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Elementary School Gym teachers telling kids to restrict calories!
Replies
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estherdragonbat wrote: »Eating all your calories for the day and "having" to have a handful of nuts for supper IS disordered thinking. For those calories, teacher could easily have had a couple of eggs and some veggies and felt a lot more full.
So it's follow your're macros and meal plan, or hit the highway ?!
Some nuts or a spoon of PB satisfies hunger and you can save the hour spent on prepping, eating, and cleanup of your choice.5 -
There is an obesity epidemic in this country that impacts millions of children. I applaud the gym teacher for doing what she can to help at least some children educate themselves and make healthy decisions. Somebody needs to do it.3
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For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?4
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Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
My kids skip dinner when they are not hungry, or only eat a small portion.
Tonight my oldest was not hungry at dinner so he had a slice of ham and a few cucumbers.
Yesterday me second oldest was not hungry at dinner so he skipped it. At about 8or 9pm he did have a handful of nuts. We have a bowl of mixed nuts on the table. He probably had 1/2 a cup of nuts and then went to bed.
I find this a much better solution than eating when not hungry. I'm cool with it. My kids are all slim and active. They eat when they are hungry and don't eat when they are not. Mostly. They are all have a weight percentile below that of their height. For example, son #3 is at the 100th percentile for height but about 75% for weight.
At least once a week I skip dinner because I'm not hungry. Most days of the week I skip breakfast. It's not unhealthy, IMO.4 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
My kids skip dinner when they are not hungry, or only eat a small portion.
Tonight my oldest was not hungry at dinner so he had a slice of ham and a few cucumbers.
Yesterday me second oldest was not hungry at dinner so he skipped it. At about 8or 9pm he did have a handful of nuts. We have a bowl of mixed nuts on the table. He probably had 1/2 a cup of nuts and then went to bed.
I find this a much better solution than eating when not hungry. I'm cool with it. My kids are all slim and active. They eat when they are hungry and don't eat when they are not. Mostly. They are all have a weight percentile below that of their height. For example, son #3 is at the 100th percentile for height but about 75% for weight.
At least once a week I skip dinner because I'm not hungry. Most days of the week I skip breakfast. It's not unhealthy, IMO.
I get what you're saying, but not being hungry is different than grabbing a handful of almonds for dinner because you don't want to go over your calories. The previous poster was saying that as a parent, you wouldn't give your kids some nuts just because they over ate earlier.
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Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
My kids skip dinner when they are not hungry, or only eat a small portion.
Tonight my oldest was not hungry at dinner so he had a slice of ham and a few cucumbers.
Yesterday me second oldest was not hungry at dinner so he skipped it. At about 8or 9pm he did have a handful of nuts. We have a bowl of mixed nuts on the table. He probably had 1/2 a cup of nuts and then went to bed.
I find this a much better solution than eating when not hungry. I'm cool with it. My kids are all slim and active. They eat when they are hungry and don't eat when they are not. Mostly. They are all have a weight percentile below that of their height. For example, son #3 is at the 100th percentile for height but about 75% for weight.
At least once a week I skip dinner because I'm not hungry. Most days of the week I skip breakfast. It's not unhealthy, IMO.
That's not what I asked. I asked if you thought your kid had eaten enough (ie was "out of calories") would you tell them to have a handful of nuts rather than giving them dinner. The teachers wasn't advocating not eating if your not hungry, she was advocating not eating because you've run out of calories.1 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
My kids skip dinner when they are not hungry, or only eat a small portion.
Tonight my oldest was not hungry at dinner so he had a slice of ham and a few cucumbers.
Yesterday me second oldest was not hungry at dinner so he skipped it. At about 8or 9pm he did have a handful of nuts. We have a bowl of mixed nuts on the table. He probably had 1/2 a cup of nuts and then went to bed.
I find this a much better solution than eating when not hungry. I'm cool with it. My kids are all slim and active. They eat when they are hungry and don't eat when they are not. Mostly. They are all have a weight percentile below that of their height. For example, son #3 is at the 100th percentile for height but about 75% for weight.
At least once a week I skip dinner because I'm not hungry. Most days of the week I skip breakfast. It's not unhealthy, IMO.
I get what you're saying, but not being hungry is different than grabbing a handful of almonds for dinner because you don't want to go over your calories. The previous poster was saying that as a parent, you wouldn't give your kids some nuts just because they over ate earlier.
I do stuff like that too. If they ate a lot earlier in the day, I make a lighter dinner. We've done veggies and dip before, or a hot dog and some carrot sticks.
So I guess I agree that I would not say "you ate a lot and therefore must eat nuts," but I don't think that's what the teacher was saying either.
I have said, we ate a lot so now we'll eat a small meal. I do consider nuts a fine meal still.0 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
My kids skip dinner when they are not hungry, or only eat a small portion.
Tonight my oldest was not hungry at dinner so he had a slice of ham and a few cucumbers.
Yesterday me second oldest was not hungry at dinner so he skipped it. At about 8or 9pm he did have a handful of nuts. We have a bowl of mixed nuts on the table. He probably had 1/2 a cup of nuts and then went to bed.
I find this a much better solution than eating when not hungry. I'm cool with it. My kids are all slim and active. They eat when they are hungry and don't eat when they are not. Mostly. They are all have a weight percentile below that of their height. For example, son #3 is at the 100th percentile for height but about 75% for weight.
At least once a week I skip dinner because I'm not hungry. Most days of the week I skip breakfast. It's not unhealthy, IMO.
That's not what I asked. I asked if you thought your kid had eaten enough (ie was "out of calories") would you tell them to have a handful of nuts rather than giving them dinner. The teachers wasn't advocating not eating if your not hungry, she was advocating not eating because you've run out of calories.
I don't agree with calorie counting in kids. They're growing, and not at a uniform rate, so that doesn't make sense. Some days they need a LOT of calories I do agree with eating less if you have already eaten a lot, which is what it sounded like the teacher was saying. She just put it in terms of calories/food energy. A fine thing to learn too.
If we snacked all afternoon, and ate a lot, we eat a light dinner because we ate a lot earlier.0 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
Of course not. They get what everyone else is having not special meals. Do people count calories for their kids?!
If you're teaching calorie counting (which I think is absurd but whatever) you have to give real world examples of what you do and how it works. If calorie counting is how you expect these kids to control their weight it needs to taught and modeled for them. Weight control doesn't happen by teaching a perfect textbook example of calorie counting. There are real, concrete things you do to achieve that ... like eating nuts for dinner because you overindulged earlier.0 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
My kids skip dinner when they are not hungry, or only eat a small portion.
Tonight my oldest was not hungry at dinner so he had a slice of ham and a few cucumbers.
Yesterday me second oldest was not hungry at dinner so he skipped it. At about 8or 9pm he did have a handful of nuts. We have a bowl of mixed nuts on the table. He probably had 1/2 a cup of nuts and then went to bed.
I find this a much better solution than eating when not hungry. I'm cool with it. My kids are all slim and active. They eat when they are hungry and don't eat when they are not. Mostly. They are all have a weight percentile below that of their height. For example, son #3 is at the 100th percentile for height but about 75% for weight.
At least once a week I skip dinner because I'm not hungry. Most days of the week I skip breakfast. It's not unhealthy, IMO.
That's not what I asked. I asked if you thought your kid had eaten enough (ie was "out of calories") would you tell them to have a handful of nuts rather than giving them dinner. The teachers wasn't advocating not eating if your not hungry, she was advocating not eating because you've run out of calories.
The teacher shared his personal experience, he didn't give them instructions to do exactly what he said.
Are you suggesting the teacher should lie when sharing their personal experience? There was nothing wrong with what he ate, nuts are healthy and have fat/protein to keep hunger at bay.2 -
Thing I find most hilarious in this thread: "zomg nuts?!? What is wrong with your eating disordered abloobloobloo!"
Want to know what my prebed snack was last night? About 160g of pumpkin puree with 40g of pecans. 75% of the calories were the nuts. Oh gods, I must have been starving myself.
Oh wait, it still took my being awake for three hours this morning before I was hungry.5 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
This might shock you, but my kids sometimes skip dinner if they are not hungry.
Crazy, right?
smh.3 -
coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
This might shock you, but my kids sometimes skip dinner if they are not hungry.
Crazy, right?
smh.
Read the question.
smh.2 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
This might shock you, but my kids sometimes skip dinner if they are not hungry.
Crazy, right?
smh.
Read the question.
smh.
Ok, if they had a big lunch, and only wanted a handful of nuts, why not?
IIFYM.0 -
coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
This might shock you, but my kids sometimes skip dinner if they are not hungry.
Crazy, right?
smh.
Read the question.
smh.
Ok, if they had a big lunch, and only wanted a handful of nuts, why not?
IIFYM.
"if they are not hungry."
" only wanted a handful of nuts"
The question has nothing to do with their hunger levels, or what they want - I asked if you decided the kid had had enough calories for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner.
The teacher wasn't teaching "Don't eat if you are not hungry" she was teaching that if you're out of calories, don't eat dinner.3 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
This might shock you, but my kids sometimes skip dinner if they are not hungry.
Crazy, right?
smh.
Read the question.
smh.
Ok, if they had a big lunch, and only wanted a handful of nuts, why not?
IIFYM.
"if they are not hungry."
" only wanted a handful of nuts"
The question has nothing to do with their hunger levels, or what they want - I asked if you decided the kid had had enough calories for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner.
The teacher wasn't teaching "Don't eat if you are not hungry" she was teaching that if you're out of calories, don't eat dinner.
Yes. I've cut my kids off of food when I know they've exceeded what they should be eating for a day. How is this odd?
Oh wait, I get it! In the US, food equals love, rather than just nutrition.4 -
coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
This might shock you, but my kids sometimes skip dinner if they are not hungry.
Crazy, right?
smh.
Read the question.
smh.
Ok, if they had a big lunch, and only wanted a handful of nuts, why not?
IIFYM.
"if they are not hungry."
" only wanted a handful of nuts"
The question has nothing to do with their hunger levels, or what they want - I asked if you decided the kid had had enough calories for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner.
The teacher wasn't teaching "Don't eat if you are not hungry" she was teaching that if you're out of calories, don't eat dinner.
Yes. I've cut my kids off of food when I know they've exceeded what they should be eating for a day. How is this odd?
Oh wait, I get it! In the US, food equals love, rather than just nutrition.
What makes you think I'm in the US? And you've not fed your kids dinner, when they're hungry, because you figure they've had enough fr the day? for real?2 -
Update: meeting was today. The principal totally agreed and has put a temporary stop to any nutritional teaching in gym until they can implement a new plan. The gym teacher .. didn't deny telling the kids that she went to bed hungry after consuming her calories for the day.. she did get very defensive.. which the principal said was wrong of her to do. On a side note he even said after she left the room that he didn't even agree with the way she was teaching fitness. I'm not sure why she's still employed.
Sorry, didn't see this until now. Glad you met with them. That was a good call.
As for why she's still employed- unless the teacher molests a kid, on camera, unions make it insanely difficult to fire someone, even when they are a terrible teacher.1 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
This might shock you, but my kids sometimes skip dinner if they are not hungry.
Crazy, right?
smh.
Read the question.
smh.
Ok, if they had a big lunch, and only wanted a handful of nuts, why not?
IIFYM.
"if they are not hungry."
" only wanted a handful of nuts"
The question has nothing to do with their hunger levels, or what they want - I asked if you decided the kid had had enough calories for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner.
The teacher wasn't teaching "Don't eat if you are not hungry" she was teaching that if you're out of calories, don't eat dinner.
Yes. I've cut my kids off of food when I know they've exceeded what they should be eating for a day. How is this odd?
Oh wait, I get it! In the US, food equals love, rather than just nutrition.
What makes you think I'm in the US? And you've not fed your kids dinner, when they're hungry, because you figure they've had enough fr the day? for real?
Well, I guess the attitude of "food == love" has gotten past the US too.
As for knowing if my kids had enough food for the day, well, since I send their lunch to school (Or the menu is openly available), know what they eat for breakfast, and keep tabs on what they eat, yes, I can figure if they've had enough for the day.
This is called "being a parent". ie, "No, you've had tons of food today already, you don't need that."
Thankfully, I don't run into this issue often, because, well, I've taught my kids how much they need to eat, and they don't gorge on food. If we're skipping dinner that day, it's likely because we were at a lunch party or something like that, and we're just not making dinner that evening.3 -
coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »For all the people saying she was doing the right thing - question. If you felt that your kid had had enough to eat for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner? Seeing as how your cool with them being taught that's a reasonable thing to do?
This might shock you, but my kids sometimes skip dinner if they are not hungry.
Crazy, right?
smh.
Read the question.
smh.
Ok, if they had a big lunch, and only wanted a handful of nuts, why not?
IIFYM.
"if they are not hungry."
" only wanted a handful of nuts"
The question has nothing to do with their hunger levels, or what they want - I asked if you decided the kid had had enough calories for the day, would you give them a handful of nuts instead of dinner.
The teacher wasn't teaching "Don't eat if you are not hungry" she was teaching that if you're out of calories, don't eat dinner.
Yes. I've cut my kids off of food when I know they've exceeded what they should be eating for a day. How is this odd?
Oh wait, I get it! In the US, food equals love, rather than just nutrition.
What makes you think I'm in the US? And you've not fed your kids dinner, when they're hungry, because you figure they've had enough fr the day? for real?
Well, I guess the attitude of "food == love" has gotten past the US too.
As for knowing if my kids had enough food for the day, well, since I send their lunch to school (Or the menu is openly available), know what they eat for breakfast, and keep tabs on what they eat, yes, I can figure if they've had enough for the day.
This is called "being a parent". ie, "No, you've had tons of food today already, you don't need that."
Thankfully, I don't run into this issue often, because, well, I've taught my kids how much they need to eat, and they don't gorge on food. If we're skipping dinner that day, it's likely because we were at a lunch party or something like that, and we're just not making dinner that evening.
Good for you. When our kids were little we limited the amount of food later in the day if they had a lot earlier.
They are on their 20's now, in what anyone would consider good shape and no eating issues.3
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