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- What Do My Kids Eat?
I’m a nutrition coach, organic food salesperson, and role model for health.
My kids must eat super healthy, right?
Wrong!
At least, not in the way you’re probably thinking.
I’ll explain:
The Big Picture 🖼
Explain It To Me It Like I’m 5 🧒
Empower, Encourage, Exemplify 💪🏾
Your Home Is A School 🏫
Parting Zen 🧘♂️
The Big Picture 🖼
I know a few people who only feed their kids organic foods or allow them to eat a certain way.
If that works for them, great!
My house has a full spectrum of foods available, even some ‘junk’ food.
For the record, my kids are now 14 and 12.
They’re also in very good physical condition.
Could they eat a more well-balanced diet? Of course.
I’ll dive deeper into my approach below.
One key underpinning is:
→ I never wanted to force them too hard into anything.
Explain It To Me Like I’m 5 👦
Today’s topic, as simply as possible:
“Learning how to make good choices is important!”
Empower, Encourage, Exemplify 💪🏾
It’s as much about this process as it is about the specific foods they eat:
Your Home Is A School 🏫
In most schools, they don’t teach basic nutritional skills.
Yes, the very same skills I teach you about in this newsletter.
Skills such as:
Planning to food shop and meal prep.
Regulating emotions without food.
Basic energy balance.
And yes, choosing quality foods is one as well.
So yes, it’s important not to allow your kids to eat junk food all the time.
Some people would say ‘never’ - and I won’t disagree if it works for them.
However, I would contend that if you never allow your children to have a piece of candy, you may be risking a backlash of overindulgence.
It Takes Time
My son is 12, and he eats barely any vegetables.
He’s quite muscular - he’s in fantastic shape.
He’s very into sports and training.
When he was very little, getting him to taste a vegetable was usually impossible.
Yet we still kept putting them on the table, on his plate, and near him.
I'd ask him to help unload the groceries and touch them or even wash the dishes with vegetables on them …
… and I kept talking about how important they are positively.
But we never forced him to eat a bowl of salad or a plate of carrots.
All that would do would be to create a negative experience.
And guess what:
→ The negative experiences you had with food as a child and teenager affect your food choices today.
Guess what else:
Now that he’s getting older, he’s smart enough to realize the consequences of prolonging his resistance, and he’s beginning to acquiesce more & more.
For example, if he wants to play sports in high school and college, he’ll need to eat vegetables, or his body won’t be optimally fueled.
[TO BE CONTINUED …]
If I continue, today’s email will exceed my promised 5-minute read time. I will expand on this topic again soon!
What has your experience been like with your kids’ nutrition? Let me know. I’d love to include more helpful content in the next edition.
Parting Zen 🧘♂️
A simple word, phrase, or thought to take with you:
The best leaders lead by example. That’s you.
Be well,
Coach Matt
PS: ATTENTION DADS:
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PPS: My common-sense disclaimer …
The advice I offer is not medical advice. If you have any medical issues, please consult your doctor first. The advice I offer should be personalized to your needs. I can help you make those personalizations or refer you out. Reply to this email if you need help.
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