Daugther at 13 needs to diet

[Atkid]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

My 11 1/2 year old daughter has been overweight for a couple of years now.
We use to frequent Mc D's and Wendys alot. That was the first thing to go. I thought well surely no fast food twice a week would help. Not! Next thing to go was cookies, other than the occasional pack of refrigerator cookies when we have company that I might buy when we have company no cookies are kept in the house. Surely this would help. Not! She has not had a regular coke in a couple of years, thinking was to eliminate the sugars from her drinks would help. Not! Now as last resort the diet drinks have been removed, she is only allowed to drink Diet Coke when we go out to eat at a restaurant. Only low carb chocolate milk or water at home. Will this help I certainly hope so cause I don't know where else to cut corners. She does have a serving of Cinnamon Crisps for breakfast which I would hate to remove. I know her problem is with her exercise level which is non-existant but she has no interest in team sports. I hope you all are right about just growing into the height and weight cause she needs to lose a minimum of 25 pounds. Thanks for the vent!

[fawn]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

These are some great posts. Whether the children are thin or not healthy eating habits feeds their cells and sets up their DNA for a long healthy life. Thin children have just as much of a chance of future illness from over processed preservative laden foods.
You know....it is so sad to me that the human body is the most important thing in our lives to learn about and Health and Nutrtition has been cut from the budgets of schools. We have programs for drugs right along with that children need to be educated beginning at an early age. And PE? Where did that go. As parents we need to take a stand for our children. We are so afraid to take away their favorite things like sugar because of pressure but we must if we are to have a future generation.
betty.....I know your pain my friend.....you know my story with my 23yo.

Atkid......Especially the cinnamon crisps! Take them away....maybe you can "cut a deal" start her with eggs and a piece of fruit for breakfast and let her have 1/2 c cinnamon crisps on Sunday morn??? Good for you for the effort you are taking to save your child.

Anyone seen the latest set of commercials??? We have them in California.
They're sponsored by agencies Healthy Families and First 5....
They are pushing getting rid of crap and teaching healthy eating.

[not2late]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

I know her problem is with her exercise level which is non-existant but she has no interest in team sports. I hope you all are right about just growing into the height and weight cause she needs to lose a minimum of 25 pounds. Thanks for the vent!

Team sports, smorts! Exercise doesn't have to be being herded from one end of a field to another with a bunch of other kids and a coach. Bike riding, hiking, swimming, dancing, etc. are all forms of exercise that she can do. And in a way, I don't think her lack of interest in organized sports is too far off. If she is heavier than the other kids, she might feel that self-conscious. By offering her exercise options that aren't competitive or team-oriented, she might come to like exercise. Also, activities like hiking and biking can be family activities, so you can spend quality time with her while getting in your daily exercise too.

Make sure you get her doctor involved in this. As I've stated up-thread, there are causes of overweight in children other than lack of exercise and over-eating.

[staziaw]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

When I was 13 years old, I gained about ten pounds and felt horrible. But then I had a growth spurt - 5 inches! I think my body was prepping for the growth spurt! Anyway, I do think that removing processed and packaged food could only be good for her!!!

Good luck!

[fawn]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

Team sports, smorts! Exercise doesn't have to be being herded from one end of a field to another with a bunch of other kids and a coach. Bike riding, hiking, swimming, dancing, etc. are all forms of exercise that she can do. And in a way, I don't think her lack of interest in organized sports is too far off. If she is heavier than the other kids, she might feel that self-conscious. By offering her exercise options that aren't competitive or team-oriented, she might come to like exercise. Also, activities like hiking and biking can be family activities, so you can spend quality time with her while getting in your daily exercise too.

Make sure you get her doctor involved in this. As I've stated up-thread, there are causes of overweight in children other than lack of exercise and over-eating.

ditto.......Its so much fun to exercise together.

[not2late]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

ditto.......Its so much fun to exercise together.

Lemme tell ya....every summer and fall when I was a kid, my parents used to load up the station wagon with us and some picnic gear. Then they used to drive out to a "pick your own" fruit or vegetable farm. We would spend the morning picking bushels of strawberries, peaches, apples, corn, whatever. Then we would drive to some park area, have a picnic and play or hike. Then we would go home, help drag all the fruit into the house. The next day we would spend help mom freeze or can the fruit. It kept us, kids, out of trouble and we got exercise from the activity.

[killerbombshell]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

I always felt that I was an overweight kid but my doctor never agreed. All throughout my childhood, elementary and middle school, I was teased relentlessly by my peers for being overweight; and whenever I asked my mom to take me to the doctor to try to help they would say I was right on target with my growth and there was never any problem. I'm an only child and didn't have any siblings to play with, had a nanny and never went to day care or after school programs, and was too awkward, nerdy and overweight to play any sports or get much activity. I was obsessed with what I weighed by the seventh grade and didn't know what to do. I was doing SlimFast in eighth grade, Nutrisystem in ninth.

I wish my doctor HAD been able to help me, by the time I got to high school I developed a couple of different of eating disorders, and when I got them treated, went farrrr into the other direction until I reached my highest weight back in October. I guess my advice is, listen to what your doctor says but also listen to your child. If they really want to change, then help them do it safely and with lots of love and support, understanding that weight can be a truly embarassing issue for kids.

[not2late]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

Killer brings up a good point about body image perception. The latest stuff shows that girls and boys are susceptible to haveing distorted body image perception. And again, that is something that the child's doctor can help with.

[poppie]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

By the way, how much of that diet soda is she drinking?

I believe that aspartame is poison.

Aspartame also spikes blood sugar....

she has one maybe two a day, two days ago we got rid of all diet colas without splenda, we will only buy splenda related products from now on,she also is joining volleyball so maybe this will help, My fear is I do not want her to end up like us and I am trying to keep it from happening

[bizzlekitty]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

Parents, whatever you do, make sure you get your kids to buy into the better way of eating willingly and not let it be forced. Don't let them feel deprived by making sure they are getting enough healthy veggies and fruit and calcium to help them as they grow.

Explain that while other kids eat all that junk and don't gain weight, in later years, they will never have learned to eat healthy and when they do not have the youth, metabolism and activity level to assist them in burning off those bad foods, their bad eating habits will already to set in stone and will lead to other health issues down the road, if not just weight gain.

Good eating habits are for life and need to start when you're young.

My parents had me on a perpetual diet that wasn't exactly healthy for a growing teenager when I was in my teens, even though my weight wasn't bad at all, and all that taught me was to sneak food, binge when I could, and to "hate" diets. I drank lots of diet soda and other processed "low calorie" foods that weren't that healthy either. I never learned to eat healthy nor how important it was to eat veggies and fruits and not skip meals. Thus, once I was "free" of my parents, I ate however I wanted, never realizing how bad it was for me. It wasn't until I tried Atkins that I realized I had been on the wrong eating plan for most of my life and am now trying to undo all the damage I did.

Also help them realize that not every person is going to be stick thin and there's nothing wrong with having some curves and a few extra pounds as long as you are eating right and exercising regularly.

This topic just touches me personally since I've learned so much later that I probably could have avoided gaining 200 lbs if I only knew then what I know now

[poppie]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

Great point bkitty, I too feel the same as you!

congrats on your 100+ lost

[boonie stomper]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

My nephew went through a very chubby phase at 13-14; - about the same time he was in-between major growth spurts, living in front of the TV on chocolate and mountain dew... Then in a couple of years he discovered the opposite sex, became conscious of his appearance, started getting taller, exercising and eating healthier foods. He is now at the right weight and healthy - your daughter may take the same course, if there's a boyfriend and growth spurt on the horizon.

[not2late]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

bizzle

There is a long-term study being done on childhood nutrition. You confirm what they are finding: parents have the most influence on the diet and nutritional attitudes of the children.

The best way to get a child to eat healthfully is to start them on a healthful diet as soon as they stop bottle or breastfeeding and to continue that healthful diet throughout their childhood and adolescence.

[poppie]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

My nephew went through a very chubby phase at 13-14; - about the same time he was in-between major growth spurts, living in front of the TV on chocolate and mountain dew... Then in a couple of years he discovered the opposite sex, became conscious of his appearance, started getting taller, exercising and eating healthier foods. He is now at the right weight and healthy - your daughter may take the same course, if there's a boyfriend and growth spurt on the horizon.

shhhh! how can I think about my baby looking at a potiential boyfriend ha!ha!

[cmooregreen]

Re: Daugther at 13 needs to diet

I have a son that just turned 14 and boy has he changed in the last year. At ages 10-13 he was such a pudge that I had to buy all of his pants too long to get them around his waist and have them altered. Now, he has sprouted up about 5 inches and dropped about 25 pounds! I think I remember doing the same thing around that age also. Hopefully the same will happen for your daughter!