I really love sitting down to a great meal, but I have always been a food “grazer”.  I was never one who could starve myself all day so I could save the calories for my evening meal. Not only would my stomach start to growl, but I would experience a frightening personality change from the lack of food! Our blood sugar typically dips around three to five hours after we eat, so eating small, frequent snacks keeps the metabolism revved up and helps normalize our blood sugar. Hunger can throw the body into famine mode, which slows metabolism; making it easier to pack on the pounds.

A few recent studies have negated the effectiveness of snacking claiming that people who snack in the morning gain weight more often than those who snack in the afternoon. The studies cite the food choices as the most significant factor, saying the afternoon snackers eat more fruits and vegetables.

But we really shouldn’t feel guilty about snacking. In fact, most well-planned weight-loss programs allow for snacks to help manage hunger and reduce binge eating since eating a healthy snack can tame your hunger without ruining your appetite for your next meal. Snacking can support diet goals, but only if you are eating because you’re really hungry, not just because you’re bored.  And, the type of snacks you choose also make a big difference in your weight loss and maintenance.

We often reach for carbohydrates when we’re feeling down because they help lift our mood by boosting the brain chemical serotonin. While snacking on processed foods like plain bagels and cookies can provide a quick high, it’s followed by a sharp low. Good-for-you fruit sugars, honey, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, and many vegetables lift your mood and battle fatigue without the roller-coaster effect.

To keep your energy levels going — and avoid weight gain — steer clear of foods with lots of simple carbohydrates (sugars) like candy bars or soda, and look for foods that contain complex carbohydrates like whole-grain breads and cereals. Combine them with protein-rich snacks such as peanut butter or low-fat yogurt or cheese. Foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, and legumes are satisfying and are packed with the nutrients, fiber, and protein your body needs, and they guard against sugar highs and lows, so you are less likely to succumb to your sweet tooth.

These healthy snacks provide more of a slow-burning fuel than the quick high and sharp drop, and that helps you keep going all day. Having several snacks a day helps banish that post-meal sleepiness that comes from consuming too many calories at one sitting. And, if you include protein in your snack, it gives you an extra mental boost. Foods like fish, meat, eggs, cheese, and tofu contain an amino acid that increases the production of neurotransmitters that regulate both concentration and alertness.

-Foods rich in soluble fiber make for great snacks because soluble fiber leaves the stomach slowly, encouraging better blood sugars and making you feel satisfied longer. Here are some possible snack ingredients that are high in soluble fiber:

-Snacks should be around 150-200 calories — just enough energy to tide you over until your next meal but not so much that it contributes as many calories as a meal.

-Snacks need to be eaten slowly, too, just like meals. Don’t forget that it takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that you are full. Give that message time to work before you decide the snack didn’t do the trick.

-Pair complex carbohydrates with protein and a small amount of fat for sustainable energy — and control portions to avoid calorie overload

Choose healthy snacks and keep moderation and balance in mind.

Fruits and vegetables. Again, eating fruits and vegetables provides a feeling of fullness with little to no fat and only a small number of calories. Fruits and vegetables also provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients.

Whole grains. Whole-grain snacks are rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates, giving you energy with staying power. Look for low-fat whole-grain crackers, whole-grain pretzels,oats and oat bran (make a batch of oatmeal flavored with low-fat milk, a little vanilla extract and cinnamon in the microwave — or freeze a batch of blueberry oat bran muffins so you can grab one when you need a quick afternoon pickup!) Orville Redenbacher’s 100 calorie Microwave Kettlecorn-1.5 fat 3 fiber 3 protein

Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds provide protein, so you will feel fuller longer. They can be high in fat, but it’s mostly monounsaturated, a healthy kind of fat. Nuts and seeds are high in calories, however, so don’t eat them in large quantities. A small handful of almonds (about 14 nuts) contains 100 calories, but eat a cup of almonds, and the calorie count jumps to over 800 calories

Dried Fruits-Trail mix gives you some fiber and carbohydrate calories, but the nuts help round the snack off with protein, fat, and some more fiber. Try to stay away from those that contain sesame sticks or dried banana chips or chocolate chips or M&Ms. Again, watch your portion size.

Low-fat dairy products. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium and protein, plus many other vitamins and minerals. Choose the low-fat versions. Some yogurts have extra added sugar, so look for low-calorie or “light” varieties.

And use some of these tips to make healthy snacking part of your everyday routine:

Prepare healthy snacks in advance.  Make your own granola or trail mix to control the ingredients and put in what’s good for you! You also can keep plenty of fresh fruit and veggies at home to take on the go. Cut up melons or vegetables like celery and carrots in advance. Keep the servings in bags in the fridge, ready to grab and go. I’m all about the small Zip-Loc bags. When I buy a bag of trail mix, crackers, SkinnyPop or nuts, I immediately measure out serving size portions and divide them into individual Zip-Loc bags.

Keep healthy snacks with you. Make it a habit to stash some fruit, whole-grain crackers, or baby carrots in your backpack or workout bag so you always have some healthy food nearby. Half a cheese sandwich, or a Mini Babybel Light with nuts or soy crisps also make  great snacks to have on standby.

Make it interesting. Healthy snacking doesn’t have to be boring as long as you give yourself a variety of choices. Whole-wheat pretzels with spicy mustard, rice cakes with peanut butter and raisins, or low-fat fruit yogurt Apple slices with 1 tablespoon peanut or sunflower seed butter (you can get individual packets like Justin’s peanut or almond butter) are healthy, tasty, and easy.

Satisfy cravings with healthier approaches. If you love chocolate, try a chocolate VitaTop instead of a chocolate bar. Only 100 calories and 3 grams of fat compared to a a chocolate bar with 230 calories and 13 grams of fat. Substitute nonfat frozen yogurt or sorbet for ice cream. If you’re craving savory snacks, try soy crisps or SkinnyPop

Read serving size information. What looks like a small package of cookies can contain 2 or more servings — which means double or even triple the amounts of fat, calories, and sugar shown on the label.

Overall, moderation is the key to smart snacking. People who eat regular meals and healthy snacks are less likely to overeat and gain weight than people who skip meals or go for long periods without eating and then scarf down a large order of fries.

It’s natural to feel hungrier at certain times, so knowing how much food your body needs to satisfy this hunger is critical. A handful of almonds is great brain food before sitting down to do your checkbook, but a whole bag won’t help you add anything — except pounds!

Enjoy an afternoon of free, family fun at the Foundry Art Centre in downtown Saint Charles!

The Foundry Art Centre would like to introduce families to their new attractions in the Baue Family Children’s Gallery with a free event featuring live entertainment Peppy Puppet Troupe with Michelle O’Donnell & Stan Gulick. The puppet show will be an original take on “Little Red Riding Hood” that combines live action, puppetry and music. The performance rakes place from 1:00-1:45pm.

Kids 12 and under are invited to make puppet crafts, and everyone can enjoy cookies and lemonade as they browse through selections from the Foundry’s new children’s library.

February 10, 2013, from 12:00 until 3:00pm
The Foundry Art Centre’s FREE Family Fun Day
520 North Main, Saint Charles Missouri

The new programming is made possible through Art Carousel, a program that combines art and literature.

Learn more about the event and other programming at the Foundry by visiting their website, www.foundryartcentre.org.

If you are the parent of a toddler you know how exciting it is to blow your kids’s mind. And in the same token, you also probably know that should they happen upon Muno, Toddie, Foofa, Plex  or DJ Lance Rock from Nick Jr’s hit show, Yo Gabba Gabba, it is likely that their head would explode.

We here at STLFamilyLife.com want to help make you win the “Better Than Santa” award for awesomeness by giving you four tickets to Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! at the Fox Theater in St Louis on Friday, January 18 at 7:00pm.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock (which, might be we add, life with a toddler might make you want to do) you probably know about those crazy little creatures that need to be shaken out, and you probably have heard ad infinitum that great Yo Gabba Gabba  song that gets your kids jumping, shaking and shimmying them out. And here is your chance to do it live, with your kid’s favorite colorful friends from Yo Gabba Gabba land.

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! will be in St. Louis on Friday, Jan. 18th for one show at 7:00pm. CLICK HERE for ticket information. Tickets start at $26.00. VIP Party packages are available as well which include a ticket in the first 15 Rows, a pass to “Get the Sillies Out” in the private VIP room featuring a super fun party with the Gabba Gang (costumed characters) and more. Children under 1 year old do not require a paid ticket to sit on a parent’s lap.

We’re giving away a family four pack of tickets for the show, and it’s easy to win. Simply tell us your child’s favorite song from Yo Gabba Gabba in the comments, and we’ll pick one winner at random at midnight CST on January 13th. 

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! is touring in support of their first national beverage launch, a new line of toys, a new line of kids sportswear and a DVD/ CD collectors’ edition. For a complete list of tour dates, cities and show times, and a preview of the show, visit www.yogabbagabbalive.com.

FTC disclosure: Tickets were provided to STLFamilyLife.com for free on behalf of the Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! Tour.

**Update : Monday, January 14**

We have a winner selected from Random.org number generator. Thank you to everyone who entered for participating and reading. Congratulations, Brooke! You have won our family four pack of tickets. We will be in contact with you using the email address you entered with for more information on how to get your tickets.

Tickets are still available by going to http://www.yogabbagabbalive.com/events/63-fabulous-fox-theatre-st-louis!

In just about a week, I will be in another decade of life.  Didn’t I just have a surprise party to celebrate the beginning of this decade? It can’t be that long ago, because I’m sure I still have the outfit I wore to the party!

But, it’s true. Each 10 year span goes by faster and faster, and nothing I do will slow it down.

I think I’m still the person I was before the years started piling up, but I have to admit, many things have changed

While I used to wake up a 4 AM and finish my workout by 5:30, I now regularly hit the snooze button, and often don’t get there until 9. The good thing about this is that I’ve met a whole new group of people at the gym, and now have a choice of classes at reasonable times. I also don’t fall asleep driving at two in the afternoon, and I can actually stay up for the late night news. I’m also more focused on my workout, and more aware of what I’m doing because I’m fully awake at the gym instead of “sleep-lifting”.

Oh yeah, and the daily high-impact aerobics and step classes I used to take? My knees rebelled, and there wasn’t enough Tylenol to offset the pain. I’ve learned to cross-train aerobically and use my muscles in lots of different ways including dance, spinning and climbing. I’ll still run some short 30 second sprints on the treadmill now and then, but I like being able to walk, so no marathons for me.

I previously had memberships to five different gyms at one time, looking for the perfect class/machine/trainer/locker room, etc. because there was always something about each one that would annoy me. Now, it’s one gym and a much more flexible outlook. If I’m getting a good workout, it doesn’t matter WHO is teaching a class or which type of cardio machine I’m using. (As a sidebar to this; I also used to bring my IPOD with my own (Funk, Motown, Disco, Rap, Rock) music to a class, JUST IN CASE I didn’t like the instructor’s music choices. I’ve since developed a liking for country, 80’s, salsa, and even metal, based on how the songs have really pumped up my workout in many a class!

It’s the same with my weight-lifting workout. I used to rigidly follow the EXACT exercises on the EXACT pieces of equipment. If someone was on the squat machine and I needed it, or someone was using the cable crossovers, I would stomp and pout until I was able to get on that machine (My former workout buddies will attest to this!). Maybe it’s because I know more about working out, or maybe it’s because I’m becoming more adaptable, but I can always find an alternate exercise that works my muscles in the same way. It’s also helped me open up to all different kinds of equipment like balls, and BOSUs, TRX, and Kettlebells. 

So, I don’t see these changes as “giving in” to my years, I see it as evolving. Having a variety of options helps me work my body in different ways, keeping me from “overusing” a muscle to injury. I have a good balance of interval workouts, and can get a better burn in less time. And, best of all, wearing cool new clothes like lululemon Groovepants and an InStride jacket are definitely cuter than the thong leotards, sweatbands, leg warmers, and cut off sweatshirts of the Jane Fonda era!

What can you do in twenty minutes? That’s enough time to paint and let dry one coat of nail polish, zone out and watch a sitcom and a few of the commercials, or you could spend that same amount of time each day reading to your child and give them a gift that lasts a lifetime. Twenty minutes a day doesn’t really seem like a lot, but what about on those days when you’ve got a baby on one arm, a blackberry in hand answering an urgent email, you are dancing as fast as you can, and the only way your toddler is getting story time is if there is a clone running around somewhere waiting for you to hand it a storybook? That’s when Hallmark’s line of recordable storybooks come in especially handy…or when all of those, ‘I know you from somewhere!’ stumpers start to make a little more sense.

If you aren’t familiar with these very special books, they are a line of automated storybooks that allow you to record yourself reading the story, and when your child opens the book it plays back your recording, page-by-page. A fantastic idea for families who are living far from loved ones, and for busy parents who travel, can’t seem to locate their clone, or are just looking for a really special way to share the wonderful world of reading with their child. We have been big fans since Hallmark sent us one to try out before Blissdom’s blogging conference in 2011.

Hallmark’s has a great library of recordable storybook titles, including classics like, “Goodnight Moon,” and “Guess How Much I Love You.” They just added a couple of new Disney titles to their library, “The Wish My Heart Makes For You,” featuring Cinderella, and “You’re a Hero! All the Ways You Save the Day” featuring the crew from Cars. We had a chance to try out “The Wish My Heart Makes For You,” recently, and not only did we love the sentiment of the story-what parents doesn’t want their child to know how much happiness we wish for them?-but we love that you can record this sentiment in your own voice to share with a child, godchild, or even as a new baby gift!

To celebrate the newest arrivals to their collection, and to give you a chance to try one out for yourself, the folks at Hallmark want to treat one of our readers to a unique, Hallmark Disney Experience! You can enter to win a four pack of tickets for the Saturday, September 22 Disney on Ice Treasure Trove show at 3pm the Chaifetz Arena in St Louis. And you’ll get a recordable storybook to share with your special kid!

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment telling us which Disney character you are most excited about sharing with your favorite child before midnight CST on Tuesday September 18, and one winner will be selected at random. Share a link to this giveaway on your Facebook and/or Twitter feeds, and then leave a link to your share in the comments for up to two more entries!

Disclosure: Hallmark and their representatives provided STLFamilyLife.com a family four pack of ticket as well as a storybook for this post free of charge. However, no monetary payment was made, and the provision of product does not influence or distort our opinion of the products or companies in any way, and all opinions expressed herein are our own.

Update on 9.19.2012 Thank you to everyone who participated! We have selected our winner at random, and here is the picture proof! Enjoy the show and your recordable storybook!!

As busy parents, who wants yet another thing to be responsible for on a daily basis/ But adding this little “list’ to your daily life, can help keep your eating and health on track.

Anyone who has ever spent a day with me knows I’m always writing notes to myself. Whether it’s stuff I need at the grocery store, appointments, directions or reminders of things to do, there are always random scraps of paper around my house and in my purse.

For years, I’ve kept my food diary in the same way; scraps of paper with my daily calories, fat, and protein combinations, cross-outs and recalculations, time of day and portion sizes. As scattered and chaotic as this might sound, I still always have a good idea of what I eat and how and when I exercise.

So it amazes me that most people, even those who know exactly what they spend and exactly how much money they have in the bank, have absolutely no idea of the amount or type of nourishment they put into their bodies!

Over the years. I’ve graduated from scraps of paper, to a spiral notebook, and now, with a smart phone, a food diary app to keep track of my food habits and exercise on a daily basis. And if you’re brutally honest, you can learn a whole lot about why those last 10 pounds just won’t go away. After a few weeks of tracking, you can see what negative patterns emerge and that awareness can help change your habits.

The American Journal of Preventive Medicine did a study on over 2000 overweight adults and found that those who kept food records six days a week — jotting down everything they ate and drank on those days — lost about twice as much weight as those who kept food records one day a week or less.

If  you use the food diary in the right way, you get answers that just won’t come out of a diet book.  My weight has been pretty consistent over the past 25 years within about a 5-6 pound range. So when the scale started creeping up 7,8,and then 9 pounds last winter, I first chocked it up to getting older. But when I finally spent three weeks tracking EVERY  morsel I ate, the problem was clear. Too much “invisible” food; a bite here, a spoonful there, a handful of high-fat nuts, an overflowing “1/2 cup” serving of Slow Churned ice cream! All helped to pack on an additional 600-800 calories a day!

So, using the food diary as my conscience, I traded exact portions, switching to pre-portioned packs of the foods I tended to “over-eyeball”, substituted fresh fruit for high-sugar dried fruit, and replaced half the bowl of almonds with popcorn. The two “small” glasses of wine I’d been drinking were actually 6-8 oz glasses, so measuring and recording  that helped too.

The food journal can act like a mirror by revealing to you what goes into your body, but you have to have to be honest for it to be effective:

Make sure you account for all those ‘little extras”:

Many people eat healthily at mealtimes, but snack poorly in between. If you’re aiming to lose a pound a week, just a few extras (eg. a can of Coke, a cookie and a packet of crisps) during the day prevents you from seeing results on the scales. Writing down everything you eat demonstrates the cost of those ‘occasional’ nibbles…

Know when you can afford to treat yourself:

On the other hand, keeping track of your food intake over the course of a day or a week gives you the freedom to enjoy a treat once in a while – guilt-free. If you know you’ve got calories to spare for the day, and no ice cream has passed your lips for six days, you can indulge yourself! (But record it)

Be aware of when you’re eating:

Keeping a food diary highlights patterns, showing if you overeat at particular times. Maybe you binge late at night, because you’ve been eating too little all day? Or perhaps you graze constantly? If you don’t keep a food diary because you have no hope of remembering everything you eat … you may need to change your habits.

Fight ‘portion creep”:

If you’ve been dieting or maintaining for a long time, you get used to “eyeballing” portions rather than weighing everything out. But if your weight loss has plateaued, or if those pounds are edging back on, keeping a diary means you need to weigh your foods.

See your habits changing:

It can be motivational to look back on a food diary from a few months or even years ago and see how your nutritional choices have changed. Perhaps you’ve curbed your chocolate habit, or maybe you now eat proper meals instead of junk-food snacks. And if you’re having a bad day, flicking back to a “perfect” week in your diary is encouraging: if you did it once, you can do it again! What you include in your food diary depends on which area concerns you the most.

-If your problem is portions: focus on weighing and measuring everything you eat.

-If you want to focus on a nutritious diet: record the nutritional components (fat, sugar, salt, etc).

-If your problem is habitual eating patterns: Focus on recording time of day, where, with whom, and activity.

-Emotional eating issues? Log your moods and their connections to eating patterns.

If you have a Smart phone, there are Food Diary apps galore. Some are diet specific like <i>Weight Watchers</i> or <i>NutriSystem</i>, but most work no matter what program or plan you follow. The majority have large food databases, and most of them are free or low cost, so you can just type in a food, and it will calculate all of the nutritional facts.

But, no matter how tech-savvy your app is, you still have to be vigilant about entering your food and exercise.

-Write as you go. Don’t wait until the end of the day to record what you ate and drank.

-Use whatever type of food diary works for you. It doesn’t matter whether you use scrap paper, a phone app or a       notebook. What matters is that you use it

-Don’t skip your indulgent days.  Keep records, especially on days when you’re tempted to eat. (Vacations, parties, family gatherings) The AJM study found that, “What gets measured tends to get changed.”

-Focus on portion size. Practice at home with measuring cups, measuring spoons, or food scales. And be aware that people tend to underestimate how much food they’re served.

-Record physical activity. The new dietary guidelines recommend 60-90 minutes of moderate activity daily to sustain weight loss. Keep track of what type of activity you did for the day, and how much time it took you to do it.

Now, if I could only track my spending as well as I track my food, I’d make my husband very happy!

My family and I are self-admitted foodies. While other families go on vacations and bring back glowing descriptions of paintings and churches, we can illustrate every luscious detail of the Paella in Barcelona, the Caprese salad in Florence, or even the amazing carrot cake in Chicago. While watching shows on the Food Network, we love hearing the descriptions of specific flavors and ingredient combinations in the foods they feature. Our restaurant experiences are not just about satisfying hunger, but enjoying the specific flavors in each bite.

It might seem contrary that someone who teaches fitness for a living would advocate the enjoyment of an array of foods and flavors. But an awareness of what we eat, or something called mindful eating, is exactly why the Mindful Eating and Living (MEAL) program at the University of New Mexico Center for Life Integrative Medicine Specialty Clinic was developed by Brian Shelley, MD.

He noticed that standard mindfulness-based stress reduction programs were changing participants’ eating behaviors and wondered whether a mindfulness program focusing specifically on eating could help people who were overweight or obese and trying to lose weight.

By paying attention both to inner cues (thoughts, emotions and sensations) and to the environment, research suggests that mindful eating programs have much to offer chronically unsuccessful dieters. They deal with topics like foods that trigger binges, how to shop mindfully for food and how to deal with environmental pressures to overeat.

The program uses experiential exercises to help participants apply mindfulness to everyday eating decisions: like eating a single raisin (or other simple food) slowly, so you can fully appreciate its visual appearance, smell, texture and taste. Or, eating typical trigger foods, like potato chips, cookies, or even ice cream mindfully, to distinguish between the expectation and actual experience of enjoyment and satisfaction. I have to agree with some of the suggestions. By taking my time with a single scoop of ice cream and a small spoon, I can literally make my dessert last twice as long as wolfing down a cone, giving myself time to feel satisfied sooner and eat less.

In his book, Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time, Pavel Somov teaches original exercises to help readers learn about their palates and manage their appetites. His books eschew perfectionism and provide ways to become more aware of the food choices we make and how to make better ones. He focuses on the experience during a meal with exercises like: recognizing the effect of drinking water on hunger and fullness, or sharing a potluck meal where each participant brings one healthy item and one less healthy item, and everyone practices making food choices and leaving food on the plate.

He suggests pacing our eating by half, and resting our hands between bites of food to fully appreciate the flavors while we chew our food thoroughly. Typically when we eat, we tend to eat the entire portion. This kind of eating doesn’t factor in the delay between your stomach’s knowing you’re full and your brain’s knowing you are full. As a result, we overeat. The book also advocates practices like buying a bag of chips or cookies or candy and seeing how long you can make it last. Instead of scarfing down the whole bag at one sitting, take the single piece and savor the flavors.

Also, since eating links people, places and things of our past, he explains how it can be a great way of going down memory lane. Reminiscent eating is an opportunity to turn a simple act of eating into a meaningful experience with the added advantage of slowing down the process of eating. When you look at the food in front of you and allow yourself to free-associate about what the dish, the smell, and the taste remind you of, it turns mechanical and meaningless eating into sentimental and mindful enjoyment of your meal. Even a cooling off period can help you really appreciate the flavors in front of you.We’ve all burnt our lips on a bowl of soup, or a cup of coffee. Next time, give it a few moments to cool off. Enjoy the wait so you can really appreciate the flavors.

Although it might seem a little forced at first, taking the time to truly enjoy the food in front of you, and really tasting the flavor nuances of what you are eating could be just the key to taking control of your eating behavior!

St. Louis is a community known for giving of its time and money to inspire artists, stamp out fearful ailments, and give a helping hand to all segments of the region. “Charity starts at home,” as the saying goes, and St. Louis has built a home for those who know how to give.

On April 15, 2012, during its annual “Ye Olde A Tasteful Affair” event, Food Outreach will celebrate and bring awareness to its cause of providing vital nutritional support to low income men, women, and children battling Cancer or HIV/AIDS in the greater St. Louis area. In this recovering economy, Food Outreach is experiencing more need for its services than ever before. In 2011, the need for Food Outreach services reached its highest level in its 24-year history – 484,000 nutritious meals were provided to 1902 individuals, ages 4 to 90, in 137 Missouri and Illinois zip codes.

That’s no small feat. What is even more astonishing is that Food Outreach has not turned away a single client who needs their help. And the meals they provide rival those served in restaurants in the area. Incorporating fresh ingredients and overseen by Chef Nicholas Hattfield, this organization supplies nutritious hot meals, nutrition education, and counseling for its clients.

For Executive Director Greg Lukeman, the commitment is strong and unwavering. “We have the philosophy of resourcefulness, always looking for opportunities AND never harping on what we don’t have. With that thinking, we are able to add more people around the Food Outreach table—clients and donors alike.”

Food Outreach is committed to providing their clients high-quality food that is nutritious and appealing. A registered dietitian is on staff to oversee the menu design and to provide nutritional assessments, education, and classes. Menus change every two weeks, providing variety for clients whose tastes and needs change as they cycle up and down in illness, while client surveys provide input for menu development. And cooking volunteers and staff frequently participate in taste tests for quality purposes.

Join emcees Maggie Crane of KMOV and Heidi Glaus of KSDK for this year’s Ye Olde A Tasteful Affair, in the Khorassan Ballroom at The Chase Park Plaza, April 15 from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. With delicious tastings from 40 outstanding restaurants and caterers, along with more than a hundred silent and live auction items, Ye Olde A Tasteful Affaire offers many enticing menu and auction items at every price – tickets to cultural and sporting events, a variety of restaurant gift certificates, vacations, artwork, you name it.

Ye Olde A Tasteful Affaire 24 will be held Sunday, April 15, 2012 from 2:00pm until 5:00 pm at the Khorassan Ballroom, The Chase Park Plaza (212 N. Kingshighway, Saint Louis, MO 63108). General admission tickets are $50 advance and $65 at the door, and you can score a VIP ticket for $150. The VIP experience features complimentary beverages (including small-batch beer tasting by Urban Chestnut – voted one of the top 5 new breweries in the world!), entertainment, and exclusive food tastings in a private lounge.

By Lisa Bertrand

I’ll just come right out and say it: I didn’t understand why so many parents spent their week nights and weekends shuttling kids to various sports. I often wondered why these tired-looking people chose to rush from one sporting event (after a day of working within or outside of the home) to the next when they could spend their time unwinding. I thought they were crazy and gluttons for punishment.

But now I get it.

My son started playing recreational league soccer when he was four years old. The commitment didn’t entail much–just one practice during the week for six to eight weeks. They’d play maybe eight games a season. The fields were only a 12-minute drive away, so this wasn’t a big deal.

But then, my son developed a passion for the sport. Instead of spacing out on the field or running away from the ball, he started to pay attention and express an interest in honing his skills.  He practiced on his own at home. His hard work paid off when he was asked to become part of a soccer club and play select. There’s stiffer competition now. As a result, the number of weekly practices increased. Since the coaches demand more effort from the kids, the practices are more intensive. This year he’s played a fall season, a winter (indoor) season and now we’re in the middle of the spring season. This equates to more time spent in a car as the game fields are a 45-minute drive from where we live and one of the practice fields is about a 25-minute drive from where we live. This option also means more money spent. There’s club fees and season fees. Those snazzy uniforms cost more too. And since we play at least one tournament each season, there are tournament fees to boot.

So why do parents do this? Why do they make the time/money/energy sacrifice? I can’t speak for everyone, but for me, it’s very rewarding to watch my child play with so much heart. This experience has been profoundly positive for him. He’s learned some powerful lessons:

Follow Your Bliss
My son is pursuing his passion. When you love what you do, you want to do your best. You don’t mind if you’re sacrificing free time or sleep. He often can be found practicing his moves in the back yard or running to increase his endurance. Pursuing what you love keeps you motivated and hopeful.

Confidence is Key
Being “selected” in a sport has given him a confidence he lacked. When he starts to feel overwhelmed or beats himself up over a mistake, we talk about where he started in this journey and what he’s now capable of. If he sets his mind, he can tackle or master almost anything.

There’s no “I” in Teamwork
He understands that he is part of a team. He is learning about commitment and the responsibility. He knows that the other kids are counting on him to play his best. In turn, he has a right to expect that of teammates. If a teammate had some great plays, he’ll congratulate them. If one has a bad game, he offers support and encouragement.

Keep Pushing Yourself
He is learning that patience, practice and persistence are monumental in mastering any skill, be it reading, playing an instrument or memorizing math facts. He’s seen through soccer that extra work pays off. The coach notices the improvement as do your team members and even the parents of his team.

These lessons aren’t simply related to sports. I know tons of parents who shuttle their kids to music, dance, art, or other events. In short, I think kids who pursue their passion and develop their talents learn so many life lessons too.

What has your child learned from their extracurriculars?

This morning as I was leaving the gym, a friend from one of my fitness classes said she’d love to get a group of us together over the summer to just talk and spend some time with one another. We see each other in class a few times a week, talk for a few minutes before and after, and we really like getting to know each other. We’re there to work out hard, but we find we enjoy it more when we encourage each other. Although most fitness advice centers on food and exercise, the hidden benefit that we rarely point out is the bond that is formed among those who make health and fitness a priority in their lives!

And for me, it’s always been like this. When I was first married and moved to a new city, I met the women I would share pregnancies, child-rearing, and work stories with. At the time, instead of a gym, we met in church basements, carrying our own steps and weights. I even went into labor in an aerobics class. As our kids were born, we brought them to class in their baby seats and later, let them play together on the playground while we took our classes. When I moved from there, they gave me a “going away party” class!

So it’s no surprise that when we moved again, the gym was the first place I went. The tiny gym had an early morning aerobic dance class and a handful of people would show up to work out. We had so much fun working out, talking, and laughing together, and depended on one another to be there each morning. Whatever stress we had in our lives at the time, disappeared for the hour that we were together in the gym. As schedules changed, our friendships continued, moving to other gyms and new classes.

When I started an early morning spinning class, the camaraderie continued with new faces and friends. We’d follow our tough workouts at the Starbuck’s across the street. I might not see them any other time, but our shared interest in health and fitness made hearing about other aspects of their lives even more fun.

And even now, MANY, MANY years into working out, I find the same kinship with people in my classes and on the gym floor. From Zumba to spinning to Cardio/Resistance to weight training, we all share the “agony and ecstasy” of a great workout. And when you’re gone for a while, people worry. Sometimes I feel guilty if I haven’t been to a class in while, but usually, I’m happy they’re glad to have me back

I’ve always believed that the gym is the Great People Equalizer. Whether it’s my 80 year old buddy who can do more than most of the men half his age in the gym, or the young moms who share their kids’ antics, or the instructors and trainers, I always feel a commonality!

And as for the wonderful people I’ve met in the gym, so many are still my good friends. Even though many of us are at different gyms and live in different parts of the country, we still reminisce about earlier days working out together.

I know the reason we’re at the gym isn’t supposed to be social, but if you’re getting a great workout and having fun with others, what’s wrong with that!