Joseph Christiano - Dump the Junk for Parents: The Answer to Childhood Obesity

Dump the Junk for ParentsThe Answer to Childhood Obesity

by Dr. Joseph Christiano

Published by HigherLife Development Services, Inc.

400 Fontana Circle

Building 1 Suite 105

Oviedo, Florida 32765

(407) 563-4806

www.ahigherlife.com

This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwisewithout prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.

Copyright 2010 by Dr. Joseph Christiano

All rights reserved

ISBN 13: 978-1-935245-36-0

ISBN 10: 1-935245-36-8

Cover Design: r2c DesignRachel Lopez

First Edition

10 11 12 13 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed in the United States of America

Dedication

I want to thank Diane Bolger, my Champion, who was very instrumental in positioning me to move to Stockton, California, where I implemented the first Dump the Junk Curriculum for At-Risk and Obese High School students at Amos Alfonso Stagg H.S. Diane and husband Ed made my five-month stay possible.

For the development and publishing of this book, I thank all the staff at HigherLife. I thank Patti Reynolds, Sergeant at Arms, who gracefully handled all my questions and concerns and made them systematically smooth out. I thank Hope Flinchbaugh for her ability to translate what I wanted this book to say and Marsha McCoy for staying on top of the production of this project.

Of course, for the success of this and every book I have written, a loving thank you goes without saying to Lori, my wife for her endless support and driving force.

Last but not least, I thank my creator and God, Yahweh, who, as I specialize in the field of health and fitness, reminds me over and over of His incredible creative work, the human body.

Special Dedication

I thank my dear friend who shared the same passion as me for helping our kids be healthy, Belinda Higgins, who is not here to see the publishing of this book or the Dump the Junk K-4 Whole-Health Curriculum. My loving memories of Mz. B will always be cherished.

Table of Contents

Introduction

M Y NAME IS DR. Joe Christiano, Im a naturopathic doctor and health and fitness life coach. I have trained Hollywood actors as well as swimsuit winners in the Miss USA, Miss America, and Mrs. America Pageants.

I can tell you that no matter what your career, good nutrition, physical fitness, and a positive self-image begin during childhood, at home. Its true what they sayhome is where the heart is. And home is where good health starts. This small handbook will give you tips on how to lead your family in three vital areas:

1.AttitudeThink up!

2.ExercisePower up!

3.NutritionFill up!

Nutrition is sometimes the most difficult aspect to navigate. Its difficult to plot a course through the thousands of choices in todays grocery store. The question is thishow can we really tell which food packages are living up to those healthy promises, especially for our kids?

Take this book with you next time you shop . Check out my kids snacks list (in the back) and compare it to what you normally buy. Dont worryI did my best to be kid-friendly. No carrot juice suggested. Walk with me through the grocery store, and Ill help you dump the junk and bring home the very best food for your family.

And remember, getting fit is not just about biceps and waistlines. Being fit has much to do with your mental attitude about yourself. You are very valuable, and your child is priceless, created for pleasure and joy. Come on. Lets get started.

Section 1

Attitude

Think Up!

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.

Henry Ford

Section 1

Attitude

Think Up!

T HINK ABOUT ITWHAT WOULD stop in your life if you lost your health? Everything.

Im here to help you plan for whats most valuable to youyour life and the life of your child. Good health habits begin at home. Think about itwhat nutritional habits (good or bad) did you pick up from your parents when you were a child?

My sweet Italian mother just loved to feed her family! I remember coming home from school in the middle of winter, and on the kitchen table were twelve pans of the most scrumptious, delicious homemade bread, butter melting down the sides. I stood there with my tongue hanging out. Ma would ask proudly, Joey, would you like a piece of bread? Before I could answer, she would hack off a wedge about three inches thick, lather it with butter, and thrust it into my hands. Every day we ate her gourmet Italian dishes made from scratchpasta, ravioli, gnocchi, chicken cacciatore, and that wonderful homemade bread.

My father, a man of few words, had only one rule at the supper table: Take all you want, but eat all you take. It didnt take long for the four of us kids to learn how to pack it away.

I used to eat twice as much as my brothers and sisters. All my relatives heard about how much I could eat. Why, a big eater like me made the front page of the Italian Gazette ! I got a pat on the back for eating like a pig.

When I was a kid, I burned up all those calories playing, but as a young adult, I grew to a huge 305 pounds!

The good news is that I dropped more than 85 pounds, won the Mr. Florida title, and later took the first runner-up in the Mr. USA contest and fourth runner-up in Mr. America. What made the difference? It started with attitude. I had to keep my eyes on the purpose, not the task.

Focus on the Purpose Not the Task

Today, as a health and fitness life coach, Ive learned that children and teenagers will model the food, fitness, and attitude choices that they see at home. Im not implying that we should mold (or scold) kids into our image, but we can provide them the cement in their foundation to discover who they are in this world. That begins with positive affirmation. Your child can flourish into the picture of good health with your encouragement.

Parents and children sometimes encounter speed bumps that slow us down in our goals to become fit. Speed bumps are normal; just dont allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the task in front of you. Look at the goal ahead. In order to reach your goal, you will need to stay focused on that goal. This is the type of attitude that will carry you when you arent sure you can go any farther, or when everything and everyone has failed you.

Imagine a soccer field as your familys field of fitness. In order to stay healthy as a family, you have to set boundaries or limitations on the food you buy, the portion sizes you serve your child, and the amount of time you allow him or her to play video games or watch TV. Those boundaries are good. They keep everyone in the family on the field of fitness. If a family member goes out of bounds, dont sweat it. Just throw the ball back into the field, get back in the game of family fitness, and keep your eyes on the goal. Thats the winning attitude!