When to worry about their weight and fitness level? UPDATED

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• 19-Mar-2010 18:31

  When to worry about their weight and fitness level? UPDATED

  *Dust* Joined on 30-Sep-2003 United Kingdom Posts 14,074

  Contact Update Thank you all for your advice I have bought a book on healthy toddler eating (£1 at the carboot sale) which has got some really lovely receipe ideas.  I have shown this to both my mum and MIL and said how as a family I want us to eat better and do more exercise.  This is true and it means I don't look like I'm getting at them. I spent more time on sunday talking in a casual manner with my mum about increasing Izzy's fitness levels and hopefully some of it has gone in.  When Izzy asked her for an ice looly about 10 minutes before dinner for the first time ever she said she would have to ask mummy whereas normally she just gives it to her. Hopefully it will do some good.  While I'm killing time at work today I'm going to put a couple of weeks of meal plans together and do the food shopping on-line.  H wants to eat better and be more healthy as well so I will get good support from him hopfeully (he's got some cracked ribs at the moment so will have to take it abit easy at the minute). ******************************************************************************************************************************* Izzy is 3 in a couple of weeks.  I fell absolutely terrible typing this but she is getting a bit podgy and has a bit of a double chin.  I'm hoping that she is due a growth spurt and about the shoot up but I'm worried because we haven't been eating as well since I feel pregnant because I was too poorly at the start, Now I'm tired and so she gets far too much that's just shoved in the over and MIL and my mum are constantly buying her treats.  Also we haven't been doing as much exercise because of the bad weather, me feeling rubbish and because she is at pre-school. So am I being one of those terrible apperance concious mothers who needs not to worry or is it something I need to address before it becomes a big issue?  Is there a weight/height, I guess BMI that she should be? Edited to add she is a beautiful child but I'm biased.   Name changed from angeldust I - April 2007 J - June 2010

• 19-Mar-2010 18:35

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  Madonna Joined on 30-Sep-2003 United Kingdom Posts 23,815

  Contact I wouldn't say it's a big thing, but if you have noticed her diet isn't as varied as it could be, then it's worth trying to amend that. I'm horribly conscious that atm S gets all her veg (excep ketchup [wink]) at nursery, but over the week it's balanced out. The activity thing - well S is a skinny minnie but I still worry about her activity, especially as she has so much blooming energy these days! Have you tried anything new, like bowling, skating, dancing round the living room with pants on your head, jumping in puddles, anything that will make you both laugh and feel better? For me the key is enjoying food and enjoying being out and about is the foundation, otherwise I'm not strict. Inspired by Sofie, Milo and all my angels, most recently Joe http://www.justgiving.com/JoeDonn/ Ideas and donations welcome x

• 19-Mar-2010 18:47

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  *Dust* Joined on 30-Sep-2003 United Kingdom Posts 14,074

  Contact I definitely think I need to address the variety of what she/we eat.  When I'm organised it's really good but it's really slipped at the moment. I haven't tried anything new but I definitely need to.  I've been using being pregnant (31+1) and working so much as an excuse not to do things and we all have been too sedate because of it.  Name changed from angeldust I - April 2007 J - June 2010

• 19-Mar-2010 18:49

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  Madonna Joined on 30-Sep-2003 United Kingdom Posts 23,815	Contact I must admit I do a lot of ideas-generation and Mr M does the actual lifting lol, but bowling for example was fab the other week (we did it with Macca's boys) and not too exhausting if you take your time. Inspired by Sofie, Milo and all my angels, most recently Joe http://www.justgiving.com/JoeDonn/ Ideas and donations welcome x

• 19-Mar-2010 19:34

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  macca Joined on 31-Jul-2005 Essex Posts 4,849

  Contact WMadonnaS - bowling was ace Don't beat yourself up too much re: the shove in the oven type dinners, we've all been through those phases (especially whilst upduffed) when cooking from scratch is to much hassle. Plus, there's nothing wrong with alot of it - fish fingers or oven chips for example. Easy quick and healthy foods you could try include: -microwave jacket potato & beans -boiled potatoes instead of chips. Top tip - cut the potato into the bitesize pieces you would serve before you cook it - its done in 6-7 mins, muhch quicker than oven chips, smiley faces etc -If she likes fish (my boys love it), then so much fish takes literally  3-4  minutes to cook. Pan fry salmon fillets, or poach fillets of white fish (cod, haddock, plaice) in a pan with a little milk (just enough to cover it) makes the fish loveky and moist and soft - great when they're teething. Also [cheat] Aldi do a really nice boil-in-the-bag fish in parsley sauce -french toast/eggy bread -Picnics of cold cooked meat, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, crackers, boiled eggs etc - tinned and frozen veg takes a couple of minutes to steam in the micrcowave -scrambled eggs, toast and beans I wouldn't worry overly though, toddlers/preschoolers often look alot chubbier right beofre they have a big growth spurt. As long as her diet is reasonably balanced and she's not eating cake all day long, then I'm sure she'll be fine. Noah Gabriel  11.06.05  Elijah Cameron  28.04.06 Sebastian James  15.05.08 Nathaniel Joseph  04.06.10

• 19-Mar-2010 19:38

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  Madonna Joined on 30-Sep-2003 United Kingdom Posts 23,815	Contact Fishfingers and beans/peas are a staple here btw Inspired by Sofie, Milo and all my angels, most recently Joe http://www.justgiving.com/JoeDonn/ Ideas and donations welcome x

• 20-Mar-2010 9:41

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  *Dust* Joined on 30-Sep-2003 United Kingdom Posts 14,074

  Contact Thanks Madonna and Macca.  I will definitely try boiled potatoes rather than chips and some fish.  H doesn't eat fish except fish fingers so we don't tend to have anything else but there's no reason why Izzy and I couldn't. Sadly she won't eat scrambled egg but she does like soft boiled egg. MIL looks after her on a Monday and Tuesday and is a terrible cook,  She kills just about anything that needs anything more than re-heating so I tend to opt for things that she can just shove in the oven.  Wednesdays she is at nursery so only has something small when we get in. Thursdays I'm off and I'm terrible at getting home really late and not having time to cook something properly and Friday my mum feeds her crap, all day long.  My mum loves take aways and pretty much evey friday she ends up with chips from the chip shop for lunch or dinner.  Mum menas well and often brings Izzy home with sausage and chips for both of us, I think the regularity of it is a problem and it's not just the chips, its massive chocolate lollies or ice cream or 2 adult pepperoni and so on. Then at the weekend we don't allow wnough time to cook something decent or we make something for Izzy and then have something later.  However, if I'm feeling organised I cook nice things the day before for MIL or at the weekend and we have nice food all week.   Name changed from angeldust I - April 2007 J - June 2010

• 20-Mar-2010 19:29

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  Madonna Joined on 30-Sep-2003 United Kingdom Posts 23,815

  Contact It sounds like she's varied - but you are obv worried about the mum/MIL input. Would either of them respond to doing a baking/making activity with I? Such as making their own pizza, making smiley faces on top with different veg? Or do either of them have the opportunity to take her out to a play centre which provides this activity, or lunches, so they can see what other children her age eat? I'm pretty lucky in that my MIL eats a lot of cooked food (rather than heated IYSWIM) so if S is there the veg count is high. That said, I'm happy for S to have junk every so (not) often as I know in the scheme of things it's nothing... Inspired by Sofie, Milo and all my angels, most recently Joe http://www.justgiving.com/JoeDonn/ Ideas and donations welcome x

• 20-Mar-2010 20:57

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  sleepydreamer Joined on 09-Dec-2004 United Kingdom Posts 9,032

  Contact I'm feeling the same regards eating too much oven food at the moment, and I don;t have the excuse of being pg!  I am trying to make an effort to get back into meal planning which usually helps me ensure there's a bit more variety. One thing I do make and freeze for the girls is a recipe I have for veg spag bol, basically just lentils, tinned tomatoes, any veg you like I always add onions (red or white), garlic, carrots and sometimes celery or courgette if I have them.  Add some oregano and a pinch of cinnamon and simmer till everything is cooked.  It freezes really well so I generally make a huge batch at once, it's then used as a sauce with pasta or rice, you can also add sausages or fish (I buy frozen fish which can be cooked in the microwave so super quick).  My girls usually have it at least twice a week, it's one dinner that always gets eaten and is perfect for those days when you get home too late to cook but super healthy too. Abigail 09/11/06 Lily 22/09/08

• 20-Mar-2010 21:00

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  *Dust* Joined on 30-Sep-2003 United Kingdom Posts 14,074

  Contact Madonna I think you have hit the nail on the head with MIL/my mum. MIL takes her to ballet on Monday and would probably take her to soft play on Tuesday if I asked her to, she is very good on that front. It's just she's a terrible cook (kills most meals by adding weird things or over cooking) and I don't like her having to have to slave over the stove as such.  I could probably get round this by planning healthier easy things for her to cook or re-heat. I've asked my mum to take Izzy to a few activity things before and she will only take her once for some reason and then she comes up with excuses on why they didn't make it there again and then that's it she doesn't even try and go back after the second week.  I told her today that I was worried about what Izzy was eating and then this afternoon I turned my back for 2 seconds and she had given her 2 pepperami's again.  I did say again to her about it but I couldn't do anything about it by then.  She has already had a massive bag of crisps (again given by my mum) and chocolate fudge cake by this point.  I'd also been saying how I was taking her home for dinner and suddenly she had made chicken and chip with no veg.  I don't have a problem with some treats.  My mum thinks I'm OTT about what Izzy eat's but I often feel I can't give her treats because she has already had a full day of eating treat food. Name changed from angeldust I - April 2007 J - June 2010

• 20-Mar-2010 21:05

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  *Dust* Joined on 30-Sep-2003 United Kingdom Posts 14,074	Contact Thanks Sleepydreamer.  I will give the veg spag bol a go.  Izzy's favourite food in the whole world is spaghetti bolganise. Name changed from angeldust I - April 2007 J - June 2010

• 20-Mar-2010 21:08

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  Madonna Joined on 30-Sep-2003 United Kingdom Posts 23,815

  Contact Could you 'white lie'? Say you saw the GP/HV recently and they counselled against the pepperamis (salt?) and chcolate fudge cake, just in terms of general vits vs bulk vs salt intake advice? Could you apply for the Change4Life stuff to come through and ask your mum/MIL to have a regular 'activity' every week from the pack (it actually has a lot of magnets, stickers, healthy eating stuff which is fab). Could you say that nursery has set you all a homework challenge for the month to keep a food diary (and keep one), or that they've set a challenge to every child to try one new veg a week? Maybe make it a real favour for your mum/MIL to cover this task for you. How about a separate post with some more tips as I'm sure others have better ideas... Honestly it sounds like she is okay, but that you are worried about a pattern developing that you won't be able to withdraw from. Your MIL/mum have to respect your wishes about food, if it comes down to it; you can't be left in a position where you don't 'trust' they will follow through, as you know healthy eating attitudes are half the battle. Did your mum feed you the same way? Just interested if she's playing the 'never did you any harm' line. Re the activity, are you worried she's not active enough on those days specifically? Inspired by Sofie, Milo and all my angels, most recently Joe http://www.justgiving.com/JoeDonn/ Ideas and donations welcome x

• 20-Mar-2010 21:40

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  *Dust* Joined on 30-Sep-2003 United Kingdom Posts 14,074

  Contact Madonna - Lots of food for thought. We did have the Change4Life stuff at one point but I don't know where it went Hopefully I can apply for it again.  I'm not sure how I would explain that the pepperamis have come up in conversation with a dr/hv, will think on that one. Unfortunately one of my sisters friends works at Izzy's nursery (and spends a lot of time round my mum so it would come up on conversation) so I couldn't get away with that white lie and she takes her to and from pre-school but I could perhaps tie it in with the Change4Life. My concerns are 2 fold - that H and I aren't setting her a good example by feeding her too much oven food and we have slacked off on the exercise front and that my mum in particular feeds her rubbish all day (frequently she won't eat lunch or dinner because she has been snacking all day) and doesn't listen when I bring it up with her.  Izzy helps herself to food at my mum's which she wouldn't be allowed to do at home. I don't remember my mum feeding us like this.  She used to be strict about sweets and we were only allowed them on Friday's (which incidently is the day she has Izzy).  I think she has gotten into bad eaing habits herself in the last few years, she has at least 3 take aways a week plus eats out a night or 2 every week and she snacks all day long and this is rubbing off on Izzy. When she wasn't at pre-school she would go to playgroups where she would literally run around for 2 hours and she's not getting that same level of exercise anymore. Name changed from angeldust I - April 2007 J - June 2010

• 20-Mar-2010 21:44

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  sleepydreamer Joined on 09-Dec-2004 United Kingdom Posts 9,032

  Contact I meant to say I also share your concerns about Grandmas giving too many treats, my mum can be bad.  What annoys me is my girls love fruit and think that and a yoghurt is a treat and she'll then have to go one step further and give them sweeties as well.  Her house always has loads of treats and crisps etc and the girls know where they all are and try and help themselves.  I have to say though it did get better when I was pg with Lily and hormones got the better of me one night and I had a big rant, not that I'm suggesting you try that tactic  My current solution of being made redundant and becoming a childminder is working best but not entirely practical for anyone else! Abigail 09/11/06 Lily 22/09/08

• 20-Mar-2010 22:10

  Re: When to worry about their weight and fitness level?

  *Dust* Joined on 30-Sep-2003 United Kingdom Posts 14,074	Contact I'm glad it's not just me sleepydreamer.  Izzy loves fruit.  H calls her his little fruit bat.  Today I had taken bananas as a snack for her and me but she wouldn't have one because she knew that Nanny would give her something else when my back was turned. Name changed from angeldust I - April 2007 J - June 2010