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

You know, it occurs to me that a lot of people here have raised their children with healthy eating habits from a young age... But I imagine trying to convert a chicken-fingers-pizza-and-french-fries kid into one who likes fruit and vegetables would be a difficult task.

I honestly feel like some people like to blame being over weight on everything and everyone but themselves. In her own time she will come to realize that if she's unhappy with her body she's going to have to be the one do something about it. Some people just justify it themselves over and over again. She'll either come around, or she won't. I wouldn't take what she said personally. Just worry about you, and when you do have those kids set an example for them! It's totally possible to live a healthy lifestyle when your have small children.

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

Just my opinion.

I agree with this!

I had kids late in life.... it was easier for me to eat healthy AFTER I had them, because now I had to be a good example!

I have one son and he eats what we fix period! Luckily for us he is not a very picky eater...he is actually a lot less pickier than myself! If you raise your children to eat healthy then there is not a problem. If you raise your children to eat McDonalds and all that crap then it will be hard for you to change their diet as well as yours. I do understand about the birthday parties and what not, but nobody is forcing you to eat any of it...just say no thank you and keep it moving or say ok I will have a small piece. Don't let her discourage!

Now that is what you call an ignorant statement for real! They shouldnt even be feeding her kids junk in the first place and having it in the house. They shouldnt even have the food in the house to be temped by. I always followed and ate what my parents gave me I didnt really have a choice. In my house there is no Kool aid, sugars, pastries, crazy cereals, cooking grease, etc. to even reach for. Terrible! That statement is along the lines of when this woman told me "Your young. Young people have fast metabolisms so its easy for you". Well if it was easy and I had a fast metabolism dont you think I would have never been fat to begin with.

You know, it occurs to me that a lot of people here have raised their children with healthy eating habits from a young age... But I imagine trying to convert a chicken-fingers-pizza-and-french-fries kid into one who likes fruit and vegetables would be a difficult task.

Well said. I'm not defending the friend by any means but it depends on how old your kids are as to how hard it is to "convert them". Spending sun up to sun down at a ball park and late nights after work going straight to the ball park is tough. You can't plan ahead for EVERYTHING. It is much easier said than done. I do pack frozen grapes, strawberries, sandwiches, bottled water etc. when I have time to do so but that isn't always the case.

My kids are now ages 18 and 21 and call me the Food Nazi because they've grown up eating junk food and only in the past 2 years have I tried to encourage better eating habits for all of us. We recently moved my mom in with us. I buy the groceries and she cooks. It sounds like a great arrangement (and it is) but being from the South everything is fried and soaked in butter. Trying to get a 70 year old to change her cooking habits isn't easy, especially when the hubby and kids really like the fattening food.

On that same line, my husband recently spent some time in the hospital and had several doctors tell him he HAD to lose to weight and really needed to eat right. Has he done it? NOPE. Because he doesn't want to. So living in a house full of people who do not want to eat healthy makes it VERY difficult to do so. (Not impossible, just very difficult).

Don't take what your friend said too personal. It is hard to teach old dogs (older kids) new tricks when it comes to eating habits when it isn't their desire but yours. Likewise, don't be too critical of your friend either. You both walk in different shoes.

That's a load of bullhonkey.

Sometimes my kids get treats. That doesn't mean I have to, too.

I get them a happy meal on occasion, then run over to Subway or the protein shake bar for myself.

Cake? I let them have it (and eat it, too! Ha ha!) I portion control or skip it that night. I can fit nearly anything into my day in moderation.

My kids are not an excuse for me to eat crappy food.

ETA: My love of crappy food, however, is an excuse for me to budget my calories so I can still enjoy said crap food. (Wine and Fun Dip, for example. Yes, I'm just that awesome.)

Well I have 2 kids....and my kids are very healthy and it non processed foods 98% of the time. we allow one night a week of junky food(pizza, cupcakes, etc) but the rest of the times its fresh fruits and veggies, all home cooked, mostly organic meals. At birthday parties we eat before and are allowed a junk food( cake or ice cream). My husband happens to be the one who is the unhealthiest(he travels a lot for work and is forced to do company meals(and he splurges).
Some people just need an excuse for everything!!

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 am not a parent, however I think that is a copout answer, and you don't have to eat restaurant food or fast anything even bad choice foods. I have friends who have children, so I would have tried to guide her into healthy living for her entire household opposed to copping out with that "You don't have kids" excuse. Which that is what it is, since when do kids have an option, well most of them do because we allow them to have a say. Anyways if she really wanted to know about healthy eating she would have heard your advice and considered it opposed to slamming you down. Don't be hurt you will have your time when it is time to have children, in the meanwhile stay healthy and make healthy choice and maybe she'll catch on. She probably asked because she like what she sees, progress and energy level and a happier you. And that is all there because you are making healthier choices.

That's a load of bullhonkey.

Sometimes my kids get treats. That doesn't mean I have to, too.

I get them a happy meal on occasion, then run over to Subway or the protein shake bar for myself.

Cake? I let them have it (and eat it, too! Ha ha!) I portion control or skip it that night. I can fit nearly anything into my day in moderation.

My kids are not an excuse for me to eat crappy food.

ETA: My love of crappy food, however, is an excuse for me to budget my calories so I can still enjoy said crap food. (Wine and Fun Dip, for example. Yes, I'm just that awesome.)

Awesome response.... take ownership of our choices and what we want our children to have. I have tons of nieces and nephews... so I completely get it.

That's a load of bullhonkey.

Sometimes my kids get treats. That doesn't mean I have to, too.

I get them a happy meal on occasion, then run over to Subway or the protein shake bar for myself.

Cake? I let them have it (and eat it, too! Ha ha!) I portion control or skip it that night. I can fit nearly anything into my day in moderation.

My kids are not an excuse for me to eat crappy food.

ETA: My love of crappy food, however, is an excuse for me to budget my calories so I can still enjoy said crap food. (Wine and Fun Dip, for example. Yes, I'm just that awesome.)

Awesome response.... take ownership of our choices and what we want our children to have. I have tons of nieces and nephews... so I completely get it.

Note - it does not mean that I'm not occasionally INSANELY jealous if I promise DQ for preschool graduation and have to sit there watching them eat it.

But life goes on. And I think to myself "Would I rather have that ice cream cone, or wine?" And wine pretty much always wins. :laugh:

ok i have 2 kids my 1 year old will eat ANYTHING its kida freaky, my oldest....meal times are a battle unless its "her foods". and after awile you will make them what ever just to stop the screaming.... on the up side tho "her foods" are fruits, yougerts, raw veggies, shell fish, and of corse french fries, tater tots and cheeses burghers. so yeah im gonna side with the mom,you dont allways know what is going on at home

As a mother of 4, my kids ate what I put in front of them.
Now moms let kids dictate what they are going to eat. :sad:
Time to take the power back Moms.:flowerforyou:

I have two kids, ages 4 & 6, and they love salads! She can make a lot of healthy choices by not eating so much of the dern birthday cake! She'd better stop using those kids as a skapegoat (sp?) and find some healthy ways to cut out certain things, like not so much rice and much more veggies; less CAKE and more fruit! Chaps my hind parts! :mad: