It has come to my attention that one of the biggest obstacles faced by harried, or even not so harried moms today is the snack habit. Kids need snacks. Feed them, and they stop crying. They smile, they play happily. Moms love to give snacks. And we try to make them healthy. Which is great. Peanut butter on apples, string cheese and whole grain crackers, goldfish, pretzels, Pirate Booty (mmmm), yogurt…

So then, the happy child eats 4 goldfish and moves along. Mom finishes goldfish, which is fine. An hour later, time for lunch. Mac n cheese, chicken (ok, mine are soy)nuggets, pasta, pasta, pasta, pb&j. And some fruit and carrots. Child finishes 3 bites of mac n cheese and moves on, mom finishes mac n cheese, pb and j, and, oh, might as well get rid of that half of a cookie. Can’t throw that out. And now it’s time for MOM’S lunch. Because she didn’t really eat lunch and doesn’t feel satisfied with the bowl of macncheese.

I know you’ve seen it. I know you’ve been there. I certainly have. What smart moms are now asking me is how do I snack and eat healthfully throughout the day while also adhering to my mini eater’s schedule as well? Grazing is an art form, and unless you’re a cow (come on, people, no self deprecation please)horse, or other professional grazer, you’re probably not as savvy about the choices you can make for yourself.

Grazing takes planning. What I suggest is finding some go-to snacks to enjoy at set times throughout the day. Ideas? Sure. Try hummus and baby carrots; low sodium cottage cheese mixed with basil, chives, and garlic, with snap peas and cherry tomatoes; 4 graham crackers with 1 tbsp peanut or almond butter; a cup of low sodium tomato soup ( I like Pacific Foods or Imagine), sprinkled with parm cheese; a Baby Bell cheese wheel; a lowfat greek yogurt(2/3 c) with 1/4 c berries; 1/2 cup shelled edamame, or do the full on pod-it is fun to eat and takes a bit of time-hard to overeat that way!

If you are with your child all day, then make yourselves a schedule. Eat first thing in the morning. Make BOTH of your breakfasts. Try oatmeal; make 3/4 cup, top with berries or a banana, and give your child 1/4 of the end product. Or Cheerios. 1 cup for you, 1/2 cup for kids. Slice an orange, and hand over a couple of pieces to happy baby. Or if they’re not at orange stage, try a banana. The point is to make one breakfast, eat yours, and let your child eat theirs. Clean up, and move on. Snack time, 3 hrs later. Have your snacks (see above)prepared, and when you before you put out the goldfish, eat a carrot. And only put out 10 goldfish at a time. Lunch time, same thing. It’s all about being prepared.

Dinner time can be problematic, because at this point, you probably need a little adult interaction. And kids sometimes have a habit of not letting adults talk to each other. Or do anything that doesn’t directly involve them. So you have two options. Option one: Feed the kids early on, and have a small salad with them. Bath, pjs, then dinner with a functioning, mentally alert adult, OR (sometimes even better!)a nice meal to yourself.

Option two: Attempt to make ONE dinner, for everyone. In a shocking turn of events, one day, out of the blue, my 5 year old asked for broccoli. After picking myself up off of the floor, I scrambled to steam enough broccoli for a small army. Even more shocking, she ATE it! And so did my 14 month old. With gusto. Not so much my 3 year old, but she is on a hunger strike these days anyhow. So I said to myself, I’m going to give “real” dinners a try. I made grilled chicken, brown rice, and broccoli for 3 days straight. That’s it. And everyone (except the 3 year old)ate. Then I ventured to turkey burgers and sweet potato “fries” (they’re still “fries” if you smother them in ketchup, according to my kids). And salad. The kids eat the carrots and broccoli and corn, and we take everything else. The kids are eating great foods, I’m eating good food, and I’m not eating FOUR different meals, picking as I go along.

Lest you think that my life is a perfect dream, that little stint only lasted a week. Back to Annie’s mac n cheese. But it got me in the habit of only eating MY dinner. And the kids still eat the veggies. And rice. Working on the tofu-not there yet.

End lesson here: Remember who YOU are eating for. It’s you and only you. Eat for yourself. Prepare good snacks so you never reach the stage of unbearable hunger, where nothing tastes so good as 3 handfuls of goldfish, including the ones dropped on the floor. Try out your snacks with the kids, too. They may surprise you. But in the end, remember that before you were “mom”, you made your choices based solely on how they would affect you. You can still do that. It’s ok. And you may find that as a bonus, you feel stronger, healthier, more energized and alert. Which how every woman should feel, mom or not.

As a fitness professional, we see January as our biggest month. It’s THE month. The one where everyone vows to get in shape for good. Lose those last 10 lbs, get abs of steel, and eat only organic, clean foods for the rest of their lives. Sigh. And by February, we see all of those passionate people fade away, caught up in a web of real life, chocolate hearts, and comfort foods.

The thing is, that’s what they should have been focusing on the whole time! Real life. Instead of setting yourself up with unreasonable goals, how about taking it one day at a time, making mini goals as you go along. Real life gets in the way, unless you are a 22 year old independently wealthy person with endless time on your hands. And even that has it’s own pitfalls as well. (I mean, I assume it does:))

This year, instead of setting yourself up for those inevitable downfalls, set yourself up for happiness every day. Make the most of what you have. You know that you want to look good, feel good, and live a vibrant life. So attempt that every day. Do what makes you feel good, both inside and out. Writing the goals down when you get up may be an option. And then going back at the end of the day to see what actually happened can be an exercise in resilience and optimism. Didn’t make it to the gym because you were inundated with work? Wow, you were a FORCE to be reckoned with at work, then. Ate a bag of m&ms? Great. Boosted your serotonin levels for the day…and left you with the knowledge that perhaps a bag of m&ms is not the greatest idea if you don’t want a huge stomachache. Next time, you’ll get the smaller portion and enjoy it just as much.

Make the effort to create manageable goals. Having trouble fitting in fruit? Don’t aim for 5 servings a day right away. Try one banana, or a glass of orange juice. See if you can do that for a few days. It may, just may, seem easier after that, so you’ll think about having both the banana and the orange juice the next couple of days. Find a way to combine them that you enjoy-fruit smoothie, anyone? And so on.

Fitness goals? Many people make running a marathon a goal. Amazing aspirations. Fabulous goals. Does that mean you go out and run 10 miles in one day? Absolutely not. Find a plan that makes sense, think about your time, schedule, and options. And then run for 20 minutes one day. Approach the big goals with a series of smaller ones. It works on all planes.

The best way to conquer those goals is to get some help. Find someone who specializes in your goal field, and ask them the best way to go about it. Pretty much guaranteed that every expert will tell you to go slowly for lasting results. It’s harder that way, but the effects will last a lifetime.

Resolving to live my life one day at a time, now that’s something I can strive for. I think you can, too.

But not us!! Instead of throwing in the towel, let’s look at some options for late fall fitness. Sunlight, and consequently vitamin d, are key components to healthy living for us northerners. So get out midday with your stroller and a friend, and power up some hills. You should be finding it a bit hard to chat midway through the workout-this means that you are working at the proper intensity level. Find a park and challenge yourself to do some step-ups on benches, squats, pushups, and planks with intervals of jumping jacks or high knee jogging in between (yes, those can be made low impact-drop me a line and I’ll explain all of the details). Enjoy the crisp air, sunshine, and the endorphin rush as you finish the workout. Your mood, energy level, and fitness level will all reap the benefits of a simple power walk in the autumn air.

Sometimes, it’s a bit more challenging to get out midday, be it work, weather, or logistics. Find a gym with childcare and get yourself in there. Shameless plug forthcoming: for those of you in the Brookline area, PEAPOD FITNESS has moved into Bodyscapes Fitness on Beacon Street in Coolidge Corner. They provide fitness training for moms to be, new moms, seasoned moms, or even those who are thinking about being moms. Bring your baby in for some quality time with little playmates-they have a wonderful space with professional babysitting services-or bring them into class. Plus, they have a garage for those “simply must drive” days. Check out www.ppodfitness.com for more info.

Just can’t make it to the gym? Bring the gym to you. Carve out a small space in your home, and dance the day away. Or follow along to a fitness dvd. Or FIT-TV. It has been proven that fitness improves not only physical health, but 20 minutes a day is enough to boost your mood, increase energy levels, and keep you feeling strong and empowered all day. If THAT’S not enough, think of fitness as a weapon to combat the calorie creep of the holidays. Start the New Year feeling healthy and strong. Start your fitness routine NOW. And resolve to do OTHER things when the clock strikes 12.

As we begin to pile on the fleece, and pack away those bikinis, many of us fold in our motivation along with the summer clothes. Why bother eating well now? I know I’ll be covered up from October 1 to May 1. But hold on just a minute. I’m a mom now. I can’t simply hibernate and drink hot chocolate for the next six months (doesn’t that sound AWESOME?). I have a responsibility to my family, to my children, to keep up my good habits, and figure out ways to be active and eat healthfully throughout the winter. As daunting as that may seem, it can be done.

Naturally, eating healthfully tends to be much simpler with the abundant crops of summer. But as the last tomatoes fade from sight, it is simply a shift in texture and taste as we embrace fall’s bounty. Can you get much healthier than an apple? New England is famous for its amazing, diverse crops, and this year’s is bound to be one of the best yet, due to the heavy rains of June. (At least something good came of that month.) Squash, in all of its glorious forms, reaches its peak in the next few months. Head to your nearest farmstand, or farmers’ market, and stock up on the latest produce. Make sumptuous soups, snack on every variety of crispy apple that you can, and savor the flavors of fall.

Because the flavors are so dense, one might think that rich, hearty fare must be laden with butter, cream, and all things artery clogging. But no…the most wonderful fall soup can be made with minimal fat, and maximum taste. Try a Sultry Squash Soup: Cube and steam approximately 2 lbs of butternut or hubbard squash(peeled) and one diced, sauteed onion. Place in a pot with 2-3 cups of vegetable stock (low sodium, if possible). Simmer for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, sautee 3 cups of peeled, sliced apples with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add in 1 cup of apple cider, reduce liquid to half. Add in 1-2 tsp each of cinnamon, cardamom, and curry. Add to the squash mixture, then place in blender and mix until smooth. Add salt to taste. For thicker soup, add slightly less stock and cider. Spoon into bowls, and add a tablespoon of nonfat greek yogurt and a sprinkle of parsley for garnish. Mmmmmmm. Lowfat, easy to make, and pretty to boot.

Another easy favorite? Baked apples. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Simply core a good sized rome, golden delicious, or jonagold apple, place in a pyrex baking dish. Add 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp of raisins. Add a 1/4 c water to the bottom of the pan, and bake for approximately 30 minutes. It should be soft, but not mushy. Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt. Amazing.

I could go on and on, but I won’t. At least not now. Enjoy fall’s bounty, and the richness of the flavors. And let me know if you have any fabulous recipes to share…