Health advice for my 8 year old overweight son please...

moodydonkey

Poor thing, he seems to have a lot to deal with if he is missing so much school that it is a problem too. You surely must be in a situation to get your school and gp involved to try and help. Voice your concerns strongly and keep pushing for help from them. I know you have tried but ask again for support.

Mrs_Arcanum

Once you have seen the doctor you will have a much better idea of the right way of doing things. It may not be wise or healthy to try a very low fat diet on a child as their energy needs/uses are different to adults and will need different levels to ensure healthy growth.

squoog

As your son seems so keen to do something about his health, could you devise some games at home, maybe even helping you out, like running up the stairs to put things away. You can count him through it so he knows you are involved. My kids love this sort of thing and good for tidying up!
I think you have realised this, but please try to get him away from thinking he needs to be on a diet. He is a growing boy and just needs his food adjusting and maybe more activity. thinking you need to be on a weight loss diet is a recipe for failure in my book.

Also, what about his Dad?? Can he get involved and support his son at the weekend?

onlyroz

This half-term I'd suggest enrolling him in a holiday club arranged by a sports-centre. A week of activities with some new kids will probably do him good and maybe make him some new friends.

Oh, and definitely cut out the pork pies, and serve your meals on smaller plates - and don't insist that he cleans his plate.

GEEGEE8

He isn't starving though, he's trying to get food you really need to distract him and make him forget about it. A tickle game, read a book, cuddle time?

Breakfast - Those small cereal boxes? I know they aren't healthy as such and have sugar but they do control portion size! Scrambled eggs?

Lunch - Medium sandwich, loads of lettuce leaves if he likes them. Some baby tomato's? jelly or fruit pot? Go ahead bar (taken out of the wrapper to avoid teasing)? Jaffa cakes are at least a little lower in fat (2 of those instead of the choc bar)?

Dinner - smaller portion, lower carbs.

Dessert - Fruit with yoghurt, jelly with yoghurt, banana and low fat custard, weight watchers do some lovely frozen desserts for a treat once a week?

I think you are doing great in asking for help and sound like you can make loads of changes to help him..

I'm certainly no expert, but just try and make the food look fun.. and if he doesn't eat it then he will either go hungry or learn to try new foods.

Does dad over feed him at the weekends?

More exercis, as much as possible, make it fun! & yes, if he's good for 2 weeks he should get the weight loss game.

Taliahmai

Height wise in all honesty im not sure, but i am 5ft 3 and he comes to my shoulders?....ive just got my tape measure out and i would say about 4ft lol but he does look really overweight. I do try my hardest not to single him out, and what i tell him goes for my 4 year old to, they eat the same thing too...we all do.

I said no to the weight loss game because...well im not sure why to be honest, it just didnt seam right with him been so young....it may be worth a try though....the zumba one is a great idea thanks.

The lunches i struggle with as he is at school and he normally has school meals, dinner and a pudding....but then i have to cook for everyone else so he has another proper meal at tea time too with the rest of us. Im going to change him to packed lunches, but im going to have to read up on whats going to be better to give him.

We are on half term at the moment so i am going to start a food diary and record everything that he eats...in fact i will do it for me too as ive told him all along i will lose the weight with him as we both need to.

I also never thoguht about taking a scooter on the walk!! great idea, i think she will ride that better...more so as its all downhill on the way home lol

Money_maker

Does he walk home from school on his own or are you with him? Are there any shops en route? If alone, is it possible he stops off there to buy food? Just a few thoughts whizzing around but please ignore me if you always walk with him.

shellsuit

Taliahmai wrote: »

Height wise in all honesty im not sure, but i am 5ft 3 and he comes to my shoulders?....ive just got my tape measure out and i would say about 4ft lol but he does look really overweight. I do try my hardest not to single him out, and what i tell him goes for my 4 year old to, they eat the same thing too...we all do.

I said no to the weight loss game because...well im not sure why to be honest, it just didnt seam right with him been so young....it may be worth a try though....the zumba one is a great idea thanks.

The lunches i struggle with as he is at school and he normally has school meals, dinner and a pudding....but then i have to cook for everyone else so he has another proper meal at tea time too with the rest of us. Im going to change him to packed lunches, but im going to have to read up on whats going to be better to give him.

We are on half term at the moment so i am going to start a food diary and record everything that he eats...in fact i will do it for me too as ive told him all along i will lose the weight with him as we both need to.

I also never thoguht about taking a scooter on the walk!! great idea, i think she will ride that better...more so as its all downhill on the way home lol

You sound like a wonderful Mum and with a bit of hope and persistance, you'll all come out the other end much more healthier and happpier!

Has he got a skipping rope? They are FAB to get fit with, and it's something he can do at home on his own if he is uncomfortable about his body while excercising.

Excercise DVD's would be good too like someone else has suggested.

Please try to stop giving into his demands for food though ~ he won't starve, so next time he starts, just try to change the subject and ask him to help you with something to distract him.

Oh I have thought of something else too which he may like ~ fruit lolly ices! Just the plain ones made with water (not the ones filled with ice cream, or cornetto types!).

Quick sweet fix and not bad at all!

Taliahmai

Portion size is definately something i need to look at, he sometimes depending on what we are having eats the same as i do, i give him a big dinner plate....but its never full, i put it on a plate as he is a messy begga when he is eating and less went everywhere else lol. But if we are having sausage and mash for instance, he will have 3 sausages (quorn ones, were not veggies but he really likes them) and a small pile of mash then i usually fry onions and leeks and have broccoli and carrots with it too. We dont very often have a dessert tho, unless they ask for a yoghurt.

Me and his dad do get on fairly well, but he works away all week and is only home at a weekend,he is an absolutely hopeless cook but he does try. He normally does a 'roast dinner' but with fish fingers lol. He doesnt give them any sweets but buys the packs of fruit salads that are already done for them. He won't take 1 without the others as he only has them 1 night a week. There isnt really anyone else that could help out either, only my mum but she is a home carer so starts work at 3pm untill 10pm. Its not so bad in the warmer weather but this time of year i struggle finding things we can all do together.

We have already signed up for the change for life program, but in all honesty i havnt looked at it properly...i have never heard of MEND thought so i will definatly look them up, thanks

PudseyDB

Taliahmai wrote: »

Food and exercise diary is a great idea!...i should of started this yesterday before i did my shopping today and bought sausage rolls, picnic eggs and pork pies...and lots of yogurts, believing they were healthier too!

Check the packaging - some yoghurts aren't that fattening, yet satisfy that urge for sweet things. My son happily has a Muller light yoghurt some mornings for breakfast and thats only 94 calories. Or an actimel drink 74 calories and slice of toast. Frubes are great for lunchboxes - only 44 calories.

faithcecilia wrote: »

What about making sweet treats a weekend thing, say, a bar of chocolate on a Saturday and a pudding on a Sunday? I'm sure he would actually enjoy them far more if they were special rather than a part of his everyday diet.

I'd actually advise against this. It'd be better to substitute things rather than doing without. I'm sure most people crave things more when told they know they can't have something! My son (7) loves a packet of crisps with his lunch - but things like Quavers are much less than a packet of Walkers. By swapping, he doesnt feel like he's missing out on anything.