Welcome to the March edition of Fit + Fed!
The MOB Society exists to encourage moms in raising godly men, and we believe teaching them to take care of their bodies is an important part of honoring God. Each month, we will share a few short tips regarding nutrition and exercise for your boys, along with other relevant health-related topics!
FIT
Do you ever workout at home? While I usually try to get my workouts in before the kids wake up or during nap time, I’ve also discovered my older boys enjoy working out WITH me sometimes! No, we don’t run on the treadmill together, but when I’m doing a video or strength exercises, they have asked to join me and we have such fun!
A few tips for working out with your boys:
1. Be patient. You may want to just get your workout over without any interruptions, but consider this an opportunity to not only model an active lifestyle for your boys, but also involve them in it!
2. Be willing to help. Don’t just go about your normal routine when they want to join you – pause the video and help them if they’re not getting it. Gently correct their form so they don’t injure themselves. Show them modifications that might work better if they can’t do exactly what you are doing.
3. Be encouraging. Let them know they are doing a great job when they are working hard. When they are feeling discouraged, offer a few words to pick them up and keep them motivated. Think about what you would want to hear if you were trying a new workout program or struggling to keep up.
Think about doing even simple reps of pushups, crunches, and jumping jacks with them – it doesn’t have to be anything fancy! You just need to get moving and moving with them makes getting fit a family affair!
FED
Moms ask us all the time about how to keep their boys full! Protein can be an important tool in growing healthy bodies for your boys AND helping them feel full longer! Meat is an obvious source of protein, but here are few other favorite protein sources at our house:
Nuts and nut butter – There are SO many nuts and nut butters out there beyond peanuts! While they must be avoided for those with allergies, a wide variety of nuts and nut butters can be a great substitute for the less-filling, processed snacks our boys are used to. When looking at nut butters, go as natural as possible, without added sugar or other ingredients. Or make your own!
Yogurt – Greek yogurt packs a large protein punch, and when mixed with fruit, it makes a great breakfast option! If your kids are crazy about the texture, try freezing it to make it more like ice cream.
Eggs – My younger boys will gobble up eggs and I notice they are less hungry throughout the morning when eggs are on the breakfast menu. There are SO many ways to fix eggs – find out what your boys like best and fill them up in the morning! Breakfast tacos are even a hit with my boy who doesn’t like plain scrambled eggs.
We would love to hear your favorite protein sources for your boys – please share in the comments!
My boys LOVE Greek yogurt! We also use beans a lot around here, especially in soups to add a little extra protein. I did not realize how important protein was in keeping you full until I was pregnant with my first and I was always starving because I had bad morning sickness with a big aversion to meat and eggs so I had to find other ways to get protein.
Egg pancakes. egg, banana, spice & sometimes a little coconut flour.