weight loss dilemna & kids

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tabbykat6802
tabbykat6802 Posts: 233 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My hubby and I are trying get back on the weight loss wagon after falling off @ the beginning of the year. My problem right now is that my boys(8,6,2) don't need to lose any weight. In fact they need to put on some(skinny butts). How do I go about eating well, but without them counting calories? I love that they want to help me w/ calorie intake and exercising, but I am scared that they will be losing weight that they need because of it.

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  • sapphire1166
    sapphire1166 Posts: 114 Member
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    My suggestion is to still cook healthy, nutritious, balanced meals. You and your hubby should still measure out your portions and limit yourself to that, but your little ones should be able to go back for 2nds (and 3rds!) until they're full. They're still growing and their bodies will tell them what they need. Eventually you'll be able to eyeball your own portion sizes so this won't be such a big deal for your boys to see their parents strictly managing portions.
  • MTBrob
    MTBrob Posts: 513 Member
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    Unless your kids are eating bread and water only every day they can cut out the crap food and eat healthy food lean meats fruits and veggies dairy and whole grains and sustain just fine...

    Feeding crap to your kids to make them gain will have far more lasting health effects than giving them "diet" food

    That being said.. Cook healthy filling meals.. for you AND them

    Take spaghetti for example.. Use whole wheat pasta, add lean chicken and then take jar'd pasta sauce and blend a butt load of natural raw veggies into it it..

    Kids wont be able to taste them and WHAMO hearty dinner.. ... Go with that thinking
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    My suggestion is to still cook healthy, nutritious, balanced meals. You and your hubby should still measure out your portions and limit yourself to that, but your little ones should be able to go back for 2nds (and 3rds!) until they're full. They're still growing and their bodies will tell them what they need. Eventually you'll be able to eyeball your own portion sizes so this won't be such a big deal for your boys to see their parents strictly managing portions.


    ^^^^^This exactly!
  • photorific
    photorific Posts: 577 Member
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    I'd also add to not (unless Dr. recommended) worry about putting weight on them. My son was always a beanpole before puberty... he's now 18, and in good shape. The only thing I did was to make sure to have full-fat versions of things on hand for his consumption. Their bodies will fill out/catch up.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    My kids see me measuring and weighing all my food. But they don't try to do the same - I've explained to them that I didn't take care of my body, so now I have to work harder to get it healthy again. Then I tell them that if they eat healthy foods, and a good variety, and listen to their bodies - they will stay healthy and not have to work so hard at it as I am now.

    I cook healthy meals for the family - hubby takes larger portions because he needs more food than I do (a foot taller, and a higher metabolism). The kids are allowed to eat seconds if they want it. Snacks are healthy snacks (fruit, yogurt, etc). I buy full-fat dairy for them, since they are still growing (I keep the skim milk for me).

    It seems to be working for my family. Good luck - I'm sure you will find the balance you need for your family too!
  • KipDrordy
    KipDrordy Posts: 169 Member
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    My suggestion is to still cook healthy, nutritious, balanced meals. You and your hubby should still measure out your portions and limit yourself to that, but your little ones should be able to go back for 2nds (and 3rds!) until they're full. They're still growing and their bodies will tell them what they need. Eventually you'll be able to eyeball your own portion sizes so this won't be such a big deal for your boys to see their parents strictly managing portions.

    This. You don't need to feed your kids junk food to give them calories.
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
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    I pretty much agree with everything everyone has said here. Keep a lot of good foods in the house that they (and you) can snack on. Fruits, Veggies, Yogurt etc. You can even cook chicken and cut it into bite sized chunks, they can heat those up in the microwave and eat them like chicken nuggets, but its real chicken breast, not deep fried breaded who knows what "chicken". :laugh: Basically all the same foods that you should eat, your just not limiting them.

    I had to personally start watching what I say in front of my kid. Instead of saying "I can't have that", I say "no thank you I don't want that"...making it sound like a choice that I'm not eating that 2nd piece of birthday cake, or chips, or candy rather than sounding like I'm not eating it because I'm on "a diet"....I've also had to cut the word diet out of my vocabulary...I also had to watch the self-hate talk...which I need to stop anyways, but this is much harder for me because I really do hate how I look, and the fat etc...but she is a 10 yr old twig and I caught her her saying things like "My thighs are to fat"....which I know she probaby had overheard me talking to my husband about myself in such a way (plus she is at the "body image" stage in life, and I don't need to teach her anything bad)

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