Children’s Nutrition and Biggest Loser Boot Camp Week Six Weigh-in!
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Monday’s post about being a good or bad mother had an overwhelming response. Some women felt validated that they are doing a great job. And others vented about how judgmental the world of moms can be.
I took a different approach all together.
Since beginning my butt-kicking Front Range Adventure Boot Camp, my children have suffered. Not because I have submitted them to the same rigorous workouts but because they have had to [insert collective gasp] eat healthy food on a daily basis, something no child should ever have to endure.
At least that is what my daughter Hadley tries to convince me when we are at the grocery store.
And so I took a judgmental-mom-be-darned approach and bought my children Twinkies yesterday. Because HOLYCRAP – they are almost 2 and 4 and have never had a Twinkie in their lives.
And also because they do not tempt me in the least and I would not touch them with a ten-foot pole.
But before we launch into the ins and outs of what you are feeding your children, my weekly weight-loss total is: 3 pounds. This brings my six-week total to 16 pounds. I was rather shocked with this week’s loss, given my oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough and brownie indulgences on Saturday. And yes, indulgences is indeed plural. The only possible explanations are:
a) My body needs and thrives on cookie dough, just like the flower needs the rain (or however that song goes).
b) I overcompensated afterwards by working my butt off.
I like the first explanation better.
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Monday’s discussion made me wonder what other moms are feeding their children. Are you happy with your food choices? Do you wish it was healthier? What do they like to snack on? How are the schools doing with nutrition? We already touched on the subject of what restaurants have healthy fare on their children’s menus in our mama-to-mama forum. Do you have any other tips?
So, let’s hear it – the good, the bad and the ugly. Especially if the ugly involves my beloved cookie dough.
Because I have to live vicariously somehow….
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[...] (ahockley) wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptPlease scroll down to enter our giveaway of the day: a gift certificate to eco-friendly Lovely boutique! Monday’s post about being a good or bad mother had an overwhelming response. Some women felt validated that they are doing a great … [...]
Three pounds – that’s great. You are rocking!
Oh, and as far as my children’s nutrition, I do OK but could do better. Particularly with their lunches, which usually involve PB&J or Mac ‘n Cheese.
I wrote a post recently talking about this very thing — feeding my kids dinner when my husband is out of town. I got some interesting comments from mom’s who deal with the food dilemma.
I finally started working on taking the baby weight off after talking about it for months. I am only at 4 lbs though. 16 rocks!
I don’t worry too much about feeding the kiddos healthy food. We eat a balanced diet. My mom was a health nut, so we just gorged ourselves at the neighbors. Kids find a way.
wow… another 3 lbs. I envy you.
I’m pretty good at off-setting chicken nuggets with peas and pears… or something… does that count?? :) It seems, besides an always healthy breakfast, that most of their little meals has a lot of good, with a little bad :)
Lunches are my weakness, too. I do healthy dinners but it seems like I am throwing together anything I can at the last minute.
You continue to rock and roll!
Seems like since my 2nd has come along, our meals have gotten shabbier…I was so “good” w/my first – fed him everything healthy, and lots of new tastes/textures. We are currently in a rut.
Busy life=fewer creative/healthy meals which is sad. There is no excuse for the poor school lunch system or my current state of lunch laziness…
P.S. I’m hoping peas and pears count too!
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Do you mean in the last six weeks as I have been stuffing my face I could have lost 16 pounds.
I must get my rear in gear. You’re doing great, Amber. Go Boot Camp!
Great job! Despite your apparent indulgences you are doing great!
I really try to get my son to eat fruit and/or veggies for every meal, but he doesn’t always go for them. I usually just try to have balanced meals. I also try to have whole grains when possible. My son’s favorite food ever is cold cereal, which he eats a lot of every morning (sometimes he really fills up on it and doesn’t eat much of anything else the rest of the day) so I always give him some fruit first and then some whole grain cereal. He loves frosted mini-wheats which are loaded with wonderful whole-grains!
congratulations on 16 pounds! that’s great!!
looking back on my kid’s childhoods, i wish i had pushed the more healthy stuff on them. i think the more you do this when they’re young, the better eating habits they will have and keep.
but i don’t think you can be a total health nut. my sister didn’t feed her kids sugar for the first 5-6 years of her son’s life. not only is that hard to keep up, but what did he crave – SUGAR. she caught him sneaking candy and realized she needed to change things.
btw, if you knew what the cream in a twinkie is made of, you wouldn’t be feeding them to your kids. (sorry, had to mention that)
Congrats on the 3 pounds! When I have this baby in July it will be back to the gym for me … I actually am very excited to start working out again. Losing weight? Not so much, but I do like the feeling I get from working out daily.
Way to go, Amber! I joined WW so I hope to join in the weight loss soon…
My kids typically eat pretty healthy. My oldest has to take a snack to school everyday, and I am at a loss of what to send him. Usually I send him crackers or a granola bar or something, and then he comes home from school and wants a snack, but he doens’t want something healthy. I am worried that I am training him to be an unhealthy snacker. My daughter and youngest will eat pretty much whatever you put in front of them, and she will choose an orange over a cookie any day of the week. Interesting post, Amber. Thanks!
For dinner, I try to have four major food groups and they have to eat at least 3 out of the 4. When they have candy, I would rather they just eat it all and get it over with-but I tell them I won’t clean up their puke-they are pretty good at monitoring themselves. When we have something new, they need to at least try it-several times. They are getting better at being good eaters and I don’t keep treats away, I just don’t have much in the house to tempt them.
For my kids:
Wheat breads, pastas, and tortillas. Whole wheat pancakes on weekends. Fortified and whole grain cereals during the week. Fruit (oranges, bananas, peaches, apples, craisins) and dairy (string cheese, Go-gurt) and crackers/granola bars and Fruit Leather (no fruit snacks allowed) for snacks. 1% milk for the older kids, and fat free dairy products (sour cream, cream cheese, etc.) when cooking. Vegetables at every meal (salad, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini/squash).
But reality? They eat mac and cheese, frozen chicken nuggets, Bagel bites pizzas, and I just bought those Smuckers crustless sandwiches for #1 for her school lunches. Ice cream for dessert occassionally, and candy at holiday times. They are growing kids, they are healthy, and they are not fat. I want them to eat healthy choices, but I don’t want to deprive them, because that’s when the binging happens.
There you go! And Congratulations on the weight loss. WOW! I still can’t believe you’ve lost the weight you’ve lost, only because it’s happened so fast! Go, Amber!!
Good for you, amber. Another 3 pounds–that is fantastic.
I would love to turn back the clock and do the helping my children make good choices with food thing over again. I don’t think we ate as many fruits and vegetables, and snack choices usually involved cookies.
Great suggestions and thanks for the encouragement! Anyone care to join me?!!!
When I am “eating healthy” (right now not being one of those times, lol) I always give myselg a binge day to purge my system off those cravings. And I totally continue to lose/maintian my weight.
With my kids, it’s the same way. If they eat well during the week, I let it slide on the weekend and let them have those “middle of the grocery store” foods like fruit snacks and chips and sugar cereal. It’s all about balance, in my opinion.
Nice job on the weight loss Amber. I will join you after I return from Puerto Vallarta. Those margaritas will be hanging onto my butt, for sure!
As for the Twinkies, I have to laugh because I haven’t even thought about Twinkies since maybe junior high. Noey and Rowy are very deprived children. Maybe we will have to join in the corruption!
Wanted to comment about kids diets. I think its wonderful that your kids have not tasted a twinkee yet in their lives. There are far too many bad food temptations out there without having them at home. My 1st grade daughter came home the other day and told me her teacher had given her two pieces of candy at school that day. Two pieces!!! Yuck! Not that we are perfect at home, but I don’t appreciate the fact that they are given candy without us knowing it!
My 12-year-old eats like a HORSE and I have to put a stop to it because he weighs more than is healthy for him. I just hope it works. He gets enough exercise, but he just eats wwwway too much and it is catching up with him.
I try to get my kids to eat healthy. I don’t make them clear their plate but I do make them clear their vegetables. We usually serve at least 2 different vegetables so that there is always a viggie on the table that everyone will eat. (“Will” meaning without puking)
Here is a post on how we get the kids to eat green beans:
http://icecreamdiary.blogspot.com/2008/05/kill-green-bean.html
P.S. I want to like twinkies, but everytime I try one all I can taste are the chemicals. But they look so yummy!
My kids eat OK. Not great. They are not awesome on trying new things, veggies are not a big hit. The usual. They do eat fruit, though, which is my one saving grace.
3 pounds – 16 pounds total? You are rocking this thing!!
Heidi
Breakfast is pretty good, usually a bowl of cereal or some fruit. Lunches consist of sandwiches pbj for the boy and ham for the girl, chips, sometimes some fruit and cheese. They have fruit, pretzels, and yogurt for snacks. So far that sounds good right? Well then comes dinner… they refuse to eat their veggies. I need to be better about serving and introducing a variety of items, but I’m lucky if they eat what I make. Oh I should probably mention that they also eat fruit snacks and peanut butter granola bars and ask for candy constantly. They usually get a couple pieces a day.
I wish I could say my kids eat healthy all the time but no. They are pretty much American kids who eat processed foods mostly. I do require them to eat a fruit or vegetable at every meal though. This brings complaining some days but I am sure when they’re older they’ll thank me, right?
Congrats on your weight loss, that’s awesome!
Congrats on the weight loss!
As for what my kids eat that’s healthy…well, just say that whoever invented Carnation Instant Breakfast is a God! It’s the only way I can live with myself.
Hi, I feed my kids what I was fed growing up. I ate cereal every morning of my life. I was not allowed to eat sugar cereal and I try to limit sugar cereal at my house. I ate PB&J sandwhiches with milk and a treat every day for lunch. My mom normally had a snack for us when we got home from school – like fruit or a cookie. We had typical dinners like chicken and rice or tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. There was always candy at my house and it was fun to sneak it. Everyone I knew ate the exactly same way and I didn’t know any obese kids in grade school. Something (pre-processed and fast foods) has made children eat and look different. I say, if you made it yourself or if your grandma would recognize it – go for it!
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