Anonymous
Post 05/08/2014 14:24     Subject: Re:8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:He weighs double what my newly turned 9 yr old son weighs. I would focus more of daily family exercise like walks or bike rides. Many organized sports aren't really going to give him much exercise. We take our dog for a 20 min walk everyday and for longer on the weekends.


To be fair, your son sounds very small for his age. How tall is he? I have a 9 yo dd who was 90 pounds and 58 inches at her last checkup. She wears a size 8.5 shoe. She towers over most of her classmates. But that doesn't mean she isn't normal and healthy.


My son is around 53 inches tall so definitely not the shortest boy in his grade.
Anonymous
Post 05/08/2014 14:14     Subject: 8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:New poster here. What's the problem with telling him that his tummy sticks out a bit. Well, for one thing he has eyes and he has a body and he can see his own body. Do you need feedback on the appearance of your body? You have clothing, you can tell whether and how your clothing fits and when your stomach is jiggling and heavy. Why do you think that overweight people need to be kept up to date by the toned community?

Also, it's basically mean, isn't it? What's the point? It's really not nice. Is that a memory that you want him to carry through? My mom told me that my stomach sticks out? Really, OP?

I think you know what "Don't buy junk" means. You are being deliberately obtuse.


why is it mean? he's a child, i'm the parent, i tell him his tummy sticks out which is a fact that he, as an 8-yo, may not actually understand or care. i'm not calling him fat or big belly or teasing him about it. it's a sign that he is in need to move more and eat less, simple as that, and never about 'appearance' like you (might) think.

but link me a study that says belly fat is health for not unhealthy then i'll reconsider it.


OP, your son may turn out to be just fine (mentally/emotionally I mean). But you are really putting him at risk by how you are handling this. He WILL remember that you weighed him weekly and assessed his physique and told him his tummy sticks out. Yes it may be a fact but it's not helpful information and it's clear to him that because his body looks the way he does, he is letting you down.

My sister had eating issues growing up and later committed suicide. Be careful.

I'm assuming you've discussed this with your pediatrician but if you have not you should immediately, without your son present.


This. It's great to offer more fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains. It's awesome to offer less processed flour and sugar. It's fine to keep the junk out of the house. But trust me when I say that the negative stuff that parents say about their kids' appearance, including (and maybe especially) their weight, sticks with them. Sometimes for the rest of their lives. Someone put it to me this way--as parents, you may end up being the voice in your kid's head for years. What do you want them to hear? Your son should be hearing from you: "I love you and I want you to be happy and healthy. I will help you learn to eat healthy so that you have the energy to do all the amazing things you want to do. I will help you learn to love being active and to enjoy your body." Your son should not be hearing "You are not good enough as you are." You may think you're just "being honest" by telling him his tummy sticks out. But your son deserves more from you than just honesty.
Anonymous
Post 05/08/2014 09:20     Subject: Re:8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:NP here; haven't read other replies, but wanted to say, that a few years ago I went with my SIL to a class to keep her license current. One thing I learned is that fat cells have a memory of about 3 months. So they will lose weight, then hang on to weight--I think they start hanging on at 10% loss. They hang on for the three months, then they "reset" and the current weight becomes the base weight and they lose again.

I might not be explaining it very well, but bottom line is, this is why people plateau, and if you expect and tolerate the plateaus, then you can keep going with the weight loss. The trick is to wait them out! If the caloric consumption, the excersise level, and sleep levels are right, it will be just a matter of time.


Is this what they told you at the DMV?


Yeah, that made no sense without saying what kind of class and license.


Sorry, PP here. Dietician's license. Medical professionals have to take courses to keep their license current; this one was not only for dietitians but other medical fields as well. It was about the different diets that were in vogue (so as to understand where some of their patients were coming from), their effectiveness (or non-effectiveness). The course was at core, how the body metabolizes food and deals with excess calories so as to understand why different food plans work or don't. It was pretty scientific course with a medical feel. I don't have a medical background; I was just accompanying her because I was in town. So I recognize I may not be explaining it well. But I will tell you that little nugget of information has helped me tremendously.
Anonymous
Post 05/08/2014 08:56     Subject: 8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
Have you talked to his doctor about this?

Normally the goal is for kids to grow into their weight, not lose weight.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2014 12:38     Subject: 8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
if it's not a concern for you or your ped, then i'm happy for you.

it was a concern for me and the ped, so we took actions to avert the trend.

frankly, weight and body fat don't tell a true story. but belly fat does, and is a true indicator of potential health issues.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2014 09:20     Subject: Re:8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
Anonymous wrote:He weighs double what my newly turned 9 yr old son weighs. I would focus more of daily family exercise like walks or bike rides. Many organized sports aren't really going to give him much exercise. We take our dog for a 20 min walk everyday and for longer on the weekends.


To be fair, your son sounds very small for his age. How tall is he? I have a 9 yo dd who was 90 pounds and 58 inches at her last checkup. She wears a size 8.5 shoe. She towers over most of her classmates. But that doesn't mean she isn't normal and healthy.
ThatSmileyFaceGuy
Post 05/07/2014 08:00     Subject: 8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:At 9 yrs old my DS was 5'2" 120lbs. Yes he is the size of a 12 yr old. Would I make him "diet?" no. Do I encourage healthy eating and lots of physical activity? yes. We model healthy eating and regular exercise. Do I want to promote unhealthy body image and over-self-consciousness at this early age? No.


She said this was at the doctor's recommendation.


No the doctor more than likely talked about making better food choices and now she has gone overboard.

I have 8 year old twin (fraternal) boys. One is 4'10" and weighs 105 (granted he had to take 10 weeks off recently because of a broken elbow) and his brother is 4'7" weighing in at 85. The bigger son usually has his growth spurt over the summer to the point that people that don't see him over the summer always comment how much leaner he looks then when they last saw him in the spring.
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2014 13:31     Subject: 8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:New poster here. What's the problem with telling him that his tummy sticks out a bit. Well, for one thing he has eyes and he has a body and he can see his own body. Do you need feedback on the appearance of your body? You have clothing, you can tell whether and how your clothing fits and when your stomach is jiggling and heavy. Why do you think that overweight people need to be kept up to date by the toned community?

Also, it's basically mean, isn't it? What's the point? It's really not nice. Is that a memory that you want him to carry through? My mom told me that my stomach sticks out? Really, OP?

I think you know what "Don't buy junk" means. You are being deliberately obtuse.


why is it mean? he's a child, i'm the parent, i tell him his tummy sticks out which is a fact that he, as an 8-yo, may not actually understand or care. i'm not calling him fat or big belly or teasing him about it. it's a sign that he is in need to move more and eat less, simple as that, and never about 'appearance' like you (might) think.

but link me a study that says belly fat is health for not unhealthy then i'll reconsider it.


OP, your son may turn out to be just fine (mentally/emotionally I mean). But you are really putting him at risk by how you are handling this. He WILL remember that you weighed him weekly and assessed his physique and told him his tummy sticks out. Yes it may be a fact but it's not helpful information and it's clear to him that because his body looks the way he does, he is letting you down.

My sister had eating issues growing up and later committed suicide. Be careful.

I'm assuming you've discussed this with your pediatrician but if you have not you should immediately, without your son present.
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2014 13:28     Subject: 8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Lots of physical activities is best. What sports does he do? Right now mine does
soccer practice 1x week
Soccer game 1x week
Baseball practice 2x week
Baseball game 1x week
Karate 2 x per week
Swimming 2x per week


How does your 8 yo have time to do all this?


How does he fit all this in his schedule and how old is he? I am genuinely interested.

Almost 8
Mon 3-4 karate
Mon 5-6 soccer
Tue 5-6:30 baseball
Wed 4:30-5:00 swim
Wed 6:00-7:00 karate (this can change, you can go twice per week)
Thur 5-6:30 baseball
Fri 4:30-5:00 swim, ( only swims spring: summer)
Sat baseball and soccer games can also do karate


Those hour practices really aren't heavy cardio ESPECIALLY BASEBALL. My boys don't even need to drink water when they play baseball. Then--there are always juice and chips give out by parents as snack post-game. Seriously???? They are putting in more calories than they burned. Karate at his age same thing...soccer depending on coach and if its just Rec could also not be full on running.

Playgournds and pick up sports after school burn much more...as does walking more (I walk mine to and from school).
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2014 12:47     Subject: Re:8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
Anonymous wrote:He weighs double what my newly turned 9 yr old son weighs. I would focus more of daily family exercise like walks or bike rides. Many organized sports aren't really going to give him much exercise. We take our dog for a 20 min walk everyday and for longer on the weekends.


He is probably also half again as tall as your son. (Not the OP.)
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2014 12:09     Subject: Re:8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
He weighs double what my newly turned 9 yr old son weighs. I would focus more of daily family exercise like walks or bike rides. Many organized sports aren't really going to give him much exercise. We take our dog for a 20 min walk everyday and for longer on the weekends.
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2014 10:51     Subject: 8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
PP on whole milk - this really isn't the thread for it, but there is new thinking on fats and their role in making people fat, and on heart disease. I'm not an evangelist on whole milk, but there really is new evidence that fat - saturated or un - does not make us fat or unhealthy. Unfortunately, the cause is looking more and more like sugar and carbs, so the low-fat info we've all bought into for the past two decades...poof.
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2014 10:42     Subject: Re:8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You are being ridiculous. He's not really all that heavy for his weight and the stop in loss, and gain around the waste, could indicate a growth spurt.

If you are going to give him one glass of milk a day you are better giving him whole milk. Once you remove the fat from milk you are left with nothing but sugars and that will actually make anyone gain weight more than the fat in the milk will.

A low fat diet really isn't all it's cracked up to be if you are removing the fat from where it is naturally occurring. It's one thing to trim a steak and another to remove it from milk. Also foods like coconut and avocado are high in fats but really good for you.


I'm pretty sure that there's protein in skim milk.


Not as much as you'd like to think and your body processes the milk differently because of the lack of fat. You are much better off with whole milk or goat milk.
There was a study proving that if you are going to drink one glass of milk a day while attempting to lose or maintain weight, that whole milk is better and more effective.




One 8-ounce glass of skim milk, also referred to as fat-free milk, contains approximately 8.5 grams of protein. Nearly 40 percent of the 90 calories in an 8-ounce glass of skim milk come from protein. Virtually all of the remaining calories come from carbohydrates, while a very small amount come from fat.

Whole milk has a high fat content. Whole milk contains approximately 8 grams of fat per 8 ounce glass. Five of the fat grams come from saturated fat. The fat content is the least nutritious aspect of whole milk. Saturated fat does not provide any health benefits. In fact, saturated fat is metabolized differently than other fats and causes plaque build-up in your arteries; this can cause high blood pressure and heart disease. Saturated fat can also cause weight gain and some types of cancer. The consumption of saturated fat should be limited, and if possible avoided altogether.
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2014 09:59     Subject: 8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
for those wondering about why the recommended BMI changes with age, think about the skeleton of young kid versus that of an older teen. Somewhere along the line the skeleton gets broader. You can see this in wrists, shoulders, hips... Add more muscle, and you'll understand why a fit older teen has a higher BMI than a fit pre-teen.

CDC BMI chart for boys: http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set1clinical/cj41l023.pdf

According to that, a BMI of 21.5 (if I'm remembering correctly) is not in the 25-75% range until age 15. A fifteen year old's build is very different than an 8 year old's.

OP -- call your pediatrician, with whom you are already working. This may or may not be something to worry about. Might be a natural 9and temporary) consequence of so much rain (and time spent indoors), Easter, spring break, etc. Might be that he is about to have a growth spurt (my skinny DD gets some extra pudge around the waist before she sprouts). Then again, it might be something you need to address with a change in exercise or variety in the diet.

As for the milk choices.... growing kids need calcium, and milk is a good source. Skim milk does have a higher glycemic index than 2% or whole milk. Skim milk is also less satisfying. Read up on it. Might be worth talking to a nutritionist / dietician who specializes in pediatric issues, too.
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2014 17:09     Subject: Re:8-yo DS weight loss 'hit a plateau' - need suggestions/ideas
Anonymous wrote:Does your son eat vegetables? You haven't mentioned any. And no, I don't mean potatoes. Greens, bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. are a great way to fill up on healthy food with little caloric impact.