But, they are children, so I DO let them enjoy their treats (and they DO give me a hard time about eating veggies sometimes). When I am having my low calorie dessert, I give them a couple of options: fruit, yoghurt or 2 cookies (never three, only two!). My daughter usually picks the cookies (or the least healthy out of all the options that I give her), my son usually picks the fruit. Sometimes I also give them options for breakfast... would you like whole wheat toast with peanut butter? or Corn Bran squares with banana? or a scrambled egg with english muffin? My daughter will sometimes ask for something like pancakes, or waffles or a sugary cereal. I mostly say no. Those are reserved for treats.
I should mention that my daughter (both my kids actually) are very thin (almost skinny). Yet, I worry about my daughter's habits, I see so much of myself in her food choices. She loves bread, and cream sauces, and cheese, and fried stuff, and peanut butter and chocolate, and pizza (I can't blame her for loving those things!). I worry about what will happen to her when she stops growing taller ... will she suffer from the same yo-yo dieting hell that I've been in since highschool?
How do I prevent it? How can I teach her healthy habits without giving her a complex (like mine). I don't want her to obsess about it, but she needs to learn that there are some foods that she should eat in moderation...
When we are in restaurants I never order for my kids off the children's menu (it's full of garbage). I always order an adult meal for them and ask for two plates so they can share. The last time we were out, she wanted to have a pasta dish in a gorgonzola cream sauce... I hesitated, and she said "What's wrong Mommy, is it too fattening?" She's already got the lingo! And I got a super dirty look and a "head shake" from the lady at the next table.
I let them order their "fattening meal" and told myself not to sweat it too much, they are kids and they'll burn through it in no time...
...but I worry all the same...I worry a lot...
Yesterday's Grub:
I can sure relate to this. It's so important to offer healthy choices, but not let them see us be so focused on fat, calories, etc. that they start to focus on that too.
ReplyDeleteEspecially for young girls. With two teen-aged daughters, we talk a lot about healthy food, but they know that there is good in moderation.
A whole separate issue is teaching them to love themselves regardless of what their body size is.
There is a lot of food for thought here. . .