Our kids wieght ... Our JOB.

Caitlin - posted on 02/06/2010

Over weight/obese children don't make themselves that way, that's for sure! My son is almost a year and loves foods, I know it'd be an easy babysitter to keep him snacking but to me, that's laziness. What's easiest is NOT right. I'm a young mom, I don't need to worry about my weight but being a mom means setting proper examples (monkey see monkey do).

I'm really glad this topic was brought up because it is OUR responsibility to show our children what's appropriate eating and exercise.

Anna - posted on 02/06/2010

I agree, people should give their kids a fighting chance by trying to instill good eating habits, etc. I read a really interesting article in Parents magazine a few months ago. It was about raising kids who love vegetables, and one of the things they had in there was a list compiled by experts, of various classifications of veggies that every kid should eat BEFORE they are 1 year of age in order to find most vegetables palatable for life. It's a long list, but I definitely see their point. Many people don't think much beyond green beans, peas, squash, carrots, and corn when it comes to what their kids are exposed to as babies, but those veggies don't even cover half the areas.

With our daughter, we didn't expose her to as great a variety of veggies as we did our second, and to this day, at the age of 6, we have to fight her on it. No, she's not obese. She's actually tiny. Even so, her eating habits suck, and it's probably our fault.

With our son, we exposed him to as wide a variety of veggies as we could, eggplants, spinach, peppers, collard greens, tomatillos, you name it. We made sure to get as wide a variety of veggies into him as we possibly could, and so far, it's really paid off. He's 13 months, and eats WAY better than his sister ever did. Last night, at Outback, he ate his steamed vegetables ALL UP, and left like half his chicken. When our waiter tried to take his plate before he got the last broccoli off it, he SCREAMED. Our boy loves vegetables, and I think he will be a healthy eater for life, because we exposed him to a wide variety of veggies as a baby, and allowed him to develop the palate for it.

We do not make our kids clean their plates, but they must TRY every food, at least two bites. We only eat brown carbs (homemade whole wheat bread, organic brown rice, etc), lots of veggies, and minimal meat (now... we were vegetarians for five years). My husband and I both set a good example, too, as neither of us is even close to overweight. I think that's important, too. The kids have to have a good example set for them, AND be raised on proper nutrition. If they develop a taste for whole grains, veggies, and lean meats such as fish, early in life, then they will carry that with them. I certainly have. This is the way I was raised, too, and I certainly believe in it.

Rita - posted on 02/06/2010

Usually when a child is obese, so is the PCG. I saw a special on Dr. Phil the other day on an obese 4 yo, when they showed the mother, she was nearly 500 pounds herself. The parents admitted it was "so much easier to pick up McDonalds, than go home and prepare a meal".

I hope no one blasts me for this post, but it is true, we make eating choices for ourselves and our kids. I think it is much harder as the kids become teens, and make their choices...I am talking about little ones. In 3rd world countries where food is scarce, there is usually not an obesity problem with the population.

Most obesity is truely poor nutritional choices, and a lack of exercise.....

I have never seen a contestant on the biggest loser who didnt loose weight when they exercised and ate properly. I never heard one of the trainers ever send a contestant home because they had a "genetical" form of obesity....and there was nothing they could do for it. A genetical form....just means you need to really be strict with your eating and exercise, and not make excuses!

Believe me...I have to work at it very hard every day. If I dont...I will gain!