Easy for you eat healthy! You don't have kids!

heatherrose9

So today my friend was asking my advice on eating healthier. She said, "I've only had reduced fat this and no fat these and I'm still hungry! How did you make yourself LIKE healthy food!?" I said, "well, eventually you'll realize that it's worth it to spend your calories on healthy food, rather than processed. I didn't make myself like food-I tried a lot of things from searching online and through my grocery store. Eventually, processed and restaurant foods stopped tasting so good and I became full off of less calories and better for me foods. Now i CRAVE vegetables and fruits"

THEN SHE SAID,

"WELL ITS EASY FOR YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE KIDS. It's not realistic for me to eat like this, I have birthday parties to go to."

That hurt my feelings because, I want to eventually have kids...and, I feel like she was kinding throwing that in as a cop out!

BUT! I'm open to YOUR opinions-parents or not?!

ElementalEscapee

My spidey-senses detect a typical excuse here. Don't worry about it.

ChelseaM18

Ah yes, birthday parties every day of the year. Knowing/having 365 kids must be tough :P . I wouldn't worry about it

magerum

She should be setting an example for her kids. That's why I decided to get healthy...

Just my opinion.

Skeena4

Because I'm a snappish, no-verbal-filter kinda person at times... I would have said...

"Ummm how about teaching your kids to eat and love healthy foods from the get-go! And fight off the other mamas who are apparently shoving the cake down your throat!"

That's why I have no friends... BAHAHAHAH (I'm totally kidding) I'm just a big talker...

heatherrose9

Ah yes, birthday parties every day of the year. Knowing/having 365 kids must be tough :P . I wouldn't worry about it

hahahahahaha! she was dead serious though. "it's not realistic for me to have a lifestyle of healthy eating. i want to enjoy the parties."

i told her, "well, don't make yourself miserable for two weeks starving yourself, bc then you'll gain all the weight back."

this was a text convo, it ended with

'ok thanks for ur tips'

lol

ahadj

I'm sure having kids around to cook for/attend events with makes it harder... but hell, having a boyfriend/husband to cook for and eat with makes it harder, having a job where there's always free pizza at lunch and fancy after work events to attend makes it harder, etc. etc. etc. I think as soon as you have to worry about feeding anyone other than yourself it gets more complicated. BUUUT I still don't like that mama's response!! RUDE. It's hard for practically everyone, just in different ways.

lilorphann

I think your friend is doing a terrible injustice to her kids! Up until 456 days ago, I fed my youngest son all the wrong things; as a result, I created an unhealthy, obese child. As a family, we changed our eating habits and today, my once 300 pound son, is a healthy 165 pounds!
I look back and it breaks my heart to know the damage I was doing to him. Physically and mentally. I would never allow that to happen again. Thank God we were able to change our lives. Now I know my son has the right tools to eat healthy for his life, and one day pass that onto his children.

marycmeadows

My spidey-senses detect a typical excuse here. Don't worry about it.

this.

Jezebel9

I have a 5yr old. He loves pizza, pasta and ice cream. But he also loves watermelon, cucumbers, and mangoes. He will learn his eating habits from me, and I will not cave to GMO'S, processed junk or crap food in general.
I am on a mission and I am eating healthier every day, every day and I am dragging my family along behind me... not that they are too resistant- my husband is supportive.

She may have to fight the kids who have already formed less-than-healthy eating habits... and to her credit, it isn't easy. But it can be done, it is the right thing to do, it is the best parenting decision, imho.

For example, right now my husband is making beef rouladen aka fat-laden... and I made dumplings to go with it.
I'm not eating it- too much fat- I can't eat gluten.

I will find something else.
But I am determined and, like I said- I am on a mission.

Good luck.

FelicityArtifex

I've both lost and gained weight as a parent. It depends on what my focus and intent is...I can exercise with my kids, or I can make excuses. Your friend can go to, for instance, birthday parties and NOT eat cake and just not say anything about it. If she doesn't make a big deal of it, no one else will. If she points it out, etc., then folks are probably going to say, Oh, you don't need to diet, etc., and she'll get the excuse she's been looking for to go ahead and eat that cake...! Lots and lots of moms are able to incorporate healthy eating and exercise into their roles as mothers.

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

Excuse!

I am a single mom to my beautiful 8 year old daughter and we BOTH eat healthy AND we go to birthday parties lol

mes1119

UM does she go to birthday parties everyday? I doubt it. It is called will-power. Lazy, no good, mother... :grumble: :grumble: :grumble:

Children (AND ALL PEOPLE) learn to eat by habit. Teach them (through habit) to like healthy snacks and that is what they will go for. They also learn by example. Seeing you eat ice cream all day makes them want it and then you want it.... it is a neverending cycle. If they eat ice cream all day everyday, or course they aren't going to like fruit.

I'm no expert, I don't have kids or anything, I just learned a great deal of the psychology of food and eating in one of my psychology classes.

wackyfunster

Total BS. It's all about priorities... if something is important enough to you, you'll make time. If it's not, you'll make excuses. Two kids, ~11 hrs a day at work/commuting. Still find time to spend with my family and work out and eat healthy.

jasperann

I have four kids, so that really isn't a good excuse. I make dinner and they have the option of eating it or going to bed hungry. But you better believe that I am not going to eat something separate from my kids. That is silly. We do birthdays too... Even if you have a slice of cake you aren't going to gain weight, it is when you eat all of the cake, pizza and chips, ect.

moejo3

I have 4 kids and we eat pretty clean. They don't always like what is in the house but, that is okay. Little splurges are okay for anyone just not on a daily basis. Kids should be eating clean too and having Bday cake once in a while...don't worry it is better to have your good habits now so you can pass them on to your kids!

Shock_Wave

Like it said its your choice to decide to either be smaller or bigger or ill add in eat healthier or not.
Guess she doesnt share the same out look as you. Motivational fail for your friend but good try.

moejo3

I have a 5yr old. He loves pizza, pasta and ice cream. But he also loves watermelon, cucumbers, and mangoes. He will learn his eating habits from me, and I will not cave to GMO'S, processed junk or crap food in general.
I am on a mission and I am eating healthier every day, every day and I am dragging my family along behind me... not that they are too resistant- my husband is supportive.

She may have to fight the kids who have already formed less-than-healthy eating habits... and to her credit, it isn't easy. But it can be done, it is the right thing to do, it is the best parenting decision, imho.

For example, right now my husband is making beef rouladen aka fat-laden... and I made dumplings to go with it.
I'm not eating it- too much fat- I can't eat gluten.

I will find something else.
But I am determined and, like I said- I am on a mission.

Good luck.

Totally agree! love the dreads!

Awkward30

She should be setting an example for her kids. That's why I decided to get healthy...

Just my opinion.

Yeah, I used to work with a woman who's kids loved snacking on veggies and for whom a soda was a once a week treat. I wish I had grown up that way so that I knew what healthy eating was. Now that I've learned, I will teach my kids by example what a healthy lifestyle is and how awesome it feels.

knittnponder

Uh, I have four kids and I bake and decorate cakes as a hobby. Have I mentioned that I'm also gluten free so if I eat my own cake (the regular flour ones anyway) I will get sick? Not throwing up sick but just a general "I feel really crappy and achy" kind of sick that is easy to pretend has nothing to do with my diet (only I know better.)

So I usually choose not to eat those things that are bad for me and in many cases can get away with making a healthier version and nobody is any wiser. Most people have no idea they're eating a gluten free cake unless I tell them.

And as for my kids, they need to eat healthier now so they're not in my shoes later in life. My son's birthday cake last year was flour, grain and sugar free (chocolate cake with sliced strawberries and even the frosting was sugar free.)

She's just using that as an excuse and it has zero reflection on you other than to show you how awesome you are for not finding an excuse of your own. (And trust me, if you really wanted to you could find one!)

lindsy721

Ha! Ya know, I have friends with kids who have said things like, "It's easier to make healthy choices after you have kids, because you want to set the example for them."
So... I wouldn't worry about that comment too much. Anyways, people who eat healthier tend to have better energy levels, and therefore might even enjoy their kids more... I think the motivation to eat healthy/cleaner is *greater* once you have the kids.

NWdreaming

I have two little ones and I want to be an example to them so I think she is just finding excuses for not making the changes she needs in order to see results. It is possible to go to all kinds of parties, adult and child, and still eat healthy. It's all about the choices and changes. I think most people finally get to that point of, "Ok, I know what I need to do and I'm ready to do whatever it takes to get there" and she just isn't there. It's also hard for those who are struggling making that change to say "NO" to bad foods in a social environment.

Example: This last weekend I went to a gathering with some women to craft, paint, etc and there were all kinds of bad food options (which I knew there would be). I brought my almonds and 100 calorie popcorn to snack on, and my WATER. And I got a few side comments, like "oh you can eat some, it isn't that bad" and "I can't believe you aren't gonna try this". I just explained that I recently got back from vacation and I allowed myself to eat what I wanted and now, it was time to cut the sodium and processed food out for a week or two. I also explained that this is a life style change for me and I already had my food fun on vaca and it just wasn't worth it to have cookies and brownies when I didn't even really WANT them. Eventually, they backed off and started asked what else I was doing...but I had to stand my ground first.


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DivaJadelyn

I have two kids and I eat healthy. They eat what I eat. When special events come up, I enjoy myself. I eat a reasonable portion of whatever the treat is and exercise later. Kids are *not* a viable excuse to not change your lifestyle. It's cheaper to eat non-processed foods if you're doing it right, and you have more energy to play with them.

sem41278

Cop out! I'm getting healthy partly to be ap good role model to my daughter. And your day will come to be a mom too

Simone_King

.....Super Size me.

Go watch it.

You will never eat fast food ever again...

schustc

Rubbish. I have a 4 yr old and nieces and nephews and there are parties and family events. For me I either choose to have what I want that day (as someone eluded shes not at a party 365 days a year so even if it was once a month you can work that in). Or I eat healthy food before the party and not hungry and tempted AT the party. You can also take healthy food that most kids like - fruit salad! Shes jealous and not interested in really making a change - and yes, finding excuses

callsitlikeiseeit

i have 2 kids (6 and 13) and have twin 4 year olds here during the day.

i dont eat any of their food. never have! and i feed them healthy ANYWAYS! they have a full piece of fruit with each meal. (for the twins i pretty sure its the only fruit they get!)

my son (the 6 year old) is darn near a vegetarian. he hates meat! and i wont make him eat it - he gets protein from other sources...

grubb1019

I used to use that excuse. And that is what it is, an excuse. I eat healthy now and so do my kids. I
still eat cake at parties if I want to. If I don't want to (and I find stuff like that more and more sickening all the time) I say "No thank you!" Sometimes I do fix my kids something I know they like that is too calorie laden for me, but that is just for treats.
I think she needs to rethink her excuse, lol!

robot_potato

I have kids, 3 and 7 years old. I eat healthy. Our whole family eats the same thing. Changing our diets was rocky at first, but now it is a non-issue. I can go to birthday parties and eat cake, i just arrange my day around it so i have enough extra calories. We eat our fair share of junk food, but we stick to serving sizes and it's not an all the time thing. Your friend is making excuse for her bad behaviour.

dorkboi

I have 3 kids and eat healthy just fine. I've learned to take my own snacks to events and politely say no. Nobody has ever given me a hard time. Total cop out.

spartangirl79

So today my friend was asking my advice on eating healthier. She said, "I've only had reduced fat this and no fat these and I'm still hungry! How did you make yourself LIKE healthy food!?" I said, "well, eventually you'll realize that it's worth it to spend your calories on healthy food, rather than processed. I didn't make myself like food-I tried a lot of things from searching online and through my grocery store. Eventually, processed and restaurant foods stopped tasting so good and I became full off of less calories and better for me foods. Now i CRAVE vegetables and fruits"

THEN SHE SAID,

"WELL ITS EASY FOR YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE KIDS. It's not realistic for me to eat like this, I have birthday parties to go to."

That hurt my feelings because, I want to eventually have kids...and, I feel like she was kinding throwing that in as a cop out!

BUT! I'm open to YOUR opinions-parents or not?!

I'm childfree by choice and that's what we call a "bingo" -- common phrases/excuses those with kids like to throw our way for various reasons.

Try not to let it get to you and keep up the good work!

PS - That's a hell of a lot of birthday parties, and wtf... I have a lot of awesome restaurants and bars to go to, because I don't have kids, so I could NEVER LOSE WEIGHT! WAH WAH WAH!