DS eats 4000 CALORIES PER DAY ! How can I limit this ?

[Nicole1976]

Today I checked how much he ate using a calorie counter and the result was 3997, I am concerned as he didn't feel particularly full or even like he'd eaten that much, Has anyone else's kids eaten that much ?

How old is he?! What the hell is he eating?

I hope he's a growing teenager !!

How old is he? Is this a typical day?

He's 13 and seems to eat a lot of chocolate and fast food which he buys with his pocket money

Is it causing him to put on weight though?

He has put on a lot of weight in the past few months

Well, if he continues to eat like this he's gonna put on a whole lot more.

Try to get him interested in cooking
Pay his pocket money by bank transfer to his account. If he has to go to a cashpoint for money he is less likely to spend it on crap. Worked for our DS

Unless he is cycling half a Tour De France stage every day, he isn't going to use anywhere near all of those calories.

You need to get him to understand what he is doing to his health and body - show him what levels of energy output warrant that kind of input - and ask him if he is doing that level of exercise!

It is roughly double of what he probably should be eating. Plus probably lots of empty calories. I would make an appointment with your GP and if possible get help from a dietician or nutritionist. I would not wait too long.

I think reccomended Calorie intake for that age might be up to around 2400....is he of average build?

I just googled it and there is a break down on the nhs website. I think it said 2600 for a 13 year old boy. So he is having too many if that's 4000 every day.

I would personally keep his pocket money. If he wants to buy something which is not junk food, or go out etc use your card to pay for it. I don't think he can be trusted with cash at the moment. Junk food is just too readily available isn't it?

I wouldn't just be worried about weight gain - the fat content in junk food could be storing up problems.

Does he want to change? It's tricky to limit what they eat when they're out of the house.

If he's 13 he must be buying a lot of crap at school ?
Could you insist he takes a packed lunch ?

"He's 13 and seems to eat a lot of chocolate and fast food which he buys with his pocket money" Erm, you stop him spending his pocket money on sweets/fast food, if need be by giving him less pocket money.

You need to show him what will happen if he keeps eating like that. Superfat vs superskinny is a good programme to watch as it shows the two extremes overweight and underweight so he doesnt just get the message food is bad but that is balanced by we need to be eating the right foods not just cutting down but still eating empty calories

What is he having for breakfast? Which meals is he eating at home?

Make him watch supersize vs super skinny so he can see how he will end up and with what problems. Jesus that is an awful lot of food and if he is putting on weight a huge issue. I'd also be asking why he is feeling the ned to eat all the time?

x posted with yoube

It's not rocket science. If you're giving him enough money to buy fast food and chocolate every day then you need to cut it. Bloody ridiculous amount of money for that age if you are.

Then again, it would make an interesting story for someone.....

He can't possibly be getting enough pocket money to bump his calories up to this point every day?

At 13 years old you are responsible for what he's eating. Stop his pocket money if he can't spend it wisely and feed him healthier food. Make him take packed lunches to school.

Stop his pocket money?

my 13 year old does not get pocket money for junk food we save it for her holidays and going out with friends i would be furious if she spent it on junk food!

cut him off till he is more responsible or get him a hobby that takes up his pocket money