I was having a conversation with a friend recently about what it’s like to be a parent. He has older children, so he’s a little ahead of the game compared to me. We were talking about how difficult it is to make the transition into parenthood — how it’s such a big lifestyle change; how suddenly you have this little human who is completely dependent on you for every need, physically and emotionally. A task as simple as planning dinner becomes less about what two of you are in the mood for, and more about what is going to fulfill our growing boys.

My friend compared it to the changes that happen when your child transitions into adulthood. Suddenly this kid who has depended on you for everything doesn’t want to depend on you for anything. He wants to learn how to go it alone, to prove that he’s an adult. At both age 12 and 2, they are learning to cope with the changing dynamics of their bodies, while having to learn emotional self-maintenance and stability.

And in both cases, my friend said, despite what is happening with our children, they are the ones inviting us to grow up.

This is my fourth Father’s Day since my oldest son was born. I worry so much about his growth and development that I’ve never stopped to consider how much I’ve grown in the last four years. I’ve learned to set my everyday wants aside, while gaining a greater understanding of the importance of self-care. But most importantly, at least to me, I’ve learned to be content in the everyday nuances of a seemingly “dull” life, finding joy in small victories as much as in grand adventures. From playing in the backyard, to first rides on the Chicago “L”, I realize how fleeting these moments together truly are at this age.

The Together Counts^TM Program promotes the importance of family meals and time together as an avenue for strengthened family health, emotionally and physically. It’s during these small moments together that I’m able to see my two little men grow from babies, to toddlers, teenagers and one day parents themselves. As they grow up, our entire family grows up as well.

When Miles reaches that arc of adulthood, I know he’s going to invite me to grow up in different ways. He’s going to encourage me to let go of him and let him make mistakes. He’s going to increasingly invite me to see him as an equal. And it’s going to be really hard. But growing up always is.

At least at that age, we can more consciously grow up together. I’m hoping we’ll both be able to admit when it’s hard and when we make mistakes, and gain a new respect for each other. The health of our relationship beyond this household depends on it.

This Father’s Day, I think it’s important to reflect on all the ways we’ve had to grow up as parents. In what ways have you had to grow up? Are you honest with yourself about how hard it’s been?

For more Father’s Day ideas, check out these Together Counts resources:

• Father’s Day: An Opportunity for Self Reflection
• A Day for Dad Pinterest Board

When your desk is in order and schedule is up-to-date, your work is likely more effective, efficient and of higher quality. The same goes for your diet. When your meals and snacks are organized, it’s easier to make nutritious choices. Here’s how to organize three main components of your life in order to make healthful eating easier.

Your schedule:  Although it might sound funny to schedule your meals and snacks, it’s a wise move. It’s all too easy to run out the door without breakfast. Or, to run to your child’s soccer game after work, only to discover that after two overtimes, your dinner is going to be pretty late. Look at your scheduled events for the week and schedule your meals and snacks just like any other event. After all, it’s your meals and snacks that fuel you so you have the energy to make it to your other obligations. Plus, scheduling in regular meals and snacks helps prevent large gaps of time (more than four or five hours) without food – which can make it a lot easier to stick with healthful choices and moderate portions.

(See Shopping for the Pantry.)

Your kitchen:  An organized, clean kitchen (including the fridge, cabinets and pantry) is usually the difference between learning to love cooking at home… and dreading it. From the time you open the refrigerator or gather spices, to the time you reach for kitchen gadgets or utensils, having what you need at the ready makes the process of creating meals and snacks a lot easier. In order to maximize your kitchen space, start by getting rid of any appliances (or other items that take up counter, drawer or shelf space). Then do the same for food – whether it’s old condiments in the fridge or ancient spices on shelves.

And last, but not least, keep your kitchen stocked with healthful choices – a bowl of fruit on the counter, plenty of whole grains/whole grain products in the pantry, veggies, lean protein, and low-fat dairy in the fridge, etc. For even more details on kitchen organization, visit our previous blog Kitchen Makeover.

(See Menu Planning Makes Family Dinners Easier)                                                                              

Your meals:  Your plate might seem like an easy task compared to your kitchen – but it can make a big difference in eating well and sticking with nutritious eating. First off, invest in smaller plates. Consider using a salad plate as your primary plate. Salad plates are around eight inches in diameter, an ideal size to serve as a template for a balanced (and calorie-appropriate) meal.

At each meal, aim to organize your plate into two halves, filling one half with veggies and then dividing the other half into two sections. In one of the remaining sections put lean protein (like salmon, tuna, grilled chicken, the “loin” cut of meat, salmon, etc.) and place whole grains (whole grain roll, crackers, cooked whole grains, etc.) in the final section. Now you’ve got a balanced meal – no weighing required. For breakfast, aim for one serving of low-fat/nonfat dairy, 1-2 servings of whole grains, one serving of fruit, and 1-2 servings of nutritional fat. Your breakfast should weigh in around 350 calories.

For more articles about healthy eating, visit BeeWell for Life BeeDelicious.

How has organization helped you and your family live a more balanced lifestyle?

This post was originally published on the BeeWell for Life blog. BeeWell for Life is a health and wellness community created by Bumble Bee Foods to promote healthy lifestyles and raise donations to fight diabetes, heart disease and breast cancer.

Think back to the last time you danced. Not a little side-to-side swaying when you’re in a good mood, but a full-body boogie that put a smile on your face, put your arms in the air and allowed all of your inhibitions to melt away. Wouldn’t it be great to do that every day as a form of exercise? Well, dancing is a bona fide weight loss workout-in a fitness class or with your family on a Monday night-offering benefits such as healthier cardiovascular system, stronger bones, and improved mood. Not to mention, a turn on the dance floor can burn 200 to 500 calories per hour!

See Start the New Year with 31 Days of Fun.

Dancing has many wonderful attributes apart from burning calories. It strengthens your muscles, which in turn better stabilizes your joints, protecting them from injury. It is lower impact than running and much easier on the joints of the knees and ankles. All styles of dancing are considered weight-bearing exercises, which strengthens the bones and is the only kind of exercise that can actually slow down bone loss.

Dancing activates nearly every muscle in the body and as a result, naturally strengthens the core, improves flexibility, balance, and posture, and aids in weight loss, which will improve cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of heart disease.

Between 2002 through 2010, there was a 26 percent increase in interest for dance as a fitness class in health clubs. Some of that rise is due to the introduction of Zumba, a Latin-inspired dance workout class. Since then, several other dance-inspired workouts were created, including hip-hop, Batuka, a new class that borrows moves from belly dancing, and salsa, which recently hit health clubs last fall.

Like other exercises, dancing can modulate levels of brain chemicals associated with mood, such as dopamine, nor epinephrine and serotonin. There is also a sense of achievement that comes with mastering new skills. So whether your family members are new to the dance scene or are trained dancers, reap the benefits of dancing: turn on some music and break out into a dance session this weekend!

How do you encourage your family to get on the dance floor? Share in the comments below!

This post was originally posted on the Shane Diet & Fitness Resorts blog. Shane Diet & Fitness Resorts is a weight loss and fitness resort program focused on helping guests achieve a long term healthy lifestyle.  Resorts offer guests ongoing support in their efforts to lose weight and create a healthier lifestyle.

Stephanie Siricio is a guest yoga and pilates instructor at Shane Diet & Fitness Resorts and a Yoga Personal Trainer at the Jewish Community Center in West Nyack, New York. Stephanie has been practicing and teaching yoga for over 15 years. Her classes focus on breath, alignment detail and overall benefits of each posture.

We eat what I cook. Food isn’t thrown away. The mouths in my home, including mine, enjoy the recipes that I cook, and as a Together Counts^TM ambassador, it is really important to me that we enjoy those recipes in a way that still promotes a healthy and active lifestyle.

Eat Sweets in Moderation

I might bake some cookies or cupcakes, but I don’t eat three in one day. I don’t even eat one every day. Sweets are completely fine when eaten in moderation, both in terms of the portion size (and control!) and in relation to the proportion of more nutritious foods eaten.

Put Some Thought into Planning

I prefer not to blog about desserts or other sweets, even breakfast treats, back to back. In part because I don’t want readers who aim to stick to a healthy diet to feel like I’m tripping them up in that department. But also because I don’t want to eat desserts that often. I mix dessert recipes in between dinner, breakfast, lunch, salad, or other recipes that are more “whole foods.”

Make a Smaller Batch

Just because a muffin recipe makes 3-dozen doesn’t mean I have to bake that many – or feed my family that many within 2 days. I’ll cut recipes down into smaller portions if I feel like it will be too much for our family. Or, more recently, I’ve taken to stashing extras away in the freezer for use throughout the month.

Be Active

Being active is harder during the winter months, so I am really glad things are warming up here, but there is always something physical that can be done to help cancel out the consumption of foods that don’t provide anything but enjoyment.

During the winter we have gone sledding as a fun family activity. It might not sound like exercise, but you try hiking back up to the top of the hill in several inches of snow for 2 hours on end. It is exercise whether it was intended or not. Ice-skating was another popular winter outing that kept us physically active.

During warmer months, going for a swim at the neighborhood pool or even just taking a walk around the block after dinner helps keep our life healthy and active.

I’ve learned over the years that I don’t have to put hours in at the gym to be active, there are many family activities – whether something special like skating, or simple like going for a walk or hike – that provide exercise. Those types of exercise are my favorite because they are a lot more fun and allow me to create memories with my family in a way that I never will by going to the local gym.

For more post ideas on balancing food with activity, check out these Together Counts resources:

• Getting Family Fit with Yoga
• Weekend Breakfast Nourishment

Katie’s lifelong interest in food has shown her that part of the goodness in life is enjoying delicious food with friends and family. Katie Goodman is the cook, recipe developer, and photographer behind GoodLife Eats where she dishes on food, books, travel and style. You can also find Katie on Twitter and Facebook.

We’re taking the steps to involve as many stakeholders as possible to create the solution, from parents and schools to food and beverage companies, retailers, non-governmental organizations and professional sports organizations. Through our work with the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF), we have spearheaded the most comprehensive and serious anti-obesity effort ever developed by the food and beverage industry, and we have no plans of stopping any time soon.

In May 2010, the founding partners of the HWCF committed to reduce calories in the marketplace by providing consumers with lower-calorie options, changing recipes where possible to lower the calorie content of current products, or reducing portion sizes of existing single-serve products and investing in and supporting nutrition and physical education in schools. We’re also working with the Girl Scouts of the USA, 100 Black Men of America, the PTA and over 230 corporate and non-governmental  partners who are helping to carry our message to students and families across the country.

Our goal is to get Americans to reduce calories – and our members have pledged to cut 1.5 trillion calories a year from the marketplace by 2015. We’re thrilled to announce that we have substantially surpassed the 2015 goal!

This is a complex issue — and no one is going to solve it alone. But together we can help families in America fight obesity and achieve an active, healthy lifestyle.

Susan Ralston is a senior advisor for the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation. 

When evaluating your food choices, do you stick to a standard menu of options or do you try new foods? Many of us fall into the first category, especially as we enter our adult years. We get used to eating a certain way, and it’s hard to try new flavors and cultural aromas that are unfamiliar to our palettes.

Keeping an open mind about the foods you eat allows you to experience other cultures. Having this variety in your family’s diet can also help with introducing new flavors and foods to your children. And, the earlier they are exposed to these different flavors, the more likely they are to incorporate them in their meals as they grow up.

Consider some of the cultural dishes out there. Italian cuisine incorporates a variety of healthy spices such as basil, parsley and garlic. It also uses high-quality ingredients such as fresh tomatoes and herbs. Caribbean cuisine is a fusion of European, Indian and Chinese cooking, while Mexican dishes incorporate rice blends, fresh vegetables and beans. Asian cuisine is another excellent choice thanks to its rich blend of fresh vegetables, noodles and rice.

When you eat foods from other cultures, you open up your palette and can easily find dishes that meet your nutritional needs. For example, many parents look for ways to get their children to eat more vegetables in their diet. Learning how to season them with spices and marinades can make a non-vegetable eater a vegetable-lover.

Eating foods from other cultures also allows you to explore your own taste buds. You might find that how one culture cooks their meats is more favored than another. Exploring new flavors can quickly turn into a hobby as you discover new tastes that are both healthful and flavorful. It’s also an opportunity to gather at the table with your family and discuss different cultures and how families in other countries live and eat.

What are your favorite tips on introducing cultural foods to your family?

 This post was originally published on the World Gardens Café blog. Led by Executive Chef Ravi Harryram, World Gardens Café offers individualized meals and customized menus that demonstrate an appreciation of food and an understanding of nutrition. Chef Ravi’s Caribbean-influenced cooking methods involve the slow infusion of deep flavors instilled by using wet marinades instead of dry rubs. With many years of success in developing customized diets, Chef Ravi continually creates menus that improve people’s quality of life.

Raising kids on the Jersey shore, where the day can change from sunny to GRAB THE FOOD and RUN FOR THE CAR in a matter of minutes, planning out our summertime activities really depends upon the weather – not to mention, my willingness to battle the shore traffic – so, I’ve learned to NOT make any definite plans.

Give a kid a patch of grass, a sprinkler, some dish soap and a couple of bubble wands:  you’ve got yourself a summertime party and plenty of picture-frame-worthy moments, right in your own backyard, my friend.

My husband still jokes with me about my ability to make playing with a box of rocks sound like lots of fun.  I will admit, having had a kid in diapers for 10 consecutive years, I just sort of learned to grow used to “winging it,” day-to-day.

Raising 3 teens and 1 teen by proxy (she’s almost-12) I can’t help but feel as if our days of spending any amount of time together (as a family) are truly numbered and, unlike their clothes, it’s refreshing to hear each of my kids confess to not having outgrown some of their favorite childhood memories, like:

• Throwing a couple of fishing lines into the bay and watching as the current teases my kids into thinking that we’re actually going to have fish for dinner.
• Hiking into the woods and searching for treasure – a twisted shell, an old bottle cap and whatever else we can fit into a pint-sized baggie.
• Answering the age old question, “Just where DOES that path lead to, anyways?”

Then there are the summer nights: when we can gather around the fire pit, roast a couple of marshmallows, hot dogs, or whatever else you can fit on a stick, and simply enjoy each other’s company.

As parents of teens, my husband and I have learned to treasure these moments of togetherness, which is what the Together Counts program is all about.  We feel blessed to be able to just relax and listen to our kids laugh with each other during family activities; usually at our expense, but we’re okay with it.

For more family activity ideas check out these additional resources from The Together Counts^TM program:

• Ideas for Summer Family Fun
• Red, White and Blue Holiday Fun

Liz started blogging at This Full House in 2003 (when blogging was still in diapers) to connect with other parents, share stories and feel a little less disconnected with life outside her front door, beyond all the dust bunnies and diapers. She continues to enjoy writing about the trials and tribulations of raising four children, a rambunctious lab named Rudolph (a.k.a. Doofus-Dawg) a delinquent cat and killer dust bunnies.

Tap into these hydration tips to help your kids drink up for good health.

1. Keep fluids flowing. Offer smaller amounts of beverages throughout the day, rather than large amounts at one time.

Hydration tip: Think carefully about the beverages you choose. Those with added sugars and calories, but few other nutrients, should be occasional choices.

2. Make fluids fun. For younger kids, serve beverages in colorful cups and use crazy-shaped loopy straws.

3. Let kids pick their own water bottles. They’ll be more excited about carrying beverages to school, sports and other activities.

Hydration tip: To keep beverages chilled, freeze half of the fluid in the bottle overnight, and then top it off in the morning.

4. Use caution when it’s hot outside, especially for active kids. In high temperatures, kids don’t sweat as much as adults do, so it’s harder for them to cool off. This puts them more at risk for dehydration. When kids are playing outside on hot days, head off problems by making sure they drink fluids before, during and after activity. As a guideline, encourage at least 4 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes, or whenever there’s a break or time-out.

Hydration tip: One ounce equals about two “sips.”

5. Take care when it’s cold, too. Kids who play winter sports or play actively outside in cold, dry environments may sweat, especially when wearing lots of layers or protective gear. So follow the same fluid guidelines as for hot weather.

6. Slip in fluid-rich foods. Remember to serve soups and juicy fruits and veggies such as cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, lettuce, watermelon, oranges, grapes, peaches and strawberries. Sweet treats made with water such as gelatin or frozen fruit pops are great on an occasional basis, too.

7. Offer flavored fluids. In addition to water, kids can get their hydration from an occasional flavored beverage Juice drink pouches are popular and easily stowed in backpacks for field trips and car travel. Powdered “on-the-go” drink mixes are also handy options.

Hydration tip: You can also add lemon, lime or orange slices to water to flavor it naturally.

Jamie Phillips, M.S., RD is a Food & Nutrition Specialist at Kraft Foods Group in Glenview, IL.

Together, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) have developed a simple, front-of-pack label to address some of the obstacles shoppers face when it comes to healthy eating. Facts Up Front displays all the important information from the Nutrition Facts Panel in an easy-to-use format on the front of your favorite food and beverage products. If you’ve walked down the grocery store aisles recently, you might have noticed these Facts Up Front labels, which let you easily see the nutritional profile of your favorite food items in a matter of seconds. It can be a great tool to help manage your calorie and nutrient intakes.

But it doesn’t stop there. Because shoppers’ nutrition knowledge varies greatly from one person to the next, GMA and FMI recently launched a new website, www.factsupfront.org, which offers interactive, user-friendly tools to educate shoppers and help them make more informed choices.

The site contains lots of features to keep you on track, including:

• A Nutrition Calculator – Helps people determine the specific calorie and nutrient needs for themselves and their family members.        
• An Interactive Label – Explains all the nutrients featured in Facts Up Front, how they impact your health and common nutrient sources.
• A Nutrition Quiz – Allows nutrition novices and savvy shoppers alike to identify opportunities to learn more about building a healthful diet.
• Shopping and Meal Planning Tips – Provides advice from registered dietitians to help Americans overcome common obstacles to creating healthful meals.
• Recipes – Offers easy, delicious dishes made with products bearing the Facts Up Front label.
• Health Professionals Resources – Provides downloadable tools and resources for educating patients and clients.

Already, the Nutrition Calculator is a site favorite and great to use so you know your recommended daily calorie intake. Just answer five quick questions about your gender, weight, height, age and activity level and the calculator does the rest. It’s a fun way for the entire family to stay on track together!

You can visit www.factsupfront.org, to learn more and start down the path of eating better.

Pamela G. Bailey, President and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, wrote this blog post on behalf of the Together Counts™ program.

Based in Washington, D.C., the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is the voice of more than 300 leading food, beverage and consumer product companies that sustain and enhance the quality of life for hundreds of millions of people in the United States and around the globe. The association and its member companies are committed to meeting the needs of consumers through product innovation, responsible business practices and effective public policy solutions. The food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry in the United States generates sales of $2.1 trillion annually, employs 14 million workers and contributes $1 trillion in added value to the economy every year. To learn more, visit www.gmaonline.org. 

Before Your Workout:

Regular Workouts:

You should not plan on working out right after major meal times. Instead, opt for a light snack to amp your energy enough to get you through your workout. If you exercise first thing in the morning, it is best to eat something light for instant energy, as your body does not burn calories to its best ability until you have eaten something that day.

Yoga:

The exception would be a yoga workout, which should be done on an empty stomach. This being said, yoga should not be done while you are hungry and weak, either. So, in general, do your yoga before breakfast or 1-2 hours after eating.

Races:

If you are running a race early in the morning that will take you an hour or more, you may want to have a full, carbohydrate-rich meal the night before. An example would be a cup of rice covered with vegetables with added protein for balance. If your race is later the next day, or you don’t feel you will need the extra carb stores to make it through your race (like a friendly 5K), carbohydrate loading or eating a big meal are not necessary.

During Your Workout:

Generally, most people will not need a snack break during their workout. Most of us exercise briefly enough to not require snacking. There are a couple of exceptions. One may be that you are diabetic or have a medical condition requiring food or sugars during exercise. The other would be that you are an extreme athlete, meaning that you play a sport or are involved in an endurance activity that keeps you moving for more than 2 hours.

Acceptable snack foods would be:

• Simple fruits, accompanied by a handful of raw nuts
• Dried fruit and nuts
• A simple snack bar, such as Natural Plus Energy Bars.

After Your Workout:

Eating after exercise is very important; plan on eating pretty shortly, usually within the first hour after a typical workout or exercise session. Your post-exercise meal or snack should be well-balanced, including the following:

• 1 fruit or vegetable
• 1 portion of lean protein
• 1 whole grain portion
• Small portion of good fats

Whether that is a snack or meal depends on the time of day and your hunger level. Because your body has an increased metabolic rate for several hours after exercise, it will make good use of these foods, using what it needs and burning some excess.

Bonus Health Question: Did you know that the best overall recovery drink is chocolate milk? This, according to an Indiana University Study, is the perfect recovery drink because of the instant sugars to replace carbohydrates, the protein source, and the small amount of fats that balances the nutrients.

Eating a little bit throughout your day is important to keep your energy level, maintain metabolism, and balance your blood sugar. Keep in mind that too many calories leads to body weight gain, so how much you eat proves as important as how often.

How do you maintain your energy level during workouts? Share in the comments below!

This post was originally published on the Shannon Miller Lifestyle blog. The mission of Shannon Miller Lifestyle is to inform, educate and inspire women to lead a balanced lifestyle, and is targeted specifically to women with a focus on pregnancy and motherhood.