Question re: caffeine, clean eating

[beccajanern]

Hi Cathe!

I just found your workouts about 2 months ago when I started to get into shape again after having surgery. I have really enjoyed your workouts and I am especially impressed with how you interact with your home exercisers. Very cool.

My questions are:

1. How much does caffeine really affect weight loss? I am a caffeine addict, but only unsweetened black or green tea. I have lost only 2 pounds and am wondering if I need to cut back the caffeine intake and replace it with plain water.

2. Do you have any "clean" lunch suggestions for kiddos? I am a mother to a 10 year old, a 4 year old and two 3 year olds and since I have started to eat better, I want them to eat better, too. But they are a bit picky and attached to their salami sandwiches. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

TIA!

~Becca

 

[Jamn]

I'm not Cathe but I work with kids a lot. I have found that kids will eat almost any sandwich if you make it a "cookie cutter" sandwich. Take something they like such and get a cookie cutter in that shape. Peanut butter or cheese sandwiches were my kid's favorite. I alternated those with turkey with veggies. Open faced sandwiches that made like home made Pizzas were another favorite. The simpler the ingregients the better. (Spaghetti sauce, melted cheese and you can make a face on them with anything they like on pizza) There are a lot of fun ideas for lunch. I can give you more if you like.

 

[beccajanern]

>There are a lot of fun ideas for lunch. I can give you more
>if you like.

Thanks for the great ideas! I would definitely love to hear more!

~Becca

 

[Rockael]

Hi Becca,Pita Bread Sandwiches have always been a favorite of mine. The Whole Wheat kind. You can fill them with lot's of different Vegies,Tuna, Peanut Butter with Banana.etc. :9
Rocky

 

[Jamn]

OK - here are some more kid friendly main dishes. I used to core the center of an apple and fill it with peanut butter. I covered it with foil (with stickers on the outside) and sent it instead of a traditional sandwich. I also did that with celery stuffed with peanut butter and ants (raisins) on top. You can also mix air popped popcorn with nuts and/or cheese.

You can buy mini plastic containers for dip. You can make a spinach dip or even have just sour cream in the container. Kids can dip all kinds of veggies, and whole wheat crackers in the dip.

One of my kids favorites is having peanut butter "clay" to play with and eat for lunch. Peanut butter clay is made by adding a little honey to peanut butter and adding non fat dry milk to make it the right consistency. This is really fun food!

If all else fails there is always yogurt parfaits for lunch with homemade granola and fruit! OR yogurt sundaes.