Helping Daughter Lose Weight
My daughter is 11 and weighs almost 150 pounds. She and I both know she needs to lose weight, but so far we've had no luck. I try to teach her about what foods are healthier to eat and about watching her portion sizes, but a lot of the healthy foods she doesn't like and she acts like she's starving if I cut down her portion sizes. I don't know how to enforce the good eating habits without taking all the fun out of mealtime for her.
I would appreciate any ideas you guys might have that would be helpful.
Thanks!
Dorothy
Answers:
Fun foods - smoothies, making faces with the food etc.
allowing her to help prepare a meal, its fun for her.
Fun sports, get involved yourself to make it fun for her - swimming, cycling, walking (interesting places only), basket ball is great fun (I love playing this with my girls).
No fizzy drinks - water during the day and milk before bed (good for the teeth too)
Limit sweets/candy to once a week or only for a treat.
Have fruit or yoghurts for puddings instead of sugary treats.
Most importantly - don't let her worry about her size. She may turn to comfort eating. The whole family needs to take onboard a healthy regime for it to work, its not fair for her alone to be eating the right thing.
Good luck. Do you watch friends? My daughter does and she kept saying "look at the size of Monica now, she is smaller than when she was younger".
Answers:
As someone who has worried about my weight all my life (sometimes unnecessarily), here's my 2 cents.
I, personally, would only have healthy food in the house and then I wouldn't say a word to her. I wouldn't try to control her portions. I would emphasize that you love her just as she is no matter what. She'll have plenty of people who will let her know that her weight is unacceptable. She needs to feel accepted by you.
Answers:
those words are very wise.
sounds like you have been there! It ain't nice is it.
Answers:
Also encourage her to get some daily execise. Offer to go walking with her. Kids now a days are so unactive and this sure contributes to weight problems. I'm going through the same thing with a 16 year old who weighs close to 300!
I would appreciate any ideas you guys might have that would be helpful.
Thanks!
Dorothy
Answers:
Fun foods - smoothies, making faces with the food etc.
allowing her to help prepare a meal, its fun for her.
Fun sports, get involved yourself to make it fun for her - swimming, cycling, walking (interesting places only), basket ball is great fun (I love playing this with my girls).
No fizzy drinks - water during the day and milk before bed (good for the teeth too)
Limit sweets/candy to once a week or only for a treat.
Have fruit or yoghurts for puddings instead of sugary treats.
Most importantly - don't let her worry about her size. She may turn to comfort eating. The whole family needs to take onboard a healthy regime for it to work, its not fair for her alone to be eating the right thing.
Good luck. Do you watch friends? My daughter does and she kept saying "look at the size of Monica now, she is smaller than when she was younger".
Answers:
As someone who has worried about my weight all my life (sometimes unnecessarily), here's my 2 cents.
I, personally, would only have healthy food in the house and then I wouldn't say a word to her. I wouldn't try to control her portions. I would emphasize that you love her just as she is no matter what. She'll have plenty of people who will let her know that her weight is unacceptable. She needs to feel accepted by you.
Answers:
those words are very wise.
sounds like you have been there! It ain't nice is it.
Answers:
Also encourage her to get some daily execise. Offer to go walking with her. Kids now a days are so unactive and this sure contributes to weight problems. I'm going through the same thing with a 16 year old who weighs close to 300!