If you’re considering moving to a vegetarian diet as an adult, you probably want to pass on this good nutrition and improved way of eating to your family as well. In fact, it’s your responsibility as a parent to nurture your children and help them develop physically, mentally and spiritually.

But that can be hard to do, especially in a culture where our children are bombarded with messages from fast food restaurants in the media. How do you teach kids to resist the siren song of Ronald McDonald? There isn’t a plate of vegetables on the planet that’s going to look as good to them as a Happy Meal!

You have to start slowly to change not only your own eating patterns, but your family’s as well. Like any other dietary endeavor, it starts at the grocery store. Begin stocking the refrigerator with healthy snacks like apples and carrots. Exchange good, chewy brown rice for white rice and processed side dishes, which are so high in fat and sodium. Make meat portions smaller and smaller and start incorporating more vegetables and grains in your family dinners.

Don’t make changes all at once. If you do give in and stop at a fast food restaurant, get fruit or yogurt in addition to or part of that meal. Make the changes so gradual that they’ll never notice their diets are changing. Kids are usually very sympathetic about animals, and it’s not too early to talk to them about eating in a way that isn’t cruel to animals.

You’ll be doing them a favor that will last them a lifetime. With childhood obesity at epidemic levels in the U.S., you will be setting up your children for lifelong eating habits that will help ensure a long and healthy life.

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Whenever we get too busy or stressed, we all tend to make poor food choices that will actually increase stress and cause other problems. To get the most of your healthy eating and avoid stress, follow these simple tips.

Always eat breakfast
Even though you may think you aren’t hungry, you need to eat something. Skipping breakfast makes it harder to maintain the proper blood and sugar levels during the day, so you should always eat something.

Carry a snack
Keeping some protein rich snacks in your car, office, or pocket book will help you avoid blood sugar level dips, the accompanying mood swings, and the fatigue. Trail mix, granola bars, and energy bars all have the nutrients you need.

Healthy munchies
If you like to munch when you’re stressed out, you can replace chips or other non healthy foods with carrot sticks, celery sticks, or even sunflower seeds.

Bring your lunch
Although a lot of people prefer to eat fast food for lunch, you can save a lot of money and actually eat healthier if you take a few minutes and pack a lunch at home. Even if you only do this a few times a week, you’ll see a much better improvement over eating out.

Stock your home
As important as it is to get the bad food out of your house, it’s even more important to get the good food in! The best way to do this is to plan a menu of healthy meals at snacks at the beginning of the week, list the ingedients you need, then go shop for it. This way, you’ll know what you want when you need it and you won’t have to stress over what to eat.

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Whether your traveling on the go or around the home, you don’t need to give up healthy eating simply because you are on the run. The fact is, healthy eating is even more important when your trying to keep up with a busy schedule.

Having a good diet will help your body to handle stress better. As you hustle about, a healthy meal is probably the last thing you think about. The following tips can help you eat when your on the go.

Restaurants
With tempting menus, large portions, and a festive atmosphere, it’s easy to skip healthy eating. It’s okay to splurge every now and then, although you’ll pack on a lot of weight if you make it a habit. When you eat out at restaurants, always be smart
about it.

Airports
An airport can be a very stressful place, although you shouldn’t scrap your diet because of it. Eat because you are hungry, not because of stress, boredom, or to kill time.

In your car
Keep some healthy snacks in your car at all times, so that when you get hungry – you have them.

At home
Evenings and mornings are busy times in most homes. Making the time to eat can be hard, although you shouldn’t run out the door without eating breakfast first. Cereal with milk, a banana, muffin, or even a bagel is a great way to start the day.

Anytime you are on the go, always make sure that you make the right food decisions. You can take healthy food with you if you need to, so that you have it when you need it. Eating healthy on the go is easy to do, once you know how. Never sacrifice healthy food for junk, as your body will regret it later.

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If you need to lose weight, there are many ways to help the process along. Use these top tips to help you lose a dress size quickly and easily even if youre a busy working woman. Take the time to make small changes each day. Youll be amazed at how quickly they all add up.

Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Drink Your Water: 6-8 glasses of water a day helps flush fat, sodium, and other toxins from the body. If waters not your style, try adding one of the new low calorie drink mixes for taste. Keep your body hydrated for optimum weight loss,

2. Eat Breakfast: People who eat healthy breakfasts eat less food throughout the day. Eat breakfast each day to jumpstart your weight loss. If youre rushed, try a smoothie or shake for a healthy on the go meal.

3. Eat Your Veggies: For meals and snacks, add extra fruits and veggies. These nutritional powerhouses help you feel full, without adding extra fat and calories. Try replacing one meal a day with a salad to boost nutrition and lower your calorie intake but avoid creamy dressings that pack on the calories.

4. Choose Healthy Snacks: Choose a healthy snack every few hours to help keep you from overeating at mealtimes. Try fruit and cheese, peanut butter crackers, or a handful of almonds. Try to choose snacks with protein theyll have more staying power.

5. Avoid Liquid Calories: You may be consuming more calories than you realize by loading up on soda, juice, or alcoholic beverages. Cut them from diet to lose that dress size quickly!

6. Aerobics Help: The best way to lose fat is by burning it through aerobic exercise. Add in 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per day (walking counts!) to lose weight.

7. Pack in Protein: Add protein to your meals and snacks to help you feel full longer. Protein provides energy for the long haul, so add peanut butter, low fat cheese, or lean meat to your meals to keep you feeling satisfied.

Making small changes on a daily basis can lead to consistent weight loss. These tips will jumpstart the diet process, and get you started on your journey to a healthier body and life. Remember, weight loss is a process. Begin making changes in your habits today, and youll have lost that dress size in no time!

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, nor should it be interpreted or substituted as medical advice. Prior to making changes to your physical exercise routine and your diet, you should always consult your personal physician. Better safe than sorry.

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