Making Classroom Parties Healthy…and Fun!

fun and healthy treats

For lots of school age kids, the holiday season means school parties, pageants and plays. These can be a lot of fun, of course, but they can also mean an abundance of sweets and high fat foods.

Sure, we all love to have a treat now and then, but a recent LiveWell Colorado survey found that Colorado moms estimated their young kids can eat up to 2-3 sugary snacks per week (cupcakes, cookies, cereal treats) in the classroom.

That’s more than a “treat” – that’s a regular part of the diet!

Most of us enjoy an indulgence once in a while. In fact cupcakes and other desserts and snacks can be part of a healthy diet when eaten in moderation. Making sure that moderation (and not domination!) is in place, however, can be tricky, particularly when it comes to treats outside of the home.

So what is a family to do? How can we help our kids stick to a healthy eating routine while having fun at the same time? How can you be “that parent” who monitors nutrition at school but who isn’t at the same time annoying, embarrassing or pushy?

….Check out the rest of this article over at LiveWell Colorado – including 5 easy tips for hosting healthy school parties.

Flash-Mobbing for Mental Health?!

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I recently had the opportunity to participate in my very first flash-mob.  Holy cow!  It was a FANTASTIC experience! Me and about 50 other folks spent about an hour learning the moves to Thriller before flash-mobbing in the lobby of our gym.  What a rush!  After the event I started thinking about how the experience might be related to mental health.  And I think flash-mobbing has a lot to offer, psychologically speaking:

  • Being part of a larger group and working on a common goal can go a long way toward feeling connected to others and being part of a community – important aspects of mental health
  • Experiencing the adrenaline rush of being “on stage” and performing for a crowd is a natural, healthy “high”
  • Trying something new and then succeeding at it can boost confidence and thus self esteem
  • Acting like something that you usually aren’t (in my case a dancer, a performer and someone slightly younger than my real age) can be a fun break from everyday stressors, worries and roles

Who knew that doing something so light-hearted and seemingly un-related to psychology could have such a big impact on mental health? And it’s free and fun!

Want to watch the Thriller flash mob? Click here!

Thanks to Ryan Krol and Sarah Zook for organizing the event and taking the video!

Thanks to Ryan Krol and Sarah Zook for organizing the event and taking the video!

Another favorite flash-mob:

Get The (Veggie) Party Started!

PFK Twitter Party

Do you have picky eaters in your family?

Could you use some creative, yummy ways to get more fruits and veggies in your diet?

Then join us tonight on Twitter!

Join Produce for Kids, and the Parents on Produce (including me!) tonight as we get this (veggie) party started – and talk about all things produce and healthy eating! See you tonight!

Produce for Kids offers hundreds of healthy snack and meal ideas like this one!

Produce for Kids offers hundreds of healthy snack and meal ideas like this one!

About Produce for Kids®
Produce for Kids® is a philanthropically based organization that brings the produce industry together to educate consumers about healthy eating with fresh produce and raises funds for local children’s non-profit organizations. Since its creation in 2002 by Shuman Produce Inc., Produce for Kids has raised more than $4.6 million to benefit kids. To learn more about Produce for Kids and healthy eating, visit www.produceforkids.com, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram.

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Making Healthy Changes That Last

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Last week I had the opportunity to speak with Sam Lomeli of TipsOfTheScale.  TipsoftheScale is a podcast celebrating weight loss success stories from around the world and discussing the challenges faced on individual’s weight loss journeys.  In his podcasts, Sam Lomeli also interviews health experts who share their favorite tips, discuss common weight loss myths, and share their knowledge and expertise to help listeners make healthier choices.

Thanks so much to Sam and TipsofTheScale for hosting me – and for your great questions.

To listen to the interview – in which I talk about the importance of getting support from family and friends, what you’re already doing to make lasting change and share my thoughts about weight-loss surgery – click on the graphic below.

Click this image to listen to TipsofTheScale interview with Sam Lomeli

Click this image to listen to TipsofTheScale interview with Sam Lomeli

Remembering the Little Things

Like most people, I can get caught up in the business and busy-ness of day to day life.  Paying the bills, getting to soccer practice on time, making sure homework assignments are turned in, keeping the house stocked with food – just getting from one day to the next can be overwhelming.  Life moves so quickly that it can be difficult to slow down and appreciate the small things in life.  Yet we know that being able to appreciate the small, positive things can help improve our mental health.

How does it work? Well, it’s easy for most of us to focus on things that are going wrong, shortcomings in ourselves and others or things we have yet to accomplish.  The problem is that when we focus of those sorts of things it doesn’t do much for our mood or sense of pleasure in life. When we focus on positive, joyful things however, we can get a much-needed break from the stressors of life – even if it’s just for a moment.

Some of my simple pleasures include:

The beauty of nature:

flowers

School spirit on display:

A delicious treat:

cupcake

A cool photograph:

wedding feet

The funny things my kids say.

I recently discovered Campbell’s Wisest Kid in the Whole World tool.  It’s a clever widget that allows you to record the sweet and funny things your kids say and then share them throughout social media.

Check it out here:

Campbell’s widget can help us slow down and actually record all those cute, silly things our kids say.

While browsing the Campbell’s site, I also noticed all of their kid-friendly, simple recipes. Why do kids love cream of chicken soup? I have no idea.  But what I do know is that any recipe with it included is a hit in my house.

Check out this Chicken Taco Casserole. Yum:

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What funny things do your kids say or eat? Be sure to record them for everyone to read at Campbell’s Wisest Kid in the Whole Wide World!

 

Is Exercise Stressing You Out?

Hiking anyone?

Hiking anyone?

Do you ever find yourself confused about exercise?  I do.

There’s so much conflicting information out there, it’s hard to know what to do.  So many of us do nothing.  And our inactivity is making us sick.

I recently went to a conference for fitness and healthcare people, and the news is bad: we are getting bigger and less active.  Our unhealthy lifestyles are leading to all sorts of chronic diseases and conditions.  And it’s just getting worse as the years go on.

As I sat there listening to the dire news in one ear, in the other I heard fitness professionals debate the different forms, modes and means of exercise:

  • strength vs. endurance
  • yoga vs. crossfit
  • running vs. walking

By the end of the two day conference I felt overwhelmed and ready for a Snicker’s. Then it hit me.  Lots of people feel like this too: caught between experts feuding about gluten and the exact number of minutes of exercise we need for optimal performance. And what do we do while these feuds are going on? Watch TV and eat Doritos. Just digging ourselves deeper into the hole of our unhealthy lifestyles.

So what can we do?

Stop listening.

No, I’m not saying that fitness, health and medical professionals (including psychologists) don’t have lots of good things to offer.  But when the constant stream of advice and directives becomes paralyzing, perhaps it’s time to turn it off and actually get active. Most of us can find something we enjoy doing: walking, bike riding, dancing, gardening – maybe your “thing” isn’t the newest craze or the hottest trend but it sure beats sitting on the couch.

 

 

What Glee Taught Me About Resilience

Screen shot 2013-09-26 at 10.11.54 PM

I have to admit that I have asked that question…what is resiliency in mental health and psychology?

It’s a concept that is mentioned in mental health all the time.

Here’s what I knew before tonight:

  • It’s something we’re supposed to build
  • It’s something that can protect us from experiencing mental illness in some cases
  • Having resilience can help us cope with the ups, downs, traumas and tragedies in life

I knew these things. But I didn’t really know what resilience looked like.  Until tonight.

Gleeks will know that tonight was the season premiere of Glee; and the first episode after the death of it’s star Cory Monteith.  We all knew it was going to be a tear-jerker. But what I didn’t anticipate is that we would get to see psychological resilience personified in Lea Michele as she opens the show by singing Yesterday by The Beatles.

It must have been difficult; returning to work after her co-star and boyfriend’s death.  And it must have been a struggle to sing; let alone sing a sing so filled with meaning.  And I can’t even imagine the strength it took to do it all, in front of all of us.

But she did.  And that’s resilience.

Thank you Glee and Lea Michele for teaching me something about psychology tonight.

 

 

Outsmarting Hunger, Men’s Health Style

One of the funnest things about my job is that I get to talk to the media.  This week has been a particularly interesting week in regards to interviews.  I shared this “buyer beware” story that came out a couple days ago.  Today I’m sharing another.

First let me give you a little background:

When I am contacted by a reporter, they usually say something like: “Hi Dr. Smith, I am doing a story on _______ and I have a couple of questions for you.  Do you have time to answer?”  To which I usually say: “Sure!”

After the interview is completed (sometimes on the phone, sometimes in person, sometimes via email) the reporter gives me an idea of when the story will come out – to which I say: “Great! Can’t wait to hear/read/watch it!”

Then comes the tricky part…waiting and hoping my quotes come out OK and that I don’t sound like:

  • I have no idea what I’m talking about
  • an arrogant jerk
  • a psychobabbling psychologist who isn’t helping anyone do anything other than role their eyes

OK…on to the story at hand.

I spoke to a reporter for Men’s Health Magazine a couple of months ago.  His questions were about late-night hunger and overall healthy eating.  He had lots of questions and I (of course) had lots of answers.  Well, my answers got boiled down to the following blurb:

Outsmart Hunger: Men's Health Magazine August 2013

Outsmart Hunger: Men’s Health Magazine August 2013

 

Not a bad tip – who doesn’t like frozen treats?  Sure, I would’ve liked for a few more of my very wise words to be included in the article – but that’s the fun of it!  You never know what will end up in print for all the world to read!

In case you were wondering, I couldn’t find an electronic version of this story – but here’s the cover story on Joe Manganiello from the August 2013 issue.

 

 

Who is Your Therapist Anyway?

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San Fran 2009 016

I was recently interviewed in this article that came out in the Colorado Springs Gazette this weekend.  The article is long, but worth reading because it tells a fascinating story of a man who isn’t necessarily who he says he is.  Take a look.

Regardless of what is really going on with the gentleman featured in the article, the article brings up an important point:

Know who your mental health care providers are.

As a psychologist, I sometimes forget that not everyone knows the difference between types of therapists (and there are many) and the importance of understanding who might best suit your needs.  Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

  • Being a licensed provider is important.  Licensure is important because it means the state where the therapist resides regulates their practice of therapy.  Backgrounds, education and other information has been checked by the state; and in most cases a comprehensive examination has been passed.  Many states also require continuing education credits to maintain one’s license.  So, how do you check to see if your therapist is licensed? Just ask and they should happily give you an answer and also provide you with their license number. Easy!
  • Education is important…or is it?  There are many paths to become a therapist.  There are marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, professional counselors, school psychologists, clinical psychologist and psychiatrists.  Here’s the deal: while the differences are extremely important to me (I am a psychologist after all), they probably aren’t to you. As long as you have established that a therapist is licensed and has at least a master’s degree in something like psychology or counseling – they are probably worth checking out.
  • Trust your gut. Therapy is a funny thing: it requires you to reveal things about your life and emotions that you typically don’t.  Because of that, safety and security are hugely important.  So is goodness of fit; meaning you need to feel comfortable with your therapist.  So if something feels “off” or “weird” or not quite genuine, perhaps it is time to ask some questions to your therapist or find someone else.

Want more information about therapy, therapists and what it takes to become a psychologist? Check out these articles:

What is a Psychologist Anyway?

What a Psychologist Really Thinks About You

Psychotherapy Is Not Dead

 

The Psychology of a Text Message

As I wrote about a couple of days ago, I am weathering the storms and flooding along with my fellow Northern Coloradoans. It’s been a pretty amazing time – as anyone who has been through a natural disaster can attest. Fears, worries and anxieties butted right up against feelings of strength, hope and awe at the heroes and helpers among us.

Now that the danger has passed (at least for my community), I have been able to sit back and reflect on the last few days.  Here’s what I have come up with:

Text messages matter. 

What I mean is that in times of crisis or grief (or any big event, for that matter), reaching out to people can mean a whole lot.  And the reaching out can be as small as a little text like “I’m thinking of you” or “R U OK?”  It takes just moments, yet it can be so powerful.  Sure, a short voicemail, email or Facebook message will also do.  Just something that lets folks know they are not alone and that someone has them in mind.

I’m a little bit ashamed that I haven’t been better at reaching out to friends and family when I know crises have struck their communities.  I’ve never wanted to be a “burden” or “get in the way.”

Now I know better.

No one is bothered by receiving a quick note of comfort or support.  And it is something we can all make time to do.

Want to help flood victims? Check out these opportunities.