How fat is obese?

[Denim Deb]

I agree. There's nothing wrong w/plain water. In fact, that's what I drink most of the time.

 

[DianeS]

I agree. There's nothing wrong w/plain water. In fact, that's what I drink most of the time.

Yep, water. If I want a change of flavor, a little lemon or lime squeezed or sliced into it is great.

 

[FarmerChick]

I see the kids in DH's family getting significantly overweight and it makes me sad. Both families have the time and money for good food, if it were a priority for them. But it's not really a priority for most people.

Same goes for getting kids to be active.

oh man this is so true gals. I couldn't agree more.

it isn't a priority and health should be. fat is a health problem.

 

[me&thegals]

I see the kids in DH's family getting significantly overweight and it makes me sad. Both families have the time and money for good food, if it were a priority for them. But it's not really a priority for most people.

Same goes for getting kids to be active.

oh man this is so true gals. I couldn't agree more.

it isn't a priority and health should be. fat is a health problem.

What makes me a little crazy is when our eating habits are kind of made fun of. It is highly ironic to me to have overweight, unhealthy people laughing at my kids eating too well. One of DH's sisters really wants her kids to eat well--she's also trying harder to get her kids active--but she's still not willing for what it takes to make it happen. If her son won't eat the veggies, he gets the junk anyway. I don't preach--simply refuse to--but I'm tempted from time to time.

When DS was 1-2 years old, DH's parents would give him garbage all the time. After a cookie from them, this stubborn child of mine could go 1-2 DAYS refusing to eat what we offered him, holding out for the "good" stuff. We were even more stubborn and simply offered what we had chosen for him to eat. Not many parents appear to be willing for this level of teaching your kids to eat well.

Our kids are now fantastic eaters. Absolutely amazing. They each have one thing they don't want to eat (raw tomatoes for 1, fish for the other), and I'm fine with that. They also love junk food, but at home they eat exceptionally well. I'm so glad we fought the good fight on that one.

 

[FarmerChick]

yea I hear ya on the heavier people laughing at the good food choices.

I am lucky tho we all eat good in the family. my one bros kids are heavier tho because they 'do nothing'. laptops, video games. 'what is a bike and why ride it?' HAHA they eat good food but alot of junk also. but even the good food, they simply EAT SO MUCH it is insane.
a 14 yr old boy wanting 2 steaks for dinner? My mom looked at him and said, you're too fat and you aren't getting 2 steaks...and after dinner the kitchen is closed! the face on that kid LOL --mom tells it like it is. my bro lets the kids eat 24/7. literally. they make big meals at 11pm at night. now that isn't cool and those kids are getting heavier and heavier. they will be the statistic for sure. Hopefully as the kids get older they will see the light and kick in with wise choices. only time will tell. WE WANT to preach at all of them also and did a 'little bit' but it was clear from what my bro said that they eat the way they want....so we shut up hey, you can only do so much then screw it HAHA

It hurts me to see super fat kids. adults are one thing knowing better, but to see them feed junk to fat kids just breaks my heart.

camping at the beach one guy pulled out and a family with 2 teenage boys came in. each kid was sloppy fat. you know, actually had hanging bellys. teens! not a muscle in their body. UGH broke my heart. parents were heavy also. of course they didn't bring bikes or anything like that LOL

I see it and cringe. I just know that my kiddo won't be that. she is learning the correct way and will have the knowledge. so many kids just don't get that education on food.

 

[me&thegals]

It is heartbreaking. I hate fighting over food, but my son has put on some weight since starting school 8 years ago, and I do have to fight him a bit on taking seconds. And make him be active. I try to be as encouraging and fun about it as possible, but sometimes I just have to be more direct. Like "Would you rather vacuum, or walk 1 1/2 miles to go get eggs, and back?"

To me, the best things in life happen in my healthy body. EVERYthing I love to do needs a healthy, comfortable body. If kids are already obese, I just see a lifetime of self-esteem issues, difficulty doing amazing things (hiking, biking, skating, swimming, exploring) and early chronic disease.

I want to ask parents, WHAT could possibly be more important than sending your kids into adulthood in healthy bodies? WHEN do you think they will learn good eating and exercise habits, if not in childhood? When will they learn to put down technology, get sleep, talk with their family, interact with friends, enjoy wonderful food, move their bodies? IF they learn it in adulthood, it will be much harder.

 

[Denim Deb]

I am so glad that I'm not the only "mean" parent on here! I don't know how many times I'd made something new (and healthy) for dinner, only to have my kids turn their noses up at it and say, I don't like that. When I'd ask them how they knew that since I had never made it B4, they couldn't give me a good answer. So, I'd tell them, Fine, you don't have to eat it, but you don't get anything else to eat. Next morning when I was asked What's for breakfast, they'd be told last night's dinner. More often than not, they'd try it and like it.

Tell me, am I the only one that use to put shredded zucchini is spaghetti sauce? I don't think the kids even knew it was in there.

 

[me&thegals]

Our kids have missed plenty of meals. If they said "gross, disgusting" or anything else rude, they were invited to leave the table. If they refused to eat, there was nothing else available (no snacks!) until the next meal, and often meal #1 was then served for meal #2. Plenty of uncomfortable mealtimes, but I now have kids who will eat ANYthing, whether at our house or someone else's.

We've never had a clean plate club, but they always had to try at least 1 bite of everything. Sometimes it took 15 times of that certain something before they liked it. Sometimes it took stubborn DS 20 min before he'd take that bite, but usually he would like it. I work really hard to make food delicious AND nutritious, so that the kids will enjoy the good stuff.

Funny story--A couple times last summer DS was upset that the breakfast smoothies had too much kale in them. He said he'd rather eat kale plain than have a smoothie with too much in it. I invited him to do just that. My CSA workers (working outside when DS stomped out to the kale bed) were amazed that he proceeded to make a huge plate of plain kale salad instead. Ha! Love that stubborn kid

Toss in some pureed pumpkin in that spaghetti sauce!

 

[FarmerChick]

yea I don't care if I come across as 'mean' when other people see me feed my kid. because in the end my kid will be a healthy weight adult knowing how to ''treat junk food'' and 'chemical crap'---with extreme caution.

we had the one bite rule since the day she could understand. one bite to try. most times she loves it
still to this day (almost age 8) we do it and she doesn't baulk at it.

my hubbys friend couldn't believe my kid eats real good foods. his kid only eat nuggets. he asked hubby how he did it. how to train the kid to eat well. WHAT? its a kid...come on people....YOU feed the kid. the kid doesn't dictate the meals, we do.


I think it is easy for parents to cop out. plain lazy. feed the kid what they will eat fast and get it over with then spend the time to bother making the child understand and learn. and adults are the same.


if you don't have your health...you have nothing. SO TRUE.

 

[so lucky]

And what's with all the special "kid" foods these days? One of my DILs used to buy her pre-school kids the little TV type kid foods that were supposedly healthy, but kid-friendly. Well, they are so artificial tasting, with added sugar and nasty stuff. Not to mention expensive! I am glad to say my grand kids usually eat the food I cook, even if they have to be convinced to try it. I love it when they finally dive in and say "Ummm!!" while eating it. The kind of thing a grandma lives for, lol!