

That’s a cop out. Don’t do that. Lead by example.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Get in your kid’s head. Make veggies cool. Make them apply to their life and interests, rather than your desire for them to be healthy.

• Does your kid really want her fries? Too bad, she can’t have them until she finishes her salad.

• Make the good choices the easy choices, and the bad choices the hard choices.

• Get creative. Think of ways you can introduce veggies into your kid’s favorite recipes

• A win is a win, no matter how small.

• Don’t ask your kid to do something you wouldn’t do. Lead by example.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam is a fitness professional, baseball fan, and cookie fanatic based in Fort Collins, Colorado. After hanging up the cleats, he found a strong interest in the human body and how it performs. Since then, Adam has been transforming lives through fitness in a fun and encouraging atmosphere. As an ACE CPT and Fitness Nutrition Specialist, he is constantly moved to help people improve in all walks of life.

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How to Build Healthy Habits That Can Last Forever

The biggest reason people have a hard time maintaining what they’ve worked so hard for is because what they’ve worked so hard for is built on a temporary foundation.

Making a change in your life when you just got done reading an inspirational book or attending a motivational conference is easy. You’re on fire. You’re a freight train that cannot be stopped. But what happens when you run out of fuel?

The difference between those that truly succeed in health and fitness and those that don’t is the ability to commit to behaviors and turning them into habits over time. And that’s what we’re here to talk about today. Motivation and inspiration only gets you so far. Habits last.

Here are 5 tips to help you establish long-lasting, healthy habits.

TIP #1 - DO WHAT YOU ENJOY

Lol look at this cheesy picture

The thought of exercising the tiniest bit makes a lot of people scoff, roll their eyes, or maybe even want to vomit. You may be one of those people, and that’s ok.

I can’t tell you how many times people give up on taking care of themselves because they never enjoyed anything when they did try to take care of themselves. It happens so often. Sure, you may want to do that buff guy’s training program on instagram because he has the body you want to have, but what if you absolutely hate it? How in the world is that going to last?

You absolutely need to start exercising and taking better care of your health by doing something that you enjoy. If the thought of lifting a weight or going on a jog makes you want to die, but you enjoy going on a walk, then go on a walk. Do what you enjoy. If you love yoga but you hate any other form of exercise, then do yoga. And do it some more. If you love cardio but hate lifting, then run all you want. Find something you enjoy first, and make that a habit and a regular part of your weekly routine.

“But Adam, I thought weight lifting is best for long term fat loss. That’s what you say, isn’t it? So shouldn’t I lift weights even if I hate it?”

There will be a time where you need to do what’s best for you and your goals, and there is a way you can learn to enjoy it even if you start out hating it.

But what’s the point of doing something you hate because you heard it’s best when you aren’t doing anything at all in the first place? It’s far better to appreciate better health, fitness, and wellness by starting with the form of activity you enjoy the most.

TIP #2 - START SMALL

All behaviors and habits start somewhere, no matter how big or small. When it comes to establishing healthier habits, it’s best to start small.

This goes for nutrition, training, stretching, sleep, everything. Start small.

Nearly every time I begin working with a new client, their first nutritional goal is to have a big ‘ol serving of greens every. Once that turns into a habit they don’t even think about, we move on to the next thing. You’d be shocked how much change you can see in your health and fitness when you simply add more greens to your diet each day.

One of my favorite quotes is “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” - Arthur Ashe.

This quote couldn’t apply more to anyone wanting to make real and lasting change in their lives, especially if they need to do something they don’t want to do. Whenever I get a client that can’t stand the thought of lifting weights, we start small. And we start small multiple different ways.

If it’s the time commitment to the gym that scares you, then just go for 15 minutes. Then, when you don’t mind it so much, go for 20 minutes. And so on. If it’s the thought of doing exercises you don’t like that kills you, then do the exercises you do like. If you enjoyed squats when you used to exercise, then go to the gym for 15 minutes and work on your squats. Once you’re ready to add another exercise, go for it. Heck, maybe you don’t want to do any formal exercise at all. Fine! Find your average step count per day, and set a goal of getting 1k more next week. Then once that’s a habit, add another 1k!

Let’s say you can’t stand the thought of green vegetables and you most certainly don’t want to eat them plain. That’s ok! Put them in a smoothie with some of your favorite healthy ingredients. Once you’re ready, put them in your eggs, or sautee your veggies and put them over a great steak.

You get the point. Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.

TIP #3 - PAIR A NEW BEHAVIOR WITH AN OLD HABIT

Habits don’t just come out of nowhere. They are behaviors before they become habits. The only issue with a new behavior is that it’s not automatic. But that’s ok, you can change that.

One of the best ways to develop a new habit is to pair the new behavior up with the old habit. The morning is my absolute favorite time of day. I have a routine that I follow nearly every morning. After waking, brushing my teeth, and doing other typical wake-up stuff, I head downstairs. I turn on my mug warmer, place my mug on there, and get the coffee going. After that I have my quiet time where I pray and read scripture. Then I’ll dive into the book I’m reading, and then I’ll end with some time on Duolingo to make sure I don’t lose my Spanish skills.

Practicing my Spanish more diligently and reading regularly wasn’t a part of my routine each morning until recently. But they were both things that needed to be addressed as they were a part of my 2020 goals. It was an absolute habit to head downstairs, make some coffee, and begin diving into God’s Word. I tried practicing my Spanish when it came to mind, and getting some reading in at some point in the day, but that didn’t last and it was inconsistent. So I decided to place those new behaviors in my morning routine. Now I hardly miss a day, and they are considered habits of mine.

You need to do the same. Do you regularly eat eggs in the morning but you hardly ever eat vegetables? Cook some spinach in your eggs. Are you stiff as a brick? Try stretching as you’re settling down for the night while watching your favorite show. Pair your habit with a new behavior. It works.

TIP #4 - TAKE YOUR FOCUS ELSEWHERE

I didn’t know to word this tip without using a long title. What I mean by this is that in order to make change that lasts, you need to understand and appreciate the benefits of that change other than what it will make you look like.

Another reason people give up is because they put the work in and don’t see the exact change they expected. So they say screw it and give up. Turns out they usually give up right before they were going to see the change they wanted. Bummer.

It’s ok to want to look leaner to impress someone you’re into. It’s ok to want to lose fat, build muscle, and think on what you want your body to look like. But just like motivation, bodies are temporary. No matter what we do, they will dwindle at some point.

I’m sorry but you’re just not going to look 40 when you’re 90. Ain’t happening.

It’s important to set your eyes on other things. They way you move, the way you feel, and the way you sleep. Do you want to be able to go the whole day without those nagging low-level aches? Do you want to be able to play with your kids and grandkids and be able to keep up? Imagine if you got 8 hours of solid sleep on a consistent basis. Don’t those things sound wonderful?! THEY ARE! So pursue them.

TIP #5 - FOCUS ON THE INPUTS

This last tip ties in with number four, and is another line I give to my clients often. When you focus on the inputs, the outcomes take care of themselves.

As I mentioned before, we spend too much time focusing on the outcomes, the very end of our goals. But we don’t spend enough time focusing on the inputs, the things that bring us to our goals. Instead of setting a goal like “I want to lose 30 pounds this year”, we should set goals like “I am going to lift three days per week for one year in order to lose thirty pounds”. The difference in the second goal is that the inputs are the main subject rather than the outcome.

Outcomes are completely out of our control, but inputs aren’t. So why not focus on the things you can control?

Write down all of your health and fitness goals, then rewrite them with the inputs in mind. Tell yourself what you need to do and how often in order to arrive at your goal. This will allow you to focus on the controllable as well as build habits that can last forever.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Do what you enjoy. When you’re first starting out, find something that is good for your health that you enjoy doing, and then venture out as you get more comfortable.

• Start small. There is no sense in doing everything all at once. So chip away. Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.

• Pair your new behavior with an old habit. Stretch while you watch TV. Throw some greens in that smoothie.

• Shift your focus. Fitness isn’t all about butts and six packs. It’s about quality of life. Focus on what really matters and allow that to shape why and how you take care of yourself.

• Focus on inputs. You can’t control outcomes, so make goals that center around executing inputs (behaviors) on a consistent basis.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam is a fitness professional, baseball fan, and cookie fanatic based in Fort Collins, Colorado. After hanging up the cleats, he found a strong interest in the human body and how it performs. Since then, Adam has been transforming lives through fitness in a fun and encouraging atmosphere. As an ACE CPT and Fitness Nutrition Specialist, he is constantly moved to help people improve in all walks of life.

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3 Supplements Worth Taking

Most of the time, I will argue that supplements are a waste of money.

Real, whole natural food is less expensive and helps us create healthier habits and relationships with nutrition. However, there are a few supplements on the market that are worth taking.

Oh and by the way, I’m not a doctor. Consult your physician before adding any of these supplements into your daily intake.

SUPPLEMENT #1: WHEY PROTEIN

No matter your goal, protein is likely the most important macronutrient for you. If your goal is to build muscle, protein will help you do that. If your goal is to lose body fat, protein will help you do that. If your goal is to have a longer and healthier life, protein will help you do that.

Although protein is one of the most important nutrients out there, it is easily the most underconsumed nutrient. Carbs and fat are extremely easy to come by. Protein, is not. It is much harder to come by. It also not as tasty as carbs and fats. What sounds more appealing, eating a beef stick or eating a cookie?

Because protein is hard to come by and and yet one of the most important nutrients out there, I will recommend supplementing with a protein powder of some sort.

There are several different protein sources on the market. You can get a plant-based protein powder, you can get collagen protein powder, and you can even get egg protein powder. So which one is best? Time and time again, whey protein powder has been shown to be the most beneficial form of protein in regards to absorption and desired effects. Whey is a byproduct of of the milk and cheese making process. Therefore, it does cause some people with dairy intolerances to have negative affects like gastrointestinal distress. If that’s the case, there are some great plant protein sources on the market. All you need to do is a little bit of research. Make sure the supplement you’re interested in has protein that comes from multiple plant sources, as not all plant sources contain all of the essential amino acids. Also check up on the company to make sure they have solid third party testing. We’ll touch more on that.

But what about egg and collagen protein? Egg is actually one of the better performing sources of protein, but it’s just not that common, and will cost you an arm and a leg. Collagen, on the other hand, isn’t worth your money at all. It has been shown to be one of the least effective sources of protein.

Supplementing with protein powder can help you reach your daily protein goal as you get better at using whole natural foods to get you there. For example, if your new goal is to get 120g of protein per day, but you’re only used to preparing and cooking 80g of protein per day, it is convenient to make a super smoothie with greens, berries, protein, and whatever else you want to throw in there. Be careful though, as protein powder can easily turn into a crutch that you constantly rely on to get you to your goal. Protein powders don’t stand a chance against the benefits that whole natural foods offer your body, so make sure you get as much of your protein goal from real food as possible.

When selecting a protein powder, there are a few things to keep in mind. You want to make sure the protein is legitimate, and you’re putting into your body something that is clean and healthy. When shopping, look for NSF and/or Clean Label Project certified protein powders. These third company parties put products through rigorous testing to make sure the consumer is getting the best. You can also check sites like ConsumerLabs and Labdoor.com to see how certain supplements stack up. The last thing I recommend is that you pay attention to the brand/company and how they present their product. Are the selling you motivational bullshit in the form of protein, or are they selling you high-quality protein that will benefit your health and wellness?

SUPPLEMENT #2: CREATINE

Creatine is by far one of the most widely studies supplements on the market. It’s also one of the most beneficial supplements on the market. It’s benefits are proven time and time again.

Creatine is a substance that helps bring more nutrients and water to muscle cells allowing those cells to produce more ATP (energy). Creatine may help you crank out an extra rep or two at the gym. It may help you add another five pounds to the bar.

These increases in ATP and energy aren’t going to be noticeable quite like taking 200mg of caffeine, but those tiny improvements in your workouts can compound to bring about significant results. For example, strength and lean muscle increases come from increases in training volume. Volume is weights x sets x reps. Your total volume for one week may be 5,000lbs. If creatine helps you crank out an extra rep or two, or helps you add a tad more weight to the bar, you may be able to increase your overall volume above the previous week’s 5,000lbs. Those increases in training volume can lead to a completely different body.

There are many different types of creatine, but nothing has been shown to be as beneficial and effective as good ol’ fashioned creatine monohydrate.

Not only can creatine help you create a stronger and leaner body, it has also been shown to have some cognitive boosting benefits, too.

Just like anything, certain individuals react more to creatine than others. Those that don’t eat meat (vegans or vegetarians) and those that eat little to no red meat have been shown to reap the most benefits from creatine.

When shopping for creatine, take into consideration the factors I discussed before. Do your research to make sure you’re getting a clean and safe product.

SUPPLEMENT #3: FISH OIL

Fish oil is one of the most underrated supplements, in my opinion. Fish oil is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids which are extremely beneficial to our overall health. Omega-3s have been shown to have cognitive benefits and also contain anti-inflammatory properties.

There are a lot of foods out there that have both of those, so why fish oil? Although there are some food sources out there that have omega-3s, it has been shown that these fatty acids may have greater benefits when they come from fish.

Fish, is probably one of the most underconsumed food sources, especially for those of us in land-locked states. When it’s difficult to consistently get your hands on high-quality fish, supplementing with fish oil rich in omega-3s can do the trick.

As goes with any other supplement. Do your research and check sites like Labdoor to see how the supplement you’re interested in stacks up.

THE TAKEAWAYS

• Protein is key, and we don’t get enough of it. Supplementing with a protein powder can be beneficial as you work to build the habit of getting enough protein from real food.

• Creatine is one of the safest and most studied supplements on the market. It can help you perform better in the gym which may lead to enhanced progress and results.

• We don’t eat enough fatty fish. If you’re not getting enough omega-3s, use a quality fish oil supplement.

• Regardless of what you’re searching for, do your research. Make sure the product is safe for you and proven to be effective.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam is a fitness professional, baseball fan, and cookie fanatic based in Fort Collins, Colorado. After hanging up the cleats, he found a strong interest in the human body and how it performs. Since then, Adam has been transforming lives through fitness in a fun and encouraging atmosphere. As an ACE CPT and Fitness Nutrition Specialist, he is constantly moved to help people improve in all walks of life.

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