Program Philosophy

"Let us help..." Studies have shown that putting kids on traditional diets that restrict intake of certain foods tend to backfire. Our program, Shaping Kids’ Habits, takes the weight off of weight loss and focuses instead on health and wellbeing. We empower kids with information to make healthy choices. Let us help your child and your family shape new habits.

Learning about food and nutrition should be fun and relevant to kids’ lives. Our program, Shaping Kids’ Habits™, focuses on health— not weight. The program is not a “diet;” rather a way to eat for life. We believe that by empowering kids with nutrition knowledge and teaching families how to support their child’s efforts, kids will learn to make healthy choices most of the time.
Our program:

• Takes a three-pronged approach to health that includes food, physical activity and behavior modification
• Promotes healthy living by giving children and their families the information and tools they need to make good choices
• Recognizes that kids, like adults, come in different shapes and sizes.
• Encourages family mealtime, including some meals prepared by kids
• Recognizes that eating habits are hard to change and that it takes time, constant effort and hard work to succeed

Program Structure

Shaping Kids’ Habits is a 12-week private nutrition counseling program for kids and their parents. Weekly consults are with a registered dietitian. The initial consult is an overview of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and a demonstration of appropriate serving sizes. Kids are also introduced to food records. Each of the follow-up consults focus on a different topic. Two of the follow-ups are with the parents only. Each session includes:

• Educational Component
  Instruction and handouts are designed to be fun, interactive and kid-friendly.
• Homework Assignment
  Designed to reinforce the weekly education topic.
• Recipe To Try At Home
  Kids learn about food in a hands-on manner.
• Parents’ Page
  A news article for adults that relates to the weekly topic.

In addition, kids are expected to keep food records throughout the 10-week program. These records are reviewed and discussed with the child and parent at the beginning of each consult.

Program Topics

Basic Training ~ An introduction to nutrition Get Moving! ~ The whys and hows of physical activity Am I Hungry ~ Emotional versus versus physical hunger Fruits, Vegetables ~ Creative ways to include healthy foods Deciphering Food ~ How to navigate nutrition information Boning Up On Calcium & Vitamin D ~ Important nutrients for growth Breakfast First ~ It really is the most important meal Super Snacks ~ Think outside the (packaged food) box Fast Food ~ Learn the nutrition facts on how to make better choices Sticky Situations: Mixing Food & Fun ~ Parties, restaurants and hanging out with friends