Taking Baby Steps to Better Nutrition
By Roy Eiermann,
Food is Fuel!
Let’s talk about something that might make you roll your eyes…diet. But hear me out. This isn’t about cutting you off from your love of bread or telling you dessert is a no-no. This is about how you fuel yourself. This is about how to keep going so you can keep showing up day after day for kids who need your steady presence the most.
When we want to show up at our best for our families, we have to start with the fuel that we are putting into our bodies. Think about the last time you were tired, hungry, and running on caffeine and crumbs. Then your child has a meltdown over the color of their cup. These are the moments that test everything. And while food alone won’t give you superpowers, giving your body the fuel it needs can help you face those hard moments with just a little more patience, stability, and strength. Simple, nutrient-rich, whole food.
Now, before I’ve completely lost you. Hear me out. I’m not suggesting you go on a crash diet, throwing everything in your cupboards out and restocking them with 100% organic foods bought at the farmers’ market (although you certainly can if you want!) I’m talking about making small, simple incremental changes that are sustainable over time. But before I get to that, let me talk a little more about the foods we can be putting into our bodies.
Bite-Sized Change Improves Mood, Energy, Health and Function.
Research shows, time after time, that eating minimally processed, nutrient rich foods improves overall mood, energy levels, general health, and functioning. If we want to be the best for our kids and have our kids be their best, it’s important that we are on the lookout for ways to incorporate more of these types of foods into our daily diets. Parenting is difficult. What if we made tiny changes in what we put in our bodies so we are 5% more patient, have 5% more energy, are 5% healthier, or functioning 5% better? Why not?
Let’s start with adding. What is one small change you can make to eat a minimally processed, nutrient rich food every day? Notice I said small change. And I mean it. Small. If you focus on something small and easy, your chance of success will be high. Need an example? What if you ate 1 raw baby carrot a day? If a baby carrot is something you typically don’t eat, what if the next time you were at the store, you bought a package of baby carrots and made the commitment to eat just one a day?
I know what you’re thinking. One? What kind of difference will that make? Give it a try. It’s not about the carrot itself. It’s about starting a new, easy habit that can be sustainable and be a platform to grow.
Don’t like carrots? Try a grape! Or a spoonful of yogurt (plain or with a few frozen berries). A cherry tomato. Dried apricot? How about an almond? Or an air-popped popcorn kernel. Take your pick. Just start somewhere and start small.
Maybe adding isn’t your thing. What about taking away? What if we started to eliminate something from your daily food intake? This might be a little more challenging but if you’re up for it, you can start here. Skip one soda per week. Reduce the sugar you put in your morning beverage. Slice that piece of pie in half. Leave a chip or two in the bottom of the single-serve package. Add some water to that juice.
Once you pick what you will change, identify the time of day you want to do it. How will you remember? Put a reminder in your phone. Place it out somewhere so it catches your eye. Build it into your normal routine. Changes often fail because they are often too big and not sustainable. You want to find a way to build it in so that it becomes something you do, day in and day out.
In this first stage, it’s finding what works. What is successful? Then the next step is to add a little more. Keep building. Keep adding. Keep subtracting. Step by step, day by day. Little by little. Before you know it, major changes will be taking place and you’ll notice big differences. I know it sounds almost too easy. But the most difficult part is starting. And sustaining change usually fails because the change is too big. So, let’s start. And let’s start small.
There’s even more benefit than just your overall health and wellness. Many kids from difficult backgrounds have been in situations where there has been food insecurity or chaotic food routines. Modeling consistent, calm, and balanced food choices by grabbing one baby carrot or cutting back on one soda sends the message that food doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. It can be stable, gentle and nourishing.
Every bite-sized change you make isn’t just for you. It’s for them too. When you fuel your body well, you show up with more energy, more stability, and more capacity to handle the highs and lows of parenting kids from hard places. You’re not aiming for perfection. You’re building a sustainable rhythm that says, “I matter too. And because I take care of myself, I can better take care of you.” So go ahead, grab that grape, skip that second soda, or just start with one small step. You’re worth it. And your kids will feel the difference.
Expert Author Biography: Roy Eiermann is a licensed clinical professional counselor in the state of Illinois and clinical director at OMNI Youth Services. He specializes in child and adolescent therapy, trauma-informed treatment, and substance abuse services. He can be reached through his website: https://meetmonarch.com/therapist/roy-eiermann-lcpc-hoffman-estates-il
