What does morbidly obese mean to you?

[Carrie12345]

The percentile aspect makes the whole thing worthless.

I just plugged in my 5yo, who is all skin and bones and not in the joking way, and it told me he was in the 52nd percentile for BMI. I'd love to know who they're comparing him to b/c we know a lot of 5yos, and he is the scrawniest of the scrawny in every single group we deal with!

[nukeswife]

This is such a hard thing to deal with. According to some I'm obese, to others I'm morbidly obese. I have a BMI of 32. 6 according to the mayo clinic calculator. I'm 5'3" and weigh 185, but I fit into a size 14/16. I don't have to buy plus size clothes and I don't fit the image people have when they think of obese people. I really think they need to come up with a better system because BMI can be radically wrong depending on what you body make up is. My brother is considered morbidly obese according to BMI charts but it's because he's so muscular, he has a 29" waist.

[MIch elle]

Both my boys WERE morbidly obese! (technically by bmi) Sometimes it's that age when they get fat (slower growth) and you just have to be a little careful with eating and exercise and they WILL out grow that FAT.

 

My older ds was morbidly obese at about ages 9-11 (husky pants for his age/ht). We cut out soda (dh) and ice cream everynight (dh) and he GREW! He got to middle/high school and out grew that fat. Now he's 6'3", 178 lbs. 19yo

 

My next son was always a picky eater and thin. I didn't worry about him. He got FAT at age 12. He's now 5'8", 140 lbs, 16yo.

 

DON'T WORRY! Be careful with the food and exercise and see what happens when he hits puberty. I bet he grows out of that FAT!

[StephanieZ]

It means dangerously obese. In medical terms, morbidity = injury/illness. I think the charts have cut-offs between obese & morbidly obese.

 

123 at 48 inches in a 8 year old is extremely obese. I am sure it is associated with severe health risks.

 

I think you need to get help to help your child before he faces serious medical consequences from his severe obesity.

 

48 inches and 123 lb isn't big boned or big. It is really, really obese.

 

I tried entering those numbers in the above-linked CDC calculator, and it can't even calculate it. I had to take the weight down to 90 lb for a 48 inch 8.5 year old, and that was STILL at the 99.9%ile of obesity. So, 123 is way over anything that is remotely healthy.

 

 

I think you should ask the doctor for help. To begin, make over your household diet and pantry by focusing on healthy whole foods, getting rid of sweet drinks (anything other than water or milk) and processed foods, sweets, etc. Facilitate any activities your son likes -- sports, park days, swim lessons, etc. Use this as a wake up call to make your whole family healthier. I'd go through the pantry and start throwing things away . . . and start a menu plan based on lean healthy proteins and loads of vegetables.

 

(((hugs)))

 

Good luck!

[Catwoman]

It means dangerously obese. In medical terms, morbidity = injury/illness. I think the charts have cut-offs between obese & morbidly obese.

 

123 at 48 inches in a 8 year old is extremely obese. I am sure it is associated with severe health risks.

 

 

 

I don't know if you got to it yet, but the OP updated us to say that she meant 4'8" and not 48".

 

My initial reaction to the 48 inches and 123 pounds was :eek: too!

[StephanieZ]

I don't know if you got to it yet, but the OP updated us to say that she meant 4'8" and not 48".

 

My initial reaction to the 48 inches and 123 pounds was :eek: too!

 

When I ran the CDC calculator with 4'8", 123#, 8yrs11months, it still comes out at over 99% for age-adjusted BMI. It DID, however, calculate it instead of giving an error message!

 

So, it's not as bad as 4'0", but it's still really, really obese.

 

http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/Result.aspx?&dob=4/10/2004&dom=3/10/2013&age=107&ht=56&wt=123&gender=1&method=0&inchtext=0&wttext=0

[justamouse]

I'm with cat. I mean, I eat a paleo diet, and we are very geared toward healthy eating here, BUT, they know the BMI charts are difficult to interpret, and a lot depends on your frame.

[Sara in AZ]

Woohoo, I can multi quote! It helps to not be on my phone. Thanks again for all the good feedback.

 

 

HUGS! And you are not alone in this battle.

 

As for what it means..morbidly obese means, to me, that it has significant impact on your health and/or lifespan.

 

Now, before you do anything else, watch this movie...it's not short, so carve out some time to watch it in chunks, but the scientist talking specializes in pediatric weight issues.

 

It's about sugar, fructose, and how it changes the metabolism to make us want more and more and more, and keeps us hungry, and messes up the metabolism. This isn't your fault in the way you think it is.

 

Personally, I'd look REAL hard at a paleo/primal diet for the whole household. There are primal kids recipes/blogs. Get rid of the sugar and grains and I bet the rest falls into place. And that will be much easier than trying to regulate portion size with a kid. You don't want to have that battle. Just have fruits, veggies, and meat and eggs in the house (use dairy and nuts as a condiment, not a meal or snack..too easy to overeat), and you won't have to be the food police. If he has other stuff on the weekends at a friend's house that isn't the end of the world, no big deal. Treats are treats, and that is fine. But day in and day out if you get rid of the foods that trigger appetite you won't have to regulate him and I think that will be better for self esteem, relationship, etc.

 

 

 

Thanks for posting this. I look forward to watching it! I have flirted with Paleo. About three years ago I was working with a naturopath who thought he could eliminate my DD's need for insulin, which was a long shot. She's Type 1. But I have read blogs of a couple of people who have been able to get off the pump by going Paleo. He put her on a seriously restricted diet, like we were basically eating quinoa and fruits and vegetables, and meat (which DD isn't too keen on.) I was cooking everything from scratch, making my own ketchup, doing excruciation planning for road trips to avoid eating out.....and taking every single blood sugar number personally because I was in charge of every last bite she ate, and binging myself at night on cookie dough because this was all causing me so much stress and anxiety. It was terrible for both of us, and her numbers were still all over the place. So I decided we couldn't do that any more. I remember vividly the day I decided it would be okay if she ate a Cliff bar. Then the pendulum slowly swung back the other way toward the garbage. I learned a lot in those days that I'm trying to get back to, though I don't know if my family can handle cutting out all grains.

 

aw, that made me tear up. Because until a few days ago I didn't have any will power. Now I do. For the first time in my life I can want something a bit, and not HAVE to have it. Not obsess. Not find myself giving in. I can be logical about food for the first time in my life. I didn't change, have an epiphany, get hypnotized, or anything. I just got rid of grains, sugar, and artificial sweeteners. And it was magic. Total magic. I can't even describe it. My calories (I'm tracking) dropped without me trying, and I have more energy. I tried keeping the diet coke in but that didn't work. But getting rid of all of it did.

 

Oh, and he can't go make himself toast if there isn't any bread in the house :)

 

\

 

This is very inspirational. And you're right about the bread. I'm trying to at least cut gluten and sugar for myself, but I think I'll push him into it, too.

 

 

 

FWIW, changing my kids' diets is *hugely* daunting to me. Yesterday I read Taubes' "Why We Get Fat". Fascinating and really worth reading. But, what to do with my kids... (overweight isn't an issue in our house, but proper nutrition is! We have plenty of food issues. My kids are woefully imbalanced between protein, fat and carbs.) So, I procrastinate...

 

 

 

Thank you for this. It is tough, especially because our other three daughters are a fine weight, and oldest DD is especially picky. It's hard to find things that everyone will eat.

 

 

This is such a hard thing to deal with. According to some I'm obese, to others I'm morbidly obese. I have a BMI of 32. 6 according to the mayo clinic calculator. I'm 5'3" and weigh 185, but I fit into a size 14/16. I don't have to buy plus size clothes and I don't fit the image people have when they think of obese people. I really think they need to come up with a better system because BMI can be radically wrong depending on what you body make up is. My brother is considered morbidly obese according to BMI charts but it's because he's so muscular, he has a 29" waist.

 

 

Yeah, this describes me. I'm a little shorter and a little lighter, but proportionally about the same.

 

 

Both my boys WERE morbidly obese! (technically by bmi) Sometimes it's that age when they get fat (slower growth) and you just have to be a little careful with eating and exercise and they WILL out grow that FAT.

 

My older ds was morbidly obese at about ages 9-11 (husky pants for his age/ht). We cut out soda (dh) and ice cream everynight (dh) and he GREW! He got to middle/high school and out grew that fat. Now he's 6'3", 178 lbs. 19yo

 

My next son was always a picky eater and thin. I didn't worry about him. He got FAT at age 12. He's now 5'8", 140 lbs, 16yo.

 

DON'T WORRY! Be careful with the food and exercise and see what happens when he hits puberty. I bet he grows out of that FAT!

 

 

This is very encouraging, thank you so much. I hope he will sprout up soon.

[Sara in AZ]

I think you should ask the doctor for help. To begin, make over your household diet and pantry by focusing on healthy whole foods, getting rid of sweet drinks (anything other than water or milk) and processed foods, sweets, etc. Facilitate any activities your son likes -- sports, park days, swim lessons, etc. Use this as a wake up call to make your whole family healthier. I'd go through the pantry and start throwing things away . . . and start a menu plan based on lean healthy proteins and loads of vegetables.

 

(((hugs)))

 

Good luck!

 

 

Oh, I'm under no delusions that he isn't obese. The kid is chubby, no doubt about it. I'm trying to figure out how to post a pic, but I need more time than I have now. He's always been off the charts big, but his weight has significantly outpaced his heighth in the last couple of years. I've read Eat to Live and The End of Overeating, and watched all the documentaries about the crap that is in our food. I understand the risks of childhood obesity.

 

Here's the thing though, there is nothing but water or milk (skim, and mostly for cereal which I try to restrict to once or twice a week) in my refrigerator. We don't drink juice. He did get occasional soda in the past (not at home, but out and about at social things) but this year my sister offered to pay him $50 bucks if he could go the whole year without having any. So far so good. I'm really proud of him. (Okay, I'll buy the kids chocolate milk once a week when we're at the grocery store.)

 

To go through my cupboards....literally there is not much garbage. We don't buy chips or cookies or much processed stuff at all (I know, people's definitions of processed are different....I buy canned beans for example.) Now, I should throw out the one bag of sugar and one bag of white flour because I do know how to bake yummy things. ;) But that is limited to about once a week.

 

I plan my menus every week to make sure we are eating lots of fresh salads, pasta no more than once a week (and it's brown rice pasta), quinoa and brown rice and I rarely make or buy rolls or breadsticks because I know he's a carboholic and will fill up on that. But the kid doesn't like a lot of vegetables, or beans, or potatoes. So there's definitely work to be done there encouraging him to actually eat the good foods I fill my grocery cart with instead of filling up on three applesauce cups (sugar free of course). When we do have a meal he likes, I try to dish his plate for him and put leftovers away quickly so he can't refill too much. I could do better there, though.

 

Now it sounds like our diet is perfect, and it's not, of course. We do go out to buy treats probably too often, and it's tough to avoid things when we're at social events for example, or the treats that we're obligated to after soccer games, etc. I could definitely do more monitoring there. We don't know how to socialize without food and particularly sugar in this country. It's so hard to avoid. For heaven's sake, the kids came home from church last week with a cookie and a sucker for reading their scriptures. Good grief!

 

And we're trying to keep his naturally sedentary bod active. Today we went to homeschool PE this morning, and a park with friends later today. He has soccer practice once a week and a soccer game once a week. DH tries to get the kids to the park and chase them around a couple of times a week. We bought a trampoline for Christmas, and the kids love to get out there and jump. That can really wind him. I try to get us out on our bikes when we can. Sometimes I'll encourage him to do the 30 Day Shred with me. :) This summer he'll be doing swimteam. Last summer he did swimteam, a full hour of swimming, four days a week, for two months. And I watch them, not much break. They're active the whole hour, and he still gained something like 10 pounds in that six month period from Jan.-Aug. (Of course it's freakishly hot here, so we're stuck inside sitting around.)

 

I know we can do more of all of this, and pay attention to his portion sizes. Keeping a food journal will really help me have a clearer picture. Maybe I'm in la la land about what he's really eating. I have some ideas of how to make eating the foods he doesn't like more fun, so I'll keep trying.

 

Maybe I'll take him to my naturpath and do some more investigating, too. I don't trust the bloodwork the pediatrian did last fall to have tested the right numbers for his thyroid. That does run in my family, although not so young.

 

I really do appreciate everyone's input in helping me put this in perspective. Thank you!

 

 

Wait, I did figure out how to attatch a picture!

 

[Alenee]

I just want to encourage you about going grain and sugar-free. I was skeptical too but once I tried it, it became easier by the end of the first week. I made a real plan for grocery shopping and ate what was on the list when I became hungry. Do I still have cravings? Absolutely! However, they are not like they were when I had bread everyday. They're manageable when I have food prepared. Do I cheat? Yes! But not like I did when WW was my go-to diet. I was always hungry on WW but have not really experienced that with LCHF. I've been doing this for 7 months and it's a lifestyle now, not a diet. If I, the Pepsi (3 per day for 20 years, the REAL kind) addict can change, so can you! My kids and dh have managed the transition well. I still have breaded items for them and potatoes at some dinners, but for the most part, we've cut out TONS of grains and no one has complained.

[Sara in AZ]

I just want to encourage you about going grain and sugar-free. I was skeptical too but once I tried it, it became easier by the end of the first week. I made a real plan for grocery shopping and ate what was on the list when I became hungry. Do I still have cravings? Absolutely! However, they are not like they were when I had bread everyday. They're manageable when I have food prepared. Do I cheat? Yes! But not like I did when WW was my go-to diet. I was always hungry on WW but have not really experienced that with LCHF. I've been doing this for 7 months and it's a lifestyle now, not a diet. If I, the Pepsi (3 per day for 20 years, the REAL kind) addict can change, so can you! My kids and dh have managed the transition well. I still have breaded items for them and potatoes at some dinners, but for the most part, we've cut out TONS of grains and no one has complained.

 

 

Thank you for the encouragement. I'm in awe of people who can do this consistently! I can be good for a few days, and then when I fall off I FALL off. I like the idea of making a list to remind you what to eat. We can do this!

[bettyandbob]

I think you should keep a food diary and an exercise diary. After a week analyse the type of exercise, like someone else mentioned a recreational league soccer match may not be very much exercise. And rarely (almost never) do I see children get enough exercise that they need anything besides water after practice or a game.

 

I have an 11 yo who is 108lb and 56". He also has intellectual disabilities and motor skills issues. His favorite rewards for anything are ice cream and candy and due to his motor skills getting enough exercise is just plain hard. That said I am going to be fighting this hard. He does 2 special olympics sports on Sat, he has a dance class, he has a therapy program that focuses on sports skills. I'm taking him swimming once a week.

When the weather is more consistent and warm I hope to take him on a daily walk. It would be nice to do a 2.5 mile loop near my house regularly with him.

 

Do you think your ds would respond to wearing a pedometer and tracking his steps on a chart. There's a nintendo ds game where you wear a pedometer that the game reads and it tracks your daily progress. As you get into this, you can reward progress on upping daily activity. And rewards can be active too--like taking him and a friend to a local trampoline gym for an hour.

[Catherine]

LCHF, paleo and others sound wonderful, but I'd say something slightly different-don't try to make huge changes all at once. It's much harder to stick to. I'd favor making smaller, more gradual changes over a longer period of time. This way you don't get to see any dramatic difference immediately, but you allow changes to become established habits that will hopefully stick.

[unsinkable]

One caution about organized sports: there is often a lot of time standing around doing nothing, especially at rec levels. Kids usually move more in practice than games but don't count on an hour of practice to be an hour of aerobic exercise.

 

I'm not saying it's not beneficial, just that often times, it's not aerobic.

[Lanny]

I suggest that you take him to a Children’s hospital to get him checked out., if there is one near you. Or, to a Teaching hospital, connected with a Medical school. Be very careful about the exercise. Your goal is for him to lose a lot of weight and to get him into better shape, and not for him to have a heart attack. Years ago, when my wife and I went to a gym in Cali (where the instructors all have university degrees), there was a woman who was morbidly obese. They were incredibly careful with what she did. For example, they had her walking, slowly, and they monitored, frequently, her heart rate and blood pressure. They also had people there who were recovering from heart attacks. If there is a gym for children, with qualified instructors, that might help your DS. Consider buying a Treadmill and he can use that, inside your house, regardless of the weather outside. Monitor his heart rate and blood pressure when he exercises! GL to him!

[ktgrok]

As for how to move him to healthier foods...just don't buy the other stuff. Don't tell him, don't make a huge deal out of it, just 'forget" to buy bread and applesauce. That's what I've done with my kids, and aside from grumbling about it, they didn't really react. Sure, I hear "there's nothing to eat' now and then, but no one has outright starved, and because I'm not telling them what they can and can't eat, it's not a power struggle. If it were in the house and I said "no more" that would be a power struggle.

 

I would say have plenty of apples available. Almond butter to dip them in if you want, and if you think he won't eat the whole jar of almond butter at once. Hard boiled eggs. Pepperoni slices, Beef jerky, Berries, Heck, a cheese stick (lets not take dairy away yet, so it isn't so dramatic...and I don't think anyone over does string cheese, do they?), And leftovers. So hey, yeah, help yourself to some lunch meat wrapped up in a lettuce leaf, sorry..we are out of bread. Nope, applesauce is all gone, but here's a few kind of apples to pick from...would you like me to cut it up for you? After dinner serve a lovely dessert of berries (fresh or frozen) topped with real whipped cream and some shaved extra dark chocolate.

 

The reason I think Eat to Live and that type of eating is so hard to sustain is it is so low fat, on top of being low carbohydrate. That's too hard, and not needed. Paleo keeps the fat, lots of protein, and gets rid of grains.

 

Like I said, start serving some paleo meals without saying anything. Get rid of the bread. Maybe get rid of one grain/sugar item a week, and serve so much healthy stuff they don't notice. But yeah, I'd stop buying bread right away. Stick with sweet potatoes for carbs.

 

If you'd like some websites for food ideas/recipes, let me know .

 

OH! And for veggies, have you tried roasting them? I was a total veggie hater until I tried roasting them. I use frozen veggies,so it i super easy. I line a pan with foil (for easy clean up..I don't even have to wash the pan afterwards!). I dump some olive or coconut oil in the pan, and coat the bottom with it. Dump in a bag of frozen vegetables...I use the "California Blend", with broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. Toss them in the oil a bit, and roast in a preheated oven at 400 for about 30 minutes. They should get a bit brown and crispy on the tops when they are done. It changes the flavor from bitter to sweet. Totally amazing. I then top them with a bit of salt and a liberal amount of parmesan cheese. Once you are off sweets this will taste almost like candy. I cannot get over how good it is. I eat an entire bag as a serving now, at least once a day. (and still don't really like steamed veggies I'm afraid...yuck).

 

Good luck. Oh, and trash the skim milk and get whole milk..he might drink less and actually get full on the whole milk, it is more filling. Worth a temporary try for sure. If he is drinking gallons of it then stop, lol.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Do you have a Crossfit kids class near you? That could be a good option.

[Sara in AZ]

As for how to move him to healthier foods...just don't buy the other stuff. Don't tell him, don't make a huge deal out of it, just 'forget" to buy bread and applesauce. That's what I've done with my kids, and aside from grumbling about it, they didn't really react. Sure, I hear "there's nothing to eat' now and then, but no one has outright starved, and because I'm not telling them what they can and can't eat, it's not a power struggle. If it were in the house and I said "no more" that would be a power struggle.

 

I would say have plenty of apples available. Almond butter to dip them in if you want, and if you think he won't eat the whole jar of almond butter at once. Hard boiled eggs. Pepperoni slices, Beef jerky, Berries, Heck, a cheese stick (lets not take dairy away yet, so it isn't so dramatic...and I don't think anyone over does string cheese, do they?), And leftovers. So hey, yeah, help yourself to some lunch meat wrapped up in a lettuce leaf, sorry..we are out of bread. Nope, applesauce is all gone, but here's a few kind of apples to pick from...would you like me to cut it up for you? After dinner serve a lovely dessert of berries (fresh or frozen) topped with real whipped cream and some shaved extra dark chocolate.

 

The reason I think Eat to Live and that type of eating is so hard to sustain is it is so low fat, on top of being low carbohydrate. That's too hard, and not needed. Paleo keeps the fat, lots of protein, and gets rid of grains.

 

Like I said, start serving some paleo meals without saying anything. Get rid of the bread. Maybe get rid of one grain/sugar item a week, and serve so much healthy stuff they don't notice. But yeah, I'd stop buying bread right away. Stick with sweet potatoes for carbs.

 

If you'd like some websites for food ideas/recipes, let me know .

 

OH! And for veggies, have you tried roasting them? I was a total veggie hater until I tried roasting them. I use frozen veggies,so it i super easy. I line a pan with foil (for easy clean up..I don't even have to wash the pan afterwards!). I dump some olive or coconut oil in the pan, and coat the bottom with it. Dump in a bag of frozen vegetables...I use the "California Blend", with broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. Toss them in the oil a bit, and roast in a preheated oven at 400 for about 30 minutes. They should get a bit brown and crispy on the tops when they are done. It changes the flavor from bitter to sweet. Totally amazing. I then top them with a bit of salt and a liberal amount of parmesan cheese. Once you are off sweets this will taste almost like candy. I cannot get over how good it is. I eat an entire bag as a serving now, at least once a day. (and still don't really like steamed veggies I'm afraid...yuck).

 

Good luck. Oh, and trash the skim milk and get whole milk..he might drink less and actually get full on the whole milk, it is more filling. Worth a temporary try for sure. If he is drinking gallons of it then stop, lol.

 

 

 

These are great ideas. The veggies sound easy and delicious. Thank you! I'll definitely stop buying bread and I think I could handle making some other changes slowly.

[Sara in AZ]

Do you have a Crossfit kids class near you? That could be a good option.

 

 

 

I'm not sure what this is, but I'll look into it.

[Sara in AZ]

One caution about organized sports: there is often a lot of time standing around doing nothing, especially at rec levels. Kids usually move more in practice than games but don't count on an hour of practice to be an hour of aerobic exercise.

 

I'm not saying it's not beneficial, just that often times, it's not aerobic.

 

 

Yeah, I'd agree with this. When he did baseball last year, there was an unbelievable amount of just standing around.

[Sara in AZ]

I suggest that you take him to a Children’s hospital to get him checked out., if there is one near you. Or, to a Teaching hospital, connected with a Medical school. Be very careful about the exercise. Your goal is for him to lose a lot of weight and to get him into better shape, and not for him to have a heart attack. Years ago, when my wife and I went to a gym in Cali (where the instructors all have university degrees), there was a woman who was morbidly obese. They were incredibly careful with what she did. For example, they had her walking, slowly, and they monitored, frequently, her heart rate and blood pressure. They also had people there who were recovering from heart attacks. If there is a gym for children, with qualified instructors, that might help your DS. Consider buying a Treadmill and he can use that, inside your house, regardless of the weather outside. Monitor his heart rate and blood pressure when he exercises! GL to him!

 

Hmmmm. He likes my parent's treadmill, but they're in another state. I wish he were old enough to come to the gym with me. I don't know where we'd put a treadmill in this house.

[StephanieZ]

It sounds to me like you know a lot of good stuff about exercise and nutrition. Your son is a cute and handsome. He looks like he has my body type - I can put on weight but it goes everywhere evenly, so it is all too easy to get significantly overweight without me looking huge. I think that makes it harder to realize early when a problem is creeping up.

 

I am guessing a food journal would be helpful, as the calories are obviously sneaking in. Going out for treats and the periodic dessert or baked treat or whatever can really add up dramatically. Some people just can't get away with it!

 

My guess is that he will have to choose to skip post-game snacks (bring a low-cal treat for him if you need to, or at least water in place of the Gatorade or juice they dish out) and family outings for food treats should probably end and be replaced with other fun things like bowling or movies or game night . . . And you should probably refrain from baking treats except for the occasional holiday or birthday. You will need to make hard choices if you want to change his weight.

 

Does your son want to lose weight? If yes, then he might make progress on your own. If no, then if it were me, I'd take him to a medical weight loss program aimed at children so that a professional could help educate and motivate him.

 

The nice thing about kids is that they are still growing. Soooo, if they can lose a little weight or just stop gaining, their added height will gradually help them slim down.

 

(((Hugs)))

[StephanieZ]

 

 

Hmmmm. He likes my parent's treadmill, but they're in another state. I wish he were old enough to come to the gym with me. I don't know where we'd put a treadmill in this house.

 

Put it in front of the TV. Then make it a rule that to watch tv, he has to be moving. I have a treadmill in the basement, in front of a tv/DVD and a big monitor with a computer hook up that can stream Hulu and Netflix . . . The kids can watch so long as they are moving at 3mph or faster. :) we have another tv upstairs, but it is reserved for weekend family movies, etc, and can only be used independently by the kids if they are done with all their chores and school for the week, which is rare, lol. The treadmill can be used anytime, so it greatly increases their control over screen time.

 

Treadmills can easily fit in most modern master bedrooms. Look around your house. Find a place! Exercising isn't as effective as diet for weight loss, but it does help, and it alone is a key factor in health. Being slim but sedentary isn't healthy. Being a bit overweight but active is actually healthier. An hour a day of exercise is a good basic goal for kids.

[Sara in AZ]

It sounds to me like you know a lot of good stuff about exercise and nutrition. Your son is a cute and handsome. He looks like he has my body type - I can put on weight but it goes everywhere evenly, so it is all too easy to get significantly overweight without me looking huge. I think that makes it harder to realize early when a problem is creeping up.

 

I am guessing a food journal would be helpful, as the calories are obviously sneaking in. Going out for treats and the periodic dessert or baked treat or whatever can really add up dramatically. Some people just can't get away with it!

 

My guess is that he will have to choose to skip post-game snacks (bring a low-cal treat for him if you need to, or at least water in place of the Gatorade or juice they dish out) and family outings for food treats should probably end and be replaced with other fun things like bowling or movies or game night . . . And you should probably refrain from baking treats except for the occasional holiday or birthday. You will need to make hard choices if you want to change his weight.

 

Does your son want to lose weight? If yes, then he might make progress on your own. If no, then if it were me, I'd take him to a medical weight loss program aimed at children so that a professional could help educate and motivate him.

 

The nice thing about kids is that they are still growing. Soooo, if they can lose a little weight or just stop gaining, their added height will gradually help them slim down.

 

(((Hugs)))

 

 

Thank you! I think he's adorable, of course. You are right that the calories are sneaking in. We should make going out for a treat very infrequent. I have that body type, too, where that far is evenly distributed. I'm very proportional. ;- )

He does want to lose weight, and i think he will be willing to make changes. He is starting to be sensitive about how he looks, and yesterday he told me he didn't like how his face looks. :- (

[Catwoman]

Sara, based on the photo you posted, your son is chubby, but I would definitely not think of him as obese at all -- I think he's adorable!!!

 

I'll bet some exercise would trim him down a bit and firm him right up. :)

[Jean in Newcastle]

One of the things I really liked about The Biggest Loser show this season was how they focused on childhood obesity and how to deal with it. I loved that they were so gentle with the kids - working on making it fun and healthy. I would focus on adding more fun exercise. I would focus on having treats have more nutrition - so a small fruit smoothie instead of the baked goods, for instance. I agree that tracking food and exercise right now is the place to start for seeing places to tweak.

[Sara in AZ]

Sara, based on the photo you posted, your son is chubby, but I would definitely not think of him as obese at all -- I think he's adorable!!!

 

I'll bet some exercise would trim him down a bit and firm him right up. :)

 

 

This is immensely encouraging. Thank you!

[Sara in AZ]

 

 

Put it in front of the TV. Then make it a rule that to watch tv, he has to be moving. I have a treadmill in the basement, in front of a tv/DVD and a big monitor with a computer hook up that can stream Hulu and Netflix . . . The kids can watch so long as they are moving at 3mph or faster. :) we have another tv upstairs, but it is reserved for weekend family movies, etc, and can only be used independently by the kids if they are done with all their chores and school for the week, which is rare, lol. The treadmill can be used anytime, so it greatly increases their control over screen time.

 

Treadmills can easily fit in most modern master bedrooms. Look around your house. Find a place! Exercising isn't as effective as diet for weight loss, but it does help, and it alone is a key factor in health. Being slim but sedentary isn't healthy. Being a bit overweight but active is actually healthier. An hour a day of exercise is a good basic goal for kids.

 

 

If only we had a modern bedroom! I love how you tied it into screen time, though. Great idea. We're not going to be in this house forever, so I'll keep this in mind for the future.

[Sara in AZ]

One of the things I really liked about The Biggest Loser show this season was how they focused on childhood obesity and how to deal with it. I loved that they were so gentle with the kids - working on making it fun and healthy. I would focus on adding more fun exercise. I would focus on having treats have more nutrition - so a small fruit smoothie instead of the baked goods, for instance. I agree that tracking food and exercise right now is the place to start for seeing places to tweak.

 

 

Yes, he loves smoothies. I should do them more. That would make a good treat. Good ideas.

[Sara in AZ]

Do you think your ds would respond to wearing a pedometer and tracking his steps on a chart. There's a nintendo ds game where you wear a pedometer that the game reads and it tracks your daily progress. As you get into this, you can reward progress on upping daily activity. And rewards can be active too--like taking him and a friend to a local trampoline gym for an hour.

 

 

Yes, I do think he would wear a pedometer. I got one for my birthday recently, and he thinks it's cool. It would be fun to do together. You guys have really helped me feel encouraged instead of discouraged. I appreciate all of these suggestions so much.

[Aoife]

you do not need to put him on a "diet" per say but you need to change his diet and if the entire family struggles with weight issues you all should change your diet or way you eat along with him. He needs a lifestyle change to a healthy lifestyle that includes a nutritious diet and a healthy activity level. I would start by cutting out ALL processed foods and limiting sugar intake greatly. Eliminating soda and reducing fruit juice to a minimum of 8oz per day and having him drink water for the rest of the day. If he craves flavor squeeze some lemon into the water. Cut out potatoes as they have a very high glicemic index. Give him lots of protein rich foods like chicken and have him exercising frequently. You can get him some wii fit games and make it fun then add in things like yoga or if you have an ipad you can get the zombie running app and again make a game of it.

 

morbidly obese is when you cross over the 100% percentile which by his height and age he does. It is a medical term and was probably not said to hurt you but rather to give you that bit of shock which makes you think enough to be more motivated to make a change for him. Obesity is scary, it puts a lot of strain on a person's heart and other major organs because it causes them to have to carry out much more work then they are supposed to.

 

I would focus on making this a lifestyle change though which carries with it being a lifetime change rather then a diet which by many people is seen as a fleeting thing that you can just suddenly stop doing when you have lost weight.

[Catwoman]

 

 

This is immensely encouraging. Thank you!

 

 

You're very welcome, Sara -- and I was being totally serious, not just trying to be nice.

 

There is no way the boy in that photo is obese. And "morbidly obese?" NO. Just NO.

 

Your ds is a husky, big-boned kid, and the BMI charts will probably never be accurate for him. Could he stand to lose a couple of pounds? Sure. But he looks like he would be quite slim if he lost 10 pounds. I keep looking at his picture and I'm not seeing "fat kid." NOT AT ALL. I really think you're on track with the diet, and I like Jean's idea of tweaking the snacks a bit, but other than that, I truly think adding some more activity to his day will probably be enough to trim him down a bit.

 

I was expecting something entirely different before you posted the photo. That picture told me more about your ds than anything on a BMI chart could have indicated.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Listen to the Cat! (again)

[Sara in AZ]

 

 

You're very welcome, Sara -- and I was being totally serious, not just trying to be nice.

 

There is no way the boy in that photo is obese. And "morbidly obese?" NO. Just NO.

 

Your ds is a husky, big-boned kid, and the BMI charts will probably never be accurate for him. Could he stand to lose a couple of pounds? Sure. But he looks like he would be quite slim if he lost 10 pounds. I keep looking at his picture and I'm not seeing "fat kid." NOT AT ALL. I really think you're on track with the diet, and I like Jean's idea of tweaking the snacks a bit, but other than that, I truly think adding some more activity to his day will probably be enough to trim him down a bit.

 

I was expecting something entirely different before you posted the photo. That picture told me more about your ds than anything on a BMI chart could have indicated.

 

Yes! That's why I posted it. He is chubby and does have some rolls under that shirt, but he is really solidly built. I feel empowered now to make some changes for the whole family (his three skinny minny sisters will just have to go along with it).

[Hwin]

You're very welcome, Sara -- and I was being totally serious, not just trying to be nice.

 

There is no way the boy in that photo is obese. And "morbidly obese?" NO. Just NO.

 

Your ds is a husky, big-boned kid, and the BMI charts will probably never be accurate for him. Could he stand to lose a couple of pounds? Sure. But he looks like he would be quite slim if he lost 10 pounds. I keep looking at his picture and I'm not seeing "fat kid." NOT AT ALL. I really think you're on track with the diet, and I like Jean's idea of tweaking the snacks a bit, but other than that, I truly think adding some more activity to his day will probably be enough to trim him down a bit.

 

I was expecting something entirely different before you posted the photo. That picture told me more about your ds than anything on a BMI chart could have indicated.

 

I agree! I can't imagine applying the term morbidly obese to the boy in the picture.

[LisaKinVA]

I wouldn't forget talking about the different foods and what they do to/for our bodies with your son. He's old enough to understand not that grain-based carbs/processed carbs shouldn't be consumed with abandon, but WHY (they easily convert to sugar), and what our body does when it has too much sugar that it can't burn (converts it to fat to be stored).

 

Also, there are some really good LC/grain-free recipes out there. My kids love cauliflower pizza muffins! They even enjoy spaghetti over spaghetti squash. If your son likes meatloaf, you can puree veggies and mix them in, and he'll probably never notice them (look at sneaky chef, deceptively delicious), turn your salad into the meal by putting your proteins on it (tuna, chicken, beef...my kids enjoy a cheeseburger salad as much as I do). And, apart from food allergies, I don't give my kids choices. This is what's for dinner... that's it. Of course, I don't have any that would rather starve than eat what I'm serving, either. Also, kids *need* fats. They fill them up, and give their bodies what they need to grow, and heal. Your brain is mostly FAT, and SATURATED FAT at that! Fat is what is used to help heal the body, lubricate the joints...it's also satiating. If you eliminate fat, and replace it with carbohydrates, you wind up eating MORE calories than you really need. Coconut oil, olive oil, butter, rendered lard, avocado full-fat milk/cheese, yogurt...you may have to make your own yogurt, finding yogurt that has fat in it is really difficult!).

 

My family made these changes as we went...not all at once. My husband and I started it. Then gradually we just stopped buying certain things (bread, snack foods, canned fruits were the first to go, at the same time we changed to whole milk, real butter, real fruit -- things like that). We started having salads at lunch without bread at all...at first we didn't limit fresh fruit, but we do now. it was year 2 we got the Vitamix and year 3 we got the grain mill.

 

Instead of buying/making tons of treats that we have lying about for days for Easter/Christmas, it is much more limited. Pretty much, we have what we can reasonably consume in a day or two and it's gone. Everyone feels like they have gotten something special -- no one feels deprived -- and then it's back to our normal eating habits. The 80-20 rule pretty much operates in our family WRT food/eating habits. Although, when you need to make a clean break to begin with -- it may be best to make a clean break.

 

We also watched documentaries like Fat Head, Supersize Me, Food Inc., Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead... as a FAMILY (at least with the older kids), and started a dialogue.

[Callie]

Thank you for the encouragement. I'm in awe of people who can do this consistently! I can be good for a few days, and then when I fall off I FALL off. I like the idea of making a list to remind you what to eat. We can do this!

 

I just wanted to add that going grain & sugar free has been the best thing to happen to me. I knew I felt bad (tired, lifeless, depressed, sickly) but the energy and just overall feeling of well being has kept me going.

 

I started by searching lchf here on the forums and adding links posters provided to my favorites. We just went cold turkey no sugar or grain one day.

 

I hate to sound like a broken record but I felt so much better in just a day or two I truly had a hard time believing it.

[Sara in AZ]

 

 

I just wanted to add that going grain & sugar free has been the best thing to happen to me. I knew I felt bad (tired, lifeless, depressed, sickly) but the energy and just overall feeling of well being has kept me going.

 

I started by searching lchf here on the forums and adding links posters provided to my favorites. We just went cold turkey no sugar or grain one day.

 

I hate to sound like a broken record but I felt so much better in just a day or two I truly had a hard time believing it.

 

 

I really believe this when I hear it. I want to get there, and I think I'm getting closer. You know when things just come together and you're ready and you can do something you haven't been able to do before? I think I'm close.

[LisaKinVA]

Just saw the photo...agreeing with Cat. Your son is NOT morbidly obese, and not where I would categorize him as obese at all! Probably a result of (a) percentile thing and (B) the 1998 pen-sweep that redefined obesity...that moved me from "normal" to "overweight." GAH!

[Sara in AZ]

Just saw the photo...agreeing with Cat. Your son is NOT morbidly obese, and not where I would categorize him as obese at all! Probably a result of (a) percentile thing and (B) the 1998 pen-sweep that redefined obesity...that moved me from "normal" to "overweight." GAH!

 

 

Thank you, Lisa!

[FaithManor]

Yes, to all of the advice you've gotten. One other thing, sometimes medical people misspeak or are mistaken. It's simple. They are humans just like the rest of us.

 

I had a nurse in college one time insist I was overweight. I weighed 99 lbs at 5'4" tall. You could see my ribs sticking out all over and at that point, I'd never met a medical doc that didn't want me to put on weight. She'd read my chart wrong and apparently could not seem to reconcile that what she was seeing of me in that hospital gown did not match what she was saying. I mean she SERIOUSLY got on me about my weight.

 

When the doc came into the room, I mentioned it to him and he was mortified. He left the room and the nurse returned with a prompt apology. At the time I wasn't looking to get her into trouble, but I was slightly miffed when she had been unwilling to look at my chart and read that number again and think about it critically.

 

So, sometimes things pop out and you need to seek some clarification because they aren't perfect! Well, and then there are people who kind of don't understand body types. I had a very petitite nurse practitioner of Asian decent try to tell me that my 5'9" 116 lb. boy was chubby...umm NO...he has a 26" waist and slim pants are still too big. Perceptions can vary wildly.

 

Faith

[lisabees]

I loved seeing the pic of your son! He is so cute and not as heavy as I expected. But...

 

I would worry. It's so hard at that age, as you don't know if he'll slim down or not. But you can't take a chance. One of my kids is big boned and was too heavy according to the BMI chart. And he was. He had a tummy and a double chin. He did slim down in middle school, but he is a serious athlete. He is always working out. I have told him that he will always struggle with his weight, so he needs to be careful. When my son was in 4th grade, I cut out most carbs, cut out anything with a hint of sugar or high fructose corn syrup (amazing what that stuff is in), cut out everything processed. We are healthy eaters by nature, but I had to go the extra mile. We have always eaten only poultry and fish and tons of fresh veggies, beans, lentils and brown rice. We typically never have anything but water to drink for meals.

 

My son is now 16. He is now on the thinner side. But - when he is out with friends, he chooses sausage, bacon, beef burgers, chicken wings. He has always gravitated to this junk, even as a young kid. That is why I know he will likely always struggle. Whenever he goes to the doctors, his blood pressure is on the higher end of normal. What will happen when he is older and stops working out? So worrisome.

 

So, I agree with those who encourage you to change your family's lifestyle. It will be good for your son emotionally and physically. Best wishes and hugs. I know it can be so hard.

[MIch elle]

Both my boys WERE morbidly obese! (technically by bmi) Sometimes it's that age when they get fat (slower growth) and you just have to be a little careful with eating and exercise and they WILL out grow that FAT.

 

My older ds was morbidly obese at about ages 9-11 (husky pants for his age/ht). We cut out soda (dh) and ice cream everynight (dh) and he GREW! He got to middle/high school and out grew that fat. Now he's 6'3", 178 lbs. 19yo

 

My next son was always a picky eater and thin. I didn't worry about him. He got FAT at age 12. He's now 5'8", 140 lbs, 16yo.

 

DON'T WORRY! Be careful with the food and exercise and see what happens when he hits puberty. I bet he grows out of that FAT!

 

Yes, your son looks like my son did at that age! Yup, technically it's morbidly obese but anyone looking at the kid would not say anything but "chubby."

 

I stick by my above statement!

[Barb_]

I've seen the recommendation for MyFitnessPal twice thus far, but I wanted to chime in and add my voice. My husband bikes, runs, lifts, and swims. In the spring and summer he does 30-50 mile rides. He's very obviously muscular, but at 5-8 and 190 pounds he was carrying more weight than just muscle. He tried for almost 20 years and would lose 10 lbs or maybe 15 at the max, but would creep back up again and again. He knew how to cut calories, but he didn't know how to eat in a way that he could lose weight or maintain weight and still nourish himself properly.

 

So he started MyFitnessPal back in November and has lost 31 pounds. He is healthier, feels better, needs less sleep, etc because the quality of his food choices are better. I would suggest keeping track if everything your son eats for one to two weeks. Resist the urge to police him just yet. Let him have at the 3 applesauce cups and the extra helpings. Lets see where his actual appetite is right now. MFP keeps track of calories, fat, protein, sodium, sugar, carbs, fats, vitamins and minerals, etc. the database is phenomenal. A food scale such as this one for $25 will be indispensable: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001N07KUE/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1363221523&sr=8-1&pi=SL75. If you have an iPad and/or smartphone you can download their free ap to keep track of things on the fly. It's possible to keep track with just the website but it doesn't currently have all the nifty features the ap does. Just be aware that if you want to make any changes to the profile (for instance, they have carbs set to default at 55% if calories), you must do that on the website.

 

So, um...where was I? Oh yeah, so just keep track of what he's actually eating while resisting the temptation to make changes right away. You may be really surprised with the results. When I first started, I realized I was eating a lot more sugar, potassium and calcium than I thought and a lot less sodium and fat than I thought. Once you have a good handle on where he is doing well and where he has problems, it will be a lot easier to prioritize your gradual changes.

 

One last word of advice. Pay very close attention to the amount of fiber he is eating. Fiber contributes to a feeling of satiety and staves off constipation. Be careful going paleo or eat to live or grain free at all with a kid who is still growing and has different nutritional needs than an adult. It will be really difficult to get enough fiber into a kid who gives up on whole grains entirely and won't eat a lot of veg. Cutting down on grain is a terrific long-term goal, but with a child you'll have better results if it's a weaning process off of grain and onto whole vegetables and fruits. A child isn't going to have the same motivation or understanding an adult would. Take away his treats, applesauce, bread, pasta, cereal, etc all in one fell swoop he's going to feel like he's being punished. He's 8. MFP will help you to make these gradual changes easily (or at least easier) because you can see at a glance...am I short on protein or fat?...Oh, what is a high protein, high fiber food?...google-google-google...cool! Black beans! I find I've learned to use a lot more vegatables while using this ap because I get such a nifty little psychological reward when I get my daily totals to balance. The more you cook them, the better and more creative you will become. The better you cook them and the more often they see them, the more your kids will eat. My kids already ate pretty well, but they're beginning to get used to frozen peas in butter as a snack :) and they love it!

 

I started using my fitness pal about 2 months ago after I realized how well it was working for Rich. My weight was fine (119 at 5-3), but I was on medication for hypertension and I wanted OFF. I decided to try and get 3000-4000mg of potassium, keepm my sodium at a reasonable level, up my protein, and get min of 28g of fiber a day. I actually dropped 4 pounds without meaning to, but better still. weaned off the medication. My highest reading before I started medicine was 158 /112. My latest off meds was 107/77.

 

Okay, I hope some of this helps. I can tell you really want to help your sweet boy. Changing your eating habits even more than you have will help increase the quality of life for your whole family. It will be really hard to do it with a pencil and a piece of paper, and a few stabs in the dark. Please give my fitness pal a shot because I think it will take what could feel like an overwhelming project and make it seems manageable.

[caroljenn]

Unfortunately, I know about morbid obesity. My sister was morbidly obese, truly obese (not like your son!). She weighed 250 lbs and was 5'2". It was so hard for her to walk around she didn't do very much. She became very inactive and when you are so heavy and do so little, you have to eat very little to maintain your weight. She didn't eat all the time, she didn't eat very much. She just never could get caught up on it once it passed a certain point.

 

Morbid obesity is what cost my sister her life. She was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer two weeks before she died. She didn't know anything was wrong until she began having pain, and there was a grapefruit sized tumor growing in her abdomen. No one knew it because you couldn't see it like you would in a smaller person. Her body could not handle the stress at all and she died two weeks after she was admitted into the hospital for testing. At the end, her kidneys gave out before she could start chemo. All they were able to do was drain the cancerous liquid that the tumor was producing, and that was enough to send her kidneys over the edge.

 

My sister is the reason I've gotten so into health foods and getting healthy from the inside out. It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside- what matters is what's going on in the inside.

[Sara in AZ]

Unfortunately, I know about morbid obesity. My sister was morbidly obese, truly obese (not like your son!). She weighed 250 lbs and was 5'2". It was so hard for her to walk around she didn't do very much. She became very inactive and when you are so heavy and do so little, you have to eat very little to maintain your weight. She didn't eat all the time, she didn't eat very much. She just never could get caught up on it once it passed a certain point.

 

Morbid obesity is what cost my sister her life. She was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer two weeks before she died. She didn't know anything was wrong until she began having pain, and there was a grapefruit sized tumor growing in her abdomen. No one knew it because you couldn't see it like you would in a smaller person. Her body could not handle the stress at all and she died two weeks after she was admitted into the hospital for testing. At the end, her kidneys gave out before she could start chemo. All they were able to do was drain the cancerous liquid that the tumor was producing, and that was enough to send her kidneys over the edge.

 

My sister is the reason I've gotten so into health foods and getting healthy from the inside out. It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside- what matters is what's going on in the inside.

 

 

Wow, this is the picture I had in mind of morbidly obese. I am so sorry to hear about her experience.

[Sara in AZ]

I loved seeing the pic of your son! He is so cute and not as heavy as I expected. But...

 

I would worry. It's so hard at that age, as you don't know if he'll slim down or not. But you can't take a chance. One of my kids is big boned and was too heavy according to the BMI chart. And he was. He had a tummy and a double chin. He did slim down in middle school, but he is a serious athlete. He is always working out. I have told him that he will always struggle with his weight, so he needs to be careful. When my son was in 4th grade, I cut out most carbs, cut out anything with a hint of sugar or high fructose corn syrup (amazing what that stuff is in), cut out everything processed. We are healthy eaters by nature, but I had to go the extra mile. We have always eaten only poultry and fish and tons of fresh veggies, beans, lentils and brown rice. We typically never have anything but water to drink for meals.

 

My son is now 16. He is now on the thinner side. But - when he is out with friends, he chooses sausage, bacon, beef burgers, chicken wings. He has always gravitated to this junk, even as a young kid. That is why I know he will likely always struggle. Whenever he goes to the doctors, his blood pressure is on the higher end of normal. What will happen when he is older and stops working out? So worrisome.

 

So, I agree with those who encourage you to change your family's lifestyle. It will be good for your son emotionally and physically. Best wishes and hugs. I know it can be so hard.

 

Yes, this is likely to be the fate if my son. So of course I want to give him the best start and teach him healthy practices that he can hopefully carry with him.

 

I have a sister that was really athletic in high school, but after graduation she didn't play as much but didn't modify her diet accordingly and he pounds crept on....

[Embassy]

I highly recommend Dr. Sears A Total Health Program for Kids Ages 6-11. The book shows you how to make a plan to help your child grow into his weight. It incorporates food, exercises, and attitude. I've been using many of the strategies for the past several years and my kids who used to be well above the 99th percentile for their BMI and are now 94th and 97th percentile.

[Sara in AZ]

I've seen the recommendation for MyFitnessPal twice thus far, but I wanted to chime in and add my voice. My husband bikes, runs, lifts, and swims. In the spring and summer he does 30-50 mile rides. He's very obviously muscular, but at 5-8 and 190 pounds he was carrying more weight than just muscle. He tried for almost 20 years and would lose 10 lbs or maybe 15 at the max, but would creep back up again and again. He knew how to cut calories, but he didn't know how to eat in a way that he could lose weight or maintain weight and still nourish himself properly.

 

So he started MyFitnessPal back in November and has lost 31 pounds. He is healthier, feels better, needs less sleep, etc because the quality of his food choices are better. I would suggest keeping track if everything your son eats for one to two weeks. Resist the urge to police him just yet. Let him have at the 3 applesauce cups and the extra helpings. Lets see where his actual appetite is right now. MFP keeps track of calories, fat, protein, sodium, sugar, carbs, fats, vitamins and minerals, etc. the database is phenomenal. A food scale such as this one for $25 will be indispensable: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001N07KUE/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1363221523&sr=8-1&pi=SL75. If you have an iPad and/or smartphone you can download their free ap to keep track of things on the fly. It's possible to keep track with just the website but it doesn't currently have all the nifty features the ap does. Just be aware that if you want to make any changes to the profile (for instance, they have carbs set to default at 55% if calories), you must do that on the website.

 

So, um...where was I? Oh yeah, so just keep track of what he's actually eating while resisting the temptation to make changes right away. You may be really surprised with the results. When I first started, I realized I was eating a lot more sugar, potassium and calcium than I thought and a lot less sodium and fat than I thought. Once you have a good handle on where he is doing well and where he has problems, it will be a lot easier to prioritize your gradual changes.

 

One last word of advice. Pay very close attention to the amount of fiber he is eating. Fiber contributes to a feeling of satiety and staves off constipation. Be careful going paleo or eat to live or grain free at all with a kid who is still growing and has different nutritional needs than an adult. It will be really difficult to get enough fiber into a kid who gives up on whole grains entirely and won't eat a lot of veg. Cutting down on grain is a terrific long-term goal, but with a child you'll have better results if it's a weaning process off of grain and onto whole vegetables and fruits. A child isn't going to have the same motivation or understanding an adult would. Take away his treats, applesauce, bread, pasta, cereal, etc all in one fell swoop he's going to feel like he's being punished. He's 8. MFP will help you to make these gradual changes easily (or at least easier) because you can see at a glance...am I short on protein or fat?...Oh, what is a high protein, high fiber food?...google-google-google...cool! Black beans! I find I've learned to use a lot more vegatables while using this ap because I get such a nifty little psychological reward when I get my daily totals to balance. The more you cook them, the better and more creative you will become. The better you cook them and the more often they see them, the more your kids will eat. My kids already ate pretty well, but they're beginning to get used to frozen peas in butter as a snack :) and they love it!

 

I started using my fitness pal about 2 months ago after I realized how well it was working for Rich. My weight was fine (119 at 5-3), but I was on medication for hypertension and I wanted OFF. I decided to try and get 3000-4000mg of potassium, keepm my sodium at a reasonable level, up my protein, and get min of 28g of fiber a day. I actually dropped 4 pounds without meaning to, but better still. weaned off the medication. My highest reading before I started medicine was 158 /112. My latest off meds was 107/77.

 

Okay, I hope some of this helps. I can tell you really want to help your sweet boy. Changing your eating habits even more than you have will help increase the quality of life for your whole family. It will be really hard to do it with a pencil and a piece of paper, and a few stabs in the dark. Please give my fitness pal a shot because I think it will take what could feel like an overwhelming project and make it seems manageable.

 

Thank you do much for taking time to type this out. This sounds like an incredibly useful tool. The times when I have been most successful changing our diet has been when I had a doctor telling me what changes to make. Otherwise I muddle around, not quite sure which diet modifications will be the most worth while. I like how this will analyze your diet and tell you where you can improve. Tracking what he eats is really the place to start. I don't remember which poster said I needed to go the extra mile, but that sounds right. We're already doing pretty good and we just need to step it up a notch or two.

[*Lulu*]

I just wanted to encourage you to stick to your plan with your son, even if he is not an enthusiastic participant at first. You've gotten great advice and once you get him on a healthy path you can give him the skills he'll need to stay on it.

 

My dear, dear hubby was the kid doctors were saying needed to lose weight back when he was 8, and then 9, and 10, and each year his mom saw the situation get a bit worse, but did nothing. She honestly did not know what to do and, even to this day, struggles with the thought of DH being deprived in any way so she just kept following the path of least resistance.

 

DH has struggled with his weight all of his adult life and his parents lack of pro-activity in this area is the thing he most regrets from his childhood.

 

He has had great success in his weight loss since he started approaching food with a mindset of no diet but everything in moderation and since he started tracking his calories and activity with my fitness pal.

 

(((Hugs))) momma, you are on the right track!