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

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  • Nice
    Nice Posts: 84
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    My kids do have junk food in the house..it's ok to have it now and then..my solution when I do buy it for them..I buy the snacks I don't like..lol..then I won't be tempted to eat them!
  • stacygayle
    stacygayle Posts: 349 Member
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    I have kids and I want my kids to be healthy so we eat healthy foods. That's just an excuse. I will let my kids have the occassional treat but that's just what it is ....a treat not an everyday thing.
  • Miribg
    Miribg Posts: 149 Member
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    We can't blame us being fat on our kids. I tried :grumble: lol. That was a horrible thing to say. I think your friend may just be jealous of you.
  • trybefan
    trybefan Posts: 488 Member
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    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 have 5 kids, they probably hate us because we make sure they eat fruits and veggies with every meal. We also puree veggies into pasta sauces, etc to make sure they are getting it when we have spaghetti and such. Those comments dont make much sense. I go to birthday parties a lot, I just dont cram my face full of sweets. Its someone elses excuses, dont let it get to you
  • thebunches
    thebunches Posts: 40
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    As a parent of a toddler and stepmom to two teenagers, I can tell you that we all do our best to eat healthy. My kids LOVE fruit...in fact, my toddler as a rule NEVER gets real desserts, and we have taught her that her dessert is FRUIT. She loves it!! She loves her veggies, too...carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, any kind of beans...we have all gotten healthier since our youngest was born.

    Sure, we eat out sometimes and we go to birthday parties. BUT when you go to the birthdays, you can (a) either choose to eat healthily BEFOREHAND, or (b) only eat healthy snacks at the party (pretzels, veggies, etc). As far as the cake goes...I don't like cake myself, and my toddler generally gets fruit instead of cake at the parties, and she understands that we don't really eat cake, and she's fine with that. For her OWN birthdays, I make her cake from scratch (and I'm the worst cook/baker on the PLANET! so don't let that stop you), off of a recipe I got online for a sugar-free healthy apple cake. And healthy icing, to boot! :) Just have to find what you want you and your kids to have, and then DO IT.

    Does it feel weird to "stand out" at parties by not eating the crap? It did at first, but not anymore. People get used to it. "Oh, they aren't eating cake because they watch what they eat." Yes, we do. And proudly. :) Kids or no kids...it can be done!

    Oh, and my toddler? She's never had cow's milk or juice a day in her life. She has had breastmilk, sometimes almond milk, and WATER. She doesn't know what she's missing out on with the juices and tons of other "crap" people/kids eat, because SHE'S NEVER HAD IT. She loves veggies and fruit and other healthy foods because THAT'S what we've GIVEN her. :) She is curious about the other kids' foods (Little Debbie cakes, hotdogs, fruit snacks, etc)...but she doesn't really ask for them because she doesn't know what they are and doesn't know if she will like them. :)

    Oh, AND....time is not a factor. I personally work 55 hour weeks, my husband works at least 45, and I also own my own photography business. If I can eat healthy AND work TWO fulltime jobs AND chase a toddler...ANYONE CAN.
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
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    Well I do think it can be more challenging to eat healthy with kids because of the time commitment. Just like it might be harder to eat right if you work 50 hours per week instead of 40. I think parties are challenges everyone faces, not just parents. lol
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    Total copout. My friend who is overweight and constantly complaining she needs to lose, is also constantly posting "baking cookies with the kids" on Facebook.

    Sorry..but your kids don't NEED cookies even if they are skinny... its just an excuse to eat like crap and not exercise more.

    When I was a kid, my mom baked cookies or brownies maybe 2 or 3 times a year, and I'm sure I wasn't an abused kid...LOL! We had fruit for snacks!
  • friendtotortoise
    friendtotortoise Posts: 18 Member
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    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.


    Wow! What a great post. Congratulations to all of your family. My heart sings for your son. : ) And obviously you are doing fantastic as well!
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    I am a parent. My 4 and 5 year old love healthy food. They eat what they are used to. They don't find it odd to have a salad at a meal. They expect fruits and veggies, every day, not covered in anything or dipped in anything. They are learning to balance too - better than mommy. If they have a less than healthy treat, they know they are expected to balance it with a healthy one. They also know that portions count. Sure they can have chips, but they go into the small blue bowl and that is all they get, no taking the bag with them. Ice cream - goes in mini ice cream cones. Anyone can eat healthy, kids or not. Her comment actually has me a bit angry and I don't even know her!
  • Lane1012
    Lane1012 Posts: 211 Member
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    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?!

    My wife and I have 4 kids and we manage just fine. Not only is it doable but it's good for the kids to learn about healthy eating and moderation.

    Your friend is copping out.
  • ChantalGG
    ChantalGG Posts: 2,404 Member
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    I can relate to her but that is a stupid excuse, What i do is bring a healthy dish i know i can eat, i also join in on the fun the kids are having to burn of those extra calories i may consume while sampling or having a piece of cake. Bring a bottle of water too.
  • grrrlface
    grrrlface Posts: 1,204 Member
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    I got something along these lines when I introduced my friend to MFP. It's just laziness, I offered to join her on walks with her daughter etc. and I got constant refusals... I say 'please yourself'... lol
  • spigenerb
    spigenerb Posts: 29
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    We have 3 kids. My wife and I still go to the gym together. She goes 5 times a week and I workout 7-8 times, becuase I run with my two oldest a few times a week. One is in track and the other cross country. There are no excuses with having kids. As the adult you are the one responsible for buying the food. Just don't buy the stuff that is bad for them and you and it won't be an option when you are hungry.

    This really cracks me up because my kids understand food choices better than most adults.
  • thepanttherlady
    thepanttherlady Posts: 258 Member
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    There is nothing wrong with enjoying an occasional birthday party and cake. If it's just cake/ice cream you (or your kids) don't need to have huge portions. If it's a setting like Chuck E Cheese where pizza is being served, you can either eat at home first so less is eaten at the party or go order salads (they do serve them!) for yourselves.

    We have birthday cakes for employees here at work all the time. I participate in the singing etc. and decide whether I want the added calories. Sometimes I partake, others I don't. It IS ok to say "no thank you" but still enjoy the festivities.

    BTW, I am a mother of 5.
  • DianatheRed
    DianatheRed Posts: 41
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    Conversation with my daughter just last night:

    "Mama, I want some dessert!"
    "What kind of dessert?"
    "Something yummy--like strawberries maybe?"

    I am a mother of three and they ALL view fruit, yogurt, and honey as dessert. Those are the "sweets" they get! It's a choice every single time I buy groceries to purchase nutritious goodies instead of boxed sweets.
  • SWiel84
    SWiel84 Posts: 43
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    Yeah, seriously. As someone who doesn't have kids (and does want them) --aka, I'm in your boat!--I would have been mad, too. Like, don't sit there and say that this is EASY for me..... it's not easy, it takes work! Do you know how much I LOVE pizza?! Events come up in all of our lives, even without kids--especially without kids!--where you're drinking and hanging out and you're watching your friends eat god-only-knows-what.......
    Yeah, seriously. She's just making excuses. This is a commitment, and I agree with the thousands of people who have already said she should be making better choices for her kids. Sure, it's more expensive to eat real food instead of pop tarts and chicken nuggets, but it's totally worth it. That's why my hubby and I are fixing our eating habits now.
  • Busyboymomx3
    Busyboymomx3 Posts: 110 Member
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    she should come to my kids parties:
    fresh fruit
    grilled chicken skewers
    veggies and dip
    turkey meatballs
    ....stuff like that
    we have cake and ice cream and I eat some, I just dont go overboard
    My kids prefer these foods
    *Dont get me wrong- we enjoy a pizza once in a while :)
  • bobthesmogs
    bobthesmogs Posts: 58 Member
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    I applaud you. There seem to be so many obstacles in this day and age to feeding children healthily...advertising, peer pressure, time constraints, costs, etc etc. You should be proud, and your child/children will thank you for the rest of their lives.
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
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    Little splurges are okay for anyone just not on a daily basis.

    Amen.
    If you indulge everyday it's not longer a treat... I found that reducing my *treats* made them way more special and I enjoy them so much more.

    Giving kids more and more and more only ratchets up expectations and leads to disappointment when it's not met.
    Giving kids the gift of less, allows opportunity for joy in unexpected pleasures and splurges.
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
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    I don't have children yet so maybe I don't have my facts straight. But surely as a parent you are the one to teach your children what to eat in the beginning? Surely they wont ask for or crave sweets/fast food if they arent given it? And when you do maybe make them understand that they are treats and should be treated as such? Or am I just being an ignorant moron?

    Close, but it's more complicated.

    You can STOP them from eating stuff you don't want, by not bringing it into the house. The control really ends there, because kids don't always do what you tell them to do. Did you do 100% of what your parents say?

    They will *assuredly* crave sweets, and bug you for it. They know what ice-cream and chicken nuggets tastes like, even if you don't buy them regularly They're not stupid. They go to birthday parties, see ice-cream stands, commercials, have friends, and so on.

    So, you have some control, but not absolute control. My middle son will only eat carrots and no other vegetables, and this is despite putting all sorts of vegetables on his dinner plate daily for 9 years. My youngest will eat almost anything within reason. Our middle child has a 3 or 4 raw vegetables he likes, but will not try new ones. The picky kids (both boys) would rather go hungry than eat anything they don't like.

    You can't force-feed kids.

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