Food Adventures With Charles The Chef

Louisiana Book Festival 2009 Was A Hit!

2009-10-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

It's a been a few months since my last post. But here I am back with excitement and energy that only Charles the Chef can bring! The Louisiana Book Festival in Baton Rouge was fantastic and Charles the Chef took center stage! Not only did we have the opportunity to present our special Smokey's smoothie food demo, but it was received with flying colors! I was able to meet and nurture relationships with authors from around the nation. I thank the Louisiana Book Festival for Charles the Chef and help in spreading the message "To Eat Better To Live Better!" Take a look at some of the pictures and video and see what all the hype is about!

Charles The Chef In Philly

2009-05-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

Charles The Chef made his first ever appearance at the ECBACC in the heart of Philadelphia. The event was wonderful and I was able to catch up with old friends. So check out some of the pictures from the event and see that Charles as always made a positive impact!

Charlie The Chef At ECBACC 09 from CrazyAlCayne on Vimeo.

The Latest Update!!

2009-05-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

Greetings All,

We have been quite busy preparing for the summer and just spreading the word about Charles to schools, numerous educators and the world abroad!

Our most recent event was the Little Folks Festival sponsored by the Stokes Partnership for Children, which I'm a proud board member. The event was fantastic! Healing Force a wonderful group who performed introduced African melodies that warmed the heart. Mshindo Kuumba and I also performed with song and dance that kept the momentum going with Harmony in Motion. Fortunately all my children were able to attend and thoroughly enjoyed the event as well. Take a look at some of the videos and pictures and enjoy!! Till next time. Eat Better To Live Better!!

Charles The Chef in Thomasville!

2009-02-28T18:59:00.000-08:00

This was our first time at the Thomasville Library's local Author Event. It literally happened last minute. But it was so worth it! I met some fascinating authors and made a few new friends along the way. This was their first show and it went off without a hitch! Thanks to Sarah Hudson and Janet Malliet for doing such a wonderful job! Even my kids had a ball! I'm looking forward to attending next years show!

Charles The Chef at Hawkridge!

2009-02-28T18:53:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time at Hawkridge Elementary! Thanks to Dana Demos we were fortunate to spread the good message of eating healthy! Check out the pics to see what I mean!

Charles The Chef in Comics

2009-02-27T20:17:00.000-08:00

Charles is about to invade the comic book world! Thanks to artist Richard Cruz, Charles takes on a whimiscal cartoon look in a 8 page comic to be given away to kids of all ages! The comic titled Finding the Road to Good Health is due to be available late summer. As more is available, I will post it here first. So stay close! For now check out the sketches of the characters!

Meet Calvin!!

2009-02-27T20:14:00.000-08:00

Yes the Charles the Chef animated DVD is still moving ahead full steam! We are reviewing voice talent for key characters as Diehard Studio continues to work its 3D magic bringing the Charles the Chef band of characters to life. So take a look!

It's Been Awhile!

2009-02-27T20:07:00.000-08:00

Hello all! Yes, I know. It's been way too long since I've posted anything. Well among things such as personal issues that have found their way to disrupt my flow of work, I've glad to say that progress has still conquered all. I'm here to announce that as of this month, Charles The Chef has teamed up with no other than the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity. Together we are working to raise funding to launch a research program featuring Charles The Chef! This program will measure the effectiveness a cartoon character can have on the eating habits of children. And what better character to utilize than Charles? When funded the program will be a two year pilot program. And with its success it will be expanded to a nationwide program that will help many communities in reaching their children using a character that solely focuses on healthy eating habits. So stay tune hear for more updates!

A Few Setbacks But Still Moving Ahead

2008-11-30T20:57:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!! First my apologies for not giving consistent updates. A lot of things have happen since my last post. A few victories have a occurred as well as a few disappointments in our journey to end childhood obesity. Unfortunately the Children's International Obesity Foundation has shut down due to lack of capital. The good news is that they have turn over the reins to Charles the Chef to keep the ball rolling in their absence. So we are gearing up with a new site and new blog in development. And for those who have been waiting for the next animation updates.... well wait no longer! Diehard Studio continues to wow us with new developments so take a look and be amazed!! It's Louise and Snappy!!

CIOF and Charles The Chef Together on FOX!

2008-09-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

I'm back and more rejuvenized than ever after the wonderful tour through Detroit, Flint and Ann Arbor! Charles The Chef was embraced like no other! I give loads of thanks to my friend and publicst Tammy Dunda, my CIOF team members, Cinda Hocking, and Lola and Tom Kern. Without them the tour wouldnt of been the success it was. We had a thrilling time on FOX News 2 in Detroit. I thank them as well for allowing us to share about Charles the Chef and CIOF. So view the clip and enjoy. And remember, this is just the beginning!

Oh My Goodness!!! Another Charles The Chef Animation Update!!!

2008-09-13T17:31:00.000-07:00

It keeps getting better and better folks! Diehard Studio will be working hard to release new images for only you faithful bloggers to see. Hunter Wolf has tweaked Thomas the Chef hat and has placed some finished touches on Charles. And that cute little southern belle of a blender, Louise makes her debut in sketch form. Take a gander and be amazed!!!

Charles The Chef Animation Update! It's Snappy!

2008-09-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

Diehard Studio has done it again!! We are on the fast track now!! Here is Snappy! Hunter Wolf head animator of Diehard Studio presents the cantankerous fridge in his glory! Enjoy!

BET Woman's Symposium Was A Blast!

2008-09-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

For those who came out the BET Woman's Symposium to support a great cause and Charles The Chef, I thank you. The event went off without a hitch. I was proud to be an intricate part of a tour that begun in Winston-Salem, N.C. Mshindo Kuumba perform in remarkable fashion as he put on one of the best food demonstrations I've seen. Even the stunning Kelly Price took time to enjoy Charles The Chef and Mshindo and I of course! Take a look at the gallery of pictures and get a feel of what we experienced.

Have a blessed week!!

Are They Cartoons of Doom?

2008-08-25T15:08:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not it’s been nearly seventy-three years since one of the earliest cartoon driven products was advertised to children. Post Cereals discovered their sales for Post Toasties skyrocketing after they licensed a certain adorable rodent. Care to guess who the popular movie character was? You may be as surprised as I was to learn it was Mickey Mouse! Soon afterwards with little surprise other companies followed suit and found the golden goose of advertising to children. In the 1950s, Continental Baking Co. employed the puppet Howdy Doody to pitch Twinkies on his popular TV show.

Children are attracted to flashy color characters and packaging and although parents may say no, no ,no, at the end the likes of Spongebob SquarePants, Scooby Doo, Shrek, Barbie, Cookie Monster and others often win out. And be aware that all of the characters mentioned have at one time or another promoted low nutrient value foods and continue to do so. Animated characters that have brought joy, excitement and years of entertainment in my opinion are delivering directly or indirectly an early demise to our children. For example, SpongeBob is one of the worst and is guilty of promoting many unhealthy junk foods. It’s clear by my study and what has recently occurred with Michael Phelps (yes, sports heroes can be just as misused in advertising as animated characters are) that corporate profits outweigh the worth of health.

For years many advocacy groups have taken corporations such as Disney, and most recently Nickelodeon and Kellogg’s, to task for their ongoing advertising campaigns. The Center for Science in the Public Interest and Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, along with several parents, claim that using Nickelodeon characters such as SpongeBob and Dora the Explorer as a way to entice children is ultimately contributing to child obesity. I wholeheartedly agree. And if you are a parent it’s an inescapable reality that corporations utilizing these characters for profit and personal gains no doubt usurp your authority.

The Institute of Medicine, one of the nation's leading scientific advisory bodies, which spent a year studying the effects of food marketing on children's diet and health, stated clearly that the effects of using licensed characters on food packaging is directly associated with obesity. As expected, most food manufacturers had no comment on that report. Others, such as Kraft foods, took notice and have made some significant changes.

It’s estimated, as I’ve mentioned in other articles, that food manufacturers spend nearly 11 billion per year on marketing campaigns that target children and are lead by cartoon characters. So, one question comes to mind. Are advertisers mutating our children’s character favorites into "cartoons of doom"? Or can they be compared to the analogy of a gun? The gun is not evil in itself, or harmful, some argue. It’s the person that uses it. Either way I say we protect ourselves with as much knowledge as possible and understand that we have more power than we believe. Play with a gun long enough and it’s bound to go off. So am I comparing negative television, magazine and website advertising to children as a possible mental gun that could go off? If you set your children in front of the television or allow them to surf the web for long periods of time unsupervised, the answer is a resounding yes.

Regardless, keep in mind that most corporations respond to one thing and one thing only the bottom line. Stop the flow of greenbacks and they will take notice and make changes. So saying no to your child for their better well-being may deliver a bit of gloom for your little one, but later in life it will blossom into a lifestyle of making healthier choices.

I’m not one for shameless plugs, but I will say that I’m glad Charles the Chef exists to help offset the effects of negative advertising to our children. He is relatively new to the game, but has power and growing support. As his popularity grows, I imagine at times he will have to trade in his cooking utensils for a pair of boxing gloves or nunchuks to ward off attacks from rival animated icons. So you may hear him say “Let’s Get Punching!” instead of “Let’s Get Cooking!” Just a whimsical way of saying that despite the glitter of animated character-driven advertising, don’t be fooled. We are in a constant battle for the lives of our children. It’s good to know that Charles the Chef is on the front lines with us.

Visit some of these links for more in-depth information:

http://www.cspinet.org/new/pdf/food_marketing_to_children.pdf

http://www.fordhamobserver.com/2.4451/1.403038

http://forum.bcdb.com/gforum.cgi?post=57627

Charles The Chef Animation Update!

2008-08-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

Just so you don't think we've dropped the ball. Here are some of the latest images of the always improving Charles The Chef renders. Hunter Wolf of DieHard Studio continues to shine! Soon you will see some of the magical appliances that live in Charles kitchen. The anticipation is high! Stay tuned!

Building a Pattern to Follow – Advertising To Your Children

2008-08-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

As parents we’re our children’s first line of defense against an array of negative influences. Constant barrages of unsavory images promoting foods of little or no nutritious value are common place. The sky rains with products of expediency but offering little hope for a better state of mind or body. As guardians we do our best to erect shields to block and deflect the poisonous arrows of harmful advertising. The reason we often fail is simply by underestimating the power advertising wields. Or not really understanding how advertisement works. Plainly speaking as adults we find ourselves at times swirling in the bravado of false promises these products spew.

The keys I believe to combat this successfully is to first know that the word, “advertisement or advertise” is derived from the French word avertissement which means warning or caution. I recommend we make this the first response when watching commercials of any a kind. If we consistently acted on the side of caution, I’m sure certain foods we would avoid all together.

Second, children are constantly exposed to advertising messages designed to make them believe they can’t live without a certain product. Hence the influential power of the medium. But how does it work? Understand that we purchase based on emotions. How we feel about a product determines if we will buy it or not. It all begins with what advertisers have coined as the think-feel-do model of message effects, which presumes that we approach a purchase situation using a sequence of responses. In other words, we think about something, then we form an opinion or attitude about it -- feel, and finally we take action and try it or buy it -- do. Advertising helps shape our attitude favorably about a product to entice us to buy. A simple process it seems, but so difficult to master as a consumer.

I believe our biggest problem as consumers is that we bypass the thinking part and dive head first into the feel part of decision making. That is always a mistake. Worse we pass this behavior to our children. In no way am I concluding that all advertising is bad. But once we take to heart that the manipulations of target marketing can increase the likelihood of obesity, poor nutrition, eating disorders, cigarette and alcohol use in children and adolescents, then perhaps we will improve our knowledge and acquire tools to use to offset the effects. Unfortunately, there is no way to completely avoid advertising targeting children, but there are some things you can do to reduce the effects.

1. Limit television and Internet use to no more than two hours a day each.

2. Teach your children how to interpret advertising messages. Explain to older children the purpose of advertising and the mind tricks they use in their messages.

3. Instill values in your children consistently. Help build their sense of self and self esteem so that they understand that material things will not make them better people. Involve your children in extracurricular activities to keep them active and stimulated. Work with your children to make sure they achieve a healthy body image despite what the media culture considers attractive.

4. Lastly, but I will dare say the most important. Practice what you preach. Mr. Douglas Castle, CIOF Director of Strategic Planning, once shared that a parent’s credibility is worthless if not followed by consistent action.

The effective way to handle the influence of advertisements is to live the healthy example we wish our children to practice. Build a pattern of behavior that is consistent with what you want for your child. In fact we should be flesh and blood advertisements to our children. Are they not exposed to us more than television? If not, then that is where the true problem lies.

For an example view the short video. All it takes is consistency and dedication and you will pass it on!

Reference:

1. Steps to reduce advertising effects taken from www.ehow.com

To find out more about how to combat childhood obesity visit www.ciofoundation.org/

Where Does Childhood Obesity Really Begin?

2008-08-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

It’s pretty clear that weight management can be controlled significantly by the foods we consume. So it’s clearly about choice. Or is it? What of those who are too young to choose, such as an infant? Clearly the answer to that question is that the responsibility lies with the parent. But, like most I thought to myself, can an infant be in danger of being obese when they only drink milk? Unfortunately after reading a recent article on Natural News.Com, I was faced with a resounding “yes”. It was disturbing but equally as confirming that we have to read carefully the ingredients on the label of everything we buy, including infant formula. You would think that companies could be trusted to provide formula without chemical additives or processed sugar. I have to admit I was a bit naïve in that respect and couldn’t quite believe that would happen. So I ventured out to neighboring stores on a mission and examined numerous brands of infant formulas. To my disappointment it was true. I’m aware that all infant formulas have some added sugars to aid in the digestion; other organic products use sugars like organic lactose, which is presumably a better match for what's found in breast milk and doesn't have the sweetness of sucrose. Unfortunately in Organic Similac I found what the article had claimed to be true. That despite the organic label Similac had sweetened their formula with cane sugar (sucrose). As the obesity epidemic continues to flourish it was a shocking revelation to say the least.

Foremost it’s important to realize that all products that are labeled organic may not be. Do your homework. And second, it’s crucial to take a closer look at the formula you buy and trust, for obesity may very well begin there. Remember as parents we train our children to eat for a lifetime.

Read the entire article here. http://www.naturalnews.com/023796.html

CIOF and Charles The Chef Unite!

2008-08-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

This year has been a great one for making new alliances! Thanks to Cinda Hocking and the Children's International Obesity Foundation, you will find helpful articles by yours truly! I was ecstatic to learn that the CIOF had kind words to say about Charles the Chef. I'm looking forward to this new relationship growing in astronomical ways! So if you are not familiar with this new organization you are missing out. They have great vision and are driven to seeing childhood obesity stamped out of existence. I applaud them and see great things happening in their future.

For more info on the CIOF use this link. http://www.ciofoundation.org/ To read my article go to: http://ciofoncurrentevents.blogspot.com/

Loving Foods That Love You Back

2008-08-02T17:50:00.000-07:00

Ever really taken a slow walk through a supermarket? You can’t escape the harsh reality that we are surrounded and bombarded by choices. They’re at the point of overwhelming in my opinion. Choices are good but, do we really need over a 150 brands of breakfast cereals? Apparently the answer is yes, if you care to inquire the Food and Beverage industries who according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in 2006 spent over $1.6 billion in advertising to market their products to children. That has almost doubled in less than two years.

It’s very clear that with so many choices and the powerful advertising that influences us to buy, it can be difficult to make the right one. Unfortunately that leaves us drowning in a never ending sea of indecisions. So what do we do with all these choices? At times the answer can be fairly simple. I’ve found simplicity comes best from the mind of a child. During our frequent conversations about what foods are good for you and those that are not, my youngest daughter laughed and said “But I love that food.” My oldest daughter replied,”Yeah but does it love you back?” That one reply was simple but contained a wealth of wisdom.

Loving foods that love you back, a concept that was very broad in its scope, but very powerful when it came to teaching ourselves and children proper nutrition. As humans we thrive and grow based on the relationships we choose. To cultivate healthy relationships we take the time to learn as much about our potential partner before committing. Why? Simply, because we all share a common desire. To be fulfilled. Whether business or personal we want to be complete in order to function at our best capacity. How is it that utilizing this same philosophy with the food we eat has slipped from our consciousness? Is it that difficult to embrace the fact that we should nurture a relationship with the foods we consume? In other words the foods we love should reciprocate by truly supplying the proper nutrition to the body. This will only happen, if and only if we improve our knowledge and make the best choices.

So ask yourself does the food you eat truly love you back? Sounds silly perhaps until you think about the times you’ve had heartburn, stomach aches or worse an allergy reaction. Here are 5 helpful tips to consider and foods that I know for certain love us and those that don’t.

5 Simple Tips to Remember:

1. READ the ingredients of the food you buy and research what they are.

2. KNOW your vitamins and minerals and what foods have them and those that don’t. (Yes, there are some foods that have no nutrient content)

3. DON’T be taken in by every discount and coupon special. Saving money may not be saving your life.

4. ELIMINATE or REDUCE microwaving your foods. Those rays destroy nearly 98% of its vitamins, in reality killing your food. Now that’s not love.

5. EAT live foods such as fruits and vegetables as much as possible. It’s been proven that you acquire more nutrients from live foods than dead ones

5 Foods and Drinks That Truly Love You

WATER goes to the top of the list. Not only does water act as the ultimate cleansing agent but it also is effective in treating many of our aliments such as arthritis and asthma. Take a look at this article for more info. http://www.naturalnews.com/003202.html
SPINACH is one of my favorites and a slightly underrated vegetable. One bowl of spinach contains as much calcium as a carton of milk!
GRAPEFRUIT can be sour but packs a punch when it comes to supplying a days worth of vitamin C. Eat half of one and you are good for the entire day.
For those who are not allergic, a healthy diet of FISH (salmon or tuna) will provide much needed Omega 3 fatty acids to help maintain proper weight and gain less. It’s also good in preventing depression.
CARROT JUICE is known for keeping us seeing well into our twilight years. It’s also a super blood cleansing agent and prevents known cancers. Now ifs that not love, I don’t know what is.

5 Foods That Have No Love

WHITE SUGAR of the refined processed variety has no love and has no nutrient value whatsoever. The body uses energy to digest and absorb the sugar and gets nothing in return but exhaustion.
COFFEE is clearly a beverage of ups and downs which often leaves you spiraling downward when it’s all said and done. The culprit is caffeine which causes lack of focus. Do you need a drink that does that?
PROCESSED FOODS which covers a wide range from fast foods to most canned foods are overloaded with nutrient empty sugar, water, fat, flour, starch, artificial colorings and flavors. Avoid these at all costs.
Foods that have YEAST EXTRACT as an ingredient are those to take out of the shopping cart. Yeast Extract is used to enhance flavor but has the similar effects that MSG (monosodium glutamate) which are headaches and can cause reproductive disorders.
DOUGHNUTS contain hydrogenated oils, white flour, sugar, and acrylamides. Essentially, they're one of the worst cancer foods you can possibly eat. Reader's Digest calls doughnuts "disastrous" as a breakfast food, and many experts agree it's probably one of the worst ways to start the day. *Extracted from The Top Five Cancer Causing Foods http://www.naturalnews.com/021808.html

For more information visit these links and articles

The Dangers of Sugar http://www.naturalnews.com/023085.html

Healing Water http://www.naturalnews.com/003202.html

Top Five Foods for Beating Depression

http://www.naturalnews.com/020611.html

Charles The Chef's Tips for Health

2008-07-19T06:32:00.000-07:00

Beginning in August look for Charles The Chef's tips for health! He will be offering helpful info that can assist in keeping your child on the right path to better health.

Charles The Chef Introduces Learning Aids!

2008-07-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

For over a year we have worked hard at developing more products to excite children and parents alike. The result of hours of research have brought forth learning aids that will help kids to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Take a look at what we came up with.

Charles The Chef Donates Books to BET Foundation's Summer Camp for Girls

2008-07-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

As we continue to strive to reach the young minds of children, it was a easy decision to make when asked by the BET Foundation to donate books to their Summer Camp for Girls program. This program began in August of 2005 and has been moving steady and touching the lives of young overweight girls across the nation. We were proud to be a part of their mission to cultivate healthy young minds and bodies by teaching the core concepts of being healthy and smart!

BET Foundation and Charles The Chef Come Together!

2008-07-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

That's right folks! The BET Foundation (Black Entertainment Television) has asked Charles The Chef to present a healthy food demonstration during their Women's Health Symposium in Winston Salem, N.C.! Actually Mshindo Kuumba, co-creator and illustrator will be handling the cooking demo chores for the day. To say I'm excited about this opportunity to work with BET is an understatement. To those who are not aware of the symposium, the symposium is a full day of health education and awareness, starting with fitness classes, health exhibits and local vendors, and continuing throughout the day with a free lunch, free health screenings and seminars featuring local health professionals.

So come out and enjoy the day with us and sample some of Mshindo's great cooking! Here's a link to BET's site for more info about the event! The date is September 6th, 2008!

http://www.bet.com/Lifestyle/bodysoul/AHealthyBETFoundation

Charles the Chef teams with the YWCA!

2008-06-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks of being away from the blog. It's a been a busy month of forging new relationships and keeping the momentum of Charles the Chef moving into the summer months. I'm proud to announce that The YWCA of Winston-Salem N.C. has agreed to include Charles the Chef in their youth obesity prevention program! In this program we will be introducing not only Charles the Chef books but many of our educational materials such as flash cards and our new folding memory cards! There could be a Charles the Chef PSA in the works as well so stay tuned!

I wish to thank Robin Ervin and Hattie Taylor for including Charles the Chef in their program.

Last but not least... another Charles the Chef animated update. Charles is coming to form!

Talk to you guys soon!!

Another Charles the Chef Animation Update!

2008-05-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

It's often been asked does the clothes make the man or the man makes the clothes! We are about to find out as Diehard Studio continue to work its 3D magic! We are expected to move into the animation stage of production next month! So stay tuned!

Charles the Chef on FOX

2008-05-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

A recent FOX interview. Enjoy!

Getting Fit Arcade Style!

2008-05-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

I just had to share this with you guys once I discovered the XRKade created by iTech Fitness.
It's a unique way to keep in shape for children who love to play arcade games. Check out their video to learn more about this superb way to keep our children active!

Charles The Chef At Walmart

2008-05-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

To those who came out to the Walmart event and supported us, I give great thanks. You made it a success! We gained new fans and great contacts. Take a peek at some of our pics and video from the event.

CTC Animation Update!

2008-05-02T17:04:00.001-07:00

Here is the newest image from our much anticipated Charles the Chef animation feature! A more update on the kitchen. Let us know what you think!

Charles The Chef At Walmart!

2008-05-02T16:58:00.001-07:00

I'm excited to say that our local Walmart has invited us to attend a health fair tomorrow Saturday May 3rd! We will be serving nutritious smoothies. The event will be from 11am to 4pm. So those of you that are able come and see us! Walmart is located in Winston-Salem N.C, at Hanes Mill Road.

Happy 30th Anniversary, Children's Book Shop!

2008-04-17T18:11:00.000-07:00

Happy 30th Anniversary, Children's Book Shop!: "

A little over a week ago I spent a lovely evening at the Children's Book Shop in Brookline Village, where Gareth and I joined a crowd of others cel...

Dancing To Your Health

2008-04-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

We really have a good time on our book tours. Mshindo co-creator of Charles The Chef demonstrates how being healthy includes nutritious foods and activity.

What's Really In Those Genes?

2008-04-15T21:32:00.001-07:00

“It is proven however that the effects of foods we consume whether good or bad can be passed on to our children at birth.”
Not a day goes by that I’m not bombarded with quick weight loss advertisements from radio to billboards as I travel across the country. Americans spend $33 billion annually on weight loss foods, products and services, according to the American Dietetic Association and surprisingly obesity continues to haunt us as a nation. (Quote taken from Rick Hussey of the American Chronicle) It’s quite common to witness the ongoing blame game between food corporations, doctors and the general public. The question still remains unanswered for some “Why are we in the shape we in and can we indeed slow down what plaques us?”

I firmly believe the fight against obesity will be won when we solely rely on change in habits, increased food knowledge and frequent exercise and activity. I realize that this is not a new concept, but is one not easily embraced. Simply because it requires more work and discipline. But the obesity dilemma is even murkier with many studies surfacing suggesting that genetics may be responsible. Researchers have located the FTO gene that was discovered to play a huge part in a person inability to lose weight as stated by Emily Walker of US World News.

The key is not to be swayed by studies which indicate that our genetics solely determine our ability to lose weight. It’s clear that we must retain the power to change and improve our bodies. Otherwise we abandon helpful disciplines and structures to improve our overall lifestyles.

It is proven however that the effects of foods we consume whether good or bad can be passed on to our children at birth. Proper protein intake for example aids in the development and birth weight of children as well as brain development. It’s no secret that the healthier the parents, the healthier the children will be. An expectant mother who consumes foods of high nutritional value such as fiber, low carbs and no sugar will find that her child will grow to appreciate those foods as well when introduced.

So the fact remains as quoted by the Earth Times “researchers found the FTO gene hardly had an affect on weight, suggesting lifestyle may trump genetics when it comes to weight.”

So when I stand in front of the mirror in my favorite Levi's and ask myself what’s really in my jeans, I can comfortable answer, nothing that can’t be improved. Understand that lifestyle is always the controlling factor, not necessarily what you inherit from a parent.

About the Author.

Roosevelt Pitt, Jr. is a veteran author of over five books and graphic novels. He is also the author and co-creator of Food Adventures with Charles the Chef, a book created to help children develop good eating habits early. For additional information please visit www.charlesthechef.com or email Roosevelt at rpitt@charlesthechef.com

More Images From Charles the Chef 3D!

2008-04-11T12:26:00.001-07:00

As promised here is the latest image from our 3D production. Charles the Chefs Kitchen! Enjoy!

Charles The Chef In 3D!!

2008-04-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

We are proud to announce that Charles The Chef is in pre-production as a 3D animated show that will be available on DVD later this year. Thanks to Hunter Wolf of Diehard Studio, Charles will be brought to life! Check back here for more images as they come available.

It's No April Fools

2008-04-01T19:40:00.000-07:00

It's No April Fools. Charles the Chef is moving into April with a full steam and a message of healthy awareness for children and adults. Look forward to more articles here in the next months as well as helpful eating tips. But for now take a look at our coming appearances in April.

April 12 Borders Stoncrest Charlotte N.C. Time 2PM to 3PM
April 18 Barnes and Noble Booksellers Triangle Town Center, Raleigh N.C. Time 10AM
April 19 Borders Northlake Charlotte N.C. Time 1PM to 2PM

Hope to see you there!!!

March Up and Coming Events!

2008-03-04T19:51:00.000-08:00

I will be posting Charles the Chef events here as they are scheduled. So keep checking back for updates.

March 8th 2008 Barnes And Noble New Hope Commons Durham N.C. Time 11am to 12pm
March 15th 2008 Junior League Kids In The Kitchen Celebration High Point, N.C. 10am to 12pm
March 21st 2008 Barnes and Noble The Streets of South Point Durham N.C. 7pm-8pm

Have a great March!

Roosevelt

Charles The Chef In The Media

2008-02-26T18:36:00.000-08:00

Charles the Chef is on the move! With media appearances on Fox News and NPR, he doesn't seem to be slowing down. So get on board to good health while the getting is good! Copy the links and see where Charles has been.

www.naturalnews.com/022558.html

www.wunc.org/tsot/archive/sot092707b.mp3/view

www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070620/NEWSREC0104/70620008/1035/NEWSREC01

www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173350706961&path=rss

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwxHJcXx8HA

www.healthylivingexponc.com/guests.html

www.hickoryrecord.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=HDR%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173351845201&path=!news!statenews

www.thetandd.com/articles/2007/07/03/features/doc468976cbe5049802303635.txt

www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=NUTRITION-04-23-07

www.fayobserver.com/article_ap?id=107393

5 Steps of Awareness To Stop Childhood Obesity

2008-02-26T17:35:00.000-08:00

Due to a personal encounter with obesity through a close relative, the idea of Charles the Chef was born. Through careful research and helpful information provided by experts in the field of nutrition and vegetarians such as Mshindo Kuumba and Mzuri Hudson came this article you are about to read. Being aware of what we consume as foods and the understanding that activity is vital, obesity can be conquered. We must only fight with the powerful weapon we have at our disposal, our minds. Enjoy

Roosevelt Pitt

Eat Better to Live Better

5 Steps of Awareness That Can Stop Childhood Obesity

Roosevelt Pitt, Jr.

“You are what you eat.” A once universal theme of awareness has become all but lost to us when it comes to improving our children’s eating habits.

I fondly remember my first grade teacher Mrs. Hooks warmly walking down each row of desks passing out snacks. It was the time of the day every one looked forward to. As usual I would play with my two quarters, rolling them on my desk anxious to choose my usual chocolate milk and chocolate chip cookie. To my surprise as she lowered the tray there was only apple and pear slices and grape juice. I asked her where the cookies and milk were as I clinched my quarters in my hand for safe keeping. She smiled, and said “We have to be careful what we eat.” “Cookies taste good but are not meant to be eaten all the time.” I frowned and place my quarters in my pocket. She placed the plate of fruit and juice on my desk recognizing my defiance and said, “If you want to be healthy and strong, you have to eat healthy and strong foods.” “Remember, you are what you eat.”

Her words permeated my thoughts that day and helped me to realize later in life that if there were strong foods there were also weak foods or foods with little or no nutritious value. So making choices of what I ate could determine what I would be. Even cartoon shorts such as School House Rock (those of you old enough to remember) hammered that philosophy into our brains as well as into our parents. “You are what you eat.” A once universal theme of awareness has become all but lost to us when it comes to improving our children’s eating habits.

With the rise of childhood obesity in record numbers over the past three years, its time to breathe life back into that phrase and to truly take to heart the importance of being aware of what we consume day to day. It’s clearly the time to lift the banner and strive to eat better to live better.

But how do we do it? How do we regain control of our health and subsequently our children’s? It’s much easier said than done when our lifestyles are seemly moving at a pace beyond light speed. Surprisingly all it takes is a bit of self control and slowing down to embrace our lives. Looking at ourselves and our habits are always the perfect places to begin.

Let’s take a look at five ways I’ve found to be successful in combating obesity by using knowledge and proactive habituation.

“Children can't change their exercise and eating habits by themselves. They need the help and support of their families and other caregivers. This is why successful prevention and treatment of childhood obesity starts at home.” By Mayo Clinic Staff Jun 30, 2006

1. Understand That Weight is a Family Affair

In order to set the standard for healthy eating habits for our children we must take the time to improve and teach good Mental Eating Habits. What are mental eating habits? Simply put they are those “habitual choices we make when choosing certain foods based on our overall knowledge about those foods.” The better we know about the foods available to us, the better choices we can make. For example just taking the time to read the manufactures label of ingredients is a good start. But don’t stop there, study those ingredients that are foreign to you and research them. It was alarming to me how much sugar is found in nearly everything I purchased. And then there were the chemical additives, something I encourage everyone to research thoroughly. With the internet it’s not hard to find out what your family is consuming and the possible effects it may have on your children. The key is to research individually and as a family. Learn together and start early.

One particular aspect of our eating that often goes undetected is our Emotional Eating Habits. What we eat when we are happy, sad or angry can be and often is the reason behind our poor health. These habits we also easily pass on to our children. I remember my oldest daughter at 5 months was crying and without thinking I stuck a bottle in her mouth. I didn’t realize that at that point I was teaching subtly that food was a pacifier when needing comfort. Once discovering that I made a habit of picking her up first and realizing that most of the time she just needed my attention or just a diaper change. It’s been proven that “For many of us, emotional eating is such an ingrained habit, we're not even aware we're doing it.” Paige Waehner, About.com. So as parents it’s important to explore why we eat when we’re not hungry and why. What triggers the behavior? Bordom? Stress? Anger? The quicker we are able to grasp the causes and control them the less likely our children will adopt them.

2. Don’t Betray Your Body or Theirs

We all age and grow older. But it’s entirely our habits that determine how we enter our golden years and how we as parents help our children to reach theirs. “Today’s generation of children is the first generation of children not predicted to live longer than their parents.” Newsweek Magazine September 22, 2003. This was a startling revelation to me as a father of five. In order to help my children embrace longevity of life, I realize that I had to look inward. It was essential that I first adjust and improve my attitude about age and the body, so that I can express it and set better examples for them.

What resulted was the realization that I must take responsibility for my body’s condition. Growing older does not necessarily have to lead to your body failing you, or at least not prematurely. Besides proper eating, daily exercise and activity will do much to maintain our vigor, which in turn can be taught to our children. So allow your kids if old enough to join you during exercise. Let them spend more time outside for recreation rather than with the TV. They will learn through experience that our bodies rarely betray us, but we betray it by not supplying its needs.

3. Is Your Kitchen a Foreign Land?

Over the three years of researching to write my children’s books, I interviewed parents from many diverse backgrounds and learn one recurring fact, that few involved their children in food preparation. Whether it was because of busy lifestyles where both parents work or the case of a single parent household, the results were the same. Unfortunately for these children the kitchen was a virtual unknown when it came to basic cooking knowledge. The results were that as they grew older they relied on fast food restaurants and others to cook for them. This ultimately resulted in them becoming overweight and disease stricken later in life. The kitchen cannot be foreign to us individually or as a family. Take steps to introduce you children to all aspects of cooking and fundamentals of navigating in the kitchen by getting them involved in the process. Not only will they understand the importance of healthy eating and knowledge of food preparation but also simple kitchen safety. My oldest girls asked me one time why some foods should be frozen. What followed was an in-depth bonding conversation about food preservation and what contamination means. Give your children the ability to be empowered and the option to make the best choice in deciding where and what to eat.

4. Make Grocery Shopping an Event Not a Chore.

I’m guilty as I’m sure many parents are of dreading the entire grocery shopping experience, especially where children are concerned. The struggle to maintain your sanity when they seemly overwhelm you with “I wants”. It’s easy to get consumed with the idea of just getting “it” done. Of course what we often don’t realize is that 1. We pass that behavior to our kids. 2. We often in an emotional rush and dislike of the process of shopping choose what’s easiest and not what is best. If our emotional habits and mental habits are not in order we will make the worst choice in foods. What I’ve found to be helpful in improving the chore of grocery shopping is not to consider it a chore but make it event for my kids. Allow kids to help in compiling the list of foods for a start. Also teach them to read the ingredients of the foods bought. For example my children have been taught to research any ingredient that is unknown to them. You will be amazed and perhaps a bit shocked to learn what you may have been consuming over the years. Keep in mind that activities created to help steer your child toward healthy choices are always a plus. Encourage them to choose a nutritious food for the week or month then search for it when you arrive at the store.

5. Eat Better to Live Better

Lastly it’s vitally important to know and understand that how we eat is just as important as what we eat. I know at first glance this might not click with most. So I will elaborate. Let’s look at simple chewing. How important is it to teach our children to chew their food properly? “Chewing your food is the first step in the digestive process. Powerful enzymes in your saliva go to work breaking down the food as soon as it enters your mouth. Quote taken from www.ehow.com

“If you do not properly chew your food, what you have eaten will go through your digestive system as large pieces of food.” “Chewing properly is the only way to grind up your food so that it is small enough to allow the rest of your digestive system to extract as many of the available nutrients as possible.” Quote courtesy of Dave Saunders and www.FindUstuff.com

So it’s clear that no matter how healthy we eat, if we don’t chew properly our food which is ideally about 25 to 50 times, we will not benefit from them. Therefore we must teach our children to chew, chew and chew. Make the habit not to eat in stressful situations or atmospheres. Don’t eat with loud music or excessive talking both lean toward a person eating faster than they should. I remember a business partner telling me that I ate too fast and not to fight my food but enjoy it. Simply he said, “Slow down.” It wasn’t clear at that time until ‘I notice my level of gas decreased and I ceased to have heart burn or stomach digestion problems. Put thought into teaching your child to get the most out of their food. In conclusion, make every effort to eat dinner before seven pm. This allows the body to recuperate from the days activities and to heal without using its energy to digest a full stomach.

These steps will help prevent obesity from a proactive standpoint with our children. Isn’t it time we work to prevent it rather than react to it?

About the Author

Roosevelt Pitt, Jr. is a veteran author of over five books and graphic novels. He is also the author and co-creator of Food Adventures with Charles the Chef, a book created to help children develop good eating habits early. For additional information please visit www.charlesthechef.com or email Roosevelt at rpitt@charlesthechef.com

Eat Better To Live Better

2008-02-26T15:32:00.000-08:00

Eat Better To Live Better is the foundation for what Charles the Chef stands for and the backbone of his message of good health. This will be the first of many posts from myself and artist supreme Mshindo Kummba. Here you will find updates on our bookstore appearances and events throughout the year as wells as articles written by myself concerning childhood obesity and health issues in general.

For those not familiar with Charles the Chef.

Charles the Chef is the story of Charles Simmons the owner of the Four Seasons Cuisine's Restaurant and his adventures. Charles's philosophy is that “If You Eat Better, You'll Live Better." His goal is to prepare and serve the best and most nutritious meals to his customers, while educating children how to eat healthy. The story centers on Charles, his wife Darnice, his daughter Lea and his numerous magical friends in and around the town of Darton. Charles's endless search for new recipes to share with his customers sometimes sends him to distant lands or just around the corner to one of his many suppliers. Whenever there are customers to be served or catering events to fulfill all of Charles's friends chip in from Scrubs the Talking Dishwasher to Snappy the Freezer and you can always hear him say "Let's Get Cooking!"

So keep coming back and checking to see when Charles the Chef may be coming to your town to spread the good news and tips on how to improve the eating habits of children. And who knows maybe the adults will learn a little too.

Remember, Eat Better To Live Better!!

Roosevelt Pitt, Jr.
Author