7 STEPS TO A PERFECT PACKED LUNCH

Hey guys,


Georgette is a good friend and amazing trainer out of Pennsylvania. She has an incredible network of great Bootcamp and Personal Trainers. She also has a great NutriFitness Magazine with tons of information including this one that I wanted to share with you.

In this article, Georgette gives you some great tips on how to pack lunches for your kids and for yourself. 

This article is right alongside with my nutrition philosophy and what I follow for lunches as well.

So have a read...

7 STEPS TO A PERFECT PACKED LUNCH
By Georgette Pann

Summer vacation is winding down, fall is approaching and the kids are going back to school.

It's time to examine the art of packing the perfect lunch.

While it is easy to rely on the school cafeteria for the kids and fast food meals for you, this method will quickly result in unwanted pounds.

The only way to ensure that you and your kids are eating a nutritionally balanced, health promoting lunch is to pack it yourself.

According to Ann Cooper and Lisa M. Holmes in their book, Lunch Lessons, "When it comes to nutrition, children are not just miniature adults. Because they're growing, they have different dietary needs." (Their daily serving recommendations are in boxes below.)

Use the following 7 steps as your guide for packing healthy lunches that cover the spectrum of nutrients that your growing kids needs.

Don't have kids? Keep reading. You'll need these steps when packing your own nutrient-dense, fitness lunches.

Step 1: Hydration


Every function of the human body requires water, so it's a no-brainer that water should be included in your packed lunch. Eight glasses a day is a minimum.

It's easy to fall into the trap of giving kids juice or soda pop, and once your kids are accustomed to drinking these sugary treats expect a battle when you switch to water. This is one fight that is worth winning.

Remind yourself that the sugary drinks are filled with empty calories, which quickly lead to weight gain. Sugar also robs the body of vital nutrients and minerals.

 

Step 2: Protein

2 – 3 servings daily

1 serving equals:

2 – 3oz meat,

1/2 cup cooked beans,

1/3 cup nuts or one egg

Protein is an essential part of lunch, both for you and your kids. Kids need protein to support their growing body, and you need plenty of protein in order to grow and maintain lean muscle tissue.

Here's a list of healthy protein sources: fish, beans, tofu, nuts, eggs, chicken, turkey, lean pork and lamb.

Limit the amount of high-saturated-fat protein that your kids eat to no more than 3 servings per week. These include cheese, hot dogs, salami, bacon and sausage.

 

Step 3: Whole Grains


Kids 6-9 yrs: 4 – 7 servings daily

Kids 10-14 yrs: 5 – 8 servings daily

Teens: 6 – 9 servings daily

1 serving equals: 1 slice of bread, 1/2 bagel, 1/2 cup cooked rice, 1/2 cup pasta, 1 cup of whole grains

Whole grains are one of the major building blocks of a healthy meal. The key word here is "whole" meaning not refined.

White bread, bagels, pasta and rice have been stripped of the nutrients and minerals. As a result these items convert quickly into sugar, leaving your child drained after an initial quick burst of energy. Always avoid refined white grain products.

Here's a list of healthy whole grains: oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, millet, bulgur, whole-wheat or sprouted grain bread, barley, whole grain cereal and whole wheat pasta.

Step 4: Veggies


4 – 9 servings daily
1 serving equals: 1 cup raw of 1/2 cup cooked vegetables

When it comes to veggies, variety is key. Choose a array of colors like orange, red, purple, green, blue, white and yellow to make sure that your kids are getting all of the necessary vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.

Don't save vegetables for dinnertime. Pack each lunch with lots of colorful vegetables.

Try these veggie-packing ideas: Put a small container of hummus with cut veggies for dipping. Fill your sandwiches with baby arugula, roasted peppers and slices of tomato. Pack a container of veggie and whole wheat pasta instead of a sandwich. Invest in a small thermos and fill it with vegetable soup.

Step 5: Fruit


3 – 5 servings daily
1 serving equals: 1/2 cup cut fruit, whole fruit size of tennis ball, half a banana, 1/2 cup 100% fruit juice

Fresh fruit is filled with vitamins, nutrients and minerals. As with your veggies, choose a variety of colors to ensure that your kids are getting a range of nutrients.

Stay away from fruits that are canned and coated in syrup, and also from fruit snacks and chews that contain added sugars. If fresh fruit is not readily available then go for plain dried fruit, with no added sugar.

Unlike veggies, it is possible to eat too much fruit. Though the natural sugars within fruit are much healthier than refined sugar, too much of it will have a negative impact on your blood sugar levels and the extra calories will be stored as fat. Stick with 3 – 5 servings per day.

Step 6: Calcium


2 – 6 servings daily

Serving size based on the amount of calcium in the food. Examples of 1 serving: 1 cup cooked beans, 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 cup dried figs, 1/2 cup dark leafy green vegetables, 1/2 cup tofu, 1 cup low-fat milk, 1 cup low-fat yogurt

Your kids need calcium in order to build strong, healthy bones. It is important to incorporate calcium into each meal.

Calcium isn't just found in dairy products. There are many plant sources that contain calcium that is more readily absorbed by the body than the calcium found in dairy.

Try these sources of calcium: nuts, dark leafy greens, salmon, broccoli, tofu, soy milk, sardines, beans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt.

Step 7: Healthy Fat


3 – 4 servings daily

Serving size based on the amount of healthy fat in the food. Examples of 1 serving: 1 teaspoon of olive, safflower, sesame, flax or canola oil, 1/2 cup nuts, 1 tablespoon peanut, almond or cashew butter, 1 cup cooked beans, peas or lentils.

You may think of all dietary fat as being bad, but fat from plant sources are very important to the growth and development of a child's body.

Limit animal fats, which are filled with saturated fat and cholesterol, and eliminate trans-fatty acids contained in foods that are labeled as hydrogenated.

There you have it, 7 steps to the perfect packed lunch. See the recipe below to get you started on your first perfect packed lunch.

Remember that eating right is only half of the equation. Exercise is just as important when it comes to fitness and weight loss.

Are you ready to get started on a personalized fitness program? Call or email today to set up a consultation.


Perfect Packed Lunch


Here's an example of a healthy and balanced packed lunch. Try this one out, and then use it as a springboard for your own creative lunch ideas. Don't fall into the trap of eating the same thing day after day. Remember to use the 7 steps above to create your perfect packed lunch.

Servings: 1
Here's what you need...

For the wrap:

1 green tortilla

1 chicken breast (or your choice of protein: veggie patty, lean turkey, hardboiled egg, smoked salmon, grilled white fish, or baked tofu)

Sliced tomato

Romaine lettuce

1 Tablespoon hummus

For the veggies:

1/2 cup cut veggies (try broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and bell peppers)

1/4 cup hummus

For the yogurt:

1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

Handful of berries (strawberries and blueberries)

For the trail mix:

1oz raw mixed nuts

5 golden raisins

Spread the tortilla with hummus, line with lettuce, tomato slices and chicken breast. Wrap and slice in half.

Wash and pack the cut veggies in plastic container. Pack the hummus in a small container.

Pack the yogurt in a small container and top with the berries.

Mix the raw nuts with the raisins and pack in a small container or bag.

Don't forget to pack a container of water and a napkin!

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 547 calories, 19g fat, 39g carbohydrate, 12g fiber, and 55g protein.

Prayers for Young Sailor

This is one of those sad cases of horrible circumstances: 16year old Probably Lost at Sea
Please Pray for her.

Saint Brendan - Ora Pro Nobis

There is a lot to say about this... but I don't really think now is the time. As adults we are entrusted with young people, not only because they are our children... but because they are God's as well. There is a fine line between letting children grow and risk, and knowing when to say "That is too much." There will be time for that discussion later...

For now, let us just pray.

Will the Kids Get to Take Part?

So, as I'm continuing my campaign to get students to speak their minds on the mainstage at ISTE 2010's keynote, I've been getting many bits of advice from throughout my PLN.

Scott McLeod pointed me to a post and a great comment discussion from a 2007 piece on his blog. (I cite parts of it herein in fair use with the interest of furthering the discussion).

The initial post was a response to a blog post by Karl Fisch who had been thinking about the recent NECC 2007:

I can’t help but wonder how much more powerful it would be to have students involved in these discussions as well.

I'm publishing the whole of McLeod's response here because I don't want there to be any confusion about what he said; I find it both provocative and of a broader concern as to the role of students and student perception in education:

I've generally been frustrated with student presentations at conferences. Folks trot a few students out, pat them on their heads for being there and sharing their voices, and then go back to doing whatever they were doing beforehand, giving themselves self-congratulations along the way for 'including the students.' I haven't seen many impactful student presentations in the sense that adults take the students SERIOUSLY and maybe actually change their mindset / practice as a result (of course I haven't seen too many adult-delivered presentations that do this either, but the level of condescension isn't the same). So... I like the idea of including student voices very much but would encourage some very creative thinking about how to do that to best effect. I'm sure the Generation Yes folks, among others, would be glad to help...

Before I try to explain my opinion on this whole matter, let me share with you a couple of snippets that struck me from the first few comments related to Scott's post.

Most of the time students present things we've already gathered. Students lack one thing that is all important: The ability of hindsight, or the experience of retrospectivity which may lift a student presentation from the average to the interesting.

Testimonially speaking, I'd rather hear a student talk about what she's liked and disliked about her learning experiences. But analytically? Adults, far more often than kids, have the historical perspective and cognitive skills to talk about education. Generally speaking, I don't think kids have enough perspective to talk about kids. In sum this feels like a tribute to school-change ideals in, kind of ironically, a forum where they don't fit.

In general, you are right. Most student presentations are patronizing and lack substance. I've seen a few exceptions though. The best was one in which ONLY students presented. The teachers accompanying them didn't say a word after the introduction.

And this, from only the fourth of over 30 comments:

It is completely true that most student presentations are patronizing them. It's not fair that we trot them out once in a while, ask them about things they have no knowledge or control over, and then wonder why miracles didn't happen.

Asking a student, "how would you change education" is crazy. They can't change education, and wouldn't know what to do if they could. As Dan commented, they don't have the perspective. In this sense, student showcases are a more real representation of student voice in action, but are often segregated away from the main conference sessions or exhibit halls.

Including student voice MUST be an ongoing process about real issues that impact their lives in real ways. There has to be adults involved in the process long term committed to making it happen.

I can also tell you from personal experience that any session at a conference with students presenting will not draw a large audience, no matter how fabulous it is. People go to conferences for lots of reasons, and I guess one of those reasons is to get away from their everyday job of interacting with students.

I'm not going to wade into the whole debate that followed; for that, click here and go ahead and read the original comments for yourselves. I am always excited to read the varied opinions of educators on matters like these, and this conversation proved to be no downer.

But, in this post, I'd like to offer my own perspective as a teacher often surprised, overwhelmed, and humbled by the things that come from out of the mouths of my students.

I think students have a lot to tell us. And I think we need to hear it. And I think it needs to be put directly front and center before all of us on that keynote stage.

Because we spend so much time assessing and looking at student 'production', and so little time actually talking to them as fellow learners. We need a major format in which collectively to hear directly from the learners and be reminded that we ourselves are in the same boat.

Left to our own devices and cordoned off from the reality of students' lives and perceptions, we really don't do a great job at these conferences.

For example, at NECC 2009, I was stunned to see just how self-congratulatory a bunch of educators could be. So much so, that you'd think our school system was actually working.

In one case, an administrator who has blocked student email in his district was given an award for excellence in ed tech integration.

And in the gratuitous keynote, we had a bestselling author rehash a speech he'd given before to the United Way as his way of telling us how unique we are.

Rather than cover any of the serious problems and conflicts-of-interest present both on stage and on the exhibition floor, much of the mainstream media diligently paraphrased corporate press releases available in the press room.

And for all of the energy going on in several of the ed tech and Web 2.0 sessions, there were just as many lame presentations remodeling 20th century ed speek for the 21st century.

In the two spots where kids did get up on the main stage: in the debate and in the 'Electric Co' number, it felt forced and rigid. The debate became a rather meaningless demonstration of rhetorical flourishes led primarily by ed speakers known for their rhetorical flourishes and the production number came across as a paid advertisement. Not to denigrate the work of the kids on the teams, but it was an obvious case of exactly what McLeod argues is so often the case with these sorts of things, namely:

Thanks, kids... now off the stage.

The only time I really felt a connection with anything actually going on in our classrooms was -- like one of the commentators cited above noted -- in the student-teacher workshop room where the folks who actually live the classroom life talked about and demonstrated what it was they were doing in their buildings.

I think these folks deserve a stage.

The main stage.

As for criticism that previous student-led presentations have been lame -- well, then I guess the challenge is to find students who aren't lame. (I think in a nation of tens of millions of students, we might be able to find a few).

Anyway, really now, you don't want me to start naming names as to which adults gave lame presentations.

To generalize that student presentations are weak and unreflective and incapable of presenting a perspective that teachers can learn from and be engaged and energized by just points towards an arrogance of the sort that so many of us despised back when we were students ourselves.

I'm not suggesting that we put students up on stage to make them feel good.

I'm not suggesting that we put students up on stage to make ourselves feel good.

I'm suggesting that we put students up on stage to hear what they have to say.

I want them to tell us that we suck at certain things.

I want them to tell us about the hypocrisies they see in our classrooms.

I want them to compare the ways they use tech in the classroom to the ways they use it in their cars.

I want them to give their impressions of what tech-savvy teachers are really like.

I want them to define 21st century skills.

I want them to frustrate us and remind us that we as teachers are only part of and not the center of the field of education.

I want them to stand up there without any of us holding their hands and tell it like it is, not as we'd like it to be.

There are plenty of exceptional kids out there. And I'm not talking about kids who 'do well' in school or have obvious artistic or athletic talents. I'm talking about the kids who are exceptional in the sense that they have the confidence to speak their minds, even if they aren't able to do so with precise academic tone and debate-team panache.

I want to see the kids who aren't prepped for the main stage take the main stage.

They might be perfects students. They may be trouble-makers. They may be student leaders. They may be total slackers.

But they are all students.

21st century students.

21st century students who speak their minds.

They're exactly who I'm not hearing from in this whole discussion of the new paradigm.

And they're exactly the ones who deserve to keynote ISTE 2010.

I think McLeod points out the real problem when he says:

I haven't seen many impactful student presentations in the sense that adults take the students SERIOUSLY and maybe actually change their mindset / practice as a result (of course I haven't seen too many adult-delivered presentations that do this either, but the level of condescension isn't the same).

The problem is us.

You, me, and the next guy.

Us and our collective inflated ego.

I'm glad that Scott and many of the folks who left comments on his original blogpost cited problems with student presentations, but expressed a desire to really hear what they had to say. Because the other point-of-view, that is to say the point-of-view that students fundamentally have nothing to say and can't change education -- or anything, for that matter -- is a totally cynical statement. Indeed, if our students can't effect change, then we haven't really educated them.

I want to thank Scott for sending over this discussion from years back. Looks like the discussion continues. I hope that this time, the kids get to take part in a meaningful way.

Bring on the Kids

I fully realize that's there's no chance in hell of it actually happening, but I'm still pushing for kids to keynote ISTE 2010.

Russ Goerend Tweeted me this eve with a note that there are a couple other student-led proposals. I say: Right on, let's vote for them, too!

The first is a proposal entitled 'PLN: For Students by Students'. The second is 'Real Voices from Students and Teachers: The Real Impact of 21st Century Learning'.

Either would be fine with me.

When it comes down to it, I just want to see what the kids have to say to us. I find it so frustrating that every time I go to a conference I get talked to by some professional commentator or another.

Enough.

I want the real thing. I want students to stand up there on stage and give us the low-down.

ISTE is accepting votes through Nov 15. And while there are some noble ideas at the top of the heap -- 'Effective School Leadership for the Digital, Global Era' / 'Trends, Tools and Tactics for 21st Century Learning' / 'Universal Design for Learning' -- the conference-goer in me just finds the topics kinda 'meh'.

Especially given the fact that this crowd-sourced keynote will represent only one of four.

I guess I feel like I've heard the experts. Now, I want to know what's really going on.

Bring on the kids.

The Kids are Alright (so give 'em the stage)

No limit on the number of keynote suggestions you can make for the ISTE 2010 keynote, so I made another one. One I've been mulling over in the days since I first heard about the way ISTE was crowdsourcing part of the selection process this year.

Here's the proposal in a nutshell:

'The Kids are Alright (so give 'em the stage)'

Unless you are 15 years old in 2010, you have no idea what it's like to be 15 years old in 2010.

One of the most frustrating things about the education profession is the scant amount of time we spend listening to the ideas and reflections of the students we teach when it comes to the realities of what it feels like to be taught and to learn. We can talk amongst ourselves all we like about 'leadership' and 'educational tools' and 'best practices', but over and over again it's the voice of the students themselves -- the ones with the biggest stake in the debate -- that goes missing from the discussion.

So let's do something different with this keynote: Let's hear from the kids. Let's hear from the real experts: the students. Let's hear from kids who have no nostalgia for an analogue past. Let's hear from the idealists. Let's hear from the ones whose career and profession don't depend on scoring a keynote.

The kids are alright. Let's give 'em the stage.

Reflecting on what it is that I do everyday and what so many of you do everyday, I can't think of a better opportunity to really use the ISTE stage for something worthwhile than to hand it over to the students.

So often at these conferences, I feel like we talk about kids like they are mice in a lab.

Well, I say we shake up the conference scene and let the mice sing.

If you are with me on this, go ahead and vote here on ISTE's site.

Kids, the Internet, and the Recession

There are now only three abandoned houses on my street.

This is going to be a rambling post, but I've been thinking about the Recession. Thinking about how it is having an effect on our students. Just Google 'recession children' and you'll find tons of discussion on the matter.

Here's one of the more interesting things I found: and article published by the NY Times almost exactly twenty-five years ago today [Ed. -- first draft in RSS read 'twenty'... my bad]. It's titled 'Unicef Cites Impact of Recession on Children'.

...the world recession has had its most severe impact on the children of the poorest people...

It's always the kids who feel the brunt of it. Something to keep in mind before we get mad that Lucy didn't do her homework last night.

Particularly in times like these, we should be thankful for the Internet. Because the Net refuses to allow us to claim ignorance. And it offers a space to share stories with and from communities around the world. Communities that on the surface may seem so different from your own and yet, at the heart of it all, communities comprised of folks going through the same problems and suffering the same heartaches that people have suffered since the beginning of time. Communities that demonstrably lay manifest the reality that one action leads to another and that we are all connected.

And all that cliche stuff.

All that true stuff.

You can't claim ignorance. And neither can your students. The connection is a click away. Use the Internet to connect your students to the world. Don't be afraid of it. Because every class you spend lecturing and handing out worksheets and passing on the opportunity to connect your kids to the world beyond your classroom walls is a class where you have stressed only one lesson: the 'real world' is something that can wait.

It can't wait. And it's not going to wait for your kids. Your students are standing in the middle of the street and the real world would just as quickly run them over.

Like the Recession is running over kids on a daily basis.

So teach the past, teach the present, imagine the future. Be a part of the real world. But don't fear.

We're teachers. We don't have time for fear. We ain't afraid of anything.

Funk Junior's Top 10 Outdoor Games

As North Americans for the third straight year, we have received a failing D grade, indicating that overall progress on improving physical activity among children and youth has stalled. Overweight and obesity is at an all time high with a few contributors.

The major one is that children and youth are spending twice as much time in front of a screen as they do engaged in physical activity. That is a problem. Well never fear because Funk Jr. is here to aid with some helpful tips as to how you can keep your kids active.

Junior, at 11 years old, is an extremely active boy. If he is not playing on one of many school sports teams, or dreadfully doing his homework, then you will always find him, across the street in the field or in the court yard, where he and a boatload of his pals play. Oh and forget about seeing him on the weekends, because when the rooster crows he is out the door and he won't return until the street lights come on.

Do you need to get you child active?

Here are Funk Junior's Top 10 Outdoor Games:

1. Football - usually played 6 on 6 in the field. No pads with full contact - ouch!
2. Manhunt - this one is like tag but once you catch someone then they are on your team
3. Four Square - King, Queen Jack, Ass - This is played on school grounds or in the courtyard - you must remember this gem
4. Handball - played on a wall with a tennis ball - singles or doubles
5. Roller Street Hockey - since there is no snow/ice, he still finds a way to enjoy Canada's greatest pastime
6. Basketball - 5 on 5 full-court on an 8 ft rim - can you say DUNK CONTEST!
7. Soccer - the Toronto FC helped to propel this already popular game into the stratosphere
8. Tackle British - BRITISHHH!!! - My all-time favourite game , these kids go full steam ahead tackling each other left-right and centre
9. Hide and Seek - This classic is still among favourites, especially in that courtyard
10. Capture the Flag - a camp classic can still be played at home

To help keep our children and youth active, we need to Engage and empower them to get active and target the after school hours for increasing physical activity opportunities.

Funk and Funk Jr,

Get Active!