Watermelon isn’t just a summer treat. With its naturally high water content, easy-to-prep cuts, and creative no-waste possibilities, it’s one of the easiest ways to add fruit to your family’s meals this fall. These watermelon hydration tips and no waste watermelon ideas will help you stay healthy, snack smart, and make the most of every slice.

Why Watermelon Works in Fall

When the temperatures drop, it’s easy to forget about hydration. We tend to think of water as a summer need, but the truth is, your body requires just as much hydration in cooler months. Between school schedules, sports practices, and workdays, it’s surprisingly easy to get dehydrated in the fall.

That’s where watermelon comes in. At about 92% water, it’s one of the most hydrating fruits you can eat. The natural sweetness makes it a family favorite, while the vitamin and mineral content provides extra nutritional value:

A 2 cup serving of watermelon is a source of:

• Vitamin C (25% daily value) – helps support immune health
• 314 mg/6% daily value of potassium – helps supports healthy muscles and fluid balance
• 12.7 mg of lycopene – naturally occurring plant compounds that contribute to the color of produce and may act as antioxidants

“Watermelon is an easy way to help families add more fruits to their daily routine,” says Coach Tony, RD. “Its high water content and naturally sweet taste make it a favorite for snacks and meals all year long.”

Watermelon Snacks for Fall: How to Cut for Every Occasion

One of the best things about watermelon is how versatile it is. By cutting it in different ways, you can fit it into school lunches, game-day snacks, or family dinners. Here are some easy prep ideas for healthy watermelon recipes and snacks:

Cubes – Lunchbox Ready

Bite-sized cubes are a classic for a reason. They fit perfectly into reusable containers and bento boxes. Try mixing cubes with grapes, berries, or kiwi for a colorful fruit salad. For extra protein, pair with cheese cubes or yogurt dip.

Sticks – Quick Snacks for Busy Days

Watermelon sticks are easy for kids to grab after school or practice. They’re less messy than wedges and perfect for on-the-go snacking. Wrap them in parchment and store in a cooler bag for road trips or tournament days.

Wedges – Simple Family Side

Wedges are the ultimate low-effort side dish. Add them to a plate alongside grilled chicken, pasta, or sandwiches for a pop of color and hydration. Sprinkle with fresh mint or a pinch of chili powder for a fun twist.

Balls – Fun for Meals or Snacks

Using a melon baller creates bite-sized rounds that feel special. Toss them into green salads, mix into a fruit cup, or freeze them for a refreshing after-school treat. For a kid-approved dessert, skewer them with other fruits for a fun kabob.

Puree – Smoothies and Drinks

Blending watermelon into a puree creates an instant base for smoothies, popsicles, or refreshing drinks. Combine with strawberries and mint for a naturally sweet beverage without added sugar.

No Waste Watermelon Ideas: Use the Whole Fruit

Reducing food waste is easier when you think about using every part of your produce. Watermelon offers plenty of opportunities for creative, zero-waste cooking.

• Pickle the Rinds – Quick pickled rinds make a crunchy topping for tacos, grain bowls, or salads. Try recipes like Baked Fish Tacos with Watermelon Rind, Chicken & Spicy Pickled Watermelon Rind Rice Bowls, or Watermelon Rind BBQ Sauce.
• Blend the Scraps – Toss leftover pieces into smoothies, make a bright pink juice, or stir into a pitcher of iced tea. Favorites include Strawberry Watermelon Fruit Slushies and a Watermelon Cucumber Smoothie.
• Freeze into Ice Cubes – Puree watermelon, pour into ice cube trays, and freeze. Add to sparkling water, lemonade, or even iced coffee for a hint of sweetness.
• Compost the Rest – If you can’t eat it, compost it. Watermelon scraps break down quickly and enrich your garden soil.

Watermelon Hydration Tips for Busy Families

If you’re looking for ways to keep your family hydrated without them even realizing it, watermelon is a smart choice. Here are a few practical ideas:

• After-School Hydration – Serve watermelon sticks right after sports practice to help replenish fluids.
• Lunchbox Boost – Pack cubes in a small container with a mini fork for a mess-free snack.
• Dinner Side Dish – Pair wedges with savory dishes to balance flavors and add a refreshing element.
• On-the-Go Cooler Packs – Freeze cubes and use them in lunchboxes to keep other food cool, then eat as a sweet snack.

Quick, Healthy Watermelon Recipes for Fall

Looking for healthy watermelon recipes your whole family will love? Here are a few to try:

1. Watermelon & Feta Salad – Combine cubes with crumbled feta, fresh mint, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze for a quick side dish.
2. Watermelon Smoothie – Blend with Greek yogurt, frozen strawberries, and a splash of coconut water for a creamy, hydrating drink.
3. Watermelon Salsa – Dice watermelon and mix with red onion, jalapeño, lime juice, and cilantro. Serve with grilled fish or tortilla chips.
4. Watermelon Popsicles – Puree watermelon with a bit of lemonade and freeze in popsicle molds for a simple dessert.

Why Families Love Watermelon Year-Round

Watermelon is affordable, kid-approved, and easy to prepare in bulk. A single melon can provide multiple snacks and sides throughout the week, making meal prep more efficient. Plus, it’s naturally sweet without added sugar, which is a win for both kids and parents.

By making watermelon part of your regular routine, you’re helping your family stay hydrated, eat more fruit, and waste less food. That’s a triple win—especially during the busy fall season.

Simply Watermelon, Simply Easy

Making the most of your watermelon is simple: enjoy it fresh, cut it to fit your family’s routine, and try creative ways to use every part of the fruit. Whether you’re packing a lunchbox, grabbing a quick snack, or adding fruit to dinner, watermelon is an easy way to stay hydrated and waste less this fall.

How will you #UseTheWholeWatermelon? Find more healthy watermelon recipes and tips at watermelon.org.

The post Simply Watermelon: Hydration, Snacks & No-Waste Tips for Fall appeared first on Healthy Family Project.

Healthy snacks that keep kids fueled are important! Find out some of the top snacks for active kids to help keep them going!

Kids today are bombarded with advertisements on television, magazines, and even in pop-ups on their favorite mobile games trying to sell them on the next big product that’ll give them that burst of energy to take their performance up a notch and get them the gold. Whether it’s a sports drink or the coolest new tube of energy goo, more likely than not they aren’t much more than a refined mix of electrolytes and carbohydrates for quick ingestion and utilization in a flashy package.

While these can be a good supplement to a balanced diet for active adult athletes, when we’re talking about kids a more “whole foods with fruits and vegetables” approach will likely provide them with the same amount of macronutrients with the added punch of fiber and deliciousness that will take performance to the next level!

Active kids need more than a flashy package and sugar to help provide them with nutrients and performance in sports. Snacks before or after a workout or competition can help kids perform their best. They can even promote camaraderie with their fellow athletes by sharing a well-deserved snack together. Much like the common goal of victory, food can be a great uniter and bond teams together in their pursuit of better health and performance!

Healthy snacks for athletes of all ages should contain a good protein source, be rich in carbohydrates, and low in fat. Good proteins are to help those growing muscles grow big and strong. Carbohydrates provide energy and maintain good blood glucose levels during activity. Keeping snacks lower in fat is important because athletes utilize the energy from snacks to remain feeling their best and performing well. Fats take longer to breakdown, slowing digestion, and increasing the possibility of sluggishness on the field!

Examples of Good Snacks for Active Kids

Easy Energy Snacks Packing a Punch with Protein and Fruit/Vegetables

Fruit or Vegetable + Lean Protein = A Healthy Snack for Active Kids + Athletes

1. Celery + Peanut Butter
2. Pear Slices + Cheese
3. Mango + Greek Yogurt
4. Frozen Berries + Milk = Smoothies
5. ½ Banana + Walnuts
6. Apple Slices + Almonds
7. Peaches + Cottage Cheese
8. Carrot Sticks + Hummus
9. Cucumber Slices + Turkey Slices + Whole Wheat Crackers
10. Snap Peas + Yogurt Ranch

All these healthy sports snacks have two main ingredients: a fruit or vegetable and a lean protein source. Much like a team, separate they are merely parts of a whole. Together, they make up a driving force that can be utilized to help kids feel good, perform better. Also, it helps build lasting bonds when shared with friends and teammates.

Purchase fewer high-sugar drinks and other high-calorie snack foods. Snacks such as candy, chips, and cookies should be seen as a treat by your child, not as a daily thing. Buying less of these items and providing more healthy snacks will help your child develop a good relationship with food and keep them fueled longer.

The healthy snacks for active kids mentioned above are merely examples, however. That is where you, the reader, comes in! Try out some of these examples and get creative with your snacks and with your kids! Just remember this, food isn’t just fuel, it’s fun!

Looking for more snack idea tips? Here are Healthy Sports Snacks For Kids.

Today’s guest post comes from Zack Knight, MS, RD, LDN, ACSM-CPT. Zack is passionate about helping kids and families live healthier lifestyles through nutrition and fitness. For more from Zack, follow him on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

The post 10 Healthy Snacks to Fuel Active Kids appeared first on Healthy Family Project.

Julie Lopez, registered dietitian and culinary nutrition chef, is discussing all about hydration in this month’s Food Rx. She also shares kid-friendly infused-water recipes to help you and your family stay hydrated.

Staying properly hydrated is one of the most essential things to do for your overall health, along with eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep. Because the body cannot store water, we must constantly provide and supply it with water to maintain our body’s many functioning systems. Water is by far one of the body’s most essential nutrients. Water helps maintain blood volume, and it helps lubricate joints and body tissues such as those in the mouth, eyes and nose.

And, water is truly a liquid asset for a healthy weight — it’s sugar-free, caffeine-free and calorie-free.

So why is hydration so important, what are the signs of dehydration, and what are some fun ways to drink more water?

Why is hydration important?

Water is one of the body’s most essential nutrients. Up to 60% of the human body is made up of water. Your body needs it to survive.

Water plays an important role in maintaining all body functions, by regulating body temperature, transports nutrients and oxygen to all cells and carries waste products away, and keeps organs functioning properly.

Now that the weather is hot and we are all having more fun in the sun, we might feel the physical demands more of hydration, but the importance of hydration applies all year round.

What is dehydration?

Dehydration is when you or your child’s body does not have enough water to continue working right. It can keep your child from being as fast and sharp as they usually are by causing headaches, tiredness, lack of concentration, and reduced mental performance, and it can even cause your child to be sick if they have severe dehydration. So make sure you and your child are getting enough water to stay hydrated!

What are the signs of dehydration?

Did you know when you start to feel thirsty you may already be dehydrated?

We all lose some body water throughout the day in our sweat, tears and by going to the bathroom. Water also evaporates from skin and leaves the body as vapor when we breathe. We usually replace this body fluid and the salts it contains through our regular diet.

Sometimes, we lose large amounts of water and salts. This can happen when they have a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting, or through long periods of exercise with lots of sweating.

A simple way to determine if you need to drink more water is to check the color of your urine. The darker your urine is, the more water you need to drink. If your urine is light or has no color, then you are well hydrated.

Signs of dehydration include:

• Fatigue
• Dry mouth, cracked lips
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Few or no tears when crying
• Eyes that look sunken
• Urinating less or fewer wet diapers than usual (for babies)
• Irritability
• Low energy levels, seeming very weak or limp

The goal in treating dehydration is to replace fluids and restore body fluids to normal levels. Kids who are mildly dehydrated from lots of activity will probably be thirsty and should drink water.

Plain water is the best option. They should rest in a cool, shaded spot until the lost fluid has been replaced. If dehydration is caused by an illness, hydration may include beverages that include electrolytes to replenish lost fluids.

Tips to stay hydrated

Water intake doesn’t just come from water alone, but many of the delicious foods we eat are also contributing to your water intake.

Drink Water

• Invest in a reusable water bottle. Bonus if the water bottle can keep your water nice and cool.
• Make it fun! Have your child pick out the color water they like and even decorate with fun stickers!
• Keep it filled up and bring it with you wherever you go!

Infuse Water

Looking to add a pop of flavor to your water? Infuse it with fruits, vegetables and herbs. Play around with different combinations so it never gets boring.

Infused Water Flavor Combinations:

• Strawberry + Lemon + Basil
• Strawberry + Lime
• Orange + Ginger
• Watermelon + Mint
• Citrus + Cucumber + Mint
• Strawberry + Cucumber
• Lemon + Lime + Mint
• Strawberry + Kiwi + Lime
• Pineapple + Mango
• Lemon + Cucumber
• Cantaloupe + Honeydew Melon + Watermelon

Sparkling Waters

Sparkling water hydrates you just as much as regular water. Thus, it contributes to your daily water intake. Aim to choose sparkling water without added sugar or other sweeteners.

Hydrating Foods

There are many foods that can contribute a large amount of water to your diet.

• A 1-cup serving of watermelon contains over a half cup of water, in addition to some fiber and several important nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin A and magnesium.
• Strawberries have a high water content. About 91% of strawberries’ weight comes from water, eating them will contribute to your daily water intake.
• One cup of cantaloupe is composed of about 90% water and delivers more than a half cup of water per serving.
• Close to 90% of peaches‘ weight is water. They also provide several important vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins and potassium. All other stone fruit like plums, nectarines, and apricots, are also hydrating.
• One cup of lettuce provides more than a quarter cup of water, in addition to 1 gram of fiber.
• A 1-cup serving of chopped zucchini contains more than 90% water and provides 1 gram of fiber.
• Celery is made mostly of water, providing close to a half cup of it in a 1-cup serving.
• One medium tomato alone provides about a half cup of water. It also provides a significant amount of vitamins and minerals, including immune-boosting vitamins A and C.
• More than 90% of the weight of bell peppers comes from water. They are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins and potassium.

Kids Total Daily Beverage and Drinking Water Requirements

The daily amount of water that a child and adult need depends on factors such as age, weight, gender, and activity level. Air temperature, humidity, and a person’s overall health also affect daily water requirements. As a general rule of thumb, children and teens should drink at least 6 to 8 cups of water every day and consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables since they contain higher amounts of water than other foods.

Special attention needs to be given to proper hydration, especially for young athletes. Water, 100% fruit juice and sports drinks are appropriate at an extended competition like a swim or tennis meets. If it’s a short soccer game (less than an hour), keep it to water. Plain and flavored milk are great drink choices during and after a competition. They provide protein for muscle repair and carbohydrate to refuel muscles.

How much water should your kids be consuming? The chart below breaks out recommendations.

Note: These recommendations are set for generally healthy kids living in temperate climates; therefore, they might not be exact for your child or teen.

The amount of water that your child or teen needs each day might seem like a lot, but keep in mind that the recommendations in the chart are for total water, which includes water from all sources: drinking water, other beverages and food. Notice that fruits and vegetables have a much higher water content than other solid foods. This high-water content helps keep the calorie level of fruits and vegetables low while their nutrient level remains high — another perfectly great reason for kids to eat more from these food groups.

Here are some tips on how to get your child to drink more water:

• Keep the water cold—cold water is more refreshing and warm water may be distasteful.
• Use your child’s favorite cup or a silly, colorful cup as a designated water cup.
• Buy fun ice cube molds that your child can add to their water.
• Be a role model and drink water often and with your child.
• Skip the soda and drink water when you go out to eat, or make homemade fruit “soda” at home by adding a splash of 100% fruit juice to carbonated water.
• Make fruit infused water! It adds color and a little bit of flavor.
• Add berries to your homemade ice cubes that can be added to your child’s water.
• Buy tiny water bottles that your child can hold herself.

We cover all this and more in this month’s Food Rx episode! Have questions about hydration? Comment on this post!

Disclaimer: Before making any health or diet changes, please consult your doctor. The information shared as part of Food Rx is meant to be informative but not replace medical advice from your doctor.

The post Food Rx: All About Hydration appeared first on Healthy Family Project.

We’re teaming up with Julie Lopez, registered dietitian and culinary nutrition chef in a monthly series focusing on the important role food plays in overall health.

When that mid-day energy slump hits, it can be tempting to grab another cup of coffee or a sugary snack to give us an instant burst. Instead, opt for these healthier, energy-boosting foods for sustained energy throughout your day.

In this episode of Food Rx with Julie Lopez, RD, we explored how our body uses food to produce energy, energy-boosting foods to eat every day and other natural ways to increase energy levels.

How does the body use food to produce energy?

Our bodies need energy to function properly. That energy comes from the food we eat. When we consume food, our body’s digestive system breaks it down into smaller pieces to be absorbed into the body. Food absorption gives us energy to grow and repair our system.

When we talk about energy, it’s not only important to fuel us to run around and play, but also to think, stay warm, and to keep our body’s organs working properly.

The main source of energy comes from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are found in grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, beans, and legumes.

While all foods provide us energy, whole foods will provide more nutrient-dense energy and may provide more long-lasting energy, whereas processed food will provide you energy, but only for short period of time.

Let’s take a closer look at two breakfast options:

• Option A: Chocolate glazed donut
• Option B: Bowl of oatmeal (made with milk) topped with banana and walnuts

Which one will provide us energy?

While both breakfast options provide energy, Option A provides a short burst of energy and then an energy crash. Why? Because a donut is made with refined carbohydrates and added sugar.

Option B contains complex carbohydrates, fiber, healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals, providing more long-lasting energy.

What foods should I eat to boost energy levels?

Foods are converted to energy at different rates. Some can give you a quicker boost or provide longer-lasting energy than others. The main goal should be eating a well-balanced diet to provide your body energy.

Beans are a great source of natural energy. They’re a rich source of carbs, fiber, and protein. Their digestion is slow to help maintain blood sugar levels.

Enjoy a black bean burger for a filling lunch, add to your favorite salsa, or mash and add to quesadillas.

Nuts are a great snack, and they’re known for their high-calorie density. They provide carbs and fiber for steady, sustained energy throughout the day. Grab a handful for a snack or use nut butter as a spread with fruit!

Sweet potatoes contain complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin A, and manganese. The body digests sweet potatoes slowly, providing a steady stream of energy.

Cook with apples for a savory breakfast parfait, thinly slice and bake for homemade chips, or mash for these tasty quesadillas.

Edamame is high in protein, B-vitamins, copper, and phosphorus. Copper and phosphorus are involved in converting food into energy and releasing it into cells so it’s available for the body to use.

Steam and sprinkle lightly with sea salt for a great mid-day snack to hold you over until dinner.

Energy Boosting Protein Sources

Eggs are packed with protein and when paired with carbohydrates create a steady and sustained source of energy.

Hard-boiled eggs are perfect for easy snacking or make a batch of these Broccoli Cheese Quiches for breakfast all week.

Yogurt contains carbohydrates lactose and galactose. When broken down, these sugars can provide ready-to-use energy. Top with fresh fruit and granola for a filling snack.

Oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate that contains beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that forms a thick gel when combined with water, which digests slowly, creating longer-lasting energy.

Enjoy a traditional bowl of oatmeal, or turn oats into energy bites for mid-day snacking.

Salmon (or other fatty fish) contains omega-3 fatty acids. They help reduce inflammation, which is a common cause of fatigue.

Bake salmon on a sheet pan for a fuss-free dinner or save time and opt for canned salmon for this easy pasta dish.

Energy Boosting Fruits

Bananas provide a source of complex carbohydrates, potassium, and vitamin B6, all of which can help boost your energy levels.

Wrap up in a tortilla with peanut butter to make fruit sushi or blend with frozen berries for “nice” cream.

Berries are full of fiber, which slowly delivers energy that will keep you sustained after consuming them. Bonus, add berries to other energy-boosting foods like oatmeal or yogurt.

Blend berries into smoothies, bake into muffins or eat plain as a snack.

Apples are a good source of carbs and fiber. With its rich content of natural sugars and fiber, apples provide slow, sustainable energy. Apples are also the perfect on-the-go snack.

Pair with ham and cheese for an easy snack, dice and add to chicken salad, or top with peanut butter.

Avocados are a true superfood. They’re rich in healthy fats, B vitamins and fiber. The healthy fats in avocados are store in the body and used for energy.

Blend into smoothies for a super creamy texture, dip into some guacamole or add to your sandwich.

These are just a few energy-boosting foods to keep on your radar. Consuming a well-balanced diet and eating nourishing meals and snacks throughout the day will keep energy levels stable. 

Other Ways to Naturally Boost Energy Levels

Beyond the food we eat, our overall lifestyle impacts our energy levels. Other ways to naturally boost energy levels include:

Drink water

Even mild dehydration can leave you feeling drained and fatigued. Dehydration can impair energy levels, impair mood, and lead to major reductions in memory and brain performance.

For more on the importance of water + fun ways to infuse water, check out our previous Food Rx video!

Control stress

Dealing with constant stress can zap energy levels. Try relaxation techniques like meditation, deep breathing or apps like Calm or Headspace.

Check out episode 40 of the Healthy Family Project podcast for more on meditation benefits.

Get outside

Sunlight helps boost serotonin, which can provide more energy and help keep you calm, positive, and focused. Can’t get outside? Open the blinds to let the light shine inside.

Sleep well

Aim for better quality sleep. Go to bed earlier and reduce screen time before bed. A good night’s sleep will do wonders for your energy levels.

Move more

Sounds counterintuitive, but when feeling sluggish get up and move. Even if it’s getting up from your desk every hour, going for a walk, or taking a workout class. Exercising can lead to higher brain dopamine levels, which helps elevate mood.

Be social

Social connections and relationships are important to overall health. Isolation can lead to low mood or tiredness.

Disclaimer: Before making any health or diet changes, please consult your doctor. The information shared as part of Food Rx is meant to be informative but not replace medical advice from your doctor.

The post Food Rx: Healthy Energy-Boosting Foods appeared first on Healthy Family Project.

Tiny immunity shots are powerhouses packed with immune-boosting ingredients like turmeric, echinacea, elderberry, and live probiotics. They provide the energy and support needed to keep up with a busy schedule.

Being a working mom is no easy feat. Between juggling school drop-offs, after-school activities, deadlines at work, and the endless cycle of laundry and meal prep, it often feels like there’s not a single moment left for myself. I know I’m not alone in this. As moms, we’re the ultimate multitaskers, but let’s be real: running on empty isn’t sustainable. That’s why I’ve started incorporating quick health boosts like immunity shots into my day—they’ve become my secret weapon to staying healthy, energized, and ready to face the chaos.

Let’s face it: parenting often means sacrificing sleep, skipping meals, and running on fumes. But as the saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” I’ve learned that taking care of myself is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Immunity shots have made it easier than ever to prioritize my health, even when life gets crazy.

The Power of a Quick Boost

Immunity shots are my go-to solution when I need a quick health pick-me-up. I love how they’re small enough to stash in my bag and packed with essential nutrients to help support my immune system, especially during cold and flu season.

• Turmeric and Ginger: These ingredients help reduce inflammation and keep my energy up, which is a lifesaver after a long day.
• Echinacea: This helps boost my body’s defenses, giving me peace of mind when everyone around me seems to be catching something.
• Probiotics: Gut health is so important, and probiotics keep my digestion on track—even when my meals are rushed.
• Elderberry: With its antioxidant properties, elderberry gives my immune system that extra edge.

How I Incorporate Immunity Shots Into My Day

I know how easy it is to say, “I don’t have time for self-care.” But these little shots make it so simple to fit healthy habits into even the busiest days. Here’s how I do it:

1. Morning Kickstart: I take an immunity shot first thing in the morning, right before my coffee. It’s a simple way to start the day feeling like I’m already winning.
2. Midday Pick-Me-Up: When the mid-afternoon slump hits, I reach for an immunity shot instead of a sugary snack or a second coffee. It’s a quick, refreshing boost that doesn’t leave me crashing later.
3. Post-Workout Recovery: On the days I manage to squeeze in a workout, an immunity shot helps me replenish and feel ready for whatever’s next.
4. Smoothie Upgrade: When I have a little extra time, I’ll toss an immunity shot into a smoothie. It’s a great way to mix things up, and my kids love it too!

Immunity Defense Smoothie Recipe

This Immunity Defense Smoothie has become a favorite in my house. It’s quick, easy, and packed with ingredients that support both my immune and gut health. Even my kids ask for it—which, let’s be honest, feels like a parenting win.

Ingredients:

• 1 immunity shot
• 1 cup filtered water
• ½ frozen banana
• 1 medium carrot
• ½ cup pineapple (fresh or frozen)
• ½ squeezed lemon

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Pour into your favorite glass, garnish with a lemon wedge or pineapple slice, and enjoy!

This smoothie is perfect for a busy morning or as a refreshing snack in the afternoon. It’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and probiotics to keep you feeling your best.

Why Self-Care Matters

I’ve learned the hard way that when I don’t take care of myself, everything—and everyone—suffers. Staying healthy and energized means I can show up as the mom, partner, and coworker I want to be. Taking a few seconds each day for something as simple as an immunity shot is a small act of self-care that makes a huge difference.

By incorporating little habits like this into my day, I’m prioritizing my health without adding extra stress or time commitments. And the best part? It sets a great example for my kids. They see that caring for yourself is important, even when life gets busy. Also, kids can understand that it is a healthy practice to boost their system with nutritious food at home.

A Little Effort Goes a Long Way

Being a working mom is a constant balancing act, but that doesn’t mean your health has to take a backseat. Immunity shots are a convenient, delicious, and effective way to support your immune system and keep your energy levels up. With just a few seconds each day, you can take a step toward better self-care and a healthier, happier you.

So the next time you’re rushing through the grocery store, grab a few immunity shots. Your future self—and your family—will thank you. Because when we take care of ourselves, we’re better equipped to take care of everything else.

For more recommendations about super parents’ self-care, check out our Podcast episode “Self-care for Parents.”

The post Immunity Shots: Quick Health Boosts for Super Parents appeared first on Healthy Family Project.

On this episode of the Healthy Family Project Podcast, we’re joined by Tony Castillo RD, a sports and performance dietitian who helps athletes perform at their best without fad diets and unnecessary supplements. Tony brought his expertise to the podcast to talk all things sports nutrition for kids and teens while dispelling a lot of popular myths. Tony shared tried and true nutrition practices, insight on what to eat before and after big games, and what to look for in supplements.

We’re continuing our series on kid and teen sports with an episode all about sports nutrition. As a mom with a preteen and teen who have been active in sports for most of their lives, this topic is important to me and I learned a lot from Tony. Last month we had Dr. Rick Neff on the podcast to share tips to positively support the mental health of young athletes.

This month we’re navigating nutrition for young athletes and how important it is to improve performance and ensure kids don’t burn out. Food is fuel and good nutrition practices will keep kids energized during practice and game days.

Aside from sharing lots of great tips, Tony helped dispel a lot of common nutrition myths. Especially these days with the growth of social media, it’s very common to come across misinformation presented as fact. I love having experts on the podcast that lead with science, facts, and professional insight around topics like nutrition and mental health.

About Our Guest, Tony Castillo

Tony Castillo is a Sports Dietitian and Nutrition coach who helps athletes and active individuals lean out and enhance performance without diets, endless supplements, or overhauling their whole life.

Tony’s journey began as an overweight middle schooler. This continued throughout high school until he decided to jump on a “diet.” Unfortunately, this resulted in unsustainable weight loss. His weight fluctuated in college due to a lack of nutrition knowledge, but this inspired him to understand how nutrition played a role in the human body.

Tony graduated from Florida International University in Miami with a B.S. in Biology, B.A. in Chemistry, and an M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics. He is credentialed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as a Registered Dietitian.

Tony’s passion today is to teach others how healthy lifestyle modifications optimize performance in ALL areas of life. After working at the University of Florida and then with the Toronto Blue Jays, Tony focuses on helping you to become an elite performer. Being an elite performer in your field can take many forms, whether you’re a professional athlete trying to become an MVP or a recreational athlete not wanting to be last in class anymore. 

Tony’s plan is to teach his clients how to sustain their weight goals for life without counting calories or overhauling their whole life.

Listen to Sports Nutrition for Kids and Teens

What We Cover:

Want to skip straight to a hot topic? See timestamps below. But of course, we recommend listening all the way through to get all the great tips and tricks!

• 2:44 Welcome, Tony!
• 5:20 Nutrition practices to keep in mind when kids are starting sports
• 8:00 Common misconceptions when it comes to sports nutrition
• 13:46 Tips for what to eat on game day
• 17:30 Supplement certification
• 20:82 How to replenish after game days
• 23:13 Mental health and sports
• 31:35 What does a healthy family mean to you?
• 33:35 Where to connect with Tony?

Relevant Links

• Follow Tony on Instagram and check out his Facebook group
• Check out Tony’s website
• Informed Choice Certified Supplements
• Supplement and Vitamin Certification
• Healthy Sports Snacks for Kids
• Do Kids Need Sports Drinks?
• The Importance of Hydration

Other Podcast Episodes to Check Out:

• Episode 82: Sports Psychologist Tips For Supporting Your Teen Athlete’s Mental Health
• Episode 35: Helping Kids Make Good Choices
• Episode 40: Meditation Benefit

Transcript for Episode 83

This transcript was produced by Otter.Ai. Please forgive any misspellings and grammatical errors.

Episode 83: Sports Nutrition for Kids and Teens

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Welcome to the Healthy Family Project Podcast covering the hot topics in the world of health,

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food, and family with a dose of fun.

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Welcome to the Healthy Family Project Podcast.

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I’m your host, Amanda.

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We have quite the episode in store for you today and really a great follow up from our

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previous episode which was all about sports and mental health.

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If you haven’t listened to it, be sure to go back.

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It is a must not miss episode in my eyes and truly complimentary of today’s episode.

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So before we get started, just wanted to remind everyone about our Healthy Family Project

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Facebook group where we continued the discussions from the podcast.

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Don’t forget to follow us on social media.

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We are on all the outlets out there.

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We have so many.

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We are on everything.

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We are in love with these Instagram reels lately.

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So doing a lot of cool recipes and things over there on Instagram.

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And then we also have new content on our TikTok as well.

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Our website, healthyfamilyproject.com is full of holiday content as we enter that time of

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year.

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So today we are talking with Tony Castillo.

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Tony is a sports dietitian and nutrition coach who helps athletes and active individuals

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lean out and enhance performance without diets, endless supplements or overhauling their whole

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life.

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Tony’s journey began as an overweight middle schooler and this continued throughout high

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school until he decided to jump on a diet.

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Unfortunately this resulted in unsustainable weight loss.

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His weight fluctuated in college due to a lack of nutrition knowledge, but this inspired

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him to understand how nutrition played a role in the human body.

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Tony graduated from Florida International University in Miami with a BS in biology,

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BA in chemistry and an MS in nutrition and dietetics.

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He is credentialed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as a registered dietitian.

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Tony’s passion today is to teach others how healthy lifestyle modifications optimize performance

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in all areas of life.

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After working at the University of Florida and then with the Toronto Blue Jays, Tony

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focuses on helping you to become an elite performer.

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Being an elite performer in your field can take many forms, whether you’re a professional

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athlete trying to become an MVP or a recreational athlete not wanting to be last in the class

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anymore.

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Let’s jump in to today’s episode with Tony.

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Welcome Tony.

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Thank you for taking the time to talk today.

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Before we jump in, can you tell listeners a little bit about yourself?

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Amanda, thank you so much for having me on.

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My name is Tony Castillo.

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I’m a sports and performance dietitian.

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So a little bit about myself.

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Born in New York but raised in Florida and really in the sports nutrition world.

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So throughout my whole career, even before that when I was younger, I had weight challenges.

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I was overweight.

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I was actually a lineman in football in high school.

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I played trumpet in the band, so typical band geek.

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And then at the end, I found a buddy of mine, gave me a meal plan, workout plan, went great,

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felt great, went to college and I did the exact opposite of what was on that meal plan.

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From that point on, I tried everything, every diet that was popular at the time, such as

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Atkins, South Beach.

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My wife, my girlfriend, who’s now my wife, had this skinny ballerina tee that said it

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only worked in women.

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I was like, why is it only working women?

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Why can’t men do it?

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Eventually, I found my own way out of disordered eating.

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And that’s because I broke my foot dancing on a Halloween night and I was like, something’s

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wrong here.

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Something wasn’t right.

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So eventually, I got my degree in nutrition down at Florida International University,

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got my master’s.

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Then I went to go work at the University of Florida, then with the Toronto Blue Jays baseball

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team.

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And now I’m running my own private practice with two other dieticians.

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And the reason I do that is because one, I love to see how athletes feel their bodies

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because they always come to us and we see them on the screen saying that they can eat

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all these foods, such as cereals, dairies, things that we’re supposed to be scared of,

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but they eat them and they perform at these top tier levels.

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And fruits and vegetables, all these things we’re told we shouldn’t be eating, but they

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really do help us perform better.

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And not only that, if we’re able to impact the world, these athletes have such a bigger

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stage than many of us.

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So if they’re able to say, eat more fruits and vegetables, it’s okay to have dairy, eat

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carbs, then how many people will live a longer, better and happier life and even healthier

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life based on that?

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Right.

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Well, and I have to say, our track record here at Healthy Family Project continues because

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all of our guests, what they’re doing in their life stems from an experience that they had

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or something that they went through, which just the passion, I think in general, whenever

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you have lived through something and now you’re helping others to get past those hurdles that

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you faced as yourself is just amazing.

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And I’m going to love, I’m sure our conversations would be wonderful, but I will say the people

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and the track record of guests we’ve had has been very similar.

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And so I’m grateful that we’re going to continue.

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So all right, so what are the, let’s get started here.

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What are the most important things to keep in mind for nutrition when your child is beginning

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a sport?

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Making sure that they hydrate or die.

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It’s actually one of my mottos.

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I even have, I did a little YouTube slash Instagram series of myself dressed up as Captain

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Hydrate.

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Oh, we need to share that.

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We will be, we will be linking to that in the show notes.

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The reason is because right superheroes, it was really hot.

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It was pre COVID Marvel was coming out with all these things.

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I’m like, why can’t I be Captain Hydrate?

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So I was just educating on why hydration is so important.

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So we think about kids, especially here in Florida and this summer has been extremely

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hot.

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We hear all around the world.

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There’s even been fires in Europe and places that there’s never been fires.

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They always talked about us having AC.

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Now the Europeans like, wow, we really do need AC because it’s so hot.

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So these kids are going out.

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Most of the times their bodies aren’t even regulating that heat because they don’t sweat

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as much as adults do because they haven’t gone through that puberty yet.

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We’re talking about younger children.

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So making sure they hydrate to keep those fluids in their body is just so important.

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And one of the main examples I love to use Amanda is I want you to think about a piece

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of steak that you can get from the grocery store, nice and juicy versus a piece of beef

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jerky, which is dry.

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Nothing wrong with it.

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But if I were to bend that beef jerky, it’s going to rip.

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If I bend that fresh piece of steak, it’s going to be fine.

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It’s going to be malleable.

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You can move it around.

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So what happens is when you have that dehydrated beef jerky muscle, which is what happens when

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you don’t drink enough water, your child or yourself can be prone to injury.

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It’s going to be easier to tear that muscle.

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So we want to make sure we have those juicy steak muscles, which is by making sure you

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drink enough water.

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So the first thing I always talk about with anyone is making sure they hydrate or die.

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Well, yes, I know that here in Florida for sure.

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But like you said, it’s just important.

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And I love that visual.

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I am such a visual person when it comes to those things.

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So I will forever think of that now, the meat, and I will forever use that with my kids and

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they will love me for it because they know once I start going with something, I really

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don’t like to let it go.

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So you have a piece of beef jerky everywhere you go and a piece of fresh steak.

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Mom, what are you doing?

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Just listen.

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Hear me out.

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OK, I know you don’t want it to look like this.

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You want it to look like this.

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Exactly.

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Well, and it’s not to get too far on tangent, but they’re one of the questions that I always

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ask them at the end of the day is how much water did you drink today?

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And they’re like, oh, my gosh, mom, like that is about like that is at the top of my list.

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Always.

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How much water do you drink?

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So I don’t like to use the word mistakes, you know, because we’re all learning here,

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especially as parents and guardians, we’re just doing the best we can.

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But what do you feel is a common maybe like misstep, I guess is better than mistake or

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something that’s like a myth that’s untrue in this sports nutrition world that you would

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could wish you could share and kind of say, guys, this is not it.

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Like, don’t do this.

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Yeah, there’s so many.

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But I think the three that I see that are really rampant at this moment are the low

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carbs supplements and then lack of fruits and vegetables.

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So we’ll kind of go into that or low carbs.

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We always hear about doing low carb diets.

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We always hear about these athletes that may try some new fad diet to get the results.

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Myself working with athletes, when they get these results, it’s in the off season, not

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in season, because in off season, they can make those changes because in season, if you

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make any changes, it can be detrimental to your performance.

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It could hurt you.

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So with the low carb, I want you to imagine, I mean, I’m going to give you the keys to

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two cars, two brand new cars.

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You get to choose which one you want.

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Like on the right.

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You know, what was going to happen today?

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Beef jerky hydration and prices rise.

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So two cars, car A, full of gas.

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You drive it from your house and you have to drive it across the country.

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Car B, it is completely empty of gas and you have to push it to the gas station to even

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fill it.

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Which car will you choose and why?

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Well, the full tank.

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The full tank.

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Absolutely.

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I was like, I know this is a trick question and I really want to win the car.

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Not a trick question at all, man.

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It’s a straightforward question.

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You want the car that’s full of gas.

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And when we do these low carb diets, it’s like driving a car without gas.

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You’re not able to really push your body to the max.

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You’re pushing it from the outside in, as they say, versus being able to car and able

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to drive it in the directions you want.

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So not having enough carbs is not giving it enough energy.

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So you’re not really giving your body the energy it needs, whether it’s for yourself

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or for your kids.

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Right.

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Because we always see all these new supplements and fad diets and foods out that are coming

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out that really don’t support a child’s health or our own health.

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So that’s the first one I see is that low carb diet.

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The second thing is, is supplements.

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We always see nothing wrong with parents trying to have their own side hustle, but you always

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want to make sure your supplement is third party certified.

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What does that mean?

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There’s two brands or third party supplementations.

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I really like to recommend one is NSF for sport and the other one is informed choice.

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Both of those, what they say is that what’s in the bottle has no banned substances.

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And you may say, well, Tony, I’m not getting tested for substances and neither is my kids.

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Well, once I can tell you, we sent a sleep product to the NSF for sports and informed

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choice and what they found it actually had methamphetamines.

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Now I don’t know about you, but methamphetamines wake people up.

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So if you’re trying to take a sleep supplement, that’s the opposite effect you want.

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So all these supplements that we get, we want to make sure they have that third party certification

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because you don’t want to have anything that’s contaminated, whether you’re getting tested

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or not.

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Right.

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So you’re giving your child a supplement that has a SARM, which is selective endergen receptor

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modulator, big sciencey word, pretty much it acts almost like a fake hormone.

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Okay.

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Put them into puberty could cause a lot of long lasting effects with their hormones and

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actually have to cycle them off of it.

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So you always want to make sure it has that third party certification.

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And when we talk about supplementation is just last thing I want you to think about

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a donut.

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Do you like donuts?

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I do.

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Oh, me too.

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I love donuts.

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I love donuts.

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Okay.

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I love them every day now.

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I’m a Boston cream.

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Really?

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Yeah.

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Classic.

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I like to just keep it the regular glaze.

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Yeah.

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We’re going to have to share where you get the best Boston cream.

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That’s what I want to hear.

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Yeah.

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I don’t get it off.

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I don’t go often.

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I have to say, but when a donut opportunity does arise every now and then, that’s what

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I go for.

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If you haven’t been salty donut, that’s the place to go.

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It’s but anyways, the donut.

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That’s on track.

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Yeah.

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So if we make the donut ingredients with completely off ingredients, it’s not, let’s say we use

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old flour, right?

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To make this donut.

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It’s probably going to taste a little bit off, right?

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So that’s your macronutrients or what kind of fuel you’re actually putting in.

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That’s the base of the donut.

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Now how often we cook it.

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So if you overcook it, it could be very dry.

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If you under cook, it’s going to be very wet.

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And that’s the timing of your nutrition.

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Usually we put on, let’s say the sprinkles or we put the cream in it.

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Now when we put the sprinkles on the donut, that’s the last piece.

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If the sprinkles weren’t working very well, they don’t taste well.

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That’s okay.

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The donut’s still going to be good, but the sprinkles anywhere between one to 3% of the

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whole donut.

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And that’s what supplements are in the whole nutrition pyramid.

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One to 3%.

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So a lot of parents look to supplement when they should be looking at foods first.

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And that’s the other misconception I see.

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They’re trying to focus on the sprinkles on the donut when they haven’t even mastered the

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donut itself, the donut cooking.

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Right.

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That makes sense.

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Yes.

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Good.

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So donuts and beef jerky.

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That’s all you got to remember.

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And the car too.

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And the car.

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You didn’t forget about it.

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Now I have to bring you a car with gas, right?

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Yes, seriously.

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I answered it correctly.

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All right.

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So now what about, and I have another question about supplements.

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We’ll get there when we get down a little bit further, but can you make any suggestions

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on game day nutrition or pre game day?

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And I had my daughter, she, she plays pretty high level tennis.

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We have a very competitive tennis team at our high school and you know, they all get

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together and carve up.

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They eat their spaghetti dinners night before.

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And I’m often thinking, okay, guys, you just, I mean, it’s great team that gets together,

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but I’m like, is it necessary to eat all the spaghetti?

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But, and also I know her coach says, don’t wait till you’re on the court to drink your

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water.

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You should be 24 hours ahead of time already drinking the water.

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So what are your thoughts?

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Absolutely.

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So going back to hydrate or die, right?

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We want your daughter to have those nice juicy steak muscles, not the beef jerky muscles.

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So absolutely hydration should be number one.

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Most of the time they should be drinking at least half their body weight in ounces.

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And that doesn’t include any physical activity.

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So when we talk about physical activity, so for example, your daughter playing tennis,

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let’s say she has a match that lasts, let’s say an hour, she should actually weigh herself

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before and after and however much weight she’s lost that hydration, that water, she actually

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needs to rehydrate with 24 ounces of water for every pound lost.

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Oh wow.

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So let’s say, yes.

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And that’s a lot, especially in Florida in this heat.

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We know that I’ve had people lose up to 10 pounds.

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When I was working at the university of Florida, I had a lineman actually lose 10 pounds.

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So that means they needed 240 ounces of water just to rehydrate their needs.

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That doesn’t include what they actually need to survive is just to actually rehydrate their

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body.

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So that’s one thing.

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And then talking about carbs.

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So pre-game, pre-workout fuel, pre-training, I would like to think of it as a funnel where

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it’s open at the beginning.

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And as it gets closer to the training session, the smaller that funnel is.

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So I like to think the biggest opening is anywhere between three to four hours before

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that match where they can have a full plate full of fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates

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and proteins.

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When it’s one to two hours in, you only want to focus on proteins and carbs.

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Reason being, as you get closer, you want to have less fats because it could be tougher

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for the stomach to digest.

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And about 30 minutes before, one hour to 30 minutes before, is when you want those fast

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acting carbs.

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That’s what will give you that energy.

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That’s what’s going to be the gas in your car.

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So you’re looking for things such as fresh fruit, granola bars, breads, anything of that

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00:15:24,240 –> 00:15:27,720

nature that can really give you that energy right before you go out on the court.

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Even the fruit snacks, the fruit gummies are actually a really good source of energy to

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help your daughter in tennis.

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00:15:33,240 –> 00:15:35,580

When I was working at the University of Florida, that was some of the snacks we’d give the

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tennis players to give them that fuel right before their match.

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00:15:39,320 –> 00:15:40,320

Okay.

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00:15:40,320 –> 00:15:41,320

Yeah.

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00:15:41,320 –> 00:15:44,960

And I know that there are some different like pouches like those applesauce.

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Yes.

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I love the applesauce.

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That I think like oftentimes you think of those for younger kids, but I will buy those

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for my daughter is like throw them in her tennis bag.

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00:15:55,400 –> 00:16:00,840

Like, oh, if you’re starting to feel, you know, like faint or whatever, like just take

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one of those and she loves them.

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And I feel like that’s like a quick, you know, way to get some energy back in your system.

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00:16:08,400 –> 00:16:09,400

It’s not just for kids.

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I can tell you, I’ve been to different competitions where people, they want more natural foods

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00:16:14,400 –> 00:16:17,600

and I don’t know about you, but if I was running, I don’t think I could eat an apple.

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00:16:17,600 –> 00:16:18,600

Right.

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00:16:18,600 –> 00:16:23,320

So the applesauce pack, you’ll see grown adults just slamming them back as they say.

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00:16:23,320 –> 00:16:27,720

So absolutely those apple pouches are fantastic or any kind of fruit and veggie.

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00:16:27,720 –> 00:16:28,720

Yeah, right.

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00:16:28,720 –> 00:16:29,720

Okay.

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00:16:29,720 –> 00:16:30,720

Cool.

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00:16:30,720 –> 00:16:32,280

So think of another visual for us, the funnel.

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00:16:32,280 –> 00:16:34,720

So I like, I like that visual too.

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00:16:34,720 –> 00:16:38,040

Well, I wanted to talk, go back, cause you talked about supplements and that kind of

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00:16:38,040 –> 00:16:41,600

being like, you know, a hot button or kind of a myth.

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00:16:41,600 –> 00:16:47,040

So when you say the third, if someone were to look at a supplement and they wanted to

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00:16:47,040 –> 00:16:51,640

find out if it was third party certified, how, where did they go?

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00:16:51,640 –> 00:16:56,160

So they could go to, and we’ll link up to all the info so that whoever’s listening,

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00:16:56,160 –> 00:16:58,160

you know, can go and get that info.

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00:16:58,160 –> 00:17:00,680

But where, like, what are the steps that they should take?

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00:17:00,680 –> 00:17:02,360

Cause actually this is interesting to me.

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00:17:02,360 –> 00:17:09,660

My brother or my brother, my daughter just showed me yesterday a, like some kind of powder

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00:17:09,660 –> 00:17:15,440

that she was like, Oh, I could do this instead of have my meal or my breakfast, or I can

357

00:17:15,440 –> 00:17:18,320

do this for so and so does this for breakfast and for dinner.

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00:17:18,320 –> 00:17:20,080

And I’m like, this is a lot.

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00:17:20,080 –> 00:17:21,080

Like I need to.

360

00:17:21,080 –> 00:17:22,880

So I’m like, I’m so glad I’m talking to you today.

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00:17:22,880 –> 00:17:25,200

Cause I can, I was like, okay, hold on it.

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00:17:25,200 –> 00:17:27,520

We’re not ordering anything, but where would you take?

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00:17:27,520 –> 00:17:31,280

So I have that product and then how, where would I go to look?

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00:17:31,280 –> 00:17:35,480

So typically it’ll say on there now they can trick you because they can say third party

365

00:17:35,480 –> 00:17:40,680

tested, but that just means that they actually, they could have bought it themselves, bought

366

00:17:40,680 –> 00:17:42,520

their own warehouse where they tested themselves.

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00:17:42,520 –> 00:17:45,800

So it’s not truly independently third party testing.

368

00:17:45,800 –> 00:17:47,440

So there’s two logos that you can look up.

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00:17:47,440 –> 00:17:53,680

So one is the NSF for sport, which is a blue, a blue writing with NSF and it’s a circle

370

00:17:53,680 –> 00:17:55,600

logo and the other one’s informed choice.

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00:17:55,600 –> 00:18:00,600

It almost looks like a gold seal, but it will say informed choice or informed sport is the

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00:18:00,600 –> 00:18:02,640

brand that are the third party certification.

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00:18:02,640 –> 00:18:03,960

And the other one is NSF for sport.

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00:18:03,960 –> 00:18:08,080

It will be on the product.

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00:18:08,080 –> 00:18:14,320

And the good thing is that they do it by batch, meaning that batch 101 is tested by NSF batch

376

00:18:14,320 –> 00:18:19,360

102 also has to be tested by NSF in order to get that stamp on their label.

377

00:18:19,360 –> 00:18:22,160

They can’t just blanket statement like up the first batch was good.

378

00:18:22,160 –> 00:18:23,160

Good luck.

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00:18:23,160 –> 00:18:25,800

They test everyone to ensure that no batch has been tainted.

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00:18:25,800 –> 00:18:26,800

Okay.

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00:18:26,800 –> 00:18:27,800

All right.

382

00:18:27,800 –> 00:18:28,800

I like it.

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00:18:28,800 –> 00:18:29,800

All right.

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00:18:29,800 –> 00:18:30,800

That’s good.

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00:18:30,800 –> 00:18:31,800

I feel like that covers off on that.

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00:18:31,800 –> 00:18:35,720

And then we can link up in the show notes to any further information because I definitely

387

00:18:35,720 –> 00:18:40,040

know like you talked a little bit about your experience in high school and like fad diets

388

00:18:40,040 –> 00:18:41,040

and things like that.

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00:18:41,040 –> 00:18:46,680

And so I see with my daughter, you know, they’re all talking about like, oh, so and so drinks

390

00:18:46,680 –> 00:18:50,160

this for breakfast and then they lost blah, blah, blah.

391

00:18:50,160 –> 00:18:51,440

And then this person does that.

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00:18:51,440 –> 00:18:53,280

And I’m like, okay, we’re going down that path.

393

00:18:53,280 –> 00:18:56,840

So this is definitely first, always food first.

394

00:18:56,840 –> 00:18:57,840

That’s the one thing.

395

00:18:57,840 –> 00:19:03,760

And anytime we think about a powder potion or pill, is there a way to get it from food?

396

00:19:03,760 –> 00:19:09,720

And if so, that’s going to be the best route to take almost 99% of the time.

397

00:19:09,720 –> 00:19:13,280

And I say that because there is the 1% of time that you may not be able to have food.

398

00:19:13,280 –> 00:19:16,280

We’re thinking about time being a challenge.

399

00:19:16,280 –> 00:19:20,400

How can we pack it into something that your child can take that’s actually safe?

400

00:19:20,400 –> 00:19:21,400

Right.

401

00:19:21,400 –> 00:19:24,040

That’s the biggest thing I think about is safety.

402

00:19:24,040 –> 00:19:26,920

Because again, I know I spoke about methamphetamine, but there’s been other things that they have

403

00:19:26,920 –> 00:19:30,640

found in supplements that are just crazy.

404

00:19:30,640 –> 00:19:33,920

One of them, I’m just going to mention it is cocaine and they found in a supplement

405

00:19:33,920 –> 00:19:35,440

and it’s like, what?

406

00:19:35,440 –> 00:19:36,800

How are they finding these things?

407

00:19:36,800 –> 00:19:41,520

Like, how is someone buying a supplement from a grocery store and getting these things that

408

00:19:41,520 –> 00:19:44,240

are just outlandish that you would never think?

409

00:19:44,240 –> 00:19:50,040

And of course, there’s things such as cockroach legs, cockroach poops that no one wants to

410

00:19:50,040 –> 00:19:53,160

drink but not as dangerous as those mentioned earlier today.

411

00:19:53,160 –> 00:19:54,160

Right.

412

00:19:54,160 –> 00:19:55,160

Exactly.

413

00:19:55,160 –> 00:19:56,160

Oh my goodness.

414

00:19:56,160 –> 00:19:57,160

Okay.

415

00:19:57,160 –> 00:19:59,320

So I’m definitely going to check out those links, especially since we’ve just recently

416

00:19:59,320 –> 00:20:01,600

started going down that path.

417

00:20:01,600 –> 00:20:02,600

So all right.

418

00:20:02,600 –> 00:20:10,040

What about recovery eating is even for myself, as an adult, like on my Instagram feed, you

419

00:20:10,040 –> 00:20:16,000

know, I have no people who are runners, I play tennis, I’m a pretty active person.

420

00:20:16,000 –> 00:20:20,800

Do some pretty hardcore dance, which sounds funny, but really some hardcore like dance

421

00:20:20,800 –> 00:20:26,360

classes where I am like, you know, really afterwards, totally exhausted.

422

00:20:26,360 –> 00:20:32,520

So what are your thoughts on, I guess, replenishing after your big game, your workout, your training,

423

00:20:32,520 –> 00:20:33,520

your tournament?

424

00:20:33,520 –> 00:20:35,280

Amanda, let me tell you this.

425

00:20:35,280 –> 00:20:39,120

I’ve once taken a Zumba class and I will never make fun of anyone that does Zumba.

426

00:20:39,120 –> 00:20:42,120

That’s one hour nonstop.

427

00:20:42,120 –> 00:20:43,120

Yeah.

428

00:20:43,120 –> 00:20:49,240

That was when I used to take Zumba classes when it was popular and it was an hour that

429

00:20:49,240 –> 00:20:52,520

I was like, I’m not going to, I don’t have to work out the rest of the week.

430

00:20:52,520 –> 00:20:53,520

Yeah.

431

00:20:53,520 –> 00:20:55,840

People like, I remember I poked fun at it.

432

00:20:55,840 –> 00:21:00,440

I took my first one because during COVID, we had one hosted for our clients.

433

00:21:00,440 –> 00:21:03,520

And when we did it, I was like, oh my gosh, like, what am I doing?

434

00:21:03,520 –> 00:21:04,760

I’m never making fun of anyone with this.

435

00:21:04,760 –> 00:21:06,480

And I had like the whole eighties gear on.

436

00:21:06,480 –> 00:21:08,160

I’ll be able to crush it.

437

00:21:08,160 –> 00:21:11,360

I work out and I, at the end, I’m like, all right, is everyone okay?

438

00:21:11,360 –> 00:21:12,360

All right.

439

00:21:12,360 –> 00:21:13,360

See you guys later.

440

00:21:13,360 –> 00:21:14,360

Yep.

441

00:21:14,360 –> 00:21:18,920

You know, but anyways, when we think about recovery, I always like to mention the three

442

00:21:18,920 –> 00:21:22,880

Rs, which are refuel, repair and rehydrate.

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00:21:22,880 –> 00:21:27,480

So back to the car analogy, after a workout, you’ve just used all your gas.

444

00:21:27,480 –> 00:21:28,840

It’s like driving across countries.

445

00:21:28,840 –> 00:21:33,240

You want to refuel with some sort of carbohydrates and you want to have fast acting carbs.

446

00:21:33,240 –> 00:21:36,720

Cause you want to replenish the muscles you just finished using.

447

00:21:36,720 –> 00:21:37,720

Next one is repair.

448

00:21:37,720 –> 00:21:41,680

You want to have some sort of protein to help repair the muscles you just tore apart.

449

00:21:41,680 –> 00:21:46,480

And finally, rehydrate back to that analogy or that, that image I gave about the, the

450

00:21:46,480 –> 00:21:50,000

clients losing 10 pounds, the alignment I worked with, I’m weighing yourself before and

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00:21:50,000 –> 00:21:51,640

after to know how much you hydrate with.

452

00:21:51,640 –> 00:21:55,360

And one of my favorite things to recommend is good old chocolate milk.

453

00:21:55,360 –> 00:21:56,540

It’s easy to get.

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00:21:56,540 –> 00:22:01,080

It’s always at a good price and it has the protein you actually need.

455

00:22:01,080 –> 00:22:05,040

So again, that’s one of my favorites because you don’t have to have any pills, powders.

456

00:22:05,040 –> 00:22:07,800

You can literally stop at a gas station on your way home and buy.

457

00:22:07,800 –> 00:22:08,960

You can stop at a grocery store.

458

00:22:08,960 –> 00:22:11,800

It’s typically easily available and the kids like it.

459

00:22:11,800 –> 00:22:12,800

Right.

460

00:22:12,800 –> 00:22:16,400

So I always think about it as myself as a grown kid.

461

00:22:16,400 –> 00:22:18,160

I like to have the chocolate milk too.

462

00:22:18,160 –> 00:22:19,880

After a workout, it just tastes good.

463

00:22:19,880 –> 00:22:20,880

It’s good for me.

464

00:22:20,880 –> 00:22:24,160

It’s got those three things, got the carbs, it’s got the proteins and it has the hydration.

465

00:22:24,160 –> 00:22:27,000

So it really hits all three of those things when we’re looking at it.

466

00:22:27,000 –> 00:22:30,600

And you don’t have to worry about it if it’s safe or not from a third party certification

467

00:22:30,600 –> 00:22:32,080

because it’s actually food.

468

00:22:32,080 –> 00:22:34,680

That’s yeah, that’s a good idea.

469

00:22:34,680 –> 00:22:36,560

I mean, who doesn’t love chocolate milk?

470

00:22:36,560 –> 00:22:41,000

Now I’m like, now I’m thinking about chocolate milk.

471

00:22:41,000 –> 00:22:45,080

Well, that’s a good tip.

472

00:22:45,080 –> 00:22:53,720

So we did have our last episode that we did was on mental health and sports.

473

00:22:53,720 –> 00:22:57,240

And so I it’s hot on my brain right now.

474

00:22:57,240 –> 00:23:02,340

I know we’re talking about nutrition today, but just wanted to hear your thoughts and

475

00:23:02,340 –> 00:23:07,560

have you weigh in as I’m sure this has become more and more and probably will probably will

476

00:23:07,560 –> 00:23:12,640

continue to become more and more a part of what you do in your world.

477

00:23:12,640 –> 00:23:17,400

So when thinking about the mental side of this, when I was working in the pro sports

478

00:23:17,400 –> 00:23:21,400

and I was working in collegiate, they had mental performance coaches and I absolutely

479

00:23:21,400 –> 00:23:22,400

do support them.

480

00:23:22,400 –> 00:23:28,040

They do play a crucial role when we think about some of these athletes going into these

481

00:23:28,040 –> 00:23:32,000

fields where there’s millions of people watching the millions of spectators and how many of

482

00:23:32,000 –> 00:23:34,560

them just shut down because they don’t know how to perform.

483

00:23:34,560 –> 00:23:35,560

Right.

484

00:23:35,560 –> 00:23:36,560

Right.

485

00:23:36,560 –> 00:23:40,080

So we work together and in conjunction because if we start to see athletes slipping from

486

00:23:40,080 –> 00:23:43,880

a mental side, the mental performance coach can let me know, hey, they might be going

487

00:23:43,880 –> 00:23:47,720

into a depression of sorts and they might start leaning towards foods.

488

00:23:47,720 –> 00:23:48,920

Right.

489

00:23:48,920 –> 00:23:49,920

Emotional eating happens.

490

00:23:49,920 –> 00:23:50,920

Oh, yeah.

491

00:23:50,920 –> 00:23:51,920

Everyone goes through it.

492

00:23:51,920 –> 00:23:54,040

There’s a moment in time where it can happen.

493

00:23:54,040 –> 00:23:56,120

So how do we cope with that?

494

00:23:56,120 –> 00:24:00,160

How do we work together on that so they can still hit their performance metrics, but also

495

00:24:00,160 –> 00:24:01,600

understand it’s OK to be emotional.

496

00:24:01,600 –> 00:24:03,120

It’s OK to have emotions.

497

00:24:03,120 –> 00:24:04,120

Right.

498

00:24:04,120 –> 00:24:07,480

You know, so having that mental performance side of it, especially from the skill set

499

00:24:07,480 –> 00:24:10,040

and working in conjunction is huge.

500

00:24:10,040 –> 00:24:11,800

And when it comes to nutrition, it’s a lot about behavior.

501

00:24:11,800 –> 00:24:13,480

It’s a lot about habit stacking.

502

00:24:13,480 –> 00:24:16,600

What are things that kids can do in the long term and even adults?

503

00:24:16,600 –> 00:24:17,600

Right.

504

00:24:17,600 –> 00:24:20,040

So going back to chocolate milk, if someone doesn’t like chocolate milk, we have to find

505

00:24:20,040 –> 00:24:21,780

another way for them to work.

506

00:24:21,780 –> 00:24:25,180

So if they do like chocolate milk, heck, that could bring them back to childhood memories

507

00:24:25,180 –> 00:24:29,080

and almost be an ease for them to really put into their routine.

508

00:24:29,080 –> 00:24:34,480

So building habits, having that routine and having some mental grit around it and having

509

00:24:34,480 –> 00:24:36,560

someone support you on, I think it’s huge.

510

00:24:36,560 –> 00:24:40,760

And it’s been overlooked in the general population, but also in sports.

511

00:24:40,760 –> 00:24:44,880

And I think now it’s been so great to see more and more of it being integrated.

512

00:24:44,880 –> 00:24:45,880

Right.

513

00:24:45,880 –> 00:24:53,720

And I think that we still have a long way to go, I think, but I am very grateful to

514

00:24:53,720 –> 00:25:00,080

I look back to myself as a teenager and even in my college years and the stigma around

515

00:25:00,080 –> 00:25:03,520

talking about mental illness and mental health.

516

00:25:03,520 –> 00:25:07,720

And I’m just beyond grateful to where we are.

517

00:25:07,720 –> 00:25:13,440

I think today where we’re able to talk about it and even more so, you know, the relationship

518

00:25:13,440 –> 00:25:20,560

between food and mental health, because I think that that’s a very real what you’re

519

00:25:20,560 –> 00:25:22,000

putting into your body.

520

00:25:22,000 –> 00:25:26,800

You know, as the more people that I talk to on the podcast and just their own research

521

00:25:26,800 –> 00:25:34,560

that I do, it’s just mind blowing that, you know, your gut health and your serotonin receptors

522

00:25:34,560 –> 00:25:40,880

and your stomach and, you know, all of these different facets that you don’t, you think

523

00:25:40,880 –> 00:25:42,880

like, oh, I’m feeling really bad.

524

00:25:42,880 –> 00:25:48,000

It’s because something bad happened or I’m just I have this depression or it’s just whatever.

525

00:25:48,000 –> 00:25:53,760

And I think that we really I’m just passionate, so passionate about making sure that people

526

00:25:53,760 –> 00:25:58,320

look at what they’re eating, because that could be the solve right there.

527

00:25:58,320 –> 00:25:59,320

Yeah.

528

00:25:59,320 –> 00:26:03,640

And as we were mentioning earlier, how many times on our feed we see a supplement that’s

529

00:26:03,640 –> 00:26:08,760

going to help your gut when really we just need to focus on eating more fruits and vegetables,

530

00:26:08,760 –> 00:26:12,200

eating more things that are rich in fiber versus buying a supplement that’s going to

531

00:26:12,200 –> 00:26:17,960

give us that false sense of hope versus doing a quick nutrition audit and then even an audit

532

00:26:17,960 –> 00:26:20,280

of things that we’re seeing on social media.

533

00:26:20,280 –> 00:26:21,280

Right.

534

00:26:21,280 –> 00:26:25,520

As you mentioned, your daughter said X person was eating this for breakfast and dinner.

535

00:26:25,520 –> 00:26:26,840

What is this person’s goals?

536

00:26:26,840 –> 00:26:28,000

Are they the same as your daughter?

537

00:26:28,000 –> 00:26:33,000

Because being at a high level of tennis, I’m almost very certain that person is nowhere

538

00:26:33,000 –> 00:26:36,520

near the kind of activity that your daughter is doing and what she’s trying to do in performance

539

00:26:36,520 –> 00:26:37,520

wise.

540

00:26:37,520 –> 00:26:40,640

And then from the mental standpoint, I don’t know if you heard about the Nike runner, I

541

00:26:40,640 –> 00:26:41,640

think she was an organ.

542

00:26:41,640 –> 00:26:44,520

Her name is Mary Kane and how she was told by her coach, she needed to be thinner and

543

00:26:44,520 –> 00:26:45,520

thinner and thinner.

544

00:26:45,520 –> 00:26:50,600

And it was actually causing her to miss her menstruation and was causing more issues mentally

545

00:26:50,600 –> 00:26:55,000

versus fueling for a sport where she could have done way better had it not been that

546

00:26:55,000 –> 00:26:58,080

mentality of thinner is better.

547

00:26:58,080 –> 00:26:59,080

Right.

548

00:26:59,080 –> 00:27:00,080

Exactly.

549

00:27:00,080 –> 00:27:05,080

So I think just joining those two forces together with the mental side of it and looking at

550

00:27:05,080 –> 00:27:11,320

the nutrition side of it and even like how we talked about a little bit about the, you

551

00:27:11,320 –> 00:27:17,080

know, game day and fueling your body and your suggestions, but we’re all, every person is

552

00:27:17,080 –> 00:27:20,880

so obviously we’re all individuals.

553

00:27:20,880 –> 00:27:26,080

And so I think that I know with people, when I say journaling, my kids are like, roll their

554

00:27:26,080 –> 00:27:28,560

eyes at me like, oh my gosh, this is like such a task.

555

00:27:28,560 –> 00:27:33,600

So I don’t even want to go down, like say that word, but maybe just like make notes

556

00:27:33,600 –> 00:27:36,120

in your iPhone app notes.

557

00:27:36,120 –> 00:27:37,120

Let’s try that.

558

00:27:37,120 –> 00:27:39,320

But like, note what you ate.

559

00:27:39,320 –> 00:27:45,280

Note what you did the day before your tennis match and how you felt during the match.

560

00:27:45,280 –> 00:27:49,480

Like did I, was I, you know, did I feel faint?

561

00:27:49,480 –> 00:27:51,240

Did I like do whatever?

562

00:27:51,240 –> 00:27:52,240

Just make note.

563

00:27:52,240 –> 00:27:53,320

Like this is how I felt.

564

00:27:53,320 –> 00:27:54,320

This is what I ate.

565

00:27:54,320 –> 00:27:55,400

Then you go to your next match.

566

00:27:55,400 –> 00:28:00,280

And I think, and I’ve done that in my life, you know, when I’ve started to feel off or

567

00:28:00,280 –> 00:28:04,760

having more anxiety and just kind of documenting like, all right, well, cool.

568

00:28:04,760 –> 00:28:07,640

You didn’t even like walk or run or do anything that week.

569

00:28:07,640 –> 00:28:12,040

I wonder like you’re feeling anxious because you’re like all pent up.

570

00:28:12,040 –> 00:28:18,520

You have all this, you know, anxiety that you’re not allowing your body to get out and

571

00:28:18,520 –> 00:28:19,520

process.

572

00:28:19,520 –> 00:28:26,720

So I think that from my side of things, I would just say experience that noting what

573

00:28:26,720 –> 00:28:32,160

works and what doesn’t work and what your performance is and how you feel mentally and

574

00:28:32,160 –> 00:28:36,200

physically is probably a really good thing to do.

575

00:28:36,200 –> 00:28:37,720

Absolutely.

576

00:28:37,720 –> 00:28:42,000

Just because we’re talking about it, I would also like to mention in matches, in running,

577

00:28:42,000 –> 00:28:44,200

in anything, you can always have the orange slices.

578

00:28:44,200 –> 00:28:50,560

Those are like low key, some of the best intro workout snacks that get overlooked all the

579

00:28:50,560 –> 00:28:51,560

time.

580

00:28:51,560 –> 00:28:52,560

Love the orange slices.

581

00:28:52,560 –> 00:28:53,560

I know.

582

00:28:53,560 –> 00:28:57,240

And it really is, I think like so easy.

583

00:28:57,240 –> 00:29:03,680

And I started doing that a couple of years ago, just cutting up oranges and both my girls,

584

00:29:03,680 –> 00:29:07,480

I was just amazed because I’m like, oh, you have to peel the orange.

585

00:29:07,480 –> 00:29:10,240

You have to, you know, and I know everybody laughed.

586

00:29:10,240 –> 00:29:12,520

They’re like, who does not hate peeling an orange?

587

00:29:12,520 –> 00:29:13,520

Please raise it.

588

00:29:13,520 –> 00:29:14,520

I hate it.

589

00:29:14,520 –> 00:29:16,640

There’s one person out there who was like, I love peeling oranges.

590

00:29:16,640 –> 00:29:21,600

Please call me because you need to do an episode on the podcast because I don’t believe you.

591

00:29:21,600 –> 00:29:27,400

But anyway, cutting up the orange and just having like a, you know, Ziploc or whatever

592

00:29:27,400 –> 00:29:28,400

full of oranges.

593

00:29:28,400 –> 00:29:30,760

I feel like I was just amazed.

594

00:29:30,760 –> 00:29:33,880

I’m like, oh, wow, they’re not just for like a garnish at brunch.

595

00:29:33,880 –> 00:29:35,560

Like they really do.

596

00:29:35,560 –> 00:29:39,320

The girls really, really were just downing the oranges.

597

00:29:39,320 –> 00:29:40,680

So all right.

598

00:29:40,680 –> 00:29:43,320

Well, thank you so much for joining me today.

599

00:29:43,320 –> 00:29:47,040

This has been so fun and we definitely need to have you back.

600

00:29:47,040 –> 00:29:53,400

I know you’re a fairly new dad, so I’m sure you have, we’ll have lots to share.

601

00:29:53,400 –> 00:30:00,520

My girls are a little bit older, but I know that time can be, I always had such high hopes

602

00:30:00,520 –> 00:30:04,720

for, you know, my kids are going to eat everything and they’re going to eat only fruits and vegetables

603

00:30:04,720 –> 00:30:08,520

and they’re never going to have an Oreo and they’re never going to have soda.

604

00:30:08,520 –> 00:30:11,520

So here I am.

605

00:30:11,520 –> 00:30:13,280

But it’s fine.

606

00:30:13,280 –> 00:30:14,280

Balance is good.

607

00:30:14,280 –> 00:30:15,280

But absolutely.

608

00:30:15,280 –> 00:30:17,600

I’m with you 100%.

609

00:30:17,600 –> 00:30:23,520

I think that was as a parent, you’re like, okay, I got to realize that this is, we’ve

610

00:30:23,520 –> 00:30:25,320

got to be balanced in all things.

611

00:30:25,320 –> 00:30:26,320

So absolutely.

612

00:30:26,320 –> 00:30:28,560

I’ve seen it myself.

613

00:30:28,560 –> 00:30:33,280

I have friends that are having kids the same as my daughter and I think it was Christmas.

614

00:30:33,280 –> 00:30:36,800

Someone stopped by and they were like, no, you can’t have any cookies to their daughter.

615

00:30:36,800 –> 00:30:41,480

And I was like, oh my God, I was letting our daughter eat kind of what she wanted.

616

00:30:41,480 –> 00:30:43,600

And it almost it’s different, right?

617

00:30:43,600 –> 00:30:46,080

Because when we were younger, we were told you couldn’t eat those things.

618

00:30:46,080 –> 00:30:47,400

You have to stay away from it.

619

00:30:47,400 –> 00:30:52,160

I think that’s what really fueled the diet industry to be as big as it is today.

620

00:30:52,160 –> 00:30:57,000

But if we make it okay to have an Oreo, life goes on, right?

621

00:30:57,000 –> 00:31:01,120

And as you said, your daughter still eats orange slices like nobody.

622

00:31:01,120 –> 00:31:05,440

Versus us, you might put a pack of Oreos.

623

00:31:05,440 –> 00:31:10,040

I remember even myself, I could go through a sleeve of Oreos before even thinking about

624

00:31:10,040 –> 00:31:11,040

it.

625

00:31:11,040 –> 00:31:13,880

But if you give me an orange, I’m not peeling it.

626

00:31:13,880 –> 00:31:16,480

I’m not either.

627

00:31:16,480 –> 00:31:18,340

Thank you so much for joining me today.

628

00:31:18,340 –> 00:31:19,640

This has been so much fun.

629

00:31:19,640 –> 00:31:25,640

So before we before we hang up here, can you share with our audience where they can?

630

00:31:25,640 –> 00:31:30,760

Oh, I forgot to ask you our question that this is a question since you’re new, because

631

00:31:30,760 –> 00:31:33,680

I have a lot of repeat guests on here.

632

00:31:33,680 –> 00:31:39,520

So what does being a healthy family mean to you?

633

00:31:39,520 –> 00:31:43,600

So our family values are family health and honesty.

634

00:31:43,600 –> 00:31:46,120

So health is right in there right in the middle of it.

635

00:31:46,120 –> 00:31:50,360

So I think having a healthy family comes from a mental standpoint, being honest with each

636

00:31:50,360 –> 00:31:53,320

other, being able to have conversation with each other, I think is the first piece.

637

00:31:53,320 –> 00:31:58,680

The second piece from a nutrition standpoint, eating everything in moderation, being able

638

00:31:58,680 –> 00:32:00,880

to enjoy all the foods and not have guilt.

639

00:32:00,880 –> 00:32:02,880

Because that’s something I personally grew up with.

640

00:32:02,880 –> 00:32:04,360

And I still struggle with with my mom.

641

00:32:04,360 –> 00:32:06,960

She says you can’t keep bread in the house because that’s what’s going to make you fat.

642

00:32:06,960 –> 00:32:11,640

And I’m like, Mom, I’ve literally worked with elite athletes, like people paying to work

643

00:32:11,640 –> 00:32:14,960

with me and I have little bread while talking to you.

644

00:32:14,960 –> 00:32:16,880

Like, I promise you, it’s not the bread.

645

00:32:16,880 –> 00:32:17,880

Right.

646

00:32:17,880 –> 00:32:21,800

So having a good relationship with them, because we’ve always been told you can’t eat pizza,

647

00:32:21,800 –> 00:32:26,160

burger, tacos, insert food here when it’s really just like, what are you doing?

648

00:32:26,160 –> 00:32:28,180

Just eat the food and move on.

649

00:32:28,180 –> 00:32:30,840

Understand how it’s going to fuel you or how it’s going to make you feel.

650

00:32:30,840 –> 00:32:31,840

As you said earlier, right?

651

00:32:31,840 –> 00:32:33,400

Just make notes and see how it makes you feel.

652

00:32:33,400 –> 00:32:36,280

And if it makes you feel good, hey, that’s it.

653

00:32:36,280 –> 00:32:37,920

That’s what it is for you.

654

00:32:37,920 –> 00:32:42,360

So I think having a good space mentally, physically and emotionally being able to share emotions

655

00:32:42,360 –> 00:32:43,360

with each other.

656

00:32:43,360 –> 00:32:44,360

And I think it’s it’s difficult.

657

00:32:44,360 –> 00:32:49,360

I can tell you, as a new parent, it’s been very difficult hearing things from other people’s

658

00:32:49,360 –> 00:32:53,040

things they struggle with and being the dietitian, they’re like, oh, you probably don’t give

659

00:32:53,040 –> 00:32:54,040

your daughter this.

660

00:32:54,040 –> 00:32:55,540

And I’m like, no, I do.

661

00:32:55,540 –> 00:32:56,880

Just as we spoke moments ago.

662

00:32:56,880 –> 00:32:57,880

Here’s an Oreo.

663

00:32:57,880 –> 00:32:58,880

Enjoy it.

664

00:32:58,880 –> 00:32:59,880

Right.

665

00:32:59,880 –> 00:33:00,880

Nothing’s going to happen.

666

00:33:00,880 –> 00:33:01,880

Right.

667

00:33:01,880 –> 00:33:03,520

But also understanding, hey, maybe you should try some green beans, even if she spits it

668

00:33:03,520 –> 00:33:05,080

up, at least you try it.

669

00:33:05,080 –> 00:33:06,080

Right.

670

00:33:06,080 –> 00:33:07,080

Exactly.

671

00:33:07,080 –> 00:33:11,360

And it just all goes back to that the relationship you have with food, because once you have

672

00:33:11,360 –> 00:33:17,240

a positive relationship with food, then I think everything else falls into place and

673

00:33:17,240 –> 00:33:20,960

you stay away from this is good and this is bad.

674

00:33:20,960 –> 00:33:23,200

And then you just move on.

675

00:33:23,200 –> 00:33:31,200

But anyway, well, OK, now now you can tell everybody where they can find you and connect

676

00:33:31,200 –> 00:33:32,760

with you outside of the podcast.

677

00:33:32,760 –> 00:33:37,000

And of course, we’ll link up to everything in the show notes as well.

678

00:33:37,000 –> 00:33:38,000

Love it.

679

00:33:38,000 –> 00:33:42,600

So you can find me at Tony at nutrition, FP, dot com or nutrition, FP, dot com.

680

00:33:42,600 –> 00:33:47,040

You can also find me on Instagram at coach underscore Tony Castillo.

681

00:33:47,040 –> 00:33:51,280

And if you send me an email, I will send you I have a 17 page guide on how to optimize

682

00:33:51,280 –> 00:33:53,080

and maximize your nutrition.

683

00:33:53,080 –> 00:33:56,640

So feel free to shoot me an email and I will send it to you as soon as I get that email.

684

00:33:56,640 –> 00:33:57,640

So Tony T.O.N.

685

00:33:57,640 –> 00:34:02,300

Y at nutrition, FP, dot com and FP stands for performance, even though I like to say

686

00:34:02,300 –> 00:34:09,440

Frank Paul, just because it’s easier to remember that nutrition, Frank Paul, who’s that?

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Oh, goodness.

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Well, thank you so much.

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And hopefully we’ll have you back again soon.

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00:34:14,840 –> 00:34:15,840

Yes.

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Thank you for having me on and remember to hydrate and hydrate.

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Thank you for joining us for today’s episode.

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That was a lot of fun.

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If you like the Healthy Family Project, which I hope you do, please tell a friend and leave

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us a rating.

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00:34:27,040 –> 00:34:31,560

It will only help our visibility so we can continue to create a healthier generation.

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If you want to connect with me direct, I’m in the Healthy Family Project Facebook group

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and you can find Healthy Family Project on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok

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and YouTube.

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Be sure to subscribe.

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Talk soon.

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Thank you.

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Bye.

The post Episode 83: Sports Nutrition for Kids and Teens appeared first on Healthy Family Project.

With the back to school season upon us, team sports are also starting back up. Here are Healthy Sports Snacks For Kids to help keep them fueled and ready to play their best. While this post is sponsored by JAZZ Apples, our desire to make sure our kids have healthy sports snacks are our own!

As a parent, you know that sending your child off to school each day is a huge responsibility. From ensuring they have all the supplies they need, to making sure they get a good night’s sleep, there’s a lot to think about. One important way to help your child succeed before, during and after school is by providing them with healthy snacks to fuel them.

A nutritious snack can give your child the energy they need to focus in class and participate in extracurricular activities. Plus, snacks that are high in fiber and protein can help keep them feeling full throughout the day.

If your child is involved in sports or other physical activities, it’s important to provide them with snacks that will give them energy and help them recover quickly.

With everyone’s schedules getting busier, I wanted to give you all a list of easy (and nutritious) snacks that are perfect to have on-hand for when packing to head out to the kids’ sports, playing with their friends or for kids to have before they head out the door.

10 Fueling Snacks To Take To Your Child’s Game Or Have Before The Game

• Apples. Apples are a source of fiber, vitamins C and nutrients that may contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Apples are also a low-fat snack that may give the body lasting energy.
• JAZZ apples are the perfect size for snacking before sports, during sports and throughout the day! They fit in lunchboxes and in purses making them a healthy and fueling snack that is ready to go when you and your child is. We also love making these JAZZ Apple Pups, they are all easy to make and you can get the kids involved.
• Trail mix is a good option because it’s packed with healthy carbs, proteins, and fats.
• Veggie sticks with hummus are a good source of protein and healthy carbs.
• Cheese sticks are another good source of protein and they’re low in sugar.
• Yogurt and apple slices. I know bringing a bowl of yogurt to the big game may be hard, but if you freeze those yogurt tubes, they thaw nicely by the time the kiddos need the snack! Have JAZZ apples on hand.
• Hard-boiled egg.
• Beef jerky.
• Chocolate Milk. Did you know that chocolate milk is considered one of the ultimate sports recovery drinks? Yes!
• Cottage Cheese with apple slices. I know this one may be more complicated to bring to the sports game, but it does make for a great snack beforehand.
• Whole grain cereal with milk. Yep, this is another one that is better enjoyed as pre-game fuel than during 🙂

For more snack ideas check out JAZZ Apples and be sure to enter the giveaway that they have starting on 7/29. There will be 10 winners! Each winner will receive Super-Pets swag and, of course, JAZZ Apples. Head here to learn more about this Superhero GIVEAWAY.

Snacks are a big part of any sporting event. They provide energy and sustenance to keep kids going. However, not all snacks are created equal. Some snacks are better than others for keeping kids fueled up while they’re playing.

Sports Snacks For Kids To Avoid

• Candy – These high-sugar snacks will give your kids a quick burst of energy, but it won’t last long. And once the sugar rush is over, they’ll be left feeling tired and sluggish.
• Chips – Chips are another snack that provides a quick burst of energy, but it’s quickly followed by a crash. They’re also loaded with unhealthy fat and sodium, which can make your kids feel bloated and blah.
• Cookies, cakes, and other sweet treats – These foods are high in sugar and calories, and they can contribute to weight gain. If you love to bring baked treats to the game, try these sugar free apple and oat cereal bars.

Looking for more on kids sports and nutrition? Here are some additional resources:

• Top Nutrition Tips For Young Athletes
• Do Kids Need Sports Drinks?

What is one of the snacks that you always bring to the kids’ activities?

The post Healthy Sports Snacks For Kids appeared first on Healthy Family Project.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by the National Watermelon Promotion Board. All opinions are our own.

January usually sees a surge in new gym memberships, ads full of workout clothes or home gym equipment, and a “New Year, New You” motto.

Whether you choose to workout at home, at the gym or outdoors, and have an established workout routine or just starting out, a key component to a successful workout and recovery is hydration.

It’s important to hydrate before, during and after your workout to keep your body functioning well and to assist in recovery post-workout. Hydration goes beyond just drinking water, the foods you eat also play an important role.

My family is big into tennis, and even during the cooler winter months here in Florida we work up quite a sweat. My girls are also in dance and gymnastics so being active is part of our daily life. I know that when we don’t drink enough water or eat the right foods, our bodies suffer.

Why is hydration important for exercise?

Water is essential to a well-functioning body. When we exercise, we sweat. Sweating can lead to fluid loss, which can lead to dehydration. Even mild dehydration can zap energy levels and cause fatigue.

Muscles contain about 75% water, so when you’re short on water it can lead to muscle fatigue and cramping. Another sign of dehydration is feeling lightheaded or dizzy – not great if you’re running on a treadmill or hiking along a cliff.

Is water best for hydration?

We need to be properly hydrated to keep our muscles moving and to avoid fatigue, so drinking plenty of fluids (or eating hydrating foods) before, during and after a workout is key. Water is a go-to for many and will certainly to the trick to keep you hydrated.

Many also turn to sports drinks to refuel during or post-workout to not only rehydrate but also to provide their body with electrolytes. Are sports drinks needed? Our registered dietitian weighs in on what to consider before picking up a bottle.

Hydrating Benefits of Watermelon

In addition to water, there are also lots of hydrating foods – watermelon is 92% water! – that can help keep you hydrated and fueled through a workout.

In addition to its water content, watermelon also contains Vitamins A, B6 and C along with potassium, magnesium, thiamin and phosphorus to support whole-body wellness.

Snack on fresh watermelon and cucumbers, drink watermelon juice or blend frozen watermelon and fruit into a delicious smoothie. See below for more hydrating watermelon ideas!

10 Hydrating Watermelon Drinks

1

Watermelon Cucumber Smoothie

Get the Recipe

2

Watermelon Infused Water

Photo Credit: www.watermelon.org

Get Recipe

3

Watermelon Beet Post Workout Smoothie 

Photo Credit: www.watermelon.org

Get Recipe

4

Kid-Friendly Fruit Smoothie

Get the Recipe

5

Watermelon Yogurt Smoothie

Photo Credit: www.watermelon.org

Get Recipe

6

Refreshing Watermelon Cooler

Photo Credit: www.watermelon.org

Get Recipe

7

Splash of Fun Fruit Smoothie

Get the Recipe

8

Watermelon Green Tea

Photo Credit: www.watermelon.org

Get Recipe

9

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Photo Credit: www.watermelon.org

Get Recipe

10

Watermelon Juice

Photo Credit: www.watermelon.org

Get Recipe

The post Hydration, Exercise & Watermelon: How to Stay Hydrated for Your Workout appeared first on Healthy Family Project.

]]> https://healthyfamilyproject.com/hydration-exercise-watermelon/feed/ 0 https://healthyfamilyproject.com/do-kids-need-sports-drinks/ https://healthyfamilyproject.com/do-kids-need-sports-drinks/#respond Thu, 16 Jul 2020 08:00:00 +0000 https://produceforkids.com/?p=20909

Sports drinks all over the sidelines at kid sports events, and even on playgrounds and in backyards on hot summer days. But are they something kids even need? Here are some facts you should know.

The post Do Kids Need Sports Drinks? appeared first on Healthy Family Project.

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If you’re a parent to athletic and active kids, I’m sure that question always comes around when grocery shopping; “mom can we buy this?” Between the appealing colors, an array of flavors, and the begging, it’s sometimes hard to say no! Registered dietitian and professional mom Sally is here to help you maneuver around them.

Sports drinks all over the sidelines at kid sports events, and even on playgrounds and in backyards on hot summer days. A lot of kids seem to like them–but are they healthy or even necessary? But are they something kids even need?

Here are some facts you should know about sports drinks.

What are sports drinks?

Sports drinks were invented decades ago for elite athletes. The goal was to quickly refuel and hydrate these athletes so they could have more energy and endurance while competing. When you’re dehydrated, your blood sugar dips, or your muscles are depleted of carbohydrates, you can feel weak, dizzy, and even sick. 

So most sports drinks contain three things: water for hydration, carbohydrates to give energy to muscles and boost the blood sugar, and electrolytes to replace any losses in sweat.

Sports drinks are not the same thing as energy drinks, which usually contain caffeine.

What are electrolytes?

Electrolytes sound fancy but they’re actually just minerals like sodium and potassium that help keep your body working properly. When you sweat heavily, you can lose some of those minerals in your sweat.

Sports drinks can help replace any electrolytes lost in sweat. But sodium and potassium are also both found in foods, so kids can easily get them in a snack or meal after sports, such as a banana (loaded with potassium) or crackers (a source of sodium).

In fact, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), “For most children and adolescents, daily electrolyte requirements are met sufficiently by a healthy balanced diet; therefore, sports drinks offer little to no advantage over plain water.”

Are sports drinks better for hydration?

It’s true that sports drinks are good at hydrating because the flavoring can encourage you to drink more, especially for people who don’t love the taste of plain water.

Water is enough for most kids

In their clinical report, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that water is “the appropriate first choice for hydration before, during, and after most exercise regimens.” That’s because most kids aren’t engaged in the kind of strenuous activity that sports drinks were originally designed for.

In fact, in one study of 6-12 year old boys, researchers found that more than half of their sport time was spent either in sedentary or light-intensity activity. Whether it’s playing in the yard in the summer, participating in a 1-hour soccer game, or standing in the outfield for a t-ball game in the heat, they all require hydration for sure, but not necessarily sports drinks.

For more on hydration, plus fun ways to infuse water with fresh fruit, veggies and herbs, check out this month’s Food Rx video: All About Hydration.

Food contains electrolytes too

Electrolytes aren’t special ingredients found only in sports drinks–they’re minerals, which are in food too. Sports drinks and electrolyte powders typically contain the electrolytes sodium and potassium. But kids can easily get those easily in a snack or meal after sports, like a banana (potassium) or crackers (sodium).

According to the AAP, “for most children and adolescents, daily electrolyte requirements are met sufficiently by a healthy balanced diet; therefore, sports drinks offer little to no advantage over plain water.”

Sports drinks contain a lot of ingredients

If you look for simpler ingredient lists on food packages, sports drinks don’t fit the bill. Many contain citric acid, a flavoring that can be tough on tooth enamel. Many are colored with synthetic food dyes, which have been linked in some research to worsening attention problems in some children. A 20-ounce bottle of sports drink also packs as much as eight teaspoons of added sugar.

Regularly sipping on sports drinks can be hard on tooth enamel too, thanks to the citric acid used for flavoring.

But aren’t sports drinks healthy?

Thanks to sports drink marketing, many parents believe that sports drinks are necessary and even good for kids. In one research study from Yale University, more than a quarter of parents rate sports drinks as “somewhat healthy” or “very healthy”. There’s a belief that sports drinks are somehow healthier for kids than other sweetened drinks.

So are sports drinks ever right for kids?

Yes, sports drinks can be helpful for some children and teens in sports, especially for endurance events, all-day tournaments, or times when they’re exercising intensely for more than an hour and need quick refueling. That’s because it’s a lot easier to take sips of a sports drink on a break between games than to sit down and have a snack.

Sports drinks can also be helpful if your child is recovering from a stomach bug. The body loses electrolytes through vomiting and diarrhea, and the light flavor might be more appealing than plain water when they’re feeling bad and trying to rehydrate.

What about sugar-free sports drinks?

You may have seen sugar-free sports drinks and wondered if those are a better choice. It’s true that they don’t contain the sugar of regular sports drinks, only electrolytes and water for hydration. They also typically contain artificial sweeteners.

If the main goal is to hydrate, they’re fine. But if your kid is involved in an endurance event or really feeling depleted, you’ll be better off with something that contains sugar so it provides carbohydrates for energy too.

Can I make my own sports drink?

Yes, you sure can! Here’s a recipe for a homemade sports drink.

If you’re looking for an alternative post-workout recovery drink, consider chocolate milk, which contains potassium and a little bit of sodium, plus carbs for energy and protein to help rebuild muscles.

Make Sure to Pin It!

The post Do Kids Need Sports Drinks? appeared first on Healthy Family Project.

]]> https://healthyfamilyproject.com/do-kids-need-sports-drinks/feed/ 0 https://healthyfamilyproject.com/6-filling-foods-for-kids/ https://healthyfamilyproject.com/6-filling-foods-for-kids/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2020 08:00:00 +0000 https://produceforkids.com/?p=20464

Crafting up the perfect meal that successfully feeds the family is an accomplishment. However, make room for those times when your little one might still be craving a snack after. Mom and registered dietitian Sally has curated a helpful list of some snacks that will do the trick of making sure no stomachs are still […]

The post 6 Filling Foods For Kids Who Are Always Hungry! appeared first on Healthy Family Project.

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Crafting up the perfect meal that successfully feeds the family is an accomplishment. However, make room for those times when your little one might still be craving a snack after. Mom and registered dietitian Sally has curated a helpful list of some snacks that will do the trick of making sure no stomachs are still rumbling!

“My kid is ALWAYS hungry!”

That’s something I hear from a lot of parents. And I know the struggle is real. My 15-year-old has been known to complain about being hungry while he’s eating. That’s why I wanted to share some foods for filling up kids that always seem to be hungry. Like I said, I’ve been there! Growth spurts at any point, especially during puberty, can significantly boost appetites.

But my hunch is that sometimes kids are “always hungry” because what they’re eating simply isn’t filling them up.

Consider the typical “kid foods” like crackers, granola bars, and pretzels. They offer calories but aren’t very filling. Those foods are fine occasionally, but it’s important to feel satisfied by meals and snacks so you’re not rooting around in the cupboard 30 minutes later–or complaining to mom about still being hungry.

Foods that are especially filling tend to be ones that are rich in things like protein, fiber, healthy fats, or fluid. Here are six that are particularly satisfying:

Potatoes

In a special ranking of foods based on how satisfying they are (called the Satiety Index), boiled potatoes actually beat out every other food tested. And in a study with kids, those who had boiled or mashed potatoes as a side dish reported being more satisfied after the than those who had rice, pasta, or French fries.

Potatoes contain fiber, and you’ll get more if you leave the skin on. They’re also rich in vitamin C.

Make it: Roasted Potatoes with Green Beans & Carrots

Eggs

They’re a high-quality, affordable protein source–just don’t throw away the yolk! It packs nutrients the white doesn’t. In one research study, people found eggs a lot more satisfying for breakfast than a bagel (and they ate less at lunchtime because they weren’t as hungry).

Make it: Boil a batch of eggs at the beginning of the week for easy snacks.

Pears

Fresh fruit is naturally filling because it’s high in fiber and contains a lot of fluid. Foods that contain a lot of water (like fruits and veggies and meals like soup) activate stretch receptors in the tummy, sending a message to the brain that you’re getting full. Pears are one of the highest-fiber foods, with six grams in a medium pear.

Make it: These Caramel Pear Slices make a fun dessert or special snack

Popcorn

This may not seem like a particularly filling snack, but fiber’s special power (beyond being a natural whole grain) is volume. Popcorn takes up a lot of space and takes a while to eat, which the brain translates as being satisfying. In one study, adults said they were less hungry after eating popcorn than they were after eating potato chips.

Make it: Here’s my fail-proof way to make popcorn on the stove (my boys love it sprinkled with nutritional yeast!)

Oatmeal

Oats are rich in soluble fiber, which slows digestion and makes you feel full. The Satiety Index ranked oatmeal higher than any other cereal tested (even the high-fiber boxed kinds).

Make it: Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Avocado

This smooth, creamy fruit is rich in satisfying, heart-healthy fats. In one study, people who had avocado with their lunch were less hungry even five hours later than those who didn’t have it.

Make it: Blueberry Avocado Smoothie

The post 6 Filling Foods For Kids Who Are Always Hungry! appeared first on Healthy Family Project.

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