From Shari, Child's Age 11 - 01/20/02 - IP#: 64.8.1.xxx Click here to reply
I have two children who are both overweight. I also, am overweight. My son, age 11 tips the scales at 195 lbs and my daughter, age 7, 115 lbs. I am 34 and weigh 250 pounds. I know what the main problems are. When there is no school, my kids watch TV, play video games and play on the computer all day. I know I should put a stop to it, but, it's difficult on where to start. Plus, I'm not an active mom either, so, that doesn't help.Neither of my kids complains about being overweight, nor, are they picked on at school. It is quite the contrary. Both of my children are quite popular. Just since September, my son has grown two pant sizes bigger, from a 34 to a 38. I have no idea where I am going to buy him pants when he gets older if he keeps going at this rate.I want to do something about it, but, without creating an atmosphere where "fat is bad" and have them get a complex about it. This is such a thin line...maybe I should see a nutritionist.
Reply from Unwanted, Child's Age 11 - 04/16/04 - IP#: 152.163.252.xxx I too am overwieght. My two daughters are also overweight. I tell them eat healthy foods but it seems the more i say that i eat unhealthy foods. i am setting a bad example for my two daughters. my husband and i are. he also is overweight.
Reply from Tara, Child's Age 8 - 08/29/02 - IP#: 216.76.186.xxx Hello, my heart goes out to you all. I have a daughter that is over weight too, but she has lost some pounds and she is still working hard to lose more. For one i have made this a family thing for her, i am eating right too along with exercising with her. I have cut out going to fast foods, eating fried foods and alot of fat period, NO SODAS. She and i eat more bake foods and i make sure that we eat dinner before 7p.m. everyday now. I must say this my daughter has a sleeping disorder and she has to sleep with a machine called a cpap to help her to breath right at night, god knows this is no happy feeling at all. God knows i am working hard to help her and she is doing great. If you would like to know some of the things i am doing to help her please feel free to email me MZ_HONEY29@YAHOO.COM. THANKS AND TAKE CARE AND I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK WITH HELPING YOUR CHILD. P.S. YOU AS THE PARENT HAVE TO TRY AND WORK HARD TO HELP YOUR CHILD, STOP BUYING THE FATTY JUNK FOODS AND REPLACE THEM WITH HEALTHY SNACKS. ANOTHER TOO, WE CAN'T TELL OUR CHILD NOT TO EAT THIS OR THAT, IF WE ARE GOING TO EAT THE FOODS WE ARE TELLING THEM NOT TO EAT...THATS NOT RIGHT KIDS LEARN FROM EXAMPLES.
Reply from chantal, Child's Age 17 - 04/12/02 - IP#: 207.164.143.xxx hi! i was reading your story and i was very touched.. i was once an obese child and ppl do hurt us and call us names this society is cruel and we need to do something about it! ar 13 yrs old i weighed 198! then went to my pediatrician and he then tells me i have type 2 diabetes that changed my life drastically thank God my mom worked in diets and she helped me on my way to where i am now! i now weigh around 135 i feel super and i overcame the diabetes. i exercise everyday work out at the gym.. play lots of sports! drink lots of water and only eat 3 meals a day.. i dont starve myself i eat healthy like everyone should! thanx to my mom i am here where i am now! a good healthy snack for your daughter is popcorn fruits and veggies! i hope i am a little help to helping your daughter succeed in her weightloss! feel free to email me anytime! volleygirl5518@hotmail.com well bye for now tell your daughter to smile it's free i know its hard to stay focus when the ppl around u are mean and bullies but look deep down and your heart and have faith! Say it with me!! I CAN DO IT!!! take it easy! byez!
Reply from Anna, Child's Age 10 - 02/23/02 - IP#: 63.102.228.xxx Trick ur children! Tell them that the price of gas whent up for cars and u need to walk to the store and u need there help."Foget" to by chips. Pull the cable cord out every so offten and say the tv needs to be fix. Thyis will work.
Reply from Amy, Child's Age 12 - 02/04/02 - IP#: 62.7.111.xxx I believe that these baby steps are well but you should not pressure rise them (I'm not saying you are!) But your children should make a compremise with them like: Monday: Good healthy day Tuesday: 1 pack of crisps and healthy day Wednesday:1 chocolate bar and 15 more mins of exersize and a good healthy day Thursday:treat day. Friday: a exersize activty like swimming.(it'll give them a laugh seeing you in your old cozie!) Sat and Sun: Healty,yet still some crisps and chocolate bar. Hope I helped on this! P.S Please remember that you can't be to health freackish with them as it may cause to Anorexia and Buliema, andnobody wants that to happen, do they?
Reply from Sue, Child's Age 12 - 01/26/02 - IP#: 62.64.219.xxx Shari, You have to start somewhere and 'baby steps' are a good start. I believe that with kids it shouldn't be drastic. It will be difficult for them at first and you because you will bear the brunt of it and be seen at first as the bad mommy for changing their eating habits but in the long run they will thank you for it and it sounds like you know you are doing the right thing. At first my daughter lost 2 pounds a week and then it slowed right down and some weeks she lost nothing even though she had been following the diet. It was disheartening for her but she knew that we were looking at the big picture i.e. over months and not weeks. Your daughters have more weight to lose than she did so in theory it should come off more quickly. One thing I should add is that in our situation we never aimed for her to be skinny at the end of it because that is not her natural body shape and that would have involved going without too much of the food that she loved. Anyway, good luck to you all.
Reply from Shari, Child's Age 11 - 01/24/02 - IP#: 64.8.1.xxx I have an appointment with a nutritionist on Friday (tomorrow). The first appointment is just with myself, then the next appointment the kids will join me. I've been talking to my kids about their weight and the health problems involved. They both already have high blood pressure. I've even started saying "that's enough" when they eat or even "no" when they want something. After school, we have started exercising, maybe 15 minutes, but, it's a start. Also, I have told them NO TV until after dinner. I know these are all baby steps right now, but, it's a start.
Reply from Sue, Child's Age 12 - 01/21/02 - IP#: 62.64.221.xxx Shari, I don't think it is about avoiding creating an atmosphere where 'fat is bad' but more that 'healthy eating is good'. Your children won't thank you for it when they get older and find they perhaps get health problems because of their obesity. It sounds hard and cruel but by allowing their bad eating habits to continue you really are setting them up to be very unhealthy adults. You obviously love your kids and I think all parents have this battle over their kids spending too much time on the computer, me included. But I do think you have to be cruel to be kind. It will be very difficult at first but just keep reminding yourself that you are doing it for their best interests in the long run. They may not be getting teased and may be popular kids but I cannot believe that you want them to grow up to be overweight and unhealthy adults, which is what is going to happen unless you do something about it now. You obviously want to do something about it because you took the first step and wrote in. One step at a time. You say you are all overweight. Well, then you can all change your eating habits together. I think you first have to sit them down and try and get them to understand that you are worried about their health if they continue to gain weight. It is actually easier if the whole family decide to eat healthier together. You do have to try and get them to buy into the idea that as a family you all weigh too much and want to be healthier. Not necessarily that 'thin' is good. Also, allow for the fact that some children and adults are naturally bigger due to bone structure or metabolism so don't aim for too much weight loss. Be realistic. It will be very hard at first because you have to completely change the way you are feeding your family. It may be that the portions are way too big or that there is too much fat in their diet. It sounds like they don't exercise enough but even a little walking can help. Any diet is hard work, particularly at first and there are nearly always set backs but that doesn't mean that you have to stop. I would first advise you to visit the doctor and get professional advice on what they should weigh for their height and age. Then get advice on how much fat and how many calories roughly they should be consuming. If it turns out that they are eating twice what they should be eating then no wonder they are gaining weight. But don't reduce their calorie and fat intake too dramatically at first but gradually. You have to keep a check on what they are eating (very boring but otherwise you won't know that they are exceeding what they should be eating. The next step is easy. Stop buying fattening potato chips, cookies etc. Try and get lower calorie ones or make them. You can get lots of lower fat snacks but don't have the fattening stuff in the house. Stock up on healthy nibbles - carrots, celery, jello. They will no doubt protest loudly at first but after a while will get used to it. Get advice on how to cook lower calorie foods or do what I did and cheat and buy them. There is loads of stuff on the Internet and most of the time the kids won't know the difference. There is no easy way to do this unfortunately and the whole thing is an education in how to eat healthily. In my case my daughter was getting bigger and bigger and then I found out that the portions of food I was giving her were twice what she should have been eating. She loves her food and I loved seeing her enjoy her food so I kept feeding her more. Anyway, good luck.
