How Healthy Are Your Kids?

I just took the The Healthy Kids Test. I could only do one kid at a time, so I picked Emma. I'm not trying to show favoritism, but like I said in an earlier post, she gives me the most trouble when it comes to eating. So anyway, here's what it said:

"Emma is lucky to have such a knowledgeable role model. It will really pay off when she gets older. In fact, her RealAge, or biological age, could be as much as 2 years younger by the time she's in her 30s. That means she will look and feel like she's 38 when she's really 40. "

And here I thought I was doing a terrible job. Thank you, Dr. Oz, for giving me such a nice ego boost. I needed it! (I'm sorry about what I said about your scrubs earlier.)

I cannot even fathom a 40-year-old Emma (who looks and feels like she's 38). What will she be like? The other day she told us that she wanted to be a bulldozer driver when she grows up. I can totally see Emma in the cab of a bulldozer and Charlie right next to her, each one taking turns working the controls...then getting really excited when they see a school bus or an airplane and accidentally plowing into some building. I'm sure they'll probably have different interests by then. I just hope they still like to hang out with me when I'm 99 with the body of a 98.4-year-old.

The results are in!

Folks, I am proud to announce that, though I am 32.5 years old, I have the body of a.............
31.4 year-old!!! My body thinks it is still living the life it lived back in my glory days of last September!

Okay, that's not really much of a difference. But at least my Real Age isn't any older than my actual age. Here are some things Dr. Oz says I should do to achieve a younger me:

• INCREASE YOUR INTAKE OF VITAMIN E. (Easy enough)
• EAT MORE FOODS THAT ARE RICH IN POTASSIUM. (No problem)
• INCREASE YOUR DAILY INTAKE OF CALCIUM. (Easy)
• INCREASE YOUR WHOLE GRAIN INTAKE. (I can do this.)
• INCREASE YOUR VEGETABLE INTAKE. (Ditto)
• INCREASE YOUR FRUIT INTAKE. (check)
• DO MORE STRENGTH-BUILDING EXERCISES AND TRY TO KEEP YOUR OVERALL WORKOUT PLAN WELL BALANCED. (Need advice on how to fit this in with no gym membership and two small, crazy people in my face all the time.)
• GRADUALLY WORK UP TO AT LEAST 90 MINUTES OF STRENGTH-BUILDING EXERCISES EACH WEEK. (See above comment.)
• ADD FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES TO YOUR ROUTINE. (Need advice here too. Is Yoga the best way to do this?)
• FLOSS EVERY DAY. (I know, I know. Dr. Oz knows me so well.)
• SPEND MORE TIME BUILDING AND MAINTAINING STRONG, CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS. (Hmmm.... I guess I really am a slacker in this department come to think of it.)
• OWN A DOG IF POSSIBLE. (not going to happen right now, Dr. Oz. I need to get all the humans in my house potty trained before I take on a dog.)

Lastly, Dr. Oz said I needed to become a healthier role model for my kids. Here is a test to take to see how healthy your kids are. Yikes! I'm nervous to take this one. Emma is a very, shall we say, discerning eater. It is really hard to get her to eat new things and I admit to giving into her demands for grilled cheese on too many occasions. Charlie will eat just about anything, but too often I let Emma dictate what they will be eating, so Charlie pretty much eats the same limited diet as Emma. I definitely have lots of room for improvement in this department. I will take the healthy kids test soon, I promise. Right now I have to do an "I Spy" puzzle with my kids.

What is your Real Age?

I generally catch up on my Oprah after the kids go to bed thanks to our beloved Tivo. Tivo's Oprah file is all Dr. Oz right now: Dr. Oz does medical interventions, Dr. Oz--A Younger YOU: Parts 1 & 2. Dr. Oz even chimes in on the Jessica Seinfeld sneaky puree cookbook episode. I was excited to see that he wore a pink shirt that day in honor of Jessica who I guess is known for loving shoes, pink stuff and purees. Dr. Oz, I love you, but why do you have to wear your scrubs on Oprah? According to Grey's Anatomy, surgeons have locker rooms where they can change into their street clothes when it's time to go home or on syndicated talk shoes. Anyway, I digress...Tonight's Oprah had lots of valuable info about things you can do to add years to your life. Dr. Oz wants us all to try to live to 100+, which sort of sounds miserable to me. That would mean I would have at least 68 more years of feeling awkward at parties and doing laundry. I don't know if I have it in me. BUT, I would like to stay cute well into my 70s, so maybe I will give Dr. Oz's tips a try. I took the Real Age test tonight and I'll post my results as soon as I know them (I know all 2 of you reading this are dying to know). Why don't you take the test too and tell me what you get? I want to know who I'll be hanging out with at the assisted living facility for 30 years!