weight loss struggle with children
mygrl4meee
Posts: 943 Member
Does anyone have a child that they have issues with eating? My 11 year old son could eat us out of our house. He always wants to eat and we have been working on changing his eating habits.
We have stopped letting him eat just cereal. We make him choose between a fruit or a yogurt with his cereal which is a less now. We have him pretty busy so we haven't been hearing so much with snack time.
For dinner, we have pretty much stopped cooking extra meat so there isn't room for seconds. We most always do a veggie.
I take him to the YMCA about once a week or twice if it's a good week. He ends up having to walk home from the neighborhood school bus stop a couple time a week. We believe he is getting stronger and for the first time feel like we have a start to making him healthier. Anyone else have any struggles with children?
We have stopped letting him eat just cereal. We make him choose between a fruit or a yogurt with his cereal which is a less now. We have him pretty busy so we haven't been hearing so much with snack time.
For dinner, we have pretty much stopped cooking extra meat so there isn't room for seconds. We most always do a veggie.
I take him to the YMCA about once a week or twice if it's a good week. He ends up having to walk home from the neighborhood school bus stop a couple time a week. We believe he is getting stronger and for the first time feel like we have a start to making him healthier. Anyone else have any struggles with children?
0
Replies
-
I have a 14yr old that from about the age of 4, would help himself to things in the cupboard / fridge, if i have pack up biscuits in, they disappear very quickly if you dont watch him, most weeks if find wrappers behind cupboard, under beds etc
also have an 12 yr old that i cant seem to fill at the minute0 -
My 17 year old son helps himself to food but he is thin. My 11 year old doesn't sneak food that I am aware of but gets it from other people at times. We feel like we are beginning to get progress in some of his eating habits and that he is getting a workout here and there. The sad part is that he doesn't get gym and his grades have fallen a little bit since we have been getting the exersice on our own.0
-
I have children that we struggle with both aspects. Our 15 year old eats us out of house and home, but is he very fit and muscular. Our 9 year old would also eat us out of house and home if we would let her, she isn't fit and needs to get taller to balance her out, according to a child's based BMI she is obese. Then our 3-1/2 year old only ways 30lbs soaking wet, very tall for his age and just a stick and we can't get him to eat much of anything besides meat. It is a constant daily struggle getting the 15yr old to save food for the rest of us, getting the 9yr old to not have 2nds and 3rds because of her size and begging the 3yr to finish at least half of his meal.0
-
Does anyone have a child that they have issues with eating? My 11 year old son could eat us out of our house. He always wants to eat and we have been working on changing his eating habits.
We have stopped letting him eat just cereal. We make him choose between a fruit or a yogurt with his cereal which is a less now. We have him pretty busy so we haven't been hearing so much with snack time.
For dinner, we have pretty much stopped cooking extra meat so there isn't room for seconds. We most always do a veggie.
I take him to the YMCA about once a week or twice if it's a good week. He ends up having to walk home from the neighborhood school bus stop a couple time a week. We believe he is getting stronger and for the first time feel like we have a start to making him healthier. Anyone else have any struggles with children?
I have to ask this -
Has your child ever been formally diagnosed by a healthcare practitioner with these issues? Or is this what you feel?
Age 11, he could be coming up on puberty (if he hasnt already by age 9), he could be coming up on a major growth spurt and is developing a bigger appetite.... it could be something as simple as that....
If you truly have concerns, he should be evaluated by his pediatrician....otherwise, if he isnt overweight, I really dont think its too bad..0 -
hi i am a 40 yr old male who is on my first day of juice detox. i didnt realize that is was going to be this tough. I have statred this week managing my calories with th is sight. Any insight anyone can give me would be great. thanks you:happy: :happy:0
-
Does anyone have a child that they have issues with eating? My 11 year old son could eat us out of our house. He always wants to eat and we have been working on changing his eating habits.
We have stopped letting him eat just cereal. We make him choose between a fruit or a yogurt with his cereal which is a less now. We have him pretty busy so we haven't been hearing so much with snack time.
For dinner, we have pretty much stopped cooking extra meat so there isn't room for seconds. We most always do a veggie.
I take him to the YMCA about once a week or twice if it's a good week. He ends up having to walk home from the neighborhood school bus stop a couple time a week. We believe he is getting stronger and for the first time feel like we have a start to making him healthier. Anyone else have any struggles with children?
Portion control has been our struggle; we're getting the kids into the habit of using the food scale, particularly for cereal.0 -
it is a nightmare constantly worrying about your own kids
i have troubles with my 6 year old she suffers from dyspraxia, her eating is actually really good, but it is hardwork in the sense of for instance, today she might love tomato soup, but tomorrow she will be convinced she hates tomato soup, 1 of many issues.
and quite a bit different to your issue
but the sense of worry is just the same, and the feeling of guilt that you are going wrong somewere is heart breaking0 -
hi i am a 40 yr old male who is on my first day of juice detox. i didnt realize that is was going to be this tough. I have statred this week managing my calories with th is sight. Any insight anyone can give me would be great. thanks you:happy: :happy:
What in the world does this have to do with this post topic????0 -
I have 2 boys that were like this - age 12 & 9. Instead of making this a diet for just me, I did a complete overhaul on how my entire family eats.
I stopped buying any sort of processed cereals for my children. We eat oatmeal most mornings. It keeps us fuller longer, gives more energy.
I stopped with the school lunches. Instead the children take their own lunches - sandwiches made with whole grain bread - never processed meats - but peanut butter & jelly made homemade - Apples, baby carrots, granola bars.
I always keep the house stocked with plenty of fresh veg, and fruits - and if they don't like a the veg I cook for dinner on a particular night, I try cooking it a different way the next until we find stuff we all like.
I've noticed that when my children eat better, they have way more energy, and perform better at school and at home - before the overhaul my children were complete zombies.0 -
With my wife in school I started cooking 400 calorie meals. Now m y children eat what I eat and I am losing weight quickly. My 14 year old is 6'3" and 211. He used to be 217. He saw my weight loss, signed up for his own MFP account and started realizing girls no longer have cooties and so far either one or all three have been influencing him to lose weight. He still snacks but my snacks aren't exactly that bad and eating 400 calorie meals leaves plenty of room for snacking for a teenager's metabolism.0
-
For a while, I was catering to my 2 kids too much, making them separate meals and all that. That stopped. Now, we all eat the same thing. If I make salmon, broccoli and brown rice, guess what they're eating? Lol. It's been a real easy change as I don't ask them what they want to eat, I just say "dinner time" and they sit down and eat. If they eat what's on their plate, they get a snack. Snacks vary. Sometimes it's crackers with peanut butter. Sometimes it's ice cream. It just depends. But if they don't eat what's on their plate, no snack. And, I stick to it. It's been working great. I used dinner as an example, but I've been doing the same thing for every meal. No complaints at all from them.
One thing is they are more direct now with telling me what they don't like. My daughter was very direct in telling me that she doesn't care for wheat bread, so could I please not feed that to her. I appreciate that kind of feedback because I can incorporate that into everything.0 -
With my wife in school I started cooking 400 calorie meals. Now m y children eat what I eat and I am losing weight quickly. My 14 year old is 6'3" and 211. He used to be 217. He saw my weight loss, signed up for his own MFP account and started realizing girls no longer have cooties and so far either one or all three have been influencing him to lose weight. He still snacks but my snacks aren't exactly that bad and eating 400 calorie meals leaves plenty of room for snacking for a teenager's metabolism.
What do you make for meals to make them 400 calories?0 -
I have six kids. 11yo Girl is overweight and loves carbs and little else. 6yo boy is naturally slender and healthy, for now. 4yo boy was seriously overweight, and bloodwork showed him to be prediabetic. My Fiance's three daughters (11, 5, and 5) are very slender and we have to make deals with them to get them to eat.
When the little one turned up prediabetic, I took drastic action, and shifted the whole household over to the Paleo diet I have been eating.
No grains. Lotsa meat, fruit, nuts, fats, and veggies. The kids can eat anytime they want, but there is NO bad (high-glycemic) food in the house.
They definitely complained for a while. They got over it. Turns out they love eating turkey hot dogs, bacon and eggs, nuts, broccoli, and all the apples they want. Every two weeks we go to a buffet and they can get whatever they want, as a treat.
4yo boy has lost 20 lbs and can run and climb on the playground now. Nuff said.
11yo girl is losing weight and learning to like healthy foods. 6yo boy is still slender and healthy, doing great.
The Fiance's slender girls, I have found, get sated on a particular food in a few bites. If you put a two-course meal in front of them, it's a big fight. But, if you put out a plate of a few bites of lots of different things, they will eat like a horse. It's worth trying.0 -
The doctor says he is overweight and we have had him tested for diabetes and thyroid. All that came back normal. He is almost 12 so puberty could be a real factor here. We haven't gotten much advice from the doctor besides cut out juice and we did. Also, more fruits and veggies. We recently put out a fruit basket. We have started making less meat and make sure we have a nice portion of veggies. We still do cereal in the morning but pour less and sometimes i will make him on omelette. He is a really slow eater so this cause us a time can be a problem for us too. We have asked to see a nutrionalist but I haven't heard back from them. I do feel like we at least have a start on making him healthier. He no longer growls or mumbles when he has to walk and asks to go to the Y for their classes. I don't formally want to put him on a diet but we talk about choices. If he refuses to eat a veggie or does want a little extra of something then he has to make the decision of not getting a small fudge bar ect.0
-
The doctor says he is overweight and we have had him tested for diabetes and thyroid. All that came back normal. He is almost 12 so puberty could be a real factor here. We haven't gotten much advice from the doctor besides cut out juice and we did. Also, more fruits and veggies. We recently put out a fruit basket. We have started making less meat and make sure we have a nice portion of veggies. We still do cereal in the morning but pour less and sometimes i will make him on omelette. He is a really slow eater so this cause us a time can be a problem for us too. We have asked to see a nutrionalist but I haven't heard back from them. I do feel like we at least have a start on making him healthier. He no longer growls or mumbles when he has to walk and asks to go to the Y for their classes. I don't formally want to put him on a diet but we talk about choices. If he refuses to eat a veggie or does want a little extra of something then he has to make the decision of not getting a small fudge bar ect.
Well, at least you did the right thing and had him evaluated... Doctors do not have a nutritional background so remember that tidbit...
There is nothing wrong with meats but the variety/type of meats you serve and how you are preparing them will definitely have impact.
Whatever you do - do not.......I repeat: do NOT refer to the food-related changes as a diet. You want to always convey you all are making better food-related choices.
Nutritionists are often just as fully booked as physicians so be patient - Im sure there will be an appointment soon, or you can call them yourself and find out how far out they are booking.... .AND you can request to be put on a cancel/reschedule list... when someone cancels, you can easily grab the spot when the clinic calls you.
Yeah... puberty can definitely play a role in anything. I saw pictures of my husband when he was a boy in his preteens: short, pudgy and chunky... by the time he entered high school he was 195lbs at 6 feet tall. By the time he left high school, he was 6ft 6inches tall, still slim.... and then the poor guy had to meet me and realized how real food tasted (his mother is still a very HORRIBLE cook! UGH).. he put on a good 80lbs but still remains healthy per his physician...
Just make sure you never refer to MFP members for medical/health related advice - get that directly from the nutritionist who will work with your son and the pediatrician who oversees his care. MFP will lock your thread and perhaps also delete it as well where it can be considered against their terms of service.... but so far, this is a great thread and I wish you the utmost best~!!!0 -
My 11 year old son is autistic and both what and how much he eats is a real issue.
We have stuck to our guns and been very strict - he has to try everything in his plate every time it is presented (whether he liked it last time or not), he absolutely can only have the same meal as everyone else, there are no alternatives, and the amount in his plate is the right amount - he does not need seonds, nor should he steal/finish up his siblings leftovers!
It has kept his eating issues mostly under control, although he is stil overweight and under fruit/veg recomendations.
He has agreed to start the 30 day shred with me next week:)0 -
Keep giving him healthy food and keep encouraging him to exercise (tai kwon do, team sports, anything). My son went through a similar stage between 11 and 15 and got quite pudgy. Partly due to the pudge and getting a computer, he stopped a lot of outdoor activities. But he grew up and got a job, got a girlfriend, had a baby. No more hours at the computer and he again enjoys activities like the warrior dash or zombie run.
At 23, you would NEVER think he had ever had even an ounce of fat. You can bounce a nickel off his abs, and he is actually a little underweight and still...yes, still...eats like a horse.
And yes, preventing seconds is a good idea. Cook just enough for everyone to have a portion, extra veggies are fine, and plenty of raw stuff to munch on. We do that in our house too. Snacks are a piece of fruit or yogurt, but generally, snacking is frowned on in our house.0 -
Let's face it. Kids are a pain in the *kitten*. Have two adult daughters 19&21. It never ends. Calgon take me away.0
-
The doctor says he is overweight and we have had him tested for diabetes and thyroid. All that came back normal. He is almost 12 so puberty could be a real factor here. We haven't gotten much advice from the doctor besides cut out juice and we did. Also, more fruits and veggies. We recently put out a fruit basket. We have started making less meat and make sure we have a nice portion of veggies. We still do cereal in the morning but pour less and sometimes i will make him on omelette. He is a really slow eater so this cause us a time can be a problem for us too. We have asked to see a nutrionalist but I haven't heard back from them. I do feel like we at least have a start on making him healthier. He no longer growls or mumbles when he has to walk and asks to go to the Y for their classes. I don't formally want to put him on a diet but we talk about choices. If he refuses to eat a veggie or does want a little extra of something then he has to make the decision of not getting a small fudge bar ect.
Make an appointment with the nutritionist at your local health dept.
0 -
We have three teenage boys, all of whom are willing to eat anything not nailed down. Two of them are fine, not overweight, generally healthy. The other has been a problem for years. He sneaks food, lies about what he is eating, excessive portions, etc. He rarely exercises despite constant prodding from us, friends, brothers and doctors. He has been to a nutritionist, but that didn't seem to change anything. It is getting more challenging now that he is in High School. We can't follow him around all day and monitor what he eats. We've done a lot of things to limit him including shutting off his school lunch account so he needs cash and can't just add things to his account, we've stopped giving him his allowance in cash so he can't spend it on food (we just keep a running account and he needs to request money for specific things he wants). He is getting worse despite our attempts, and we are pretty much at the end of our rope.0
-
take walks on a daily basis and work up to a jog... he may like the changes in his body as he's able to move about more easily. diabetes doesn't alway show up till later and cholesterol too. my cholesterol levels are low but my triglyceride levels were in the 600s! We found that with exercise my levels dropped! down to 89!
the triglyceride level is the level of fat in your blood that can cause heart attacks and other problems so you need to still watch the weight because it affects physical, mental and internal things!0 -
do the activities as a family. don't send him out on his own. my mom did that and I resented it. make it fun and a family thing...0
-
I am having the same struggle and these are great tips!0
-
Thanks everyone for the responses. My son is on the autism spectrum too. He doesn't try to hide what he eats or ate. Its like he doesn't understand it all. He would brag about the goodies if he got them. I don't send my son out on his own. Well maybe if you count just encoraging him to play outside like kids too. He does do a Y class on his own but that's for kids. One of my reasons for counting calories myself is that I don't want to ask him to do anything I won't do. I forgot to add that his cholestrol was checked and its fine too.0
-
Does anyone have a child that they have issues with eating? My 11 year old son could eat us out of our house. He always wants to eat and we have been working on changing his eating habits.
We have stopped letting him eat just cereal. We make him choose between a fruit or a yogurt with his cereal which is a less now. We have him pretty busy so we haven't been hearing so much with snack time.
For dinner, we have pretty much stopped cooking extra meat so there isn't room for seconds. We most always do a veggie.
I take him to the YMCA about once a week or twice if it's a good week. He ends up having to walk home from the neighborhood school bus stop a couple time a week. We believe he is getting stronger and for the first time feel like we have a start to making him healthier. Anyone else have any struggles with children?
May I ask why he was eating so much cereal to begin with? What kinds of meat are you making that he can't have seconds? If it's a nice baked chicken breast it doesn't sound unreasonable. Not to sound too blunt, but I think you should change "we almost always do a veggie" do ding a veggie with every meal, if it is possible. Are there fresh fruits for him to snack on instead of sugary cereals?
ETA: Why would his grades go down because you are exercising with him?0 -
I said almost always cause I want to be honest in that we are not perfect and have not notice we ran out of veggies and that there is at least one veggie he will refuse to eat. Most of our meat as in chicken, pork and fish are baked. We use hamburger or sausage for pasta and that's on the stove. We feel if its agood portion then we don't need seconds. As far as school work my son is very slow so if we take time for the Y he may not get to finish his work. My son is getting better but its a work in progress.0
-
I said almost always cause I want to be honest in that we are not perfect and have not notice we ran out of veggies and that there is at least one veggie he will refuse to eat. Most of our meat as in chicken, pork and fish are baked. We use hamburger or sausage for pasta and that's on the stove. We feel if its a good portion then we don't need seconds. As far as school work my son is very slow so if we take time for the Y he may not get to finish his work. My son is getting better but its a work in progress.
Sorry, I was just curious. I hope it didn't come off as rude asking those questions. I think it's really great that you are taking the time to work with him. SO many children face these struggles alone. Your love for him is evident in the concern you show and the hard work you are putting in to help him.
0 -
Thanks a lot. My son has had to work hard from the beginning of life. Didn't talk until he was 7. I want the very best for him and will do whatever possible to ensure he gets a good start in life.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 426 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions