gallusgal

Good for you hun, you are teaching your kids well in spite of everything. I would love to say that things are very different here in the Uk, sadly, they are not.

Obesity is positively encouraged, as in, if you won't do the work yourself you are on the list for a gastric band once your BMI reaches 50. Instead of being encouraged to lose weight naturally through diet and exercise, people are encouraged to go for the 'quick fix' by eating more and getting fatter so that they qualify for GB.

We all know it won't work in the long term, but no one seems to care.

The story about the chubby little one who doesn't want to walk anywhere strikes a note too.

I applaud you Almeeker, and never mind gaining all your weight back for that cannonball, just put bricks in your swimsuit!

almeeker

ROFLMAO,too too funny, I think maybe I need about 4 concrete blocks to be at my former weight, maybe 5? Dunno. Okay the suit does have room to spare since it's a size 12 and I now wear an 8, but I just don't know if I can keep it up if I put all those blocks in it, but it bears considering....

cjohnson728

Well, today I had to do a consult in juvie. I happened to be there during lunch and they brought my client a tray. I noticed that his milk looked different from what I was used to and I asked him if I could see it when he was done. It was in one of those little cartons and it was called something like "snow cream" milk, vanilla flavor. I looked at the ingredients and saw that #2 on the list was high fructose corn syrup.

Seriously?

When did milk stop being milk?

No wonder juvenile obesity is so rampant...

almeeker

My girls take a sack lunch 4 days/week and get hot lunch once/week. Another mother was appalled that I send a water bottle in their lunches everyday and won't send them with money to buy a carton of milk. It just so happens that my kids were all allergic to cow's milk as babies so they've been raised on soy milk. None of them like the taste of cow's milk, so water is a good option for us. And as I was trying to explain to her that I'm not a neglectful parent I happened to mention that her child gets chocolate milk everyday and it's actually got twice the calories that whole white milk has and that I found that rather appalling. Needless to say she still thinks I'm a horrible parent.

Good news on this topic. One of the children my DD is friends with is absolutely darling and a little on the chubby side. I've always liked her, she reminds me of myself at that age. Not long ago she was over at our house for a B-day party and a couple of the other girls were picking on her because of her weight, and it just broke my heart. Anyway today I caught up with her mother and talked to her about the fact that her daughter is being targeted at school. She nodded and told me she's dried up tears over it more than once. So I suggested that her DD join the swim club with mine and that I would be happy to help her get back and forth to practice. The mom was very interested in doing it, so I think this is going to be a really positive arrangement.

gmantych

About all I can say right now is WOW. What is up with this mother thinking you are a horrible parent for sending your children water to have with their lunch. That is 95% of what my DD has with her lunches. We go to a charter school and they dont provide lunches, so she takes her lunch everyday. They do have a drink machine and she takes $ once a week to buy a diet soft drink. I would love to know how she thinks chocolate milk is any better than water. I guess my main problem is why is it any business of hers on what you feed or dont feed your children. I could go on and on about how this is what is wrong with the world today. We can't raise our own children how we see fit without someone sticking their nose in. But I am going to stop there because I dont want to change this thread to anything negative.

I will say this, Almeeker you are truly an amazing person. Do not stop how you are raising your children to be more active and healthy. I am sure you dont, but do not let others get under your skin for their lack of knowledge or caring.

Lizzycritter

My daughter gets hot lunch at school because she prefers it. I also do school of choice, so I have to drive her to the bus stop and it's about a 35 min ride from there. But from an academic standpoint, its an awesome school and their lunch menus are better than most. They offer salad as a main course! Her school has all the kids bring in water bottles from home and they have scheduled hydration breaks. They also have "afternoon snack" which I'm not so thrilled about, DD tends to not eat her dinner. We have a choice of sending in classroom snacks once a month or sending her own snack daily, and the school sells popcorn for 50 cents as an ongoing fundraiser on Fridays. I let her buy popcorn Fridays, and the rest of the week I send her with an apple and a granola bar. It's absolutely appalling what some parents send in! Fruit snacks are NOT fruit, people. You might as well send in Gummi bears. Chocolate covered granola bars? Might as well send them Snickers.

On TV the news has been talking about the new California law banning toys from kids' meals with more than 600 calories, and it was stating statistics like 50% of kids 5 and older and 85% of kids 5 and under will ask to go to McDonald's when they see a sign or commercial, and more than 35% eat there once a week. Mine don't bug me to go to McDonald's anymore, BECAUSE WHEN THEY DO I TELL THEM 'NO' AND EXPLAIN WHY. When did it become OK to let the kids decide what the family is going to eat/do? Step up and be a freakin' parent people. Yes it's easier in the moment to hit the drive thru, but what happens when your 4 year old is now 16 and wants her boyfriend to move in with her, and is used to you letting her get her way every day?

I'm going to step away from the soapbox now. I can't control what other people do, but I will do what's right for me and my family. Those that don't like it know where they can kiss it.

RebbaJackson

Wow thats crazy. I notice that u have lost some wieght...congrads. I am on the track to trying to find what works for me. I am a single mom with a 2 yr old and no way to go to the gym one because I can not afford it and two because I cant afford a babysitter I have purchased some vidoes and a few wieght. Can you help with any ideas to help. Im 213 and want to be 120 by this time next year. Any advice would help. Thanks a million

WeightlossBoo

I know we are meant to 'respect our elders' but I really would've told them to a pick a finger and swivel.

mecompco

My advice is to pick a calorie level (made up of good, "real" food) that gives you the desired calorie deficeit you need to lose your 93 lbs. in a year yet is enough to keep you "full" and thus less apt to "cheat" or quit.

Videos are great--20 to 30 minutes a day will help you a lot. Walking, too, is a great exercise that is cost free.

Lastly, make sure you log in here at least daily and log all your food and activities. Keeping track is so important.

Regards,
Michael

PS Weigh/measure all your food, at least at first to make sure you have your portions under control.