LilSugar

Moms Don't Have Time For Eating Disorders

LilSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:45:16 -0700

Before baby, women have time to worship the treadmill and fret over extra flab.

But once they enter motherhood, many find that their shoes are their treads and they're lucky if they have time to sit down for dinner with their kids, let alone count calories.

A recent study followed the behavioral changes of 1,206 childless women turned mommies for six years. To see the findings, read more.

A Reuters report said:

Women have fewer eating problems after having children compared with their peers who remain childless, largely because they stop drinking as much and behave less impulsively, according to new findings from Norway.

Perhaps the change is also spurred by mothers consciously trying not to pass their eating issues onto their children.

Did motherhood alter your eating habits?

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Pregnorexia, Starving for Two

LilSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Eating for two is one of the delights expectant mothers take in their pregnancies. A double scoop of ice cream here, a second slice of pizza there, it all adds up to the 25-35 pounds an average-sized woman is expected to gain throughout her nine months. The new weight gain guidelines reduce the amount of weight an above-average-sized woman should gain. But what about mamas-to-be who don't gain enough and count every calorie?

"Pregnorexia," the occurrence of anorexia during pregnancy, often occurs when a mama-to-be uses extreme dieting and exercise to ward off weight gain. The lack of calories and nutritional intake can lead to premature delivery, low birth weight and long-term health problems for the baby. Since the media scrutinizes celebrity moms' postpartum figures, some people blame television and magazines for the rise of the eating disorder. What's your opinion?

Interview With Lori Loughlin: 90210 Star Dishes on Meals

LilSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Sitting down for a family meal is a time honored tradition that still exists - even in Tinseltown! We recently chatted with Lori Loughlin, the actress best known for her role as Becky Donaldson on Full House and more recently, as Debbie Wilson on 90210, about her partnership with Barilla pasta.

Loughlin and Barilla are encouraging families to involve tots in mealtime planning and preparation through the use of their Piccolini line of miniature classic pasta shapes. The mother of two daughters - Isabella, 10, and Olivia Jade, 9, - has long been a proponent of the family meal. She said:

"Dinner is a really important meal in our household, it is a time that we make a real effort, my husband and I, to be home. We have dinner every night with our kids. My mom cooked every night, his mom cooked every night and now I cook every night for my family. We do eat a lot of pasta in our family. Their favorite shape pasta is penne - we do penne with vegetables, broccoli, diced chicken. We also do turkey meatballs and penne, we do traditional marinara and penne and Bolognese sauce and penne. My kids love the lasagna that I make."

On both Full House and 90210, the actress' characters have made the family dinner central to facilitating conversation about the children's activities.

"At the time when Full House was on, family dinner was more common in America. As your kids are getting older and have their own lives like the teenagers on 90210 - where and when do you have the time to reconnect with your kids? Well, it's over dinner.

To see what Loughlin had to say about how she handles body image issues with her daughters amid rumors of eating disorders in her 90210 costars, read more.

The waif-like stars of the 90210 cast have led to rumors about eating disorders on the set. To instill healthy body images in her two tween daughters, Loughlin focuses on health over diet.

"I say to my kids that you have to really think about what you put in your body because it's your fuel. I always take the approach of health, not weight. We want to start eating healthy now to take care of our heart and our internal organs so we can be strong, so our brains can develop.

One thing I will say that I disagree with in LA, or some of the diets that are [out there] is people cutting out carbs. I don't think you should cut out carbs. I think you need to have that in your system. You can't just be protein and just vegetables. It’s not good for you.

The Piccolini Smiles contest invites parents to send photos of their kids preparing, or eating, their pasta as part of a meal, to see all the details, and learn how to win $25,000 in tuition money, visit www.piccolinismiles.com.

What to Eat: Recommended Daily Intake During Pregnancy

LilSugar — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:00:46 -0700

Maintaining a healthy diet is paramount when you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Experts suggest you eat a variety of healthy foods and take a daily prenatal vitamin recommended by your health care provider to help fill in nutritional gaps. We've all heard (or said!) the excuse, "I'm eating for two," but the reality is most pregnant or nursing women are advised to consume 300 extra calories a day (400 while nursing). That being said, I think it's most realistic to treat yourself and give in to cravings as long as it's in moderation.

To see a detailed chart breakdown of daily allowances, read more.

Nutrient	Non-pregnant Women	Pregnant Women	Lactating Women	Function
Kilocalories	2200	2500	2600	Provides energy for basic body functioning
Vitamin A (micrograms=mcg)	700	770	1300	Aids vision; needed for growth of bones and teeth
Vitamin B6 (milligrams=mg)	1.5	1.9	2.0	Aids in the formation of red blood cells
Vitamin B12 (mcg)	2.4	2.6	2.8	Aids in the formation of red blood cells
Vitamin C (mg)	75	85	120	Needed for wound healing, resistance to infection, and collagen formation
Vitamin D (mcg)	5	5	5	Aids in the growth of bones and teeth
Vitamin E (mg TE)	15	15	19	Needed for the formation and use of red blood cells and muscles
Vitamin K (mcg)	90	90	90	Prevents a rare bleeding disorder in the newborn
Calcium (mg)	1200	1000	1000	Essential for the growth and health of bones and teeth and proper muscle and nerve function
Folate (mcg)	400	600	500	Prevents neural tube defects in the fetus; essential for blood and protein production and cell division
Iodine (mcg)	150	220	290	Required for hormone production
Iron (mg ferrous iron)	18	27	9	Essential for the production of hemoglobin, an important blood protein
Magnesium (mg)	320	350 - 360	310 - 320	Needed for proper nerve and muscle function
Niacin (mg NE)	14	18	17	Promotes healthy skin, nerves, and digestion; helps the body use carbohydrates
Phosphorous (mg)	700	700	700	Essential for the growth and health of bones and teeth
Protein (grams=g)	38	50	60	Needed for overall health and growth; aids in blood production and supplies the "building blocks" for your baby's body
Riboflavin (mg)	1.1	1.4	1.6	Aids in the release of energy to cells
Thiamin (mg)	1.1	1.4	1.4	Helps the body digest carbohydrates
Zinc (mg)	8	11	12	Aids in the production of enzymes and insulin

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Baby Wellness: World Autism Awareness Day

LilSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:00:25 -0700

More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with diabetes, cancer, and AIDS combined. In honor of the second annual World Autism Awareness Day, we take a moment to look at the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the world. Though celebrities may debate the ability to "cure" autism, researchers say there is no medical detection or cure for disorder, but early diagnosis and intervention improve outcomes.

Among the interventions that doctors recommend are language and occupational therapies. These therapies can cost well over a hundred dollars per session and often aren't covered by insurance policies. For parents of children on the autism spectrum looking to provide additional help between therapist-led sessions, TRP Wellness has created an OT in the Home DVD ($35). Britt Collins, an occupational therapist, and Rachel Hunter lead viewers through an entire day of activities, including eating, dressing, bathing, and bedtime, while demonstrating strategies to help children with sensory issues complete the tasks. The skills taught through the DVD aim to supplement the tots' in-person therapy by improving their quality of life through meaningful experiences.

The Last Time I Really Enjoyed a Candy Bar I Was Seven

LilSugar — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:00:53 -0800

Ignorance is bliss when it comes to some childhood habits like eating junk food. A chocolate bar tastes ten times better when you don't know how many calories it has or care. Kids pick their favorite flavor of ice cream based on the color or amount of bubble gum chunks it contains. As adults we worry about food dye, processing, trans-fats, sugar, sodium and whatever other substance is headlined in the articles we devour and then decide to limit from our lil ones.

A recent New York Times article explored food worries and potential eating issues in today's children. While an 8-year-old stresses about sodium increasing his heart rate - his mother was proud of his nutritional awareness. The report said:

While scarcely any expert would criticize parents for paying attention to children’s diets, many doctors, dietitians and eating disorder specialists worry that some parents are becoming overzealous, even obsessive, in efforts to engender good eating habits in children. With the best of intentions, these parents may be creating an unhealthy aura around food.

I primarily feed my tots an organic and non-processed diet, but every blue moon - I let them have cake for breakfast. How do you balance this with your kids?

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Five Ways to Make Family Meals Happen

LilSugar — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 06:00:04 -0800

How important is breaking bread with the family? Statistics show that when parents eat with their kids at least five times a week, the children have lower rates of depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse as well as higher academic performance than those who don't. Check out our slideshow for five tips on how you can get your brood to the table for mealtime despite the hustle and bustle of a dual income home and your tot's laundry list of activities. Source

View Slideshow ›

Babies Shouldn't be Spoon-fed

LilSugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:00:15 -0800

My son insisted on feeding himself almost from the get go, lil did my husband and I know our tot was on to something. Former midwife and breastfeeding consultant, Gill Rapley, tells parents to encourage their children to eat by themselves. She is quick to point out the positive affects of doing so. A recent Guardian article said:

Not only, she says, will it help develop hand-eye coordination, allow babies to join in with family meals and make feeding battles less likely, but it's also the best way to ensure they grow up enjoying good food, and may protect them against eating disorders in later life.

If you're interested in learning the steps toward independent eating, read more.

Start weaning at six months
Sit your baby upright for meals
Offer, rather than push, food
Eat with your child
Expect a mess
Don't get emotional
Don't cut food up too small
Treat mealtimes as playtimes
Don't give food to hungry babies
Watch your language

To learn more about the process, check out Rapley's book, Baby-led Weaning: Helping your baby to love good food.

Are You Stressorexic?

babysugar — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 08:00:49 -0800

Anorexia is an eating disorder that affects many young women. Those who suffer from it, often starve themselves in an effort to become "skinny."

Some believe anorexia is making its way to a demographic under a different guise – the overburdened, stressed out, multi–tasking mother. Unlike the anorexic that intentionally denies herself food, the "stressorexic" is so busy working, running errands and taking care of others that she often forgets to eat properly. To learn more about stressorexia, read more.

Dr. Adrian Lord, a consultant psychiatrist from Harrow, UK, said:

Stressorexia is not a scientific diagnosis that a doctor would make, but anecdotally its symptoms are very prevalent among women. They are trying to be sexy, fashionable and slim, have a career and be perfect mothers and wives. Some neglect to eat because they are too busy and others are just totally stressed-out - which suppresses the appetite.

As an over–committed mama, I can definitely attest to suffering from stressorexia every now and then. When I've got to feed my lil one, clean the house, pick up laundry, stop by the grocery, and catch up on work, sometimes the last thing on my mind is grabbing a bite to eat.

What about you? Have you experienced a bout of stressorexia?

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