Here is a great post about nutrition for kids from the guys over at CrossFit California City.
Regular readers of mine will know the following:
1) I don’t mince words.
2) I don’t claim to be a doctor or nutritionist.
Take that to heart when you read this. In addition to being a CrossFit and CrossFit Kids trainer, I’m also a father. I have a 13 year old daughter, who is also a CrossFitter. A common conversation I have with friends and co-workers usually contains the “what should I eat?” question and the “it’s hard to get the kids to eat [blank]” statement. Give me a break.
Parents, let me speak to you directly. I know we live in the day and age when we let kids do whatever they want and worry about their freedoms, all that crap. It is your job, for 18 years or so, to nurture your children, raise them responsibly, prepare them for adulthood, and impose on them values you believe to be worthwhile. When you let them go into the world, hopefully you have provided them with a set of decision-making skills that will allow them to make smart, educated choices as adults.
If that is your job, (and it is), then why in the world would you let them continue to eat like they do simply because they are kids? I know why, because you’re too lazy and spineless to make the change. I told you I don’t mince words. If you’re willing to go Paleo, or Paleo/Zone, or Primal…any “clean” version of eating, and you find that to be an important part of your life, why WOULDN’T you impress the same on your children? If they think it’s bunk, fine. When they get a job and start providing for themselves, they can eat whatever they want. For now, you’re the boss.
So, let’s cut to the chase. How do you do it? This is terribly simple, and it only requires you to stick to your guns a little. Barring any medical needs, allergies, or other unforeseen circumstances, this will work for anyone with the will power to do it. Here are the three steps to clean up your kids diet, in order of importance.
1) Stop buying crap! Eliminate the crap from your house and your shopping list. Period. Your child physically CANNOT eat a pop-tart that does not exist. For proof of this, sit them down without a pop-tart and try to get them to eat a pop-tart. When you are able to do it, let me know, because you’ve got a kid on your hands that scientists will want to take a look at. Get the picture? They cannot eat what you don’t buy. Sure, you’ll have to deal with a couple weeks of a cranky kid, but they’re going to be mad at you for something else anyway, so you might as well make the most of it. When they get hungry, they’ll eat. I promise you that. If they don’t want hot salmon and broccoli…then they’ll get cold salmon and broccoli. It’s up to them.
2) Talk to your kids about why you buy and eat what you buy and eat. Share with them why a protein source at every meal is important and why grains and sugars should be avoided. Tell them why fat is perceived to be bad, but in reality, it’s good. Children are smart, and will understand you as long as you keep it to their education level. This is also a great time to find out what they really like. You’d be surprised what healthy foods they like, but don’t eat them because you don’t buy them. I did this with my boot camp kids last summer. I gave them the CF Journal 21 Zone lists of favorable and unfavorable foods and a highlighter. Show me what you like! Try it, you might be surprised.
3) Allow them to enjoy social situations with friends, in moderation. We all know what being a pre-teen/teen can be like without the excess stress of not being able to eat burgers and fries on Friday night after the game with everyone else. One trip to “In-and-Out” or Pizza Hut every other week is not going to push them over the edge. It is far better to provide them with unquestionably “good” choices at home and for lunch at school, and allow the freedom to cheat with friends. Guess what? After a while, they won’t want the junk. They’ll learn how bad it makes them feel, and not only will they seek out “better” choices when they’re out, but they’ll start to influence their friends.
That’s it. If you stick to your guns, these three steps will yield a child that is roughly 80% Paleo/Primal, or whatever. More importantly, you’ll give your child a large selection of healthy choices at their disposal as they progress into adulthood.
Many of us did not find the holy grail of proper nutrition until our adult years. Just like CrossFit, don’t you wish you had “Paleo” when you were younger? Be strong and give your kids the tools they need. They will use them.
For the record, this is the exactly how we were able to get our daughter to eat what we eat. The worst thing she gets at the grocery store is ice cream. But, we eat that too now and again, so no hypocrisy on either side. Everything else in the “cheat” realm is all special occasion; visits to friend’s houses, parties, etc. More and more we hear about how she didn’t eat this and that, or how bad she feels after eating certain things. I’ve got a 13 year old that does not eat cereal for breakfast. Bacon and Eggs. Is her diet perfectly clean? Nope. Is mine? Heck no. Is yours? Doubt it. But 80% clean for a 13 year-old is a success story to me. When I find myself worrying about too much fruit, I know it’s time to count my blessings. She’s a great kid, and she’s off to a great start.
Who’s next?
