Son feels chubby and wants to work on losing weight

[Anonymous]

Honestly OP, he doesn’t sound overweight and I wouldn’t entertain the idea that he needs to lose weight even he thinks so. He is 8!!!

Keep telling him he is a heathy weight according to his doctor (assuming he is actually a heathy weight according to BMI percentile) and this is just how his body is shaped. Work on self acceptance, no weight loss.

[Anonymous]

My 9 year old daughter asked for the same thing. Interestingly, she is also 60th percentile for both height and weight but doesn't look that chubby, just in her belly and chin area. She sees her older sister wearing crop tops w/a flat stomach and wants the same. I told her I understand why she feels pressure to want that but that she's doing great as she is. I got her signed up for more sports, swim, and dance. She also started noticing how she feels after eating certain foods--like poke makes her feel better than Shake Shack. I have been limiting her food choices behind the scenes without discussing it with her. Like start snack time w/half a grapefruit or apple, cucumber spears w/tajin. The main work I am doing is on my husband who wants to order pizza, wings, piles of naan and creamy curries--I am steering him to foods that are lighter for all of us. I also told her to never ever force herself to be hungry or to "diet" bc that could lead to a binge/restrict cycle.

[Anonymous]

Is this mostly genetic or over eating? I am constantly surprised by the number of overweight young children that I see when I am at my kids elementary school. I sincerely do not remember kids being overweight when I was growing up.

My kids eat well 70% of the time but the other 30% of the time they eat like kids - junk food, sweets, etc. but they are all extremely thin. Probably genetics? They are active in sports and aren't into video games but I assume its mostly genetics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most 8-year-old boys don't feel this way. So, I'd consider whether he got teased for his weight.

I'd try to deemphasize weight and just encourage him to be really active. Chances are good he'll hit a growth spurt and grow a couple of inches with little weight gain. Make sure he is really PLAYING ... not just sitting around playing video games. Lots of shooting hoops, tossing a frisbee, riding bikes. Make it all fun.

I dont think he was teased necessarily. But some friends did point out this summer that he had a belly.

On your second point, that's what we have always aimed for but doesnt look like enough. There is this weird loop that he is not the most bounce of the wall with energy type of kid. He loves to play soccer and basbektball and frisbee with us etc.. and he is good at it, he has the dexterity and eye for it. But you can see that he is not expanding tons of energy. Hard to explain, but you see some kids on playground and you can see they are burning tons of energy. He is running and playing but he is naturally more in energy saving mode...

That's why i am thinking maybe it is ok to also help him with his strength training goals (plan is we do abs, push ups, some treadmill runs, a short 20-30 min work out)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Challenge him to train for a 5k with you.

We did with our similar kid. He continued to gain weight through the whole thing. Something metabolic is going on and docs are stumped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 9 year old daughter asked for the same thing. Interestingly, she is also 60th percentile for both height and weight but doesn't look that chubby, just in her belly and chin area. She sees her older sister wearing crop tops w/a flat stomach and wants the same. I told her I understand why she feels pressure to want that but that she's doing great as she is. I got her signed up for more sports, swim, and dance. She also started noticing how she feels after eating certain foods--like poke makes her feel better than Shake Shack. I have been limiting her food choices behind the scenes without discussing it with her. Like start snack time w/half a grapefruit or apple, cucumber spears w/tajin. The main work I am doing is on my husband who wants to order pizza, wings, piles of naan and creamy curries--I am steering him to foods that are lighter for all of us. I also told her to never ever force herself to be hungry or to "diet" bc that could lead to a binge/restrict cycle.

OP here. I think my son is the same, not that chubby but belly/face and he is the one annoyed by it.

Thank you for sharing your experience and for the good advice ( limiting her food choices behind the scenes without discussing it with her/ told her to never ever force herself to be hungry or to "diet" bc that could lead to a binge/restrict cycle).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this mostly genetic or over eating? I am constantly surprised by the number of overweight young children that I see when I am at my kids elementary school. I sincerely do not remember kids being overweight when I was growing up.

My kids eat well 70% of the time but the other 30% of the time they eat like kids - junk food, sweets, etc. but they are all extremely thin. Probably genetics? They are active in sports and aren't into video games but I assume its mostly genetics.

My kids eat none of the junk yours do, our family of 4 has leftovers from a large pizza, they and are always active in athletics. One is a bean pole with no muscle (not matter how hard he tries to develop muscle, competitive swimmer), and one is overweight (3 sports). Obviously it is genetics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please be careful to watch for signs of disordered eating. That may not be at all what is going on--but it is a fine line and boys are so much more susceptible to ED than most people realize, especially athletes. A nutritionist might be able to help too-particularly to provide guidance on target protein amounts etc. PS You sound like a great mom btw and are thinking about the right things.

Thank you. it does worry me. I noticed he weighed himself this week. He used to be proud of weighing more and "growing". But now i feel like he is watching the needle hoping it would go in other direction . Makes me incredibly sad that he could be starting a lifelong battle with himself.

Is he weighing himself? Take the scale and hide it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this mostly genetic or over eating? I am constantly surprised by the number of overweight young children that I see when I am at my kids elementary school. I sincerely do not remember kids being overweight when I was growing up.

My kids eat well 70% of the time but the other 30% of the time they eat like kids - junk food, sweets, etc. but they are all extremely thin. Probably genetics? They are active in sports and aren't into video games but I assume its mostly genetics.

My kids eat none of the junk yours do, our family of 4 has leftovers from a large pizza, they and are always active in athletics. One is a bean pole with no muscle (not matter how hard he tries to develop muscle, competitive swimmer), and one is overweight (3 sports). Obviously it is genetics.

PP - agree that its genetic but does one parent tend to be more overweight than the other?

I have 3 kids and all 3 are skinny. I mostly find it interesting that you can have multiple kids with same 50/50 DNA from mom and dad and still end up being opposite ends of the genetics. You call tell a mile away my 3 kids are siblings, they look a lot a like, and they are all very thin (without obviously eating well per my previous comment).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this mostly genetic or over eating? I am constantly surprised by the number of overweight young children that I see when I am at my kids elementary school. I sincerely do not remember kids being overweight when I was growing up.

My kids eat well 70% of the time but the other 30% of the time they eat like kids - junk food, sweets, etc. but they are all extremely thin. Probably genetics? They are active in sports and aren't into video games but I assume its mostly genetics.

OP here, i think the genetics make him eat more? Our other kids dont have the same issue and their hunger cues are very different (the other kids also actually eat way more sweets for ex. in terms of % of their diet but are still rail thin).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this mostly genetic or over eating? I am constantly surprised by the number of overweight young children that I see when I am at my kids elementary school. I sincerely do not remember kids being overweight when I was growing up.

My kids eat well 70% of the time but the other 30% of the time they eat like kids - junk food, sweets, etc. but they are all extremely thin. Probably genetics? They are active in sports and aren't into video games but I assume its mostly genetics.

My kids eat none of the junk yours do, our family of 4 has leftovers from a large pizza, they and are always active in athletics. One is a bean pole with no muscle (not matter how hard he tries to develop muscle, competitive swimmer), and one is overweight (3 sports). Obviously it is genetics.

PP - agree that its genetic but does one parent tend to be more overweight than the other?

I have 3 kids and all 3 are skinny. I mostly find it interesting that you can have multiple kids with same 50/50 DNA from mom and dad and still end up being opposite ends of the genetics. You call tell a mile away my 3 kids are siblings, they look a lot a like, and they are all very thin (without obviously eating well per my previous comment).

Our genetics are much more varied. One side is tall skinny can eat anything and not gain a ounce, and other side has to work hard to approximate being in shape, but has lower tone, rounder body types, and a number of overweight folks in spite of best efforts types.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this mostly genetic or over eating? I am constantly surprised by the number of overweight young children that I see when I am at my kids elementary school. I sincerely do not remember kids being overweight when I was growing up.

My kids eat well 70% of the time but the other 30% of the time they eat like kids - junk food, sweets, etc. but they are all extremely thin. Probably genetics? They are active in sports and aren't into video games but I assume its mostly genetics.

My kids are like yours- yes, just genetics.

It seems super common for boys to get a bit chunky around this age, and then shoot up big-time in a few years. Saw this over and over again with my older DS’ friends and teammates/classmates somewhere between 5th-7th grade or so (after being a little chubby for a few years prior). I wonder if it could be this, OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this mostly genetic or over eating? I am constantly surprised by the number of overweight young children that I see when I am at my kids elementary school. I sincerely do not remember kids being overweight when I was growing up.

My kids eat well 70% of the time but the other 30% of the time they eat like kids - junk food, sweets, etc. but they are all extremely thin. Probably genetics? They are active in sports and aren't into video games but I assume its mostly genetics.

My kids are like yours- yes, just genetics.

It seems super common for boys to get a bit chunky around this age, and then shoot up big-time in a few years. Saw this over and over again with my older DS’ friends and teammates/classmates somewhere between 5th-7th grade or so (after being a little chubby for a few years prior). I wonder if it could be this, OP

Thanks. how long did the chubby phase last? We actually told him that at the beginning when he talked about his belly... "oh cool, all good, that means you are soon due for a big growth spurt, often starts with a little bit of weight gain.." But after a year we stopped saying that

[Anonymous]

How much that fool weigh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this mostly genetic or over eating? I am constantly surprised by the number of overweight young children that I see when I am at my kids elementary school. I sincerely do not remember kids being overweight when I was growing up.

My kids eat well 70% of the time but the other 30% of the time they eat like kids - junk food, sweets, etc. but they are all extremely thin. Probably genetics? They are active in sports and aren't into video games but I assume its mostly genetics.

My kids are like yours- yes, just genetics.

It seems super common for boys to get a bit chunky around this age, and then shoot up big-time in a few years. Saw this over and over again with my older DS’ friends and teammates/classmates somewhere between 5th-7th grade or so (after being a little chubby for a few years prior). I wonder if it could be this, OP

Thanks. how long did the chubby phase last? We actually told him that at the beginning when he talked about his belly... "oh cool, all good, that means you are soon due for a big growth spurt, often starts with a little bit of weight gain.." But after a year we stopped saying that

My own kid didn’t follow this pattern but a lot of his friends did. They were chubby/soft looking for a few years through late elementary, and then would suddenly shoot up over what seemed like a few months and look like a totally different kid. Some ended up downright slender/slim. I don’t think this is uncommon.