Anyone have Chubby Children and are concerned 4 them as well

Jackie218

I feel terrible cause ive been so into myself when it comes to this weightloss, and my daughter is 3 years old and has always been on the chubby side. Ive stopped eating junk food a while ago but yet i thought it was ok to still give her the same junk that ive banned myself from.. WHY? I HAVE NO IDEA ~ but i was being selfish i guess. So this week ive gotten rid of all the bad things that put me where i am. I wish i had not been so involved in myself and paid attention to what i was creating within her. The last thing that i want is for my daughter to feel and go thru the same thing i did being chubby as a kid and adult. The funny thing is that she doesnt have a problem eating whatever i give her so i dont know why i thought itd be okay to still give her junk food. i feel like an idiot but i will say that im proud of putting a stop to it now instead of later when she might have a hard time controlling herself.. Can anyone else relate?? :embarassed:

Papillon22

I don't have kids, but I'm super talented when it comes to being hard on myself :grumble:
I'd say to stop beating yourself up for the past. You've now realized that you can do things better, and you're doing it! So, Congrats! That little girl is very lucky to have you as her mom.

bluefox9er

kids are incredibly active...and the great thing is, they LOVE being active for the most part. I have a slightly chubby niece whose parents give her way too much cheese and treats, but I make darned sure i'll have her in the backyard playing soccer and running after me...she's only 6, but she does enjoy being outdoors, so i don't really say anything to my brother about how he feeds her.....YET :-)

trilikeagirl

I'd say to stop beating yourself up for the past. You've now realized that you can do things better, and you're doing it! So, Congrats! That little girl is very lucky to have you as her mom.

What she said.

Diary_Queen

I used to let my children wild with food. They could have whatever they wanted whenever they wanted and I most often saw them with their head stuck in the fridge. Now that I've made a healthy change for myself, I have much less concern for their weight. One of my twins is huge.... He's tall for his age (the tallest in his class and wears a size 8/10 as a first grader). The other of my twins is smaller and kind of willowy - a very gymnastics type physique. My kids now know that it's okay to ask for fruits and veggies, but that other things aren't as healthy. I'm proud when they ask for veggies while grocery shopping. I bet you would be proud of your child as well. Give her the chance and you might be surprised what she would like/ ask for )))

coatsie79

The main thing is you have recognised this and addressed it, because so many parents don't. You should be proud that you and your little girl are leading a healthy life and you'll have a longer life together as a result.

techymum

Your a great Mom - she will be just fine :-)

FairyMiss

having a little concern with my son right now, 12 years. he among other issues is ADHD and has been on meds, with most of his meds i could NOT get weight on him and never had to worry much, he was always skin and bones, last year his meds were changed and this one is not affecting his growth or weight (went from 80 to over 100 in less then a year) so now he is getting chubby, and its hard to limit his eating since he is used to being allowed to eat anything he wanted. been trying to keep alot more fruits in his reach and hiding the sweets and only alowing them VERY limited

azlady7

as a mom i know the regret can suck when we make mistakes....and yes we all make them, so there are lots of us to relate to. Your doing good now with it and she will be fine in the long run no matter if she is chubby or thin cause she has a mom who loves her! good job

ltlane

i have been yo-yo dieting for the past 2 years and i have 2 daughters. my 5 year old is 3'6 and 45lbs.. my oldest is 11 and in 2 years she has gained 20lbs she is not obese but she is 10-15lbs over. i dont know what she should weigh she is about 4'6 110lbs. i know she is growing but we are on the shorter side. i dont know if it was a growth spurt or what but i dont force her to exercise with me, she does often and yes she does still eat junk because she is a kid but she isnt consistent like i have been the past month, since joing mfp. i started gaining weight at 14 and by the time i was 18 i was obese. i dont want either of my children to deal with what i have. my life growing up is completely different from theres so they wont necessarily get as big as me but i would like to encourage the exercise and staying within a healthy weight.

akgrl1020

I think you are an amazing mom! It is so hard for us sometimes, as moms, to remember to take care of ourselves, and we put everyone else before our own needs. We can take better care of our loved ones, when we meet our own needs first! Because you have learned for yourself, you can now guide your daughter to make healthy choices! You should be proud of yourself!

emmabeckemeyer1

Your a great Mom - she will be just fine :-)

I agree! You see your mistake and are now taking steps to improve! You are a great mom!

I am working on the same thing with my daughter...luckily she is not picky

Zeromilediet

I'd say to stop beating yourself up for the past. You've now realized that you can do things better, and you're doing it! So, Congrats! That little girl is very lucky to have you as her mom.

What she said.

Ditto this. Time to move forward in a new direction--kids 3+ are old enough to start learning about what is a healthy food choice and what is not. Educate her at home so when she's older and facing all the temptations and choices available, she'll have the knowledge to make the right choices.

CARNAT22

I wouldn't outright ban anything but maybe just limit the not so good food you have at home.

My folks always let us have chocolate and fizzy drinks but only ever bought the fun size version (we get them here in the UK) so we had a little junk now and then. *I am the only one of us 4 kids that has had to lose weight by the way my 2 bro's and sis are all naturally thin and taller than me*

Once you put a total ban on something you may set up an unhealthy realationship with food but well done you OP for addressing some issues and trying to improve both your eating habits and your daughters.

bflicker11

I can totally relate but with an older child. My son is 19 and is considered obese. He started to gain weight when he began earning his own money. With freedom and money came fast food and chinese food ALL the time. So even when I cooked dinner, he'd go buy junk. I've read how to handle this which is to be a good role model. I don't bring crap into the house and tend to cook meals at home. I once weighed 233 so I know what it's like to be so heavy and feel bad about myself. It hurts to think he feels that way. I invite him to the gym and to go walking but he's not mentally ready yet.

I think being a good role model and cooking healthy is great for parents with little ones. Good luck!!

patsyanne

Keep at this Mom--get rid of that junk and she will be happy with fruits and veggies. A treat once in awhile is ok also. Keep her activity so that she burns the calories.

igora_soma

I think you're so awesome Jackie! I wish my parents had realized what you realize now. She's still a baby and I'm sure that you will teach her good eating and fitness habits to last a life time.

Try not to be hard on yourself, you've come a long way and every day we learn something new!

vim_n_vigor

My kids are not chubby, so that is not a concern. I do let them have a wide variety of treats. Their nutritional needs are different from ours, and they do need fats for healthy development. We talk about the snacks that they have. If they have a sometimes food (you can guess what kinds of food go here), then we talk through having a healthier choice snack for the next one. Once in a while we will buy pop tarts (a few times a year). My son ate one for breakfast one day, and for lunch - his choice - he announced that he needed to have a good healthy salad because his breakfast wasn't healthy. He had a beautiful spinach salad filled with a variety of fruits and veggies. He is learning that there are food that are really healthy and make him healthy, and that there are foods that are not healthy, but can be fun and still be part of his diet in moderation. If he can learn that lesson, I have done my job.

Dtho5159

So far, Ive been lucky. Both my kids get their metabolism from their dad. My husband is 5'8 and 137lb. My son is 6 and 4 foot and 40lb and my daughter is almost 4 and 3ft and only 29lb.

azlady7

having a little concern with my son right now, 12 years. he among other issues is ADHD and has been on meds, with most of his meds i could NOT get weight on him and never had to worry much, he was always skin and bones, last year his meds were changed and this one is not affecting his growth or weight (went from 80 to over 100 in less then a year) so now he is getting chubby, and its hard to limit his eating since he is used to being allowed to eat anything he wanted. been trying to keep alot more fruits in his reach and hiding the sweets and only alowing them VERY limited

my son gained weight around puberty as well (same age) and went from lean to chubby in just a few months. He was teased relentlessly at school too. I am blessed to have a motivated child though, and he lost all his weight in just a few short months through karate, swimming and light weight lifting. He is now 15 and at his ideal weight. He was totally motivated and this was before I became motivated lol. I also limited video game time and through me not buying anymore junk for the house, he naturally eats well and is pretty much habit for him now. Basically what i am saying is, puberty may be causing this and he may out grow it in a year, but also finding good cardio activities he loves will help too. good luck

Jenna_D

My oldest was chubby at 3, and I was very concerned that it was the fried chicken nuggets and such she ate every time we went out. She hit a growth spurt and it all evened out, but I think she's always going to be like me and always have issues with weight gain if she eats badly. We had the problem that I stocked only healthy foods and snacks at home, but going out was a different story. Free Cookie every week when grocery shopping, fried chicken at least 2-3 times a week, and not nearly enough fruits and veggies. Since cutting down on eating out, and when we do trying to opt with sharing our entree instead of choosing those often unhealthy kids entrees, there's been a great improvement. I also go shopping twice a week to make sure we're always stocked with plenty of fruits and veggies.
Now I have the opposite problem. I'll make my kids sliced fruit and healthy lunches, but don't take the time to do it for myself! Trying to make sure I take the time out for myself, too, and not just going for a quick reheat of leftovers.

crystalslight

My kids are skinny as rails. But I still want to feed them healthy foods. Not that they don't ever get fast food or junk food. They do but not very often. It's all about balance.

nessajk

You sound so kind! I'm not a mom, but I understand how hard this can be. My own mother went overboard and had me dieting hardcore by 8 years old, and I was never fat! The result was me stealing and hiding food, and seeing myself as overweight when I wasn't.

You are really doing the best thing by modeling good behavior. If you eat good foods, feed the same to your kid. Children imitate what they see every day. You have the opportunity now to show your child how great healthy eating is, how it tastes great, and how you are so glad you do it!

Good for you!

MrsSpratt

I have a daughter the same age and I think the important thing is to instill in them good habits now before bad ones start to form. One of the reasons I am trying to lose weight is so I can be a good model for her. And, also, no matter how bad I feel about myself, I never, never let her hear me talk about it. I do not want to give her the same hang-ups I have. F-A-T is a word we spell around here.

AlyRoseNYC

My DD has phases. RIght now, she is going through a major growth spurt (height wise) and is thinning out a lot. I also cut out most of the juice and she drinks mostly water now with one or two small servings (4-6 ounces) of juice or milk. She is only three though. Once her growth slows down a bit, I'll know where she really stands. As of right now, she is pretty much "average" as far as the percentiles go for height and weight for children.

Seriously, I can do without the rapid growth spurts though. She has a wide foot (thanks to me) and I have to buy her shoes from Stide Rite. $40 a pair (and I buy a couple of pairs of shoes) every couple of months is not pleasant.

martinah4

I feel terrible cause ive been so into myself when it comes to this weightloss, and my daughter is 3 years old and has always been on the chubby side. Ive stopped eating junk food a while ago but yet i thought it was ok to still give her the same junk that ive banned myself from.. WHY? I HAVE NO IDEA ~ but i was being selfish i guess. So this week ive gotten rid of all the bad things that put me where i am. I wish i had not been so involved in myself and paid attention to what i was creating within her. The last thing that i want is for my daughter to feel and go thru the same thing i did being chubby as a kid and adult. The funny thing is that she doesnt have a problem eating whatever i give her so i dont know why i thought itd be okay to still give her junk food. i feel like an idiot but i will say that im proud of putting a stop to it now instead of later when she might have a hard time controlling herself.. Can anyone else relate?? :embarassed:

Don't beat yourself up! You've made a good choice, and she still young enough that her habits can easily be changed! I have 4 year old and a 7 year old boys who were both 11 pounds 3 oz when born. The seven year old is now tall and thin (54 pounds), and the 4 year old is 94% for weight and 86% for height. He's tall and muscular. It's a lot of genetics (I'm 5'9", my husband is 6'6"), and they also eat very well--lots of salads, fruits, protein. My advice to you is don't completely cut out her junk food. Make sure she eats healthy, and snacks are nutritious, but don't completely deprive her of sweets or chips. Also, I think it's great that she see's you eating healthy and excercising...I think it sets a good example for her to take care of her self and her body--that treating your body well is a good thing. Maybe try not to grumble and complain about your self or body in front of her. They'll go through the self-image stuff soon enough (as early as 3rd grade, from what I'm hearing). Good luck!

FairyMiss

having a little concern with my son right now, 12 years. he among other issues is ADHD and has been on meds, with most of his meds i could NOT get weight on him and never had to worry much, he was always skin and bones, last year his meds were changed and this one is not affecting his growth or weight (went from 80 to over 100 in less then a year) so now he is getting chubby, and its hard to limit his eating since he is used to being allowed to eat anything he wanted. been trying to keep alot more fruits in his reach and hiding the sweets and only alowing them VERY limited

my son gained weight around puberty as well (same age) and went from lean to chubby in just a few months. He was teased relentlessly at school too. I am blessed to have a motivated child though, and he lost all his weight in just a few short months through karate, swimming and light weight lifting. He is now 15 and at his ideal weight. He was totally motivated and this was before I became motivated lol. I also limited video game time and through me not buying anymore junk for the house, he naturally eats well and is pretty much habit for him now. Basically what i am saying is, puberty may be causing this and he may out grow it in a year, but also finding good cardio activities he loves will help too. good luck

fortunatly his dance year just started and the two teachers he has really push him, he has physical and mental disabilties, and these to do not let him play on that. the only bad thing is , one of these teachers is going to be out for a few months (due to have a baby any minute now) . the physical issues also limit his activities, he has tried other, but has not been treated well because of his movement issues

martinah4

My DD has phases. RIght now, she is going through a major growth spurt (height wise) and is thinning out a lot. I also cut out most of the juice and she drinks mostly water now with one or two small servings (4-6 ounces) of juice or milk. She is only three though. Once her growth slows down a bit, I'll know where she really stands. As of right now, she is pretty much "average" as far as the percentiles go for height and weight for children.

Seriously, I can do without the rapid growth spurts though. She has a wide foot (thanks to me) and I have to buy her shoes from Stide Rite. $40 a pair (and I buy a couple of pairs of shoes) every couple of months is not pleasant.

We're trying to transition the kids over to drinking more water, and phasing out the juice. They only have soda on rare occasions. We got them some cool water bottles, and psyched them up about taking their water bottles to school and everywhere. So, that seems to help them get more water in their bodies all day! My daughter, 6 years, is super-tiny, and the food issue is actually getting her to eat faster. She'll eat anything you give her, but it takes her forever! Must be the whole diva/prima donna thing, LOL...I think she'd make me fan her and feed her grapes if she were in charge!

ingeh

Iv got a 4month old son and I want to get myself into a good routine with healthy choices and exercise so he follows my example.

AlyRoseNYC

Iv got a 4month old son and I want to get myself into a good routine with healthy choices and exercise so he follows my example.

That's great that you are thinking about it early in his life. A lot of times, parents wait till there is a problem before addressing it. *looks around then hangs head in shame* lol

I noticed a while ago that my daughter was always asking for junk food. I realized that I had exposed her to too much of it. It took a few months, but she will choose home cooked meals, strawberries, bananas, and oranges over junk food...most of the time! lol. But my efforts have made a tremendous difference. Now she sees me going on walks and doing exercise videos and she joins me. It's so cute ...Except when she wants to start picking up the dumb bells ha ha ha

MABmom

Personally, I had a mom that was really strict about what she ate but gave my brother and I tons of junk. I think because she was limiting herself and kind of living vicariously though us. We were really active as kids but after college when I got a job and sat all day is when my weight problem really took off. So you really don't want to over feed kids junk because those taste habits are really hard to break (as we all know.)

On the other hand, totally limiting can also be a bad idea. Kids want what they can't have so they will gobble down tons of junk when they can get it, giving themselves a habit of over indulging on the junk.

You know your kids best and how much they should be given treats. If you have questions ask his doctor. Kids tend to gain weight before a period of growth so if she looks like she is getting chubby all of a sudden it may be that she is getting ready to out grown all her clothes and shoes.