What are we doing to our kids?

I realized something the last week or so. I am doing a HUGE injustice to my family, namely my boys. Just how fair is it for me to eat a grilled chicken breast and salad for dinner, while my kids eat McDonald's or pizza.

What exactly am I teaching them? Let me tell you - What I'm teaching them is that its OK to eat all the crap you want - until you are obese - THEN you make the changes in your life to become healthy and get the weight off. HOW INSANELY CRAZY IS THAT?

**FACT - almost 60% of children in America are obese
**FACT - in 2002, 22% of America's preschoolers were overweight. What do you think that number is for 2010? PRESCHOOLERS!
**FACT - 40% of obese children and 70% of obese adolescence become obese adults
**FACT- a child in America has an 80% chance of becoming obese if only one of their parents is obese.
**FACT - In 2008, only one state (Colorado) had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%
**FACT - American's spend $150 BILLION in obesity related health care costs

** For the first time in American history - our children are facing a shorter lifespan than what we have - many dieing BEFORE THEIR PARENTS.


What are we doing to our kids?

Something has to give. Something has to change.

Michelle Obama is working with the Let's Move program to 1. Give parents information they need to make healthier choices for their family 2. She is working to improve the meal options at our childrens' schools, which is vital 3. By making healthier food more widly available, especially in lower income areas, and 4. Get kids moving, both at school and at home.



Regardless of what political party you are associated with, she needs our support in this program. Our kids need our support in this program. Look at the website. Learn from it and make the changes necessary to help our kids.


Someone else working to change America's children -- Jamie Oliver. If you have 20 minutes to either work out or watch this video - WATCH THE VIDEO. I was changed by this...



If you don't know who Jamie Oliver is, he's a chef. He's a chef that believes we as a country are on a downward spiral when it comes to weight and obesity. Because of that, he has started the award winning, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Jamie's Food Revolution is all about replacing junk, snacks and processed food with freshly cooked nutritious meals – in schools and at home. After three months working in Huntington, WV, Jamie has seen how a little bit of confidence can change people's lives and their health prospects. He believes that American people have the power to halt the obesity epidemic. That needs to start now - with a Food Revolution. Look at his website. Learn what is happening to our kids - what WE are doing to our kids. Sign his petition.

***My own kids will no longer drink chocolate milk at school. And until something changes, they will no longer eat meals offered through the school district. They will eat home made lunches packed with whole foods including whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables.***

Not all children are overweight or obese. None of my three boys are overweight. BUT, just because a child is not obese does not mean they are healthy or have malnourishment issues. I believe regardless of a child's weight at one given point in their lives - they all deserve to be taught the lessons on healthy living, proper eating and exercise.

If you feel as strongly about this issue as I do, post about it, talk to your kids, and friends. Educate people.

If three of my blog readers vow to teach their children better habits and post about the Food Revolution in their own blogs - and three of each of their blog readers do the same and three of their blog readers do the same, and three of their blog readers do the same, etc that's 87 blog readers affected and potentially hundreds of kids (depending on the number of kiddos each blog reader has)who's lives will be changed.

What I WAS doing to my kids - I am NO LONGER doing.