How to explain to my kids I'm dieting?

Options
Showmm
Showmm Posts: 406 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My kids are still quite young and haven't reached the age of being worried about what they look like or how much they weigh or what size their clothes are. However, as these things start early, I obviously want them to have a healthy and sensible outlook on life and towards their own body image. So how do I explain when they ask why am I weighing out everything I eat? I think saying I'm too fat and need to lose weight isn't the right message to give so I've been saying "I want to get fitter and by knowing how much I eat, it will help me do this" but I'm not sure it's a good enough explanation or if there's a better way to approach it positively.

What have you other parents out there told your kids?
«134

Replies

  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
    Options
    I don't think kids think about it that much that they really need more of an answer.

    What you've said is enough.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Options
    As you said: If they ask, just say that you want to get healthier and knowing what you're eating helps a lot. I don't really think you need much more than that. They might not even ask.
  • NeverGivesUp
    NeverGivesUp Posts: 960 Member
    Options
    Just tell them you are getting healthy and changing the way you eat for good because what you are doing is not working. My mom put me on the diet rollercoaster throughout my childhood and it was so unhealthy. Live by example and show them all the great things fruits and veggies have in them. Show them exercise too. Kids need to be taught how to take care of their bodies. My kids always ask, every time they eat a veggie, what the vitamins are in them and things like will it help with their eye site like carrots or will it help prevent cancer like garlic and onion :). You can even print out a list and have it on the refrigerator. Then they will be excited to eat well too. You are their guide to eat well. Do it for you and for them.
  • JennW130
    JennW130 Posts: 460 Member
    Options
    I don't think kids think about it that much that they really need more of an answer.

    What you've said is enough.

    This right here. Especially with younger ones.
  • sugarxmexsweet
    sugarxmexsweet Posts: 44
    Options
    I would say well I dont want too much of it that I'll waste it and have to throw it away.
  • susannahsutton1
    susannahsutton1 Posts: 372
    Options
    How about "all good chefs weigh their ingredients!"??
  • Showmm
    Showmm Posts: 406 Member
    Options
    My 6 year has asked already, and didn't really seem that satisfied with my answer, which is why I think it'll come up again.
  • skinny_cigarettes
    skinny_cigarettes Posts: 49
    Options
    just make sure whatever you say is positive, my family always went with the whole "i'm too fat" kind of approach and though i was over weight for most of my teens i can remember when i was 4 (and a healthy weight) thinking i was fat and i think a lot of that was due to my families ways of talking about dieting and their opinions of themselves.
  • Tiggermummy
    Tiggermummy Posts: 312 Member
    Options
    My eldest daughter is asking lots of questions about food and if it is healthy or not, I think it was linked to something
    She was doing at school just before Christmas. I have explained to her that all foods give us energy in different ways
    And as adults we have to balance the amount of food we eat to the amount of energy we need. She doesn't need to as she is a child
    So she needs more energy than her mummy as she still has to grow.
    She is also asking about the good benefits of different foods like carrots.

    The only food rules we reallly have are
    1) chocolate is never a morning thing, only after lunchtime onwards - you would think I was being evil to my children
    as I refused to allow them to eat chocolate until after their first birthday!
    2) chocolate cereals - Never!
    3) you don't have to like all veg, but if we are eating as a family everyone has some. Even if it is a "no thank you" desert spoonful
    as they are always good for you. This applies to the adults too! Mummy doesn't like peas!
    4) don't take too much you can always come back for more if you are still hungry.
  • Tebbspcad
    Tebbspcad Posts: 233
    Options
    Tell them that your eating healthly rather than 'dieting' (it's a bad word and with the media spilling out all kinds of crap on wonder/fad/quick fix/beach body/cabbage only diets etc your kids might get the wrong message), and to eat healthily you need to know exactly what you put into your body. Besides once your used to eating like that you won't need to weigh everything out but your kids will see you eating good food and not eating excessively - that's a positive thing surely. My youngest is 6 and she loves to help with weighing things out and it's not a negative process it's normal in our house they just think i'm following a healthy recipe.
  • Showmm
    Showmm Posts: 406 Member
    Options
    Thanks everyone for your good ideas. I'll use some of them if the topic comes up again.
  • nyemu
    nyemu Posts: 43
    Options
    I am totally upfront and honest with my children (boys 8 and 5). I explained to them that I have to watch what I eat, write it down and measure it because I want to stay at a healthy weight, I showed them pictures of when I was bigger and they understand .

    They've taken it upon themselves to help me along my journey, and always ask "how much water did you drink today Mama?" and join me in my zumba workouts. I jog while they skate/ scoot/ ride and when it's a treat day we savour our snacks together. Kids are very simple, if you are honest and sincere with them they will support you. (even snatch cookies out of your hand, run off screaming "you'll get fat Mama- thanks!!!"
  • AmandaW01
    AmandaW01 Posts: 138
    Options
    I told my 9 year old that your body only works properly if you put proper fuel in it (the car ran out of petrol a while back - that helped :-)) and that I was rather silly and ate lots of bad things that my body didn't need and that I'm going to make proper choices now and make sure that I eat well. I discussed portion size a bit - that I was eating more than my poor body needed - and that by checking how much it needs and giving it the right amount I'm being kind to myself. We discuss choices a lot, and how its ok to eat a little of everything, but to consider your choices before you eat it. I'm certainly not going to tell her (or my older two) not to eat chocolate or not to enjoy a dessert - in my mind we shouldn't eat to live - but that if we do things in moderation and make sure we move and keep fit then its all good.
  • SugarBoomBoom
    SugarBoomBoom Posts: 67
    Options
    I think it is better to say you are eating healthy, and you are weighing stuff to make sure you are getting the right amount of nutrients, just like when we make cakes or cookies together. My son aged 9, knows that I am fat and that I need to get to a healthy weight. He knows that everyone needs to eat healthy food to be healthy but that some people need to eat less food than others, and some people who are still growing like he is, need to eat more! He knows that we need to eat healthy food everyday to get good vitamins and sometimes it is OK to eat cakes, cookies and sweets. He understands that for now Mummy prefers not to eat bread, pasta, rice, and starchy vegetables because I am trying to get to a healthy weight and that he needs to eat these things because he is still growing. I guess because I am a vegan and my husband and son are not, he is used to me eating differently from him anyway.
  • Mutant13
    Mutant13 Posts: 2,485 Member
    Options
    My young (5) niece asked me why I was weighing my bread when I ate her place once- I told her I was measuring ingredients for making a healthy Aunty Mutant.
    She liked that
  • divacat80
    divacat80 Posts: 299 Member
    Options
    Tell them the truth,that you're eating healthy and have to rely on the scale to calculate portion sizes, because you tend to make them larger than they should be.
    Don't mention the word dieting, why? Because you shouldn't diet (the way media and society views dieting), you just have to eat healthy to build muscle and make your body stop storing fat.
    Dieting these days is following a fad restrictive and depriving eating program that isn't necessarily good for you or your current health. And that's not what you should be doing.

    Don't tell them you want to be slimmer, more beautiful or more tiny. Don't mention any physical aspect. Tell them you want to have your body properly nurtured foe your daily activities, and you want to eat all of your veggies, healthy bread-like stuff, and the right amount of meat your body needs. You'll feel stronger, more positive, and will fight diseases more effectively.

    They will see the consequences of those healthy changes, and they'll get the reason behind the change. And of course, they'll follow their mommy's footsteps :)
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Options
    That sounds perfect to me. You can talk about portion size and things like that. Talking about health instead of appearance is a great way to explain things without giving them a complex. And don't go on about it. Just answer their questions straight and matter-of-fact and then do your thing.
  • aquasw16
    aquasw16 Posts: 342 Member
    Options
    Yeah definitely go with something along the lines of that you want to be healthier and in order to do that you are being concioius of what you eat and how much and exercising.
  • turquoise3
    turquoise3 Posts: 79 Member
    Options
    My eldest son asked me why i was "dieting", and "exercising so much". He's 5.

    I had already previously had a chat to him about how food is like fuel for us, i explained it really simply. Like how a car needs fuel to drive, we need food so we can move around and have fun - without being tired.

    So in regards to the weight loss/dieting i just said, "Son... you know the way you have to eat your food for energy, to grow up tall, and strong? Well... when you're an adult you need food for energy, but you've already grown up as tall as you can. You don't get any taller. When you eat too much food, and you don't need it for energy, you just get wider, and your tummy and other bits get bigger... and when you get too wide for your height, you're not as strong, or healthy. So Mummy is trying to get fit, to get healthy and strong." He seemed to understand and accept that explanation :)
  • iamkarent
    iamkarent Posts: 145 Member
    Options
    I have 4 and 5 years olds....and they know mommy is being healthy. Because I want to get nice and healthy and strong so this summer I can play and keep up with them more and be healthy and have lots of fun!

Categories