Boys to Little Men

Well, I have to say I just don't know where the years go when I look at my boys. They are getting so big and 7 year-old Jake is actually complaining about growing pains. Although, I think it is me who is having the worst growing pains of all. Recently I had a family function at my home and before that, a couple of weeks ago I took the boys to a very fancy schmancy wedding. I was surprised but both boys handled themselves in a very mature manner. Jake however really has taken on a mature demeanor when he is around grown-ups. He even stopped to help a lady who dropped her napkin at the wedding. So I got to thinking that maybe some of my hard "work" with them is paying off. Then I realize that it is just a process. The see, they imitate and they learn. Although I am happy and feel that I can now be somewhat calm at a respectable sit down dinner with them, it all still makes me a teeny bit sad. They are getting older. Evan, now four, is not such a baby anymore. I can't rock him in my arms. So now I am realizing that not only are they maturing, they are growing by leaps and bounds. Walking with Jake today, I had to swing my arm around his head to put my arm around him. We joked that in no time at all I won't be able to get my arm around or over the top of his head, he will be too tall. I know one day it's going to be hard to even remember them as babies so I am savoring every moment with them... and taking lots of pictures.

Wellness Wednesday

It's Wednesday already....this week flew by. Last Thursday was Thanksgiving and although we all gave thanks to our many blessings, most of us probably gave too much thanks to our food. It's almost like we have a license to overeat on that day. Unfortunately it sometimes sets the course for bad habits for the rest of the holiday season. Remember, just because we may have overindulged on that one day, or any day, doesn't mean we should throw in the towel. Get up, dust your self off, and get back to doing what's right for yourself.

I mentioned the components of wellness a couple of weeks ago. One of the wellness components is the physical dimension and part of that is nutrition. Fueling our bodies is as important as movement and exercise. Eating properly not only effects our weight, but our overall health and mood. One thing we can remember this holiday season is portion control. Remember how you felt after the Thanksgiving feast... ? Were you sluggish or tired? Were you sweaty, or maybe uncomfortable? I am assuming most did not exercise portion control. In general we should go back to following an 8 inch plate size but unfortunately many of our dish sizes are larger. In my grandmother's day, most of the dishes were smaller...maybe that's one reason why they didn't have an obesity problem then. Food portions have definitely changed and maybe that's what has dictated the plate size. According to American Fitness magazine, The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute reports that Americans are eating in "portion distortion." For example one cheeseburger, fries and a soft drink can contain 1,450 calories. Therefore some individuals can be consuming two-thirds or more of their recommended daily allowance of calories in just one meal...yikes! So this holiday season, think about smaller portions. You'll get to eat and try everything at that next party and not have to feel badly afterwards.

Here are some resources to help guide you: www.mypyramid .gov; pogohealth.com calorie-count.com; eatright.org.