Ahhh, People.
It’s been approximately 11 days since I returned from Fitbloggin and found what was once my child.
A former shell of her Tornado-self wrapped in Lunchables quick meal things, slathered in Skittles unnamed candy treats and filled to the HILT with rootbearD.**
(I’ll let that sink in since I like to imagine you, as I, are stunned by the mere thought let alone the in-person experience.)
I wont lie to you either.
Even this my glass is over-flowing may I pour some in yours optimist had a moment of OH HELL NO!! Seriously?!
Until I stepped back a moment thought yay I was looking for blogpost fodder and this could be it!! and realized the challenge of detoxing her just might be something I could learn from.
And learn I did.
And Im sharing with you.
My Six Tips for Detoxing (you or) Your Child From Junk Food
Ply the child’s pie-hole with water. Whether your little one has root-beer flowing through her veins or not, the first step to getting ‘em back on track is hydration. Talk (at their age-level) about the importance of water for our bodies to function. At 5 the Tornado fascinated by water making up more than half our body weight and the fact water can be found in foods, too. (I have no shame. I started her off with bubble water. No flavors–but bubbles allthesame)Get em on a schedule/back on schedule. Traveling (if yours is riding the sugar-pony due to vacation) can throw meals out of whack. The day after I returned from Fitbloggin (where I thought I was in-whack the entire time!) I saw flashes of light around one of my eyes (!). I panicked. I called my doctor. He instructed me to eat and, if the flashes remained, come in immediately. As soon as I ate the flashes disappeared. Because I never allow my bloodsugar to get low—I’d never experienced that before. I needed to get back on an eating schedule and so did the detoxing Tornado. Not only did it make her intake more balanced—she was less blood-sugar dropping CRANKY. Plan healthy meals and snacks….and let your child(ren) help. Not only will they learn about the importance of planning and healthy foods though *you*—-they will feel empowered as they they choose/make the meals.Create meals/snacks with an abundance of FIBER (even if it means a modicum of sneakage ala Jessica Seinfeld). The bottom line (pun intended) is our bodies were created to detox quite naturally when given enough water & fiber and nothing clogs us (the royal) up like fiberFREE junk food. Design meals and snacks around fibrous foods your child enjoys. Here’s a list if you need some ideas—I know I did.Practice what you preach—-and RESIST the urge to preach. For the first time wanting to preach was a struggle for me. I longed to preach at Ren Man. I composed veritable sermons in my head for the Tornado. I came thisclose to shouting, “REALLY? YOURE ASKING ME FOR ___?! DO YOU NOT GET THAT’S mom is out of town VACATION FOOD?!” I bit my tongue. Quite literally. I may or may not, however, have announced repeatedly how fantastic!I!felt! which brings me to…Remind your child, when detoxed, how she felt before versus how she feels now. Of course the Tornado adored the candy. Hell to the YES she preferred root bearD to plain, bubble-filled tap water. That said, she also grasped on her five year old level how outta whack she felt when I returned & how much she did NOT enjoy spending time in her room trying to calm herself down. I focused on not talking about this in an negative fashion but in an “it’s all information and arent our bodies interesting!” way. I truly believe these talks are a gift to her and a first step toward learning to be an intuitive ADULT eater (Poor sentence construction. I dont want her to eat adults).Remember & remind your child that diet (food intake) is all cumulative. Around here the motto is All things are fine in moderation. From television to turkey slices. Around here a detox means a cleanse of sugar-sorts but not forever-banishment. I worked to remind the Tornado wordlessly that our “diet” is the sum total of our day—not any one particular meal or snack.
Short version? Fast food and junk food compromises a child’s (or adult’s. grown-up specific tips coming monday!) overall diet because it takes the place of better options. It’s as simple as that.
Do you have some sugar-detox tips to share?
What has worked for YOU or YOUR children in the past?
Please to help a misfit out…
**Important diZclaimer: This junkification was not all Ren Man’s doing. Upon hearing of my departure various & sundry folks dropped by & plied the Tornado with treats.
**Please to read diZclaimer above as I enjoy being married.
**Did I mention we are coming up on our 15 year anniversary and 18 years together?
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