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child health
what is a diet i can use for my daughter that is 6 years old and over weight?
My two youngest kids are "stalkier" than my other kids, and I OBESESSED with food. Just about every question out of my 5 yr old daughters mouth is wondering when the next meal or snack is. At the beginning of the year we started following a modified version of the Eat Clean Diet - modified meaning, I don't go to the extreme with all the specialty products that are hard to find, BUT we have tried to eliminate most processed foods, junk, soda, etc. and have switched to whole grain products, lean sources of protein, etc. All 5 of my kids lost a little bit of weight, and my husband and I lost a ton! I highly recommend the book, which explains that way of eating in detail.
If you could provide a height and weight, that would help. Also, let us know how much she eats and what kind of food she eats. Is she a sneak eater? Junk food binger? Take-out eater? And does obesity seem to run in the family on either side or both?
Does she seem to eat the same amount as the skinny kid down the street and yet still gains weight?
My oldest daughter was never a sneak eater, we rarely ever ate out, she would eat three square meals a day and not snack. She even ate salads since she was 3. Go figure. But she was 70 lbs. in kindergarten - very dense, thick legs and short to boot.
I could tell she was built like my sister-in-law. She thinned out a little in 6th grade - but not a lot. In eighth grade she had an autoimmune eye disease related to psoriasis - so I tried a gluten free diet on her - her eyes cleared up in two days (and haven't had a problem since) and her weight dropped off even though I was replacing the gluten with other carbohydrates. So I realized the gluten (which is a food intolerance meaning she doesn't have the enzymes to break it down) was causing most of her weight gain. As her teen years progressed, she started putting on a little more weight - though not as bad as before. So we moved to a low carb diet (which the doctor ok'd) and added vitamins. We did this gradually. She also ended up getting off of milk products due to constipation that has haunted her forever. - worked like a charm. Where there is a gluten problem, there is usually a milk intolerance (cheese and all). I am going through the trouble of telling you this so you can see that many kids who seem to put weight on easily, actually have an underlying problem of some sort. It's hard to find out what the problem is...hormonal, metabolic, etc. So you have to be patient...nobody wants their food taken away! I'm in the process of weaning my son off of stuff - he takes after my oldest. My middle daughter eats everything in sight....and her ribs are sticking out. Genetics and environment!
Be gentle with your daughter. Remember her parents are the people that love her the most and she needs you to accept her no matter what! Love and acceptance at home makes them feel more secure and better able to get through life outside of the home.
Keep junk food to a minimum around the house. Cut up an apple and sit down with her and eat it together - even if you get her used to eating 1-2 slivers. At dinner, if she hates vegetables, put only a small amount on her plate (e.g. two small carrots). Get her used to having to eat them (it might take years to build up to a regular serving). But she'll learn that she has to eat them. On pasta night - look at a serving on the box - it's not real big! Add meatballs to that for protein and to help fill her up to avoid overeating the pasta. Pack lunches with 100% juice - no sugar. Start getting her used to drinking water. Take her outside bikeriding or play catch (whatever you two can agree on). I have a kazillion ideas - so if you need more, just leave me a note. Hope this helps!
Does she seem to eat the same amount as the skinny kid down the street and yet still gains weight?
My oldest daughter was never a sneak eater, we rarely ever ate out, she would eat three square meals a day and not snack. She even ate salads since she was 3. Go figure. But she was 70 lbs. in kindergarten - very dense, thick legs and short to boot.
I could tell she was built like my sister-in-law. She thinned out a little in 6th grade - but not a lot. In eighth grade she had an autoimmune eye disease related to psoriasis - so I tried a gluten free diet on her - her eyes cleared up in two days (and haven't had a problem since) and her weight dropped off even though I was replacing the gluten with other carbohydrates. So I realized the gluten (which is a food intolerance meaning she doesn't have the enzymes to break it down) was causing most of her weight gain. As her teen years progressed, she started putting on a little more weight - though not as bad as before. So we moved to a low carb diet (which the doctor ok'd) and added vitamins. We did this gradually. She also ended up getting off of milk products due to constipation that has haunted her forever. - worked like a charm. Where there is a gluten problem, there is usually a milk intolerance (cheese and all). I am going through the trouble of telling you this so you can see that many kids who seem to put weight on easily, actually have an underlying problem of some sort. It's hard to find out what the problem is...hormonal, metabolic, etc. So you have to be patient...nobody wants their food taken away! I'm in the process of weaning my son off of stuff - he takes after my oldest. My middle daughter eats everything in sight....and her ribs are sticking out. Genetics and environment!
Be gentle with your daughter. Remember her parents are the people that love her the most and she needs you to accept her no matter what! Love and acceptance at home makes them feel more secure and better able to get through life outside of the home.
Keep junk food to a minimum around the house. Cut up an apple and sit down with her and eat it together - even if you get her used to eating 1-2 slivers. At dinner, if she hates vegetables, put only a small amount on her plate (e.g. two small carrots). Get her used to having to eat them (it might take years to build up to a regular serving). But she'll learn that she has to eat them. On pasta night - look at a serving on the box - it's not real big! Add meatballs to that for protein and to help fill her up to avoid overeating the pasta. Pack lunches with 100% juice - no sugar. Start getting her used to drinking water. Take her outside bikeriding or play catch (whatever you two can agree on). I have a kazillion ideas - so if you need more, just leave me a note. Hope this helps!
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