Maruchy Lachance is president of Running Ninja!, a lifestyle brand for runners by runners. Running Ninja! offers a wide variety of apparel and gifts for runners to keep you happy and inspired while you’re on the run.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle is difficult enough, but sometimes the biggest challenge is getting your kids on board. Here are some ways to make the transition delicious and enjoyable for them and stress-free for you.
When it comes to food the best approach is to keep the same favorite foods while substituting the ingredients. When using ground beef or ground poultry to make meatballs, hamburgers or meatloaf, save money, calories and fat by just adding seasonings and oatmeal. This healthy substitute will go undetected and keep your dish moist.
A friend of mine has confessed that she likes to sneak vegetables into sauces and meats by pureeing them and using them to cook. She is the one who taught me to use applesauce or yogurt in place of oil when baking cakes.
My son hated it when I introduced wheat pastas. He complained that they had the consistency of beach sand. But now, thanks to quinoa, I can make a variety of pastas without him noticing.
Desserts also got healthier without losing any of its appeal. Most fruits are naturally sweet, so one of my favorite recipes is my rustic blueberry pie. It consists of store-bought pie crust and a carton of blueberries. After rinsing and drying the berries I pour them into the raw pie crust and bake. I serve the slices with a shot of whipped cream. This recipe works with most berries and bananas.
Exercise is a bit harder to sneak into your kids’ lives. That’s why you may want to work on a reward system that avoids using food. Experts recommend children get at least an hour of daily exercise. If your child is not participating in any type of sport or walking/biking to school you may want to carve out some time after school for a bike ride or a swim. There are also several video games on the market designed to get them off the couch and on their feet.
Any change will come with much resistance. Remember to be patient and loving. Remind them how eating right and exercising is another way you show them how much you love them!
For more inspiration from Maruchy Lachance check out:
Healthy Living Made Easy and Cheap
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