What do you tell your young kids about your weight loss?

dopeysmelly

I've lost a very visible amount of weight (15% of my body weight.. YIPPEE!) since the end of January, and I have about 20-25 lbs to go, but I haven't really discussed this with my 8 year-old daughter beyond that I'm working on getting healthier. I am very aware that daughters in particular watch their mothers' eating habits and can model their own on what they see. My daughter is VERY observant, although she hasn't said anything, and somewhat of a perfectionist, so like a typical parent I'm paranoid that she'll develop an eating disorder later. She currently has a very healthy attitude to food and her body and I want to keep it that way.

How have others approached what to tell their kids (daughters in particular)?

IsabellaGiano

My daughter is 5, but I shared your apprehension that she could pick the wrong idea that "food is bad" or something like that.

So, I told her almost since the beginning that I was going to be healthier so that I could play better with her and I always found a way to tell her how she is perfectly made, how her body is as it should be.
I told her that I was overweight because I ate too much, while she was eating the right amount, since she is also very active.
We discussed the idea of "energy" from food, and she seems quite satisfied by my explanations.

My daughter became my best supporter, she checks my progress and doesn't seem bothered at all with her food intake or whatever. So, let's hope!

lrmiller29

My story of weight loss is very similar to yours and I have 2 daughters - 7yo and 11yo. As I changed my eating habits and started exercising I told them that I was trying to be healthier so that I would have more energy and live longer. I told them that I had to exercise because I didn't get to go to phys ed when I was at work, like they do at school. We discuss eating in moderation - that it is okay to have sweets/chips but you have to balance it with fruits and veggies also.

My 7yo does ask a lot of questions so I have just answered them as they come. I try really hard to keep the focus on health vs. weight loss.

Becoming_A_Butterfly

I have four stepchildren, and I want very much to keep my weight loss positive and help them see exercise as fun, not as drudgery to burn calories. I rarely, if ever, say anything about my weight loss efforts, because I don't want them becoming obsessive about weight. So when I work out, I tell them it's fun, and they join me sometimes, which is great. When we are at the park, I make sure they see me running around and playing there too, so they see that all forms of activity can be fun. I tell them I just want to be healthier. I never, ever let them hear me moan about being fat, or how something I ate was bad, or any of the negative things that I don't want them to pick up.

My approach is to keep it as positive as possible and focus on being strong and active and confident.

emirror

I told mine that I was eating only enough food as my body needs, and not more than that. I told her that the more we play, the more we need to eat. After that, we talked about being able to run far and/or fast, and having muscles, and feeling healthy.

dopeysmelly

Thanks for the reassurance and ideas!