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My children are overweight
My husband and I need some advice for our children, aged 8 and 16. They are both overweight and don't get enough exercise. I cook healthy meals, but they eat junk food when given the opportunity.
When I talk to my son, the teen, about exercising, he doesn't want to and says not everyone is addicted to exercise as we (his parents) are. He also has very flat feet, so running and hiking are not good choices of exercise. We encourage him to cycle and Rollerblade, but he is not getting enough exercise to burn away the extra 30lbs. He says he doesn't have a problem with his body and that I do. I love him and worry about the long-term health risks.
My daughter is only eight, and so far she is on the same track. I find this problem very difficult to overcome without destroying their positive self-images.
Your son appears to have healthy self-esteem. And a mind of his own! He is not afraid to express individuality, which is on target for his healthy development as a teenager in your family.
Consult your doctor regarding other possibilities for weight gain due to an imbalance in metabolism, such as thyroid problems, or other deficits in nutrition that give rise to sugar intake. Assess whether overeating masks depression. Does he have a healthy social life? If no medical or psychological reasons exist, then accept your son's boundaries.
Rest assured that the love and acceptance you have given both of your children will equip them with the capacity to slim down when it is their choice to do so. Talking and educating them about nutrition and in general expressing your concern for their well-being in this area is natural and useful to a point. But a persistent negative focus on 'controlling' their food intake can become dangerously invasive, particularly for teenagers, whose development requires separation.
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