USA Today, July 21, Life Section features an article on a mother being accused of child neglect/abuse because her teenage son has ballooned to the morbid obesity category. This case follows a similar case in New York, back in 2007, which involved a female teen who weight over 280 pounds. The mother did not receive jail time in the NY case, though the daughter was temporarily placed in foster care (the young man in this new case had a similar fate). Recommendations in the New York case included nutritional counseling, cooking classes and regular gym workouts. In both cases the mothers have pleaded "not guilty" and offered the explanation that they are not "force feeding" their kids and as older teens, they have access to food away from home.
The New Yorker magazine features an article in their July 20 issue-Why are we so fat? To bottom line the contention - we, as humans, evolved to seek food, which was not plentiful, to eat a lot to sustain us through famine times, and unfortunately, we are still eating that way, though food is plentiful and we are not nearly as active as our ancestors. And sure, fake foods and high fat/high sugar options make us just want more.
Today on Fox news/Cavuto, there was a discussion about our new Surgeon General who, according to one fitness expert, is clearly carrying excess weight - he estimated an additional 50 or 60 pounds. "What kind of role model is this?" the expert asked. Cavuto countered that maybe she has a slow metabolic rate or she is "fat and fit." Frankly that fit and fat belief is a bit of a health conflict.
In response I counter the following- I recently measured my RMR-resting metabolic rate- and it is under 1200 calories per day. That means if I do no activity, I can only eat less than 1200 calories in order to avoid weight gain. That's not a lot of food. If I do moderate to strenuous exercise, I get to add about 300, maybe 350 calories - not a whole lot of calories, considering the exercise effort. And clearly, if you look at my physique, I do carry muscle mass that is obvious - and yet, it does not seem to be inspiring my metabolic rate. So I learned a long time agao (not even scientifically knowing my RMR) that I needed to be a calorie counter, cautious eater. My genetic destiny is 3rd generation obese - so when I lost 50 pounds in my teens with Weight Watchers, I knew that to help my kids someday avoid that "genetic tendency" I needed to be really smart about how food and calories and portion sizes and activity were presented to them, from a very young age.
I did not want to create eating disorders in my kids or a preoccupation with food, but rather "healthy food attitudes." And I certainly wanted them to feel that daily execise is equal to brushing your teeth - it has to be a daily habit. Period. So in answer to all these theories in all these articles and discussions, I feel very much justified in pointing my finger at parents and saying that just like my mom had a genetic destiny and she then compounded that issue with her "fat habits" teaching me to overeat pretty much everyday (the wrong foods) - I was able to thwart those genes in myself and my kids by establishing healthy eating and exercise protocols, that exist inside and outside the home. Sure we as a family eat treats, but not everyday and with great relish and slow pace. And in response to clients and friends who seem to feel the need to "fatten up their thin kids" I respond - look at yourself and your husband in middle age. The "fattening up" will happen inevitably (to many of you who were slim earlier in life) without you hastening it in their youth- why not combat that inevitability by showcasing a smart and healthy approach to eating?
I don't dispute the food abundance, the poor quality food temptations, the video and computer contributions to sedentary lifestyle and the emotional pull that draws us to "treat every emotion with food." I also acknowledge that if you are financially challenged, you have to put some effort into healthy food access. I do however believe that parents are the significant contributors to how children interact with food and physical activity. Most of us deserve an F on that report card.
http://www.fatfamiliesthinfamilies.com/
The New Yorker magazine features an article in their July 20 issue-Why are we so fat? To bottom line the contention - we, as humans, evolved to seek food, which was not plentiful, to eat a lot to sustain us through famine times, and unfortunately, we are still eating that way, though food is plentiful and we are not nearly as active as our ancestors. And sure, fake foods and high fat/high sugar options make us just want more.
Today on Fox news/Cavuto, there was a discussion about our new Surgeon General who, according to one fitness expert, is clearly carrying excess weight - he estimated an additional 50 or 60 pounds. "What kind of role model is this?" the expert asked. Cavuto countered that maybe she has a slow metabolic rate or she is "fat and fit." Frankly that fit and fat belief is a bit of a health conflict.
In response I counter the following- I recently measured my RMR-resting metabolic rate- and it is under 1200 calories per day. That means if I do no activity, I can only eat less than 1200 calories in order to avoid weight gain. That's not a lot of food. If I do moderate to strenuous exercise, I get to add about 300, maybe 350 calories - not a whole lot of calories, considering the exercise effort. And clearly, if you look at my physique, I do carry muscle mass that is obvious - and yet, it does not seem to be inspiring my metabolic rate. So I learned a long time agao (not even scientifically knowing my RMR) that I needed to be a calorie counter, cautious eater. My genetic destiny is 3rd generation obese - so when I lost 50 pounds in my teens with Weight Watchers, I knew that to help my kids someday avoid that "genetic tendency" I needed to be really smart about how food and calories and portion sizes and activity were presented to them, from a very young age.
I did not want to create eating disorders in my kids or a preoccupation with food, but rather "healthy food attitudes." And I certainly wanted them to feel that daily execise is equal to brushing your teeth - it has to be a daily habit. Period. So in answer to all these theories in all these articles and discussions, I feel very much justified in pointing my finger at parents and saying that just like my mom had a genetic destiny and she then compounded that issue with her "fat habits" teaching me to overeat pretty much everyday (the wrong foods) - I was able to thwart those genes in myself and my kids by establishing healthy eating and exercise protocols, that exist inside and outside the home. Sure we as a family eat treats, but not everyday and with great relish and slow pace. And in response to clients and friends who seem to feel the need to "fatten up their thin kids" I respond - look at yourself and your husband in middle age. The "fattening up" will happen inevitably (to many of you who were slim earlier in life) without you hastening it in their youth- why not combat that inevitability by showcasing a smart and healthy approach to eating?
I don't dispute the food abundance, the poor quality food temptations, the video and computer contributions to sedentary lifestyle and the emotional pull that draws us to "treat every emotion with food." I also acknowledge that if you are financially challenged, you have to put some effort into healthy food access. I do however believe that parents are the significant contributors to how children interact with food and physical activity. Most of us deserve an F on that report card.
http://www.fatfamiliesthinfamilies.com/
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