Halloween Candy Survival

It's one of the candy companies favorite holidays while it's our stomach and hips least favorite day. You guessed it....HALLOWEEN is quickly approaching. Costumes have been purchased, cute decor is all around, and candy dishes are filled. You look at the candy and the candy looks back at you, you want a piece and the candy taunts you. Well before you give into the temptation. Here are a few ideas to prevent overdoing it.

1) Buy candy that you don’t like. Then you won’t be tempted to eat it. Also,
buy it a day or two before Halloween so it is not sitting around waiting to
be eaten.
2) If you are giving out candy, try to give it all out by the end of the night.
3) The day after Halloween, get rid of all that candy! Take it to work, give it
away or just throw it away. Remember don’t keep it around the house.
4) If your children come home from trick-or-treating with a stash, have them
go through and pick out their favorites. Throw the rest away.
5) Don’t buy a “jumbo” bag of candy if your neighborhood only gets a few
trick-or-treaters.
6) Consider non-candy goodies like mini-containers of play-doh, stickers,
temporary tattoos or $1 gift certificates instead of candy.
7) Consider healthier treats like 100-calorie packs instead of candy.

***The key is to have the least amount of extra calories sitting around the house for you to eat.***

Here are just some of the more popular Halloween Candies:

* Twizzlers 1 treat size pkg.= 45 calories

* Almond Joy 1 snack size bar = 90 calories

* Milk Duds 1 treat size box = 40 calories

* Junior Mints mini box= 50 cal

* Milky Way = 75 calories

* 1 Tootsie Pop/Blow pop 1 pop = 60 calories

* 1 Tootsie Roll 1 small roll = 13 calories

* Twix (fun size) bar = 80 calories

*Reese’s cup (regular) = 80 cals

*Reese’s cup mini = 40 calories

* Butterfinger 1 snack size bar = 100 cals

* Snickers fun size = 80 calories


Note: Calorie content is based on 1 serving of Halloween ‘snack’ or ‘fun’ size
packages, not full size servings found in the candy aisle. Having only a few
pieces of Halloween candy won’t crash your healthy eating routine, it’s the
temptation to keep having ‘just one more’ that will pack on the pounds. It only
takes nine small fun-size candy bars to put on a quarter-pound of fat.

Let's Go 5-2-1-0

Let’s Go, a program of the Kids CO-OP at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center is working to end childhood obesity. The program main goal is to promote healthy living and smarter eating habits from birth to age 18. The program focuses on six sectors –early childhood, schools, communities, healthcare, after school and workplace.
 

The premise of the program is simple:

• 5 or more fruits/vegetables each day
• 2 hours or less of recreational screen time
• 1 hour or more of physical activity each day
• 0 sugary drinks

Summer was a time children looked forward to attending summer camp, hanging at the pool, and meeting friends outside to play. Today, there are fewer reasons to go out and play these days for children. They have iPads, video games, television, and computers all that take up their leisure time today. The convenience of fast food and the abundance of high calorie and sugary snacks have caused fruits and vegetables to lose their appeal and increase the prevalence of childhood obesity.

This is an excellent program that can be implemented in all households. It is summer break and you can make the decision today that your household will also follow the 5-2-1-0 guidelines. Your children may be resentful at first, but they will thank you later.

We must start building a healthy foundation for our children of how to eat properly and stress the importance of being physically active. Throw out the sugary snacks and drinks; have the children try new fruits and vegetables. Turn the television, computers, and video games off, grab your children and tell them Let’s Go.

Move to the Beat

Spring Break may have come and gone and you haven’t quite reached your beach bod goals. Well let’s step outside, grab the Ipod and get moving. As the weather heats up, I am starting to see more and more people out running, playing with the kids, sitting on the porch, gardening, etc. We have been cooped inside for months and the sun is screaming for us to come enjoy the warmth. Once outside you realize, yuck I’m sweating (or maybe that’s just me). Well turn your music up a little louder and keep moving to the beat.

Or maybe you strongly dislike the gym and trying to find other physical activity alternatives. You understand the importance of being active but just can’t keep motivated. I have found that it is such a struggle to get to the gym. But once I’m outside or in the gym and I have my earphones in, I’m ready for action. Music can help make even the most dreaded exercises seem fun. I have to catch myself from singing the chorus aloud or bobbing my head uncontrollably to the beat.

Music can help motivate you to keep moving. You can find yourself jamming to the beat and before you realize it, you’ve been exercising for 30 minutes. Costas Karageorghis, a sports psychologist at Britain’s Brunel University, says there are four factors that contribute to a song's motivational qualities: rhythm response, musicality, cultural impact and association. Rhythm response and musicality relate to the actual music you are listening to. While cultural impact and association are dependent our musical preferences and how you respond to certain songs.

Nowadays you can purchase athletic shoes that automatically sync to your Ipod. If you can’t sync your Ipod and Nike shoes, you can add a workout playlist from Pandora or search for workout playlists. You have to find music that you love and focus on the tunes.

The options are endless so the excuses should be minimal. So make yourself a great workout playlist and just bust a move.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33418663/ns/health-fitness/t/why-music-makes-exercise-easier/#.T3PSB2GPWa8

Week 4-Lisa's TNT Experience

Check out Lisa's week four update. Let's join in celebrating her successes and encouraging her past the 2 week cycle. Keep up the honest journey to a healthier YOU, Lisa!

Week 2- Lisa's TNT Experience

Lisa's is back with her week 2 update. She is learning that it takes time to achieve lasting results. Watch her video and let's support her journey.

Ensuring a Healthy Pregnancy

In today's Charlotte Observer, there is a great article about the importance of being healthy before you conceive a baby. Babies born to overweight mothers have a greater risk of having health concerns and becoming overweight themselves.

The article, "How Big Did You Get", provides insightful information for those that are wanting or trying to get pregnant.

I also wrote an article that was published in Little Ones magazine about how proper exercise and nutrition while pregnant can actually help you have an easier delivery and postpartum.

Did you know that a person’s fat cells are developed in three stages: during third trimester in utero, during adolescents and while pregnant?!

Total Nutrition Technology offers a program specific to women wanting to get pregnant, that are pregnant or to women that have recently had a baby called TNT Moms. Nutritional needs are more important than ever during these time periods and we can create a customized plan for you that meets your needs and your baby's needs.

As a mom or soon-to-be mom, what are some of your diet and exercise challenges?