When will my kids gain weight?

[theresalwaysguineapigcurry]

I've struggled with my weight since I was 16. I was a 'normal sized' kid although broad shouldered and 'sturdy' according to my family!
I remember being hungry all the time. I remember having a much bigger appetite than my size 6 mum very early on. I remember her buying a quiche, giving us a quarter each with salad and putting the other half in the fridge for tomorrows tea. I remember thinking of how much I wanted to eat that other half of quiche so bad. Dreaming of it. I used to write stories about food and draw pictures of food. I even went on to work in food!

Those thoughts still consume me. I have tried so hard to curb this through food education and trying to keep busy. I'm still a 14. I still think about food constantly.

My children are both slim children. So are 90% of their class. Looking at the parents, about 80% of us are overweight. So when does the weight start creeping on?
The difference with my children is that I don't see this fascination with food that I had. Yesterday I had four pain au chocolats in a bag and one of mine ate a half, the other didn't bother eating any. Is it the prevalence of food now compared to when I was a child? Do they have more impulse control? Is it genes? Upbringing?

What makes adults nowadays tend to put on weight whilst their children do not seem to be predisposed to it. Activity levels?

I think you need to relax a little, it sounds like you're trying to worry a problem into existing! If your DC have healthy eating habits and a balanced diet then you're doing all that you can.

I didn't put on weight until I was an adult and started living a more sedentary life and got control of the fridge.

As a child I was at clubs and sports but watched a good amount of TV too, we weren't allowed to help ourselves to anything other than fruit from the kitchen.

My DD is the heavier end of athletic (ie not a waif but not overweight either) and plays rugby she has ASD and doesn't feel hunger or fullness which works in both ways and we take a more scientific approach that she needs x, y, z amount of carbs, protein, fat opposed to relying on her feelings so that she gets the right amount of nutrients.

It's likely that there are lots of undiagnosed adults with similar challenges.

@Singleandproud I agree. I think maybe my disordered eating is linked to sensory stuff. I eat the same meal over and over each day of the week and then go completely off it and don't eat it again for years lol.

when food is freely available children tend to regulate themselves. They don't need to gorge because it's always there. With my generation- i was always told 1 biscuit only, no more snacks until tea time, 1 piece of bread for breakfast sandwich. i was always starving and consequently went to uni and rammed everything i could find down my throat and ended up huge.

I'd say that your children's approach to food is a testament to your parenting.

Very interesting. I'm obsessed with food and have been since I was a child. I love cooking, reading recipe books, watching cooking shows, eating, even food shopping. Everything. Growing up I had zero control. So for example, at Easter, I'd eat all my eggs on the same day. I had cousins, they'd still have Easter eggs left a month later. I really do wonder how they were able to control themselves and I wasn't. Its fascinating.

I was pretty fat as a young teen...as I got older, my vanity overtook my greed and I lost weight and was slim in my late teens and twenties. Put on weight after having kids and yo yoed ever since.

I'm currently a size 14 and that's only through sheer will power. If I ate what I wanted, I'd be documentary material I'm sure.

My kids are both a healthy weight. They enjoy a treat. I try to strike a balance between healthy eating and not being too restrictive. My DD has definitely inherited my love of food though. She loves to cook.

Not sure what the answer is to be honest.

@Comedycook that sounds very similar. I would also eat all my Easter eggs if I had been allowed.