Q: How bad, nutritionally, are pre-packed kid’s lunch meals with mini pizzas, tacos, etc? And is apple juice the healthiest drink to give them?

A: It’s no surprise that many of the pre-packed lunches are relatively high in fat and sodium but as teens and children need a lot of energy the biggest problem may not be the pre-packed lunch but what goes with the lunch. Rounding out a meal with extra sweets and sugar-laden drinks containing little or no juice leaves a meal nutritionally lacking, whether it’s pre-packaged or one you’ve packed yourself. If you prefer pre-packaged meals, look for those with very little of the less nutritious fillers and supplement them with your own nutrient rich fresh fruits, raw vegetables, or both. On the other hand, packing a healthy lunch with wholegrain sandwiches, salad and boiled eggs takes only a few minutes (and less money) if you add the ingredients to your weekly shopping list. You might question whether it’s worth paying more for a nutritionally incomplete, pre-packed meal.

 

Apple juice is a nutritious drink that can supply some of the health-promoting phytochemicals found in apples. But there’s no reason to use it as the main beverage every lunch or snack time the way many parents do. The idea that apple juice is somehow easier than citrus juice on children’s stomachs is quite untrue.  Regardless of what juice is used, child nutrition experts warn that doling out multiple glasses of juice between meals can leave a toddler too full to get adequate nutrition at meals. Water is the often forgotten drink and would be good to get our children used to drinking just plain water.  Some snack-time or lunchtime juice is fine, but getting children in the habit of drinking water, or perhaps diluted fruit juice, to satisfy thirst between meals will bring them many short- and long-term benefits.

Q: Are there any healthy fast food choices?

A: Whether you are watching calories, salt intake or fat, fast food restaurants are not the best place to eat a healthy meal. But there are some healthy fast food choices, and fast food restaurants are adding new, healthier menu choices every day. In general, my advice is to avoid fast food restaurants but if needs must here are some ways to make healthier fast food choices.

 

Instead of chips, whenever possible, choose a lower calorie side dish, such as a salad. Many fast food chains have added some very tasty salads to their menus.  But beware! Salads, in general, are healthy. But those added options like cheese and bacon bits and creamy salad dressings can undo all your good healthy fast food intentions. In fact, condiments and sauces, in general, add unhealthy fast food calories, so if you must have them, get them on the side and use them sparingly. This includes such items as cheese sauce, tartar sauce and gravy.  Eliminate the sour cream on the baked potato, the mayonnaise on the sandwich. Go for the veggies – extra lettuce, cucumber and tomato, onions and pickles.

 

Whole wheat is better than white bread and, generally speaking, a wrap will have fewer calories than a sandwich. Chicken nuggets are one of the most unhealthy fast food choices you can make, along with breakfast sandwiches, fried meats, fries and onion rings.

 

Another source of empty and unhealthy fast food calories is the drink. A large cola contains 310 calories!  A glass of water with a lemon wedge or two can be a refreshing option.

 

Finally, keep in mind that less is always better than more. Buy the smaller sizes, even if it means buying off the children’s menu. No super sizing! If you are fortunate enough to have someone you can share your food with, even better, since most fast food and other restaurant meals contain twice as much food (and therefore, twice as many calories) as should be consumed for a meal.

 

Although it’s always best to drive or walk past fast food restaurants if there is no other option with a little planning and a little thought, you can make healthy fast food choices regardless of where you are eating.

Q: I’ve got quite a bit of weight to lose and want to know if yoga can help me?

A: Exercising frequently is the key to losing weight and maintaining your weight once the extra pounds are gone. This goes hand-in-hand with eating a healthy diet filled with fruits, veggies, proteins, and whole grains. This kind of diet not only will help contribute to losing weight, but it will give you enough energy to workout. It’s like a cycle.

 

In order to lose weight, you need to burn calories and like anything physical, doing yoga can help you achieve that goal, but it depends on what style of yoga you choose. You may want to choose vigorous Power, Vinyasa, or Ashtanga classes. These classes move quickly, and can really get your heart pumping, which can result in greater calorie burn than slower-moving gentle yoga classes. Hour and a half classes like these should be done at least 3-5 times a week to see weight loss results. This consistency will help you strengthen, lengthen, and tone your muscles.

 

It has also been suggested that hot yoga, performed in a room set to 105 degrees F (40.55 C) is excellent for weight loss. Studies do show that this type of yoga does cause temporary weight loss. As one sweats, one loses water weight. Yet this type of weight loss is not permanent, and it doesn’t necessarily burn a lot of fat.

 

Regular mat yoga, often called Hatha yoga, does cause some weight loss, over consistent practice of at least one class a day. It can also cause muscles to become more toned and flexible, a desirable benefit. A one-hour Hatha yoga class does not burn the same amount of calories as one hour of fast walking. On average, the one-hour yoga class burns about 100 calories. However, a study conducted by Alan Kristal in connection with the National Cancer Institute showed that those who practiced yoga one hour a week lost an average of 5 pounds over a four-year period. This data was compared to those who did not practice yoga and gained 14 pounds during the same time period. Thus practicing yoga, even once a week theoretically helps you shed a small amount of weight, while keeping weight gain at bay.

 

Whether or not yoga does offer huge weight loss benefits it certainly offers fitness benefits, specifically for the muscles. I highly recommend yoga if you’ve got weight to lose because not only will it help you look and feel fitter but because it also focuses on mind/body awareness. People who have greater body awareness tend to notice when they feel full and stop eating and to take greater care of their bodies and what they put into them. This suggests that it is not the exercise but the philosophy of regular yoga practice that may result in weight loss. Further, it may also encourage you to seek out cardiovascular exercise such as brisk walking, running, cycling and swimming with more proven weight loss records.