Reply to How to talk to 9yo about overeating

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If overeating is a big issue, here's what I would suggest and it all centers around healthy eating habits that can be sustainable for the rest of her life.

- Figure out as many ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables and fiber into the diet.  Maybe she likes veggies crunchy and raw, maybe she likes them sauteed.  Maybe she likes to eat fruit before dinner, or for breakfast - maybe there are certain fruits she likes better.  Aim for 5 a day.  There are a lot of delicious healthy recipes for whatever kind of palate she might have

- Incorporate lean protein and complex carbs into daily diet.

- Keep junk food and candy out of the house, especially the prepackaged kind.  If you want a treat, go out as a family together for ice cream.  Feel free to get occasional fries or chips when you are out at a game or wherever.  Also feel free to cook together occasionally to make homemade treats.

- Invite her to participate in meal planning and cooking.

- Never talk about "bad foods" or "good foods".  You can say that veggies and fruits are chock full of nutrients that help her body grow and get stronger and it's important to eat them every day.  You can also say that some foods have less of those wonderful nutrients, so you shouldn't fill up on them.  In general, don't make food such a big focus on your daily lives.  Eat to live, don't live to eat.

- If portions are a problem, just make enough food for your family and portion out your plates for dinner.  If they are still hungry and want seconds, there is none left, but make sure there are plenty of fruit and veggies available if they are still hungry.

- Talk during meals, it slows the eating down.  Keep it light and positive.

- Water only, no juices or sugary drinks.

- Be good role models for healthy and balanced (not restrictive) eating habits and positive body image

- Be active as a family on the weekends and after school if possible. 
[/quote]

This is good in theory but impractical.  Kids can overeat anything, but they especially like the carb stuff that nearly all households have: cereal, pretzels, granola bars, bread, pasta, rice. And high calorie foods like nuts, cheese, BP, avocados.  While don’t have “junk” food, you still may need to say no, you can’t have a second bowl of plain cheerios or a second bowl of nuts, or no to a second giant handful of cashews.  And cooking meals with “no leftovers”ever  isn’t practical either and nearly impossibly to do.

And while the “good/bad” food thing is popular no no saying, it shouldn’t be.  Maybe you don’t have to specifically use the words good and bad, but you do need to explain why you can have as much broccoli as your heart desires, but you shouldn’t do that with Snickers.  Why you should only eat one serving of ice cream and cake at a birthday and not “as much as you want”  Kids need to know.  Especially if “as much as they want to eat” is really too much

[/quote]

DP:  We do what PPP lists above, and it works well for us!  Mainly, I know we’re giving our kids the gift if a healthy start in life.

You disagree, PP, but you don’t understand.  We don’t have granola bars or Cheerios!  We only have whole wheat bread and brown rice.  We do regularly eat non-whole wheat pasta, but honestly it’s not easy to binge on food you have to first boil water for and then cook.  And there is nothing wrong with a second giant handful of cashews — go for it!

Of course PPP’s list is “impractical” if you are unwilling to refrain from buying granola bars, sugar-filled yogurt, and juices.  But for those who follow tge advice for real, it works. [/quote]

No one said anything about juice and sugar filled yogurt…

But living in a house with absolutely zero heathy snacks outside of fruit, vegetable, cheese isn’t a realistic for families with multiple kids with different nutritional needs and schedules.  Neither is zero leftovers.  While you can’t binge on raw noodles or rice, you certainly can on cooked.  And most people have leftover rice/noodles from a meal.  And guess what the kid is going to want? Those extra noodles, whether they are put away or not. And that is fine.  Parents can say no.  You shouldn’t be afraid to say no to your child.  You aren’t going to give them an eating disorder bc you tell them no more rice or pasta after they’ve already had seconds..[/quote]

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