The Common Kid's Lunchbox-Packed With Problematic Foods

I keep a nursery one day a week. At 3 years old, a particular child's lunch away from home consisted of the usual Oscar Meyer's Nachos and Cheese Lunchable. Nachos (processed carbs), cheese dip (processed something...), and salsa (with sugar). Then, the mom added a side of protein in the form of squeezable yogurt (when the child opened it, he excitedly said, "Mine's pink!"). Our food should never be bright pink. To drink, he had a Capri Sun- 100% juice. Sugar was in the salsa, yogurt, and drink. This is how we send our kids to school. Yikes!

I am guilty of opting for convenience, and even an occasional fun treat just because I know they like it even if it is aweful for them. But, I am noticing that this is a normal lunch for many kids. Pudding cups, fruit cups in sugar syrup, fruit rollups (what in the world! Why do we eat these!) prepackaged cookies, chips, and crackers, sandwiches with white bread- we are letting the stores and the commercials tell us what to buy instead of thinking this through for ourselves! When I substitute teach, when I eat lunch with my kids at school, and when I do my grocery shopping- these are the common foods put in lunch boxes, not the exception anymore. It makes me ask the question, "Is the general American population misinformed or uneducated?"

I want to assume that most people are like myself. We know deep down that most foods are not good for us, but we eat it anyway and ignore our gut instinct, which yells, "don't put that in your body! It's not natural!" And then, I have to hope that most people just don't take the time to figure it out and let it soak in. But at the point of being educated, if change hasn't happened within one's diet, then the issue seems to be addiction. And what is in most foods we buy premade or we buy when we eat out? Sugar! So, I believe that most Americans are addicted to sugar and don't even realize it because they haven't taken the time to look at what they are actually eating. Our obesity epidemic is a complicated problem with many layers that developed over many years. American are a combination of uneducated, then if anything, misinformed, and then addicted on top of it all! If we rely on tv to teach us, instead of our ancestors, then we wind up in the mess we have today.

It makes me sad to see loving parents pack their kids lunch boxes with what they think is a complete and somewhat healthy meal, when really they are helping their child to develop a life long dependency on sugar- all in the spirit of fun and convenience. I am guilty. But, I am learning that I have to learn for myself and then vote with my money. My kids will thank me for it later- probably much later.

Baby Steps

In highschool, I had a long distance running coach, Ms.Bethea, that taught me to take baby steps to my goals to help the time pass. We'd go on a run and she would be beside us, saying, "Baby steps to the mailbox!...Baby steps to the pole!...Baby steps to the sign!...Baby steps to the next driveway!" To this day, I use this strategy to reach my goals and then some. I think this strategy is so necessary to Crossfit. Whether it be increasing press weight by 5 lbs., getting one more pullup, deadlifting your body weight, learning how to do a handstand pushup, running a 5k, or choosing to eat the right foods, there are baby steps all along the way.

Eating properly is a journey unto itself. Right now, I have realized several things about my diet: I don't drink enough water, I am not consistent with taking fish oil to reap the benefits, and I am a slave to sugar. Soooooooooooo, you may guess, my baby steps to better health consist of drinking a tall glass of water(about 16oz) 3 times a day (with my 3 main meals) WITH one fish oil. I can do this.

Next, I am gearing up to challenge my enemy...Sugar! It lurks at every corner! It is in everything! I have baby stepped my way to eating whole, sometimes organic, foods so that I know there is no added sugar. But it is amazing how hard it is to avoid when you are not eating at home! Consider this. Today I ate a common lunch with relatives to celebrate my Granny's birthday. And I say "common" because I do not want to insult whoever brought the food- I am thankful and it was delicious! However, until I became a bounty hunter targeting sugar in my diet, I would have never considered how much of it we all eat without paying attention. We had baked beans-sugar, cole slaw- sugar, bar-b-que sandwiches with sauce- sugar in the bread, sugar in the sauce. Teas and coffees- sugar. Then, we had cake and brownies and lovely homemade mints- sugar, sugar, sugar! So what did I do? I eliminated the bun, and went ahead with the beans and slaw. I drank water and avoided the tempting deserts, except for one little mint. I was literally, so proud when I walked out of Granny's house, for avoiding the gooey brownies and then when I got in the car, guess what!? Dear, sweet Granny had set a bag of them in the seat next to me to take home! Augh!!!!!!!!!!! "They're for the kids" she says. She is a different woman than I. I gave myself a pep talk and made it back to Murfreesboro (from Shelbyville) without braking open the bag. I threw away half of it and gave the other half to the kids, as it was intended. They have years to develop the love hate relationship that I have with sugar! But, this is why I do try to shield them from it when at home. They are going to get it everywhere, at least I can influence their eating habits from home.

One baby step I have adapted to is to eliminate thousands of teaspoons of sugar over my lifetime by enjoying the real flavor of coffee with only cream added. Maybe one day, I'll go black, but for now, this is working great- for at least a year now!

Tonight I have thought up a chant I will say to myself when I encounter my enemy, thief of my life, of my good health, of my memory, of my stable moods, of my preferred body weight! Argh!!!Sugar!

Sugar be gone, belly be gone!
Mood be stable, Muscles be able!
Hair be shiny, skin be clear.
Energy abounds, Now kick it to the hounds!

We'll see how much of this I remember when it stares me in the face tomorrow!