Worried About My Daughter

[AKSleever 57]

I am really worried about my 10 year old! I feel her weight is a big issue! She is now 120 pounds and under 5 feet! I need to help her get this under control but not sure how to go about it, I don't have a lot of money so I can't hire her a personal trainer! I know that once I am able to go to the gym again I will be dragging her along to walk on the treadmill with me!!! But until the would love to do something!!!! Any advice

[LouiseC 1,029]

Diet has to be the first place to look. What is she eating? At her age you need to be the boss of what goes in her mouth. learn early is the way to go. I don't think trainers and gyms are needed for kids. What kids need is to play. Like proper play. Outdoors, up trees, on bikes......all that stuff we know to be good for them. Much for fun for her to go for a bike ride than to walk on a treadmill. My fear would be that she would resent the treadmill, and it could impact negatively on her self image. Wii fit? Play together. So many options to do that are low to no cost, walking as a family, swimming, playing ball, etc.

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[AKSleever 57]

Since surgery I have changed completely what I bring into the house! And I have gotten pretty strict with what foods she can have! Unfortunately, with where we live outside play is not always available due to weather! We do have wii fit, and I am gonna start that again! And she swims almost nightly for 3 hours!

At school I usually pack her a lunch but Thier are times she brings her lunch home cuz she at school lunches which are not healthy at all! Average school lunch is over 800 calories!!!

[Back~To~Amy 307]

This is such a hard area. Putting your child on a diet or exercise routine could be damaging to their psyche. Diet = restriction no matter how you look at it. What you can do is get the junk out of the house. By not having it there, you will be cooking and preparing healthier meals for her and Snacks will be limited to more nutritious choices.

As far as exercise, I would do as the poster above said, use play as her form of exercise. Swimming, bike riding, family walks, or anything she might see as fun and not work.

Best of luck to you!

[soggycereal 3]

I am really worried about my 10 year old! I feel her weight is a big issue! She is now 120 pounds and under 5 feet! I need to help her get this under control but not sure how to go about it' date=' I don't have a lot of money so I can't hire her a personal trainer! I know that once I am able to go to the gym again I will be dragging her along to walk on the treadmill with me!!! But until the would love to do something!!!! Any advice[/quote']

I recently watched a 4 part documentary on HBO called The Weight of the Nation. i think everyone should see it. All the doctors on this show said the number 1 thing

Every household should do for their children is to get rid of carbonated drinks and any sugary drinks- this includes the juice type drinks, energy drinks, etc.

This alone is responsible for a ton of weight gain, especially in children because of the sugar content. You also might consider packing her a lunch, because what they serve in cafeterias is horrible and full of sugar- they actually count pizza as a vegetable!! I would start there.

[Back~To~Amy 307]

Oops! I see you already addressed what I brought up. We were posting at the same time.

[LouiseC 1,029]

I am so pleased we don't have school lunches here!

Good luck.

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[PollyBlue 22]

Here in Australia we are lucky that healthy eating is part of the school curriculum - starting in Primary school. That said, I believe it is important that children learn good habits in the home .... which is exactly where I learned all of my BAD habits. I'm determined this will not happen to my children.

[alliegb3 112]

You gotta lead by example. Go out on walks with her, play outside with her, make healthy snack and meals. Shell have no choice but to be fit. And don't worry too much, when she hits puberty she'll thin down a bit

[minaleigh 95]

I hope it works out for you and your daughter! I weighed about 125 when I was 10. Not really sure what my height was, but it was probably 4'10"-ish. Age 9 is when I started gaining weight because that's when my parents divorced. Not only was I depressed, but I was living with my mom who didn't care as much of what I ate, as opposed to my dad who was/is a vegetable fanatic. I would definitely nip this in the bud now, without trying to force her on a diet. I was put on diets starting junior high and it made me very self-conscious. I wish my mom did a decade ago what others are suggesting for you now.

If lunches aren't free/pre-paid at your daughter's school, then don't give her money, or least not enough for her to buy lunch. She'll have to eat her packed lunch then. Also, cut down on sugary drinks. My mom was a coke fiend growing up and I was raised on Sunny D. :/ It'll help out in the long run.

[AKSleever 57]

In my house we only have Water Fat Free Milk! No sugary drinks!

[minaleigh 95]

I'm not trying to use the age-old excuse of genetics, but maybe that's what is wrong. If what you say is true, she should be fine. Then again, when I was her age, I was swimming 6+ hours a day (5 at the city pool and 2+ in my own). Turns out I have PCOS and a thyroid problem. If she's swimming so much and supposedly eating so healthy, what else is wrong? Maybe she should be tested by a doctor?

[Ymabme 7]

Talk to her pediatrician. I don't think you need to necessarily get her to lose weight but just to stop gaining and build healthy habits like the previous posters said. If she can do that, as she grows up she'll grow into her weight. I think it is also important to help her develop a positive body image regardless of what she weighs. I remember thinking I was so fat as a kid and when I look at pictures I realize I was fairly normal sized. But I think it really screwed with my head.

[Kiloalphatango 13]

There is a fine line though - if you push her she will just go and buy her own junk

My parents pushed me cos i was overweight as a child and it just made it SO MUCH WORSE, i know they think they were helping and they meant well, but honestly it was the worst thing they could have done - it made me resent healthy eating. I was always incredibly active so that was no issue.

The swimming thing is wonderful, but it may be that her body is so used to it it doesn't have much impact anymore so she may need to change it up - but only of course if she wants to

its a really hard thing to deal with for you and her...

Honestly, coming from the side of the parents pushing for healthy eating I would just leave it alone and support her in everything she wants to do, maybe start making more fresh salads for dinner but keep them exciting and filling (none of this garden salad no dressing rubbish, add lots of protein) and maybe get her to help with making them so she learns?

I don't think it would be a good idea to mention anything to her, it will only bring her down and make matters worse and its only a matter of time before she realises herself, and at this time she really needs love and support more then anything

800 calories for lunch is so gross! Wheres Jamie Oliver's school dinners thing when you need him!

Maybe, introduce her into counting calories - but you do it too? Make it a family thing? Myfitnesspal is great (and free)

then on the days where she has a rubbish lunch (we all do it) she can educate herself to have a light dinner, or know to have a light brekkie because she's saving her calories for lunch? Then if you see she had say a mars bar, say ohh lucky you! Im saving my calories to have one on friday (or whatever, you know what I mean) so she realises its a treat!

Please please try not to push her or let her know your worried, honestly it could just bite you and end up so much worse!

Feel free to PM me if you like, i'd be more then happy to help where I can

Good luck!

[Kiloalphatango 13]

If you go to the doc, please please don't take her with you.

I know it sounds strange, but i remember going to the doc as a kid and my mum telling him I was overweight and him saying well not really... but maybe a little puppy fat!

Straight after we got home I snuck out and bought some lollies cos i felt rubbish (cue emotional eating)

Depends on her I guess, but she may already be copping flack about it at school etc