From Tom, Child's Age 14 - 08/26/23 - IP#: 172.99.190.xxx Click here to reply
I recently wrote here that my boys 9 and 14 are very chubby (fat). well, me and my ex-wife are not the best role models when it comes to eating habits. but I want to avoid that my boys have the same fate as me in the future. who can advice me?
Reply from Cathy, Child's Age 16 - 11/21/23 - IP#: 174.235.211.xxx OMG...we are the same. I try to be a good role model, but we both end up falling off the wagon. I try to be positive and not negative, but she knows how hard it is.
Reply from Eric, Child's Age 14 - 09/27/23 - IP#: 78.156.5.xxx Yeah, endless fighting over physical activity is no good. I try to encourage some activity and it usually works ok, but I am not a good example myself.
Reply from Thomas, Child's Age 12 - 09/20/23 - IP#: 87.177.5.xxx Benjamin and I just love food too much. When I eat then I don't want to forbid him to eat. Of course I recommend him not to eat too much and to do a little physical activity. Sometimes he resists. Then I let him have his way. I also don't want to argue with him all the time. He seems happy overall and that makes me happy and that is the main thing.
Reply from Eric, Child's Age 14 - 09/16/23 - IP#: 78.156.5.xxx I did not want that fight every day, plus I am a bad role model myself. I kinda decided to let them eat like they want to and to motivate for doing reasonable choices on what to eat and to do some physical activity. Not always successful, but on average usually works well here.
Reply from Tom, Age 14 - 09/15/23 - IP#: 167.88.62.xxx Thanks for the answers, I see you all have the same problems as me. How do you deal with it if you notice that your child is consciously overeating?
Reply from Eric, Child's Age 14 - 09/03/23 - IP#: 46.9.172.xxx Yeah, it can really be a struggle! I am a bad role model myself. Can't blame anything except a love of food and always been big myself, currently at around 425 lbs. For example today we went shopping, and that came with a visit to the drive-through on the way home. My mobility is no problem at all, though.
Reply from Ashley, Child's Age 16 - 09/02/23 - IP#: 172.56.200.xxx I think we all struggle with this. My husband is around 470-500lbs, and he really struggles with his mobility, and feels very guilty because he knows our boys (twins who are 16 and a 12 year old) often follow his lead. It is hard, because he isn’t a good role model, he eats a lot of fast food and crap as much as he wants to be a good role model. My husband was very much abused as a child (including starvation and sexual abuse) and a lot of his bad habits are a response to that abuse, so it really isn’t just so simple as people make it seem. We have stopped with the fast food though over the past month, which is a huge step forward. My husband used to take the kids through the drive through and they would buy a crazy amount of stuff - 2-3 meals each - and eat it in the parking lot. We stopped after the twins doctor visit where they weight in at 325 and 350lbs, which was a real scare because a year before neither was over 300lbs. I don’t know if they have really been eating less, or have lost weight (I am really bad at determining weight and good luck getting any of the boys on a scale - they act like it is the boogeyman), but we are eating healthier. My husband does want to get the surgery at some point, and knows he needs to lose some weight before hand, so I am very proud of him for moving forward with this step. Next thing is soda, but that might be a bit harder lol.
Reply from Eric, Child's Age 14 - 09/02/23 - IP#: 78.156.5.xxx Aha, that sounds like a tasty breakfast! The hotcakes are really tasty too indeed, I have to admit!
Reply from James, Child's Age 15 - 09/01/23 - IP#: 193.187.128.xxx Normally it's a large sausage mcgriddle meal with iced tea. He's been asking for the hotcakes too but I'm hesitant to give into that but he does really want it... I would definetly suggest trying the fries and mcchicken sauce combo. It's really dorn tasty i can't deny that.
Reply from Eric, Child's Age 14 - 09/02/23 - IP#: 78.156.5.xxx Oh, that was an unususal combination! We usually only get a normal large meal each, sometimes with extras like extra fries, milkshake, a small burger or something else. What do you usually get for breakfast?
Reply from James, Child's Age 15 - 09/01/23 - IP#: 193.187.128.xxx Feah he loves it. Especially the mcckicken sauce. When we get it he always makes sure we get a bunch of packs on that and he'll smother it on his burgers and fries... it's almost funny how much he puts on sometimes :p we do have take out as snacks pretty regularly though. He's convinced me to get breakfast through the drivethru on the way to school, and i figure we will keep that up this coming school year because of how much he enjoys it
Reply from Eric, Child's Age 14 - 09/02/23 - IP#: 78.156.5.xxx He definitely would be! Does he like eating fast food like McD? I have a terrible weakness for fast food that seems ro have been copiee by the boys, so we go to fast food places a few times a week. Try to cook dinner at home though, but easily do a snack while shopping or so at a fast food joint.
Reply from James, Child's Age 15 - 09/01/23 - IP#: 193.187.128.xxx That's a good point, he'd have to be on his feet a lot if he worked there. I myself am a bit hefty but not extremely overweight. I could lose some weight to be a good example I guess, but I love my sugar too ahahaho
Reply from Eric, Child's Age 14 - 09/02/23 - IP#: 78.156.5.xxx Yeah, we had chocolate milk available all the time since they were small kids, so it is just a preference here, in addition to soda. Like I said he might be heavier now, but haven't gotten much taller lately. Still a bit left to grow taller, I think, as I am over 6ft. A job at McD sounds good? If you are worried about him doing too little physical activity, it will be good for that as well, I think!
Reply from James, Child's Age 15 - 09/01/23 - IP#: 193.187.128.xxx Yeah, mine loves his chocolate milk as well. Well it's good that he is growing in proportion to his weight. I guess he's just been eating more to keep up with the height eh? I know my boy has been ttinking about getting a job ot mcdonalds. Part of me thinks it's just so he could have free food there.
Reply from Eric, Child's Age 14 - 09/02/23 - IP#: 78.156.5.xxx I don't really think it has stabilized as he is getting taller and also heavier, but I don't want to make it a big thing with weighing and measuring. He just looks kinda the same as before the summer while the 10 year old is noticeably bigger. We do drink soda, yeah. That, and chocolate milk, and we all love making sandwiches and toast. PE class is not a favorite for my boys either, though I suspect they don't really do a lot in these classes. We occasionally go for a walk, but most of the time they are sedentary too, with books, series, movies and video games.
Reply from James, Child's Age 15 - 09/01/23 - IP#: 193.187.128.xxx At least the older one has stablized right? I think it's the sugar in soda and sweets plus empty carbs like sticky rice ond white bread that can really cause them to pet on weight. He's mostly sedentary. He really doesnt like physical activity much... a lot of video games and watching videos on his phone. He has even meen asking if I can gind a way to cet him out of going to gym class, going so far as to ask to do online school again. I'm tempted to let him because he does seem to learn better and get better grades that way, but I'm worried that if I take away that physical activity from going to school again he would get too big. Your boys are pretty big eh. Have you noticed anything in particular that could be causing the younger one to put on the weight? Do you guys drink soda? I find it so hard to say no when he asks for food and drink, hence why I'm tempted to stop holding back just so he can see what all that will do to him with no control.
Reply from Eric, Child's Age 14 - 09/02/23 - IP#: 78.156.5.xxx One aged 10, one 14. The 10 year old is 4'6 and weighs around 175 lbs while the 14 year old is 5'6 and around 350 lbs. The youngest has gotten bigger the last couple months while the oldest seems more stable. They are allowed to eat more or less what they want. Is your son active or sedentary?
Reply from James, Child's Age 15 - 09/01/23 - IP#: 193.187.128.xxx They, not he. You have sons not just one lol. What were their heights ages and weights?
Reply from James, Child's Age 15 - 09/01/23 - IP#: 193.187.128.xxx He's about 5 4 and around 310. Do you find that yours is putting on weight? Cas you tell on a month by month basis if he has?
Reply from Eric, Child's Age 14 - 09/01/23 - IP#: 78.156.5.xxx James, what is the age, weight and height of your son? My sons are allowed to eat pretty much what they want, and it works fine here.
Reply from James, Child's Age 15 - 09/01/23 - IP#: 91.214.67.xxx The way my son eats sometimes I think he wants to be fat. Part of me wonders if when the effects of his weight start to really show it will be a wake up call for him that things are easier if he loses weight. Like how when I wanted to smoke as a lad my brother made me smoke a whole pack of cigarettes and it made me sick so I was turned off by it.
Reply from Thomas, Child's Age 12 - 08/30/23 - IP#: 87.177.5.xxx I also think that the ratio to food should be normal, even if you weigh a little more. You should not starve. Sometimes even small things make a big difference. For example, if you stop drinking soda, it makes a difference. Going for a walk a little bit is also good. Are they active? How is their mobility?
Reply from Eric, Child's Age 14 - 08/26/23 - IP#: 78.156.5.xxx Everybody is surrounded by unhealthy food all the time, so it can be hard. Luckily we all here love to cook and bake, so we often make at least options that are not industrial/processed food. Vegetables can be delicious with a good sauce or baked with cream and cheese. Fruit as a dessert or snack alone or with home made vanilla sauce.
Reply from Tom, Child's Age 14 - 08/26/23 - IP#: 172.99.190.xxx i think everyone has the same problem: unhealthy food! if i give them fruit or vegetables, they will want pasta or pizza.
Reply from Eric, Child's Age 14 - 08/26/23 - IP#: 78.156.5.xxx I think most of us face that challenge. I have tried a few ideas, but always tend to land back on just trying to give them a healthy relationship to food and not concentrating a lot on weight. You can't control what a teenager eats anyway, but you can try to motivate for reasonably good choices. I ended on not controlling amounts, but trying to offer and motivate for reasonably healthy options. It does fail at times and they are both fat, but health is good. Which eating habits and fate are you thinking about?
