Nutrition for your kids - Too hardcore?

[wheykrayz]

So my sister and I had a conversation/arguement this morning about my nutrition practices at home. She seems to think I'm going "overboard" with my restrictions.

I've basically eliminated all sugary drinks so all we drink is water or sometimes tea. I have my kids eat clean for breakfast (eggs and wheat toast or eggs and oatmeal). During lunch my daughter eats what she wants from the school or she takes a lunch. This is the time she can cheat...At dinner we eat protein/fat/veggies. She hates the veggies and pouts.

My points were that we don't "need" carbs. I told her carbs are processed so they aren't a natural food; it has be made. I told her people/mammals survived for years without carbs until we came along and created them. She said people didn't have the brain function we have now and that we need carbs.

We went back and forth like this until I finally just told her she could raise her kids however she wanted, but a healthy lifestyle is what would follow.

This concerned her b/c my daughter kept asking her to spend the night over there so she could have a cheat meal. She thinks having just one cheat meal a week is going too hardcore for kids. That I might be doing more damage than good.

I want my kids to be healthy, but I also don't want to give them eating disorders either. I know how hard it is, mentally, to eat clean all week long and then only have one cheat meal on the weekends when everyone else is eating the good shit. Hell, I even fail because of this. I eat clean all week and get so burned out that I either don't want to eat at all (what's the point if it's not satisfying) or I end up binge eating on shit; ruining what I've done all week.

So, what do you guys think? Am I being too hardcore on my kids? What is ideal (IA, notice I didn't say best, lol) for a family (kids); diet wise?

If I left it to my kids they would eat pizza, fried chicken, or soup every night. I just don't see how that is healthy. It might satisfy you mentally, but that only lasts while you're eating. I always regret the meal afterwards b/c I know I just pissed all my progress away.

I just don't want my kids to let their health/weight get out of control. I know I hated my body throughout school b/c I always had a belly. I don't want that for them. At the same time, living the healthy lifestyle can make someone unhappy as well. We're fuq'd either way.

Thoughts?

WK

[president_fad]

First off, how old are your kids?

[SoupDragon]

I don't agree on the carbs - they are not all manufactured - what about wheat, rice, oats, corn? A ready source of energy when you are growing is essential IMO.

A healthy but not obsessive attitude towards eating and exercise is required. All things in moderation - including some treats.

My mother struggled with weight her whole life and I grew up in atmosphere of faddy diets and guilt and sniping at other people's eating habits. It's the last thing I want for my kids.

[wheykrayz]

My kids are 2 and 10. I don't go overboard with my 2 year old, but the 10 year old I do restrict. BTW, with carbs I mean carbs like:

pastas
soup
rolls, biscuits
etc.

I let them eat whole wheat bread, brown rice, sweet potatoes, etc. The biggest change they are dealing with is the sugary drinks and the fast food. The 10 yeard old was used to eating soup and crackers or some type of fast food for dinner. Now I'm making her eat what we all eat for dinner instead of making several meals.

[president_fad]

I think its overboard, unless your kid has an existing weight problem then taking away the pleasures in life such as capri sun, hic and stuff like that, could make a kid go crazy. I used to drink the shit out of those and i was never over weight and ive always been healthy as shit. As long as your kid is active i wouldnt go overboard and not let them eat anything they want, it seems like a recipe for disaster. Theyre not 40 or whatever like you are, they can eat that kind of stuff and it wont effect them.

[SoupDragon]

pasta is just wheat like bread. Wholemeal is better that white IMO.

Soup is mainly water. It's very satisfying and has low calorie density. The only reason I can think of for it being bad is if it has chemicals in it like MSG - or just too much salt.

I agree on the sugary drinks - just empty calories and will rot teeth.

[Joe]

Good nutritional habits should start as soon as possible, IMO. I have 12 cousins ranging from 6-16 and I've watched them all grow older.. The ones that ate like fat pigs now are fat and unhealthy. Some of them eat like crap and have decent genetics and luckily aren't fat.


And get them away from the T.V. Some kids just get GLUED to the thing for HOURS. WW3 could go on and I swear some of them would have no idea until the T.V. is off!

I wouldn't be a total freak about nutrition with my child, but they would be eating 10 times as healthy as a typical American child.

[wheykrayz]

She doesn't have an existing weight problem, but when she eats like crap it shows. We don't have genetics like some, where you can eat what you want and stay thin. In our pool, if you eat bad you look bad.

She is active in softball and I make it a point to play around with my kids outside for at least an hour before we go inside.

All I ask for is for them to stay active, eat clean (most of the time), but I still let them be kids. I just don't think eating Chicken Express, Pizza Hut, or soup/crackers makes a kid a kid. We have diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer in our family. I just don't want any of these for them.

[Joe]

I would have to agree with you 100%

[fitzy21]

My nephew eats pretty healthy, though some areas could be improved, more or less what he eats for breakfast. There is middle ground for snacks after completing a meal here. When I am watching him, he gets his choice between different fruit. I'll also let him have some of my protein shake if he see's me making it. My sister totally flipped on me about that - but she'll gladly use Hershey's chocolate syrup to make his own milkshake

My nephew knows that fast food/pizza/ice cream/etc are a 'every now and then' type food, not an everyday food like a lean meat and veggie dinner plate is. Even creating foods that look and taste like fast food is possible - homemade pizza, burgers, baked sweet potato fries, etc.

keep the kids active, feed them healthy balanced meals majority of the time and control the calories when/if needed to.