by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Jul 15, 2022 | Education Materials
How to Stop Letting Our Food Hang-ups Win: Common Scenarios
So now we know what are the common food hang-ups and rituals that people tend to have. We also know that when we stay stubbornly stuck in these behaviors, we’re less likely to reach our weight loss and fitness goals. Or, if we do reach them, we’re more likely to put the weight back on that we lost.
What goes in the typical adult’s life that can trip up your health and fitness quest? How can we actively decide on a course of action, so we aren’t as likely to fall into the trap of our food hang-ups when the goal is to lose weight and get healthy? What about our kids? How do we stop the food hang-up patterns from repeating?
Let’s get into some scenarios.
Scenario 1: Trying to stick to a healthy eating plan after starting a new job.
Starting a new job means you’re likely to feel hungrier than normal, as well as experiencing cravings due to the change in work environment and all of the adjustments and new things to learn that go along with it.
What can happen if you're not careful? A long busy day at a new job can leave you feeling pretty hangry when all is said and done. Probably you have a strong urge to hit the drive-thru and load up on whatever your favorite fast food is. Or maybe you want to make a beeline to the local bakery while it's still open and lose yourself filling sweets.
Make the healthier choice. There are definitely ways to reduce cravings when you're facing a life transition like starting a new job. First, don't deny the hunger. Even if you're trying to lose weight, your body is signaling that it needs something to combat the stress… so give it what it needs.
Add protein and healthy fiber.
There are lots of great snacks that don’t need to be full of fat and sugar to relieve that hungry feeling when it happens as a result of stress or mental overload.
Pack a healthy snack.
Get in the habit of packing a snack that combines fruit or crunchy veggies with a filling protein. Think hard-boiled eggs, cheese in small amounts, a handful of nuts, or something like lean turkey bacon. Mix up with a few whole grain crackers, carrot sticks or some other healthy produce to curb your hunger and stop you from cruising to the drive-thru after work.
Scenario 2: Let’s celebrate your personal victory with a great, big meal or fattening treat!
Most people’s food hang-ups involve always celebrating accomplishments, both for ourselves and our kids, with an unhealthy food choice. We buy cakes for every occasion, make small personal victories into a pizza night, reward our kids for straight A’s with a night out at a restaurant, and eat pie after we do our taxes. But when you’re really trying to make a permanent lifestyle change that leads to weight loss, falling back on the same old food hang-ups can trip us up big-time. So how can we change the pattern?
Make the healthier choice.
Nonfood based reward.
When you want to reward yourself or your kids for a job well done, you do have other options other than treats and snacks. For kids, you might decide to offer an experience type of reward such as a trip to a trampoline park, amusement park, night of bowling or something else that the family would enjoy doing together. If it’s for yourself, how about a spa day, trip to a museum, or something that you would enjoy as a reward for a job well done?
Don’t double down on ice cream.
Another creative option is to use the treat as a meal. Maybe on a night where there's no school the next day, you can treat the kids to an ice cream dinner. Normally people would do dinner and follow it with ice cream. But if you treat ice cream as the main meal for the evening, you can supplement with a light snack like veggies and yogurt dip later on.
Scenario 3: Emotional upheaval has you reaching for fattening desserts using the biggest spoon you can find.
Your boyfriend broke up with you. Or your rent went up and you’re freaking out about money. Your boss came down on you at work today. Or your sister is having health problems. You’ve been trying to be so good with making healthy food choices. But the emotional stress is putting a crimp in your plans. Carrot cake sounds so much better than carrot sticks right now. How can you avoid using food as an emotional band-aid when everything seems so crappy in your life?
Make the healthier choice.
Fattening and addictive foods always seem to be within easy reach. But try to remember that once you start, it’s hard to stop, especially when you’re feeling emotionally worn down and your nerves are in a fragile state.
The best thing to do for yourself when your emotions are getting the best of you is give your body and brain what’s needed most: protein, and whole grains. It’s hard to believe that when you want pie you should go for brown rice and lean chicken. But if you plan ahead and keep your fridge and pantry stocked with the right foods that will make a difference for your health, you’ll be less likely to cave to cravings when emotions run high.
Run it off, stretch away the stress.
You might not feel like it at first, but at those times when you’re experiencing emotional pain are exactly the times when you should exercise. Getting started can be tough if you’re feeling down, it’s true. But this is where having a motivating support group on your side can help you over the hurdle of not being emotionally up for caring for yourself.
Work through the emotions.
Instead of using food as an emotional band-aid, try actual emotional support.
A better idea when someone we care about is upset or struggling with something emotional is to provide a healthy balanced meal and a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen. Fattening foods might send a message of love because that’s what mom always did. But you can break the cycle and offer a hug and a big dose of sympathy instead. Then, when it’s your turn to grapple with emotions, you’ll have established a good way for others to offer you what you’ve been giving.
We’re here talking about how a mental shift is needed if we want to make permanent lifestyle changes that lead to weight loss, a fitter, stronger body and better health overall. So, let’s talk about the food psychology that’s standing in the way of our weight loss success. Did your family do any of the following (See next post)? If so, it may be time to get a new way of thinking about old eating habits.
Common Food Hang-ups and How they Halt our Weight Loss Progress
Food Hang-ups…Why Diets Don't Work – Homeschooling Dietitian Mom
Need a little help getting started? Contact me and we will see what we can do together to achieve long-term success.
Click here to book a session with me and get an individualized bundle of goodies (value $425).
Why is it So Hard to Lose Weight?
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Jul 14, 2022 | Education Materials
There are a few things my son has a tough time with. However, his disinterest and outright disgust with listening to music has been the most baffling.
His aversion to music of any kind has been a mystery over the years. One example sticks out in my memory.
When he was in kindergarten, I remember playing the song, “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me while in the car one day. His immediate response to the song was to ask me to turn it off because he thought it was sad. I explained to him that it wasn't sad and that he just needed to become familiar with the message.
I didn't turn off the music and as a result, my son started crying.
And he was crying because the song made him sad enough to cry; not because he was upset about not getting his way. At this point I began to realize that he has a special sensitivity to musical notes–something I am aware of because I have the same sensitivity.
Fast forward to today, I have been mostly unsuccessful with convincing him that music is something he can learn to enjoy. BUT
This year I am excited to say that enrolling him in the “20th Century Music Appreciation for High School” through “Music in our Homeschool,” has made a difference in his ability to better understand music–and to enjoy it!
In fact, just yesterday, my son told me that he realizes why he would cry at the end of a particular movie when he was younger. We were discussing an article I found about movies that traumatize children.
We were discussing some of the movies that I remember because of how sad they were, and nearly all of them are related to the music more than the events of the movies. He also said that he remembers a particular movie he used to like watching that always made him cry at the end. He realizes now that he was crying as result of the music rather than because of the way the movie ended.* Wow!
It's amazing what a few years and an awesome music course can do!
I honestly believe this discussion we can have about music is a huge step forward for him, and I can't help but think it's related to the class he finished last year through Music in our Homeschool.
Music in our Homeschool has an amazing variety of courses to choose from.
And these courses are not limited to high school level. And some courses are not specifically music. Also, she has memberships devoted to specific age groups. Free samples are available to give you a taste of what you will get. There is something for virtually everyone including moms.
For example:
- 10 Songs all Preschoolers Should Know
- 15-Minute Music Lessons for Elementary Students
- State Songs of the 50 US States
- Fall Music Lessons for Holidays and Special Days
- 10 Weeks of Shakespeare – Introductory Course for 7th-12th grades
- All Ages
- Beginning Sight Singing with solfege hand signs printable Set
- Use Music to Grow Your Faith (Moms)
- Purchase a License to Teach a Course at Your Co-op
So do yourself (and your family) a favor and check out all of the goodies she has to offer.
6 Reasons I'm thankful for Autism
Does Food Affect Autism?
4 Ways to Involve Kids with Disabilities in the Arts
*The name of the movie is “Harry and the Hendersons,” in case you're curious. 🙂
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Jun 19, 2022 | Education Materials, Homeschooling
New Learning Tools to Help You Homeschool Your Kids
Gone are the days when devices were considered a distraction to quality education. Education is becoming increasingly digital, now that 75% of U.S. classrooms are using desktop computers.
Societal trends are shifting within the educational sphere. As a result, preschool and childcare center directors make sure that their educational centers adjust to these educational trends. Their leadership training in a fast-changing world gives them the foresight to react to changes within the educational landscape. As such, preschool and childcare centers often integrate devices for better institutional management, parent-teacher communication, and student learning outcomes.
Due to these rapid changes, home-based learning teachers and parents are expected to keep up with the integration of information and communication technology. Since these devices create more meaningful learning experiences for students, home-based learning educators are urged to shift to a more extensive and dynamic educational design. Many homeschoolers and their guardians struggle to make this shift, however.
Fortunately, thanks to the development of new learning tools you and your little learner can find the best options for your learning needs. Here are the learning tools that you can employ to make digitalized homeschooling easier for both you and your child:
Flashcard tools
Parents know from experience that flashcards are effective in testing one’s knowledge. While traditional cards have been tried and tested for many generations, your kid will be more engaged to pursue independent learning through digital flashcards.
Flashcard and study tool Quizlet is used by two in three high school students and by one in two college students for a good reason! Digital flashcards test students’ knowledge in various subjects. As a result, these kids eventually feel more confident to learn on their own. So if you want your kid to learn how to study independently, you can slowly introduce them to the study sets that are created by teachers, lecturers, and students on Quizlet. Once they feel more comfortable with the app, they can start to create their own quizzes and study tests for a more personalized learning experience.
Assistive technology
No student will be left behind, particularly now that assistive technologies have been made for educational purposes. Homeschooling will definitely be much easier if your kids with disabilities have tools that meet their needs.
Approximately 7 million students in the US need special education services. This is why assistive technologies are crucial in breaking down the barriers that students with disabilities face. While your kid may be accustomed to manual practices, you can slowly introduce them to speech-to-text technologies by testing the solution together. Once they see that it’s quicker to type texts or look for information this way, they will be more encouraged to adjust to this innovative solution.
On the other hand, kids on the autism spectrum or those with hearing impairments may hesitate to use FM listening systems at first. In this case, you can encourage them to test these systems with or without a hearing aid. Also, allow them to choose the technology that helps them absorb the information much better.
AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) technologies
Speaking of future education technology, you can further enhance your child’s learning experience through AR and VR. These devices will allow your kid to visit different places, sometimes even in different time periods, and learn more about the world.
AR and VR technologies can be frightening or shocking for younger kids. So it’s crucial to check in with them as they check out the devices by themselves. Iff they’re excited to go on a field trip through AR and VR, try a special headset. For example, Merge Headset. Start by playing 360° videos of museums for a more familiar experience. Once they’re comfortable with the technology, you can give them the freedom to go on a virtual field trip. And you can choose destinations that are related to their current lessons.
Gamified learning tools
Who says kids can’t have fun while learning? Most kids find games to be highly engaging. Thus, companies are leveraging these activities to make educational tools more interesting.
Math can be challenging to teach in homeschooled environments. However, a research study revealed that gamified learning tool Classcraft was effective in boosting the involvement and academic performance of kids in their math course. So, encourage them to use tools like Classcraft for their learning experience. Use these gamified learning tools as a bonding activity. Also, create avatars and complete quests together. This will help them understand the game and be interested to navigate through it on their own.
There is a learning curve with assistive technology. However, increase your kid’s engagement and academic performance by using these innovative learning tools. To make your child’s homeschooling experience even more fun, look into our recommended educational materials here. Go through the rest of our posts to find the right tools and technologies make each subject much easier.
Article contributed by Reanne John:
Reanne John became a learning advocate after her daughter entered nursery. After discovering helpful educational tips, Reanne decided to pursue a career in blogging to support other parents.
Nutrition and Food Science Activity Pack
9 Educational Camping Ideas for Kids
Why Exercise Outdoors Year-Round?
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | May 25, 2022 | Education Materials, Getting Kids Moving
7 Sister's High School Level Online PE for Homeschool Kids Curriculum is a full semester, 1/2 credit high school course. It includes all that is needed to satisfy high school graduation requirements. Since it's online, it can be completed at your own pace
My son doesn't enjoy exercising. So, I chose this class to get him more motivated and to give him the opportunity to practice his planning and recordkeeping skills. I also chose this curriculum because it is led by a 10-year exercise veteran and I felt hopeful this would help. And I'm happy to say that:
This is a big deal if you know my son because he still has a long way to go. However, he is now doing push ups and sit ups on his own and is more conscious of his need to be more active. He also did his best to keep track of what he completed, and I see big improvements in this area as well.
The following is included in this well-written curriculum.
- Suggested syllabus for the year (or semester).
- Reading assignments which include explanations of different types of exercises.
- Questions to help reinforce learning (fill-in-the blank, multiple choice, true/false, and some short answer).
- Videos showing how to do the exercises.
- Diagrams showing the muscles mentioned in the videos. You could use these to help teach anatomy!
- Paperwork for keeping track. Great for teaching recordkeeping.
- There are a total of four different workouts each to be completed in four weeks for a total of 16 weeks.
- Nice recordkeeping logs that can be printed or your student can type in the answers using fill and sign in Adobe reader.
The curriculum is taught by Luke Josiah Samuel Hayes (video instructor). Samuel has numerous certifications including NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), and over 10 years of experience as a fitness instructor, personal trainer, and fitness manager.
The exercise routines were above Nathan's fitness level. However, the goals set out are something any beginner could eventually reach. This is why I plan to teach this course again next year.
I'm happy to have this online PE for Homeschool Kids curriculum to use again and again if needed.
As a certified Group Fitness Instructor, I recommend this course as an online PE for homeschool kids option. Kids who are resistant to exercise and kids who are not will both benefit from the instruction. Either way, something important will be learned and PE requirements will be met for High School Graduation.
Check out 7 Sisters Homeschool Foundations for Physical Fitness by clicking here.
High School Graduation Tips for Homeschoolers
9 Educational Activity Ideas for Camping
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | May 9, 2022 | Education Materials, Nutrition and Health
Are You Ready for a Change? Many people, especially women, wonder why it is so darn difficult to lose weight. On the surface, the answer seems so straightforward. You know the “answer” right? It's because you don't “control” your calorie intake or you don't “exercise enough” or you don't “eat the right foods”…Why is it so hard to lose weight, anyway?
What if I tell you there's a deeper reason you haven't been “successful” at achieving your weight loss goals?
- A reason that goes beyond your calorie intake and activity level.
- A reason that once you understand what it is, you will feel so much better about yourself that you will be ready to try again–and this time make a permanent lifestyle change?
- A reason that will clarify a whole lot of things for you regarding past “failures.”
I'm here to tell you that there most definitely IS a deeper reason weight loss attempts are so often unsuccessful.
Or why all too often women lose weight and then later gain it back.
Or even worse, they often end up weighing more than before they initially lost weight.
There are so many quick fixes out there!
So many “magic formulas.” It can get pretty darn confusing (and downright aggravating)! trying to figure out what to do with our food intake and activity levels. “Just take out all your carbs and you'll be skinny in no time!” They say.
Or “Eat all the fat you want and still lose weight.” They speak. (Rolling my eyes here) Or just go on this diet plan, give us your money and you will be successful!
Now, don't get me wrong, some of these plans are great–when you stay on them.
But the question is: “Can you live on those diets the rest of your life?”
Because this is the key. NO matter how successful you are at losing weight, if you can't live with it without feeling deprived, you will not stick with it. And there is an EXCEPTIONALLY good chance that you will gain back the weight lost.
Because, if this “diet plan” you are currently on isn't something you can live with long-term, then chances are you are going to feel like a failure when you're done.
Believe me, I know what you are going through! I gained over 50 pounds after my son stopped breastfeeding. And I know all the right things to do!!! If it were only about food, I would never have kept the excess weight on for over 10 years!
This is why I created my “Why is it so Hard to Lose Weight?” ebook… Now that I am on the other side of the 50 pounds, I can see a few things more clearly that I most definitely COULD NOT see before I even gained weight. And I want to help YOU learn how to make choices that will be satisfying and doable in the long term. Choices you can live with.
BUT there is one thing I need to mention…
Before you decide to commit to long-term change, you need to make sure that you are ready.
When I was in school, I learned about the “Stages of Behavior Change.” Despite that these stages are usually meant to help the practitioner (think Health Coach, Personal Trainer) understand where their client is, I think that you as a beautiful person who is thinking about making the change will benefit from understanding a bit about the process.
I think that you will benefit from understanding the process because this will help you discover which stage you are currently in.
And I believe knowing this will help give you reasons to move forward to the next stage.
That's what I did!
So, what do you have to lose? Pun not intended. 🙂 Click here to grab the e-book now.
Other Posts You May be Interested in:
5 Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
Why a Zinc Deficiency May be Contributing to Your Kid's Pickiness
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Oct 11, 2021 | Education Materials
I recently released my UPDATED “Meal Planning for Kids” curriculum, which teaches kids Healthy eating on a Budget. In this curriculum, children Pre-K through 12th grade learn foundational nutrition science while having fun.
I chose to create “Meal Planning for Kids” for many reasons. First, consider these statistics:
My “Meal Planning for Kids” was designed to indirectly address the above issue and more.
As I am sure you already realize, knowing how to eat healthy and stay on a budget can be a challenging skill to learn. But it is SO important! By instructing your children through this curriculum,
You will be educating your children on creating a real-life budget based on real prices at a real grocery store.
It doesn't get any more practical than that!
Your children aren't going to simply create a budget, however. They are going to create a budget that is nutritionally adequate, calorie-appropriate, and delicious for the entire family.
One of the assignments for the curriculum is to create a 2-day menu or meal plan for a family of four. However, it can be adjusted, depending on your family's size. This is just ONE of the many assignments you will be able to schedule for your kids to do.
I am master's degree-level Registered Dietitian and I studied Public Health for my master's degree. Thus, I think it's important to focus on prevention. For example, teaching kids behaviors and choices that will lead to a healthy weight and a healthy body. When a person grows up with a healthy weight and body, they are less likely to develop diseases such as Diabetes and Hypertension.
Note, however, that this curriculum is not weight-focused. This is simply one example of how it can be applied.
My overriding goal is to teach kids important health science and nutrition principles that meet scholastic requirements and build life-long skills. And “Meal Planning for Kids” will help them to achieve health and well-being as adults.
Kids also develop research and writing skills, critical thinking, and budgeting while completing this curriculum.
LOTS of hands-on, practical activities are included in this 147-page curriculum package.
Activities include real-life skills. For example, how to pick the best, most nutritious foods, at the best price, while at the real supermarket. Kids will also learn what goes on behind the scenes at the grocery store, what influences prices, and more.
Once kids complete this course, they will be proficient at planning a menu for an entire family.
Plus, this curriculum assists kids in gaining valuable experience working as a team.
“Meal Planning for Kids” is appropriate for preschoolers, elementary, middle, and high schoolers.
So, if you have multiples, “Meal Planning for Kids” is an economical way to meet health science requirements for all the kids in your family, pre-K through 12th grade.
High school kids (9th-12th grade) who spend at least 150 hours completing this course (which is absolutely possible considering the amount of work included), will earn 1 full unit of high school credit.
The time to take advantage of this package which will teach your kids “Healthy Eating on a Budget” is NOW.
Included with this thorough course is a Bonus Activity Book which enhances the health science activities in the main course, allowing for further collaboration and time spent on subject. A $5.00 value.
*I have included in the BONUS section, the Entire set of FDA-created materials (complete with tables and a glossary) that will allow for your children to complete the questions I have included related to vitamins, minerals, label reading, the several types of carbohydrates (sugars, sugar alcohols, fiber), fats (saturated, unsaturated, trans-fat), proteins, sodium, cholesterol, and more. This will make it easier for your students to answer the lengthy and involved questions I have created to go with the FDA-created materials. (These questions could satisfy college requirements as well).
Meal Planning for Kids is a digital download/printable type course. 147 pages
Click here to purchase.
Or better yet, click here to grab the bundle and get an even better deal!
Other things on my site you might be interested in:
Nutrition and Food Science Mega Pack
What Attracts Kids to Fast Food?
Entrepreneurship and our Children
Etsy Masterclass for Teens
Seven Surprising Symptoms of Iron Deficiency
grocery store.
High school kids (9th-12th grade) who spend at least 150 hours completing this course (which is absolutely possible considering the amount of work included), will earn 1 full unit of high school credit.
