My child is gaining weight, how do I help her without causing self esteem proble!


Question: My child is almost 12. She is gaining weight, not much now, but her favorite things to eat are potatoes, rice and pasta. She goes back for seconds of these things. How can I teach her about the problems excess carbs can cause without messing up her self esteem. She plays soccor during the spring, but the rest of the year she is not active accept in PE.


Answers: My child is almost 12. She is gaining weight, not much now, but her favorite things to eat are potatoes, rice and pasta. She goes back for seconds of these things. How can I teach her about the problems excess carbs can cause without messing up her self esteem. She plays soccor during the spring, but the rest of the year she is not active accept in PE.

It's good you are looking at this. This is a HUGE problem with young kids today...kids right in the range of your child. The big problem is that yes, the food is excess carbs, but most importantly, the "wrong" carbs. The carbs that she's eating are fast carbs, spiking blood sugar and insulin levels.

Too much of this over time leads to Insulin Resistance. Now there is too much insulin in the blood and your body goes into "fat storage" mode. It's very hard to lose weight, even with exercise, if you're in "fat storage" mode. Insulin Resistance can lead to diabetes, so it's not something that can't be taken lightly. Childhood obestiy is huge today and almost all of it is due to what kids are eating. (plus they aren't really that active any more)

So, rather than focusing on too many carbs, making her feel like you think she eats too much, try to let her know she's eating the wrong carbs. Try to modify her diet, slowly if you have to, to get more "good" carbs in. You'll have to control portions at some point, but getting the good carbs in is probably more important at first.

This is tough for young kids. They have been conditioned to go right after the fast foods and other processed junk that has little nutritional value. So it is an uphill battle.

Best thing for you is to educate yourself on Low Glycemic eating habits, the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load. You may be able to slowly modify her diet without her objecting too much if you know what kind of foods to make.

You have to learn this stuff, though. Twelve year old kids won't learn it. We wouldn't have either when we were 12.

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try getting her into stuff she likes doing.... and other sports she likes???.. or.. you guys could take classes together.. there are pilates classes for mother and daughter..

A tricky situation. I have the same issue with my son. I make him walk home from school most days of the week (3.5 kilometres) and also got him a paper route which he does three times a week as well. On Wednesdays we go to my gym where I work out and he is enrolled in the teen training.

I don't think it works to harp about the food..it just makes it more tempting. Try to offer the fruits and veggies at every meal and focus more on the physical activity. See if there is an activity you two can do together like bowling, exercise at the gym or even walking. Good Luck!

dp physical activities together
plus she is young. u or snother adult is probable encharge if what food comes in the house and whats put on the table. if you will change ur habbits she will follow too

First of all, you need to limit the carbs. Her favourite foods are all carbs, bad carbs, that are causing her to put the pounds on. Replace these carbs with fruits, vegetables, protein (lean meats, like chicken) and fish. She can have the carbs once in awhile, but not a weekly thing.

If she is drinking sodas, limit them one or two a week. She might be angry at the moment, but you're saving her in the long run.

As for getting active, go for a walk daily, at least for 30 minutes a day, if the weather is bad, go for a stroll in the mall. Anything to get her active ALL year round!

Last but not least, this is not a diet. Do not call this a diet in front of your daughter, do not tell her that she is going on a diet. Tell her that the whole family is going on a healthy lifestyle change.

Diets don't work.

Good luck!

this is a simple easy question.
make a meal that she loves but when you are buying the ingrediants make sure their nice and healthy.
when packing her lunch give her about 3 pieces of fruit. a salad for lunch and simple diet cordial or water. also get rid of fizzy drinks in the house and replace them with 100% FRUIT JUICE NOTHING UNDER 60%!! and also get her into a sport like boxing,karate or a physically sport for her and you if your keen enough. also try yoga. and ive just though of this plan now. if you say to her for every 10 minutes you watch tv your going to do 5 minutes of exercise. it works believe it or not.

Well I can tell you from personal experience that you should be very VERY careful. I was exactly this age when my mom first started to get on me about my weight. And for a long time a part of me felt like I wasn't good enough for her.

If you want to teach your daughter about proper nutrition, do so with out bringing up her weight. When you notice she has more carbs on her plate than protein and veggies, point out to her that she needs a ->balanced<- meal to grow healthfully and happily.





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