Anonymous wrote:I have 3 kids (between the ages of 10-5) and they eat soooo much. We go through 6 yogurts a day. Don’t even get me started on the amount of fruit. They can finish a whole melon in one sitting. We go through a dozen bananas, 4 quarts of strawberries, a dozen apples, 2 pounds of bacon, multiple pounds of chicken etc. a week.

Do you limit how much food your kids eat? It is so expensive! Our grocery bill is probably close to $400 a week.

FWIW - none of the kids are overweight and one is on the smaller side (under 50%).

I have had kids this age (just a 10yo is my only minor now) and this amount of food sounds totally normal!

I would probably buy the large tub of yogurt rather than the cups (although the cups are better for portion control, I get them at Sams) and maybe limit the bacon. Other than that-this sounds normal. Maybe get whatever berries are in season.

Kids eat. That's what they do!

Anonymous wrote:I don’t have a pedometer or apple watch but I bet I get 15,000 steps a day. I’m a teacher that goes to different classrooms and I own a dog. I’m on my feet a lot.

Being on your feet all day is not the same as getting steps. People often confuse this. Nurses also think they get a ton of steps a day but are probably surprised when they actually track it to see it’s actually not that much. Of course you are getting more than someone at a desk job but you are certainly not getting 15k just being a teacher. It’s the continuous walking that actually accumulates high step counts. Not walking a lot for very short spurts throughout a day.

Nope, I don’t limit food. I also tell my kid to bring home stuff she doesn’t eat from her lunch so the school doesn’t send home nasty notes about children wasting food in the garbage as I’ve seen in the last. She is allowed to regulate when she is hungry and when she is not. She wants 3 yogurts, r
4 rice cakes and fruit at bedtime after eating a full dinner? Yep, here you go. Not hungry today and brought home a cheese stick and all her veggies in her lunch box? Also fine. She is strong, active, healthy and eats a well rounded diet. I think letting her learn about listening to her body is more important than monitoring what she eats. Yes, groceries are more expensive. We shop as much on sale as we can, which actually promotes a lot more variety in her diet. Berries expensive this week - here’s some apples and melon. Regular yogurt and cornice but drinking yogurt on sale- well, here’s a treat for the week. Nope, triscuits are double price this week so here’s some rice crackers! Let’s go to the farmers market and you can pick out your 3 favourite veggies (we live in an ag area).

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Anonymous wrote:Are you all walking your dogs for hours at a time? Because that’s kind of insane. I mean it’s good I guess-I just don’t know that many people with that kind of free time multiple times a day.

-I take my dog on probably 2 walks a day but it’s for like 10-15 minutes at most each time.

My neighbors who have no lives walk like that. Their kids are grown or they don't have kids. They are either sahms, work from home or are retired. The most notable thing is that the walks are the most important things in their lives. They walk constantly.

Also what is weird to me is that the insane walkers where I live - ie they take hours long walks, sometimes more than once a day, are actually all overweight and gaining more. All the hours of walking haven't helped them lose weight.

So you're judging them both for being overweight and for exercising too much?

And now I've heard it all.

My DS is home from college, and my grocery bill has doubled. He eats more than he ever did in high school. I just make sure there is no waste. We eat leftovers, we eat up what we have before I buy more. And I don't spend money on sodas/seltzer/bottled tea.

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Anonymous wrote:I have a kid who often won't eat at all.

I would take your problem.

Are you the same poster who responded to a thread about kids jumping on the bed with "my kid is paraplegic-- I'd love to have your problem."

Agreed it's so pathetic. I guess they've never seen the Debbie Downer skits on snl.

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 kids (between the ages of 10-5) and they eat soooo much. We go through 6 yogurts a day. Don’t even get me started on the amount of fruit. They can finish a whole melon in one sitting. We go through a dozen bananas, 4 quarts of strawberries, a dozen apples, 2 pounds of bacon, multiple pounds of chicken etc. a week.

Do you limit how much food your kids eat? It is so expensive! Our grocery bill is probably close to $400 a week.

FWIW - none of the kids are overweight and one is on the smaller side (under 50%).

I can't fathom that you think the kids having 2 yougurt cups a day is a lot. You're surprised they can finish a cantaloupe? Fruit often isn't filling.

You seem like such a health nut but you're feeding your family 2 lbs of bacon a week is gross. You should talk to a doctor or nutrionist because you seem food obsessed or disordered.

Anonymous wrote:Are you all walking your dogs for hours at a time? Because that’s kind of insane. I mean it’s good I guess-I just don’t know that many people with that kind of free time multiple times a day.

-I take my dog on probably 2 walks a day but it’s for like 10-15 minutes at most each time.

My neighbors who have no lives walk like that. Their kids are grown or they don't have kids. They are either sahms, work from home or are retired. The most notable thing is that the walks are the most important things in their lives. They walk constantly.

Also what is weird to me is that the insane walkers where I live - ie they take hours long walks, sometimes more than once a day, are actually all overweight and gaining more. All the hours of walking haven't helped them lose weight.

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Anonymous wrote:It really depends on your kids. I have one kid that is great at self regulation, and one that isn’t. The one that isn’t is borderline overweight. She just wants to eat a lot. I stopped buying processed snack foods because she would eat them in large quantities. But even heathy foods, I will sometimes guide her to balance her eating. Instead of eating 3 banana, eat one banana and a cheese stick. Things like that. Or instead on a second heaping serving of pasta, have a small second serving and some more chicken.

There is research that says this prevents kids from learning to recognize their own satiety signals and increases the likelihood they will be overweight in adulthood.

We all grew up with reasonable limits on meal and snack times. The kitchen wasn’t open 24 hours a day and my mom only shopped once a week. None of us kids are overweight adults. Probably because our parents aren’t.

Agree. This is how almost everyone used to be parented prior to the 80's.

B.S. I didn't grow up that way in the 60s and neither did my friends. We got snacks when we wanted to and no one was monitoring what we ate like you weirdos do. Back in those days, most people didn't keep all the snacks around though. Most of it didn't exist. Desserts were rare. Cheese, fruit, stuff for sandwiches or leftovers werw always available.

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Anonymous wrote:Maybe you shouldn’t have three children if you can’t afford to feed them. It’s extremely poor parenting to consider giving your kids an eating disorder so you can cut back on groceries.

OP - I just don't understand how kids eat so much. I don't think I ever did as a kid. I probably eat around 1300 calories now as an adult and I work out every day. I have to consciously work to eat 1500 calories.

You are a full adult who only eats 1300 calories a day? That’s not normal. Get your thyroid checked. That’s not enough calories for your body to function. Not to mention you workout.

DP
1300 calories is actually normal for petite middle aged women. I'm 5'4" 118lbs. I was an athlete my whole life and now in my 50s my basal metabolic rate is about 1000 calories. My body is so efficient with energy that when I'm not exercising 1200-1300 calories is all I need. At my peak athletic performance (late teens early 20s) I ate 3000-5000 calories a day. I was the same height and 115 lbs. I've literally never been unhealthy over or under weight. Metabolism changes with age and those of us in tune with our bodies can just listen to the signals to know when to eat or not. And yes, I have my hormones check every year as part of my executive physical. I'm extremely healthy.

Op - I am 5’7” and 135 pounds. I lift weights 3 times a week and walk 15,000ish steps 7 days a week. I typically eat 1300-1500 calories a day. Never more than that.

i’m calling BS on this. That’s about 3 hours of walking a day. There is no way you have time for that, plus also lifting weights and working full time. Plus you are running after your kids? You don’t have toddlers by the nature of your post so I can’t imagine “running after your kids” is actually a thing. I have 3 kids-only one of them is younger than school age and I only work part time and can’t get that amount of movement in 7 days a week.

Yes this is such BS! I walked not much more 15000 steps during 12 hour days at Disney! I also doubt OP eats no more than 1500 calories every single day. That is really not a lot of food. I believe you watch what you eat and don't gorge yourself but anyone who has worked to remain in a calorie deficit and counted knows it adds up fast.

Your claim that it is seven days a week is what makes it clearly BS.

I know multiple women who walk over 20,000 steps a day. They wake up early to get steps in and use treadmills at their home office desk.

Op - not sure why everyone is doubting my mileage. I have a sister and she does the same if not more. We both have dogs and she is a runner.

I have a very active young dog. I take her for 1.8-2 mile walk in the morning and then two more shorter 1 mile walks mid day and in the evening. I can do 1 mile with the dog in about 15 mins so it’s quick.

You have likely conditioned your dog to want this amount of exercise.

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Anonymous wrote:Maybe you shouldn’t have three children if you can’t afford to feed them. It’s extremely poor parenting to consider giving your kids an eating disorder so you can cut back on groceries.

OP - I just don't understand how kids eat so much. I don't think I ever did as a kid. I probably eat around 1300 calories now as an adult and I work out every day. I have to consciously work to eat 1500 calories.

You are off the charts nuts. It's unconscionable to monitor your kids to this level. Seriously get therapy.

You should have had 1 or 2 kids.
Wait till the teen years…you’ll go broke, especially if you have boys!

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Anonymous wrote:Maybe you shouldn’t have three children if you can’t afford to feed them. It’s extremely poor parenting to consider giving your kids an eating disorder so you can cut back on groceries.

OP - I just don't understand how kids eat so much. I don't think I ever did as a kid. I probably eat around 1300 calories now as an adult and I work out every day. I have to consciously work to eat 1500 calories.

You are a full adult who only eats 1300 calories a day? That’s not normal. Get your thyroid checked. That’s not enough calories for your body to function. Not to mention you workout.

DP
1300 calories is actually normal for petite middle aged women. I'm 5'4" 118lbs. I was an athlete my whole life and now in my 50s my basal metabolic rate is about 1000 calories. My body is so efficient with energy that when I'm not exercising 1200-1300 calories is all I need. At my peak athletic performance (late teens early 20s) I ate 3000-5000 calories a day. I was the same height and 115 lbs. I've literally never been unhealthy over or under weight. Metabolism changes with age and those of us in tune with our bodies can just listen to the signals to know when to eat or not. And yes, I have my hormones check every year as part of my executive physical. I'm extremely healthy.

Op - I am 5’7” and 135 pounds. I lift weights 3 times a week and walk 15,000ish steps 7 days a week. I typically eat 1300-1500 calories a day. Never more than that.

i’m calling BS on this. That’s about 3 hours of walking a day. There is no way you have time for that, plus also lifting weights and working full time. Plus you are running after your kids? You don’t have toddlers by the nature of your post so I can’t imagine “running after your kids” is actually a thing. I have 3 kids-only one of them is younger than school age and I only work part time and can’t get that amount of movement in 7 days a week.

Yes this is such BS! I walked not much more 15000 steps during 12 hour days at Disney! I also doubt OP eats no more than 1500 calories every single day. That is really not a lot of food. I believe you watch what you eat and don't gorge yourself but anyone who has worked to remain in a calorie deficit and counted knows it adds up fast.

Your claim that it is seven days a week is what makes it clearly BS.

I know multiple women who walk over 20,000 steps a day. They wake up early to get steps in and use treadmills at their home office desk.

Op - not sure why everyone is doubting my mileage. I have a sister and she does the same if not more. We both have dogs and she is a runner.

I have a very active young dog. I take her for 1.8-2 mile walk in the morning and then two more shorter 1 mile walks mid day and in the evening. I can do 1 mile with the dog in about 15 mins so it’s quick.

That’s fast! Our half mile dog walks are about 15 minutes. More if the dog is in detective mode

Well PP is anorexic so her poor dog doesn’t get to sniff or shit.