Try not to have the items you have decided to abolish occassionally as treats - the kids will at some point feel they are being deprived by not getting these things. Have healthier alternatives so they won't miss what they don't have
MOTHEROFANGELS3 6/6/08 11:21 A
Your doing an excellent job by what I read on your post. The #1 thing is getting them off the soda/pop and keeping them off. That stuff is so bad for all of us. If it can eat a nail imagine what it does to the rest of your body.
Keep up the great job, your doing fine. When they are watching tv I put a bowl of popcorn (no butter) on the coffee table and tht keeps my little one munching healthier.
MSTELZER 6/6/08 2:12 A
Sounds like you are doing a great job already! Good for you and keep up the great work. Your deciding to loose weight will speak volumes to your children and your better eating habits will rub off on them. We've all hear the saying that our children learn more by watching us than listening to us!
Keep it up! Good for you!
ANKSMOM 6/5/08 6:38 P
It sounds like you already know!
Just keep it up. And remember, they learn by example.
SUZ59330 5/26/08 3:46 P
You can also have an added influence by letting your kids help you prepare meals and snacks - they'll be so proud of themselves! Baking things like a banana bread is easy for them, with your help. They can measure and mix, set the timer...
5KSOON 5/26/08 1:54 P
You are doing it now...you are setting the best example for your kids. While you lose weight and become healthier, your kids will take notice of the changes you are making. The greatest thing you can do for them is to provide a good role model. Continue to teach them about making healthy choices and continue to make healthy active choices for yourself. Your kids will pick up the habits you are teaching them only this time around, they will be good habits.
Congrats on setting a good example for your kids!
SUZANNEYEA 5/25/08 6:34 A
I always talk about nutrition with my son and explain how healthy food gives you a healthy body and junk food will not fuel your body properly. We all eat the same in our family. I do not buy any juice, so it is milk or water at meals. I have no mini snack cakes, no ice cream, not "easy" high calorie choices in the house. We have great snack food, apples, string cheese, homemade raisin bread, all healthy choices. We do not do fast food. Maybe once a month, but I would never all ow it more than once a week. The hardest part for you guys will be not buying the snack junk food, cause many times you just toss it in the cart at Wal Mart cause it is so cheap, lol. But, once you get into the habit of not having it, you will never miss it. Good luck.
AITCHBEE 5/24/08 10:17 P
The fact that you are concerned shows that you care and it sounds to me like your kids got lucky in having you as their mum. Try teaching them to cook, from start to finish. From deciding what to eat, getting the nutritional values in proportion, ie. so much carbs, so much protien, so much vitamins etc. Then there's the preparation and cooking, healthy option time again, can vegetable skins be left on, can brown rice be used instead of white etc. Okay, you may, and most probably will, be left with the washing up, but hey, you've spent valuable time bonding with your kids whilst teaching them skills which will benefit them for the rest of their lives. Believe me, it's a laugh too.
GONZATI 3/11/08 7:02 P
I make the same meal for everyone, something low fat and within my calories, but family friendly. I use www.e-mealz.com to plan dinners and I sub. lower sodium options where I can. If it is something I am sure is not that great for me, like having a baked sweet potato instead of a baked potato.
You have to teach the kids what better choices are out there. We have "fast food night" but I make it homemade and use lean burger meat, whole wheat rolls and alexia organic fries (or sweet potato fries). The kids love to hear how it is better, so look up the fat amount in their fav. burger so that you can discuss how it is better for them. You can teach kids about fiber too.
Check out www.kidshealth.org for info about fiber. Have the little ones keep a chart, kind of like the one we have for veggies, where they can put a check for every fruit and an x for every veggie. If they make their 8 total, maybe they can have a small slice of angel food cake or one single scoop of low fat ice cream for their accomplishment. (or you can let them fill the chart for the whole week and they can get Friday night pizzas, which you can make youself using thin crust whole wheat crust and natural sauce) Tell them how it is better for them. That will make it worth it to them.
There is so much out there, you just have to know where to look.
Tiffini
GEMSUZ 3/11/08 1:24 P
Wow, sounds like you are doing a great job, try not to get discouraged it takes time to get your kids to make healthier choices. I'm currently trying to work on that with my 11 year old daughter, she's great about fruits and vegetable but I just can not get her to drink enough water. But I have not exactly been the best role model but I am doing much better on that note. Again, sounds like you are doing a great job.
VALPO1997 3/11/08 9:59 A
Winter months are hard on all people because for most of the US we are "stuck" inside due to weather. On weekends try to find things that the family can do to increase activities during these months.
The rest of what you are doing is great! Eating more veggies and fruit is good for them and gives them a good mix of nutrients.
Stay with it and it will stick. It just takes some time and some days you will lose the battle. Just remember this is a long term war on the parents side and just because one day does not stick does not mean that you introduce this to the kids over and over again.
KANDI117 3/10/08 9:56 P
Sounds like you have been doing a pretty good job of providing healthier alternatives. I too have tried to teach my kids about healthy eating. I try to encourage yogurt, low fat string cheese, fruit, and baked snack crackers instead of chips and candy. You could cut down on the Goodies on the weekends. As long as your children are actively playing and not sitting in front of a t.v. or video game I wouldn't stress too much.
DALTON04 3/10/08 9:08 P
I have a 7 year old, and a 4 year old boy. Both are extrremely active, play sports, love to play outside ect. Up until this year, my oldest has always put on a few extra pounds (never overwieght mind you) and always looses it and leans up come spring through the fall. This year, it seems like he is starting to pack it on a little quicker (not overwieght, but does have a little paunchier belly though), and although I know he will lean up a bit starting in a few weeks when spring comes, I am concerned, and here's why. In the past my husband and I have not been great examples of eating. Even when I first started on sparkpeople, I was more dieting for myself to loose weight, and not even paying attention to the things I let my kids eat, by this I mean, if we had fast food a couple nights a week, I was fine with it because as long as I picked things within my calorie and fat limits I didn't think twice. But I have noticed my son can eat portion wise, alot!!!!! So since approximately last august I have been trying to teach him to eat until he should be full, and to not overeat, and to make healthier choices. I.E. no pop, no Goodies except on weekends for snack, healthy snacks during the week, only 1 goodie on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and to eat more fruits and vegetables. (I have always been good about fruits and veggies though). I stopped putting Goodies in his lunch for school, I stopped doing chips with sandwiches for lunch, and switched to fruit, I bought more fruits for after school snacks, and I introduced a more variety of fruit drinks (and even V8) instead of kool-aid. I don't expect it to be perfect, and there are weeks that go by that maybe we all faulter, but its about making a long term change, and having a more healthier lifestyle right? What suggestions do you all have on how to help change my childrens eating habits to be better, just like I am trying to change mine and my husbands?
