Heavy 12 year old - help needed

[froot]

Hi, I would really appreciate advice about my 12 year old daughter who is too heavy. She loves healthy food - but all other food too. She does not seem to have a satiety switch - she is never full up! She is about 9-14 pounds overweight which is a fair bit at 5 foot 1 but not really obese but I am concerned that she will increase in size if we do not intervene.

However I don't want her to end up in a lifetime of weight conciousness and being unhappy about her body image. We are going to 'up' her activity levels as she 6 months ago gave up swimming of an hour three times a week as it didn't fit around other drama/singing/guides meetings. However even when she was doing the swimming for 3 years she did not slim down. She was born round and has stayed that way ever since.

She is starting to want to shop for clothes with her friends but I know this will be hard as her waist is particularly large.

She is well aware of how to eat healthily and we eat healthily at home - never a ready meal or anything fried (well maybe sausage and chips once a month tops), but she can't resist the 'goodies' on offer at school.

I am struggling with how to handle this without it being a big deal and upsetting her - but I don't want her to be an overweight teenager and diabetic by the time she is 30! However i also don't want an anorexic on my hands. She will not let me weigh her so i know she is already not entirely happy with her size.

Has anyone else been through similar than can offer advice?

who is paying/how is she getting the money for the goodies at school?

Is portion size part of the issue?

Lots of sensible advice on this thread. HTH.

Sounds similar to my DD. She is 15 now and nothings changed. Her height increased a bit since 12 and her weight did equally. She has a curvy figure. It's just the way she is made.

I would try not to make an issue of it tbh. You don't want to dent her self esteem over it. She isn't obese so I really wouldn't worry over it.

DD eats a healthy diet and is reasonably active. I have said things in the past and regret it now (she did eat a lot a 12). Now it appears to be her natural shape.

Thanks I will look at that thread. Portion control is a hot topic in our house as my (slim ) dh has a massive appetite as does my (equally slim) ds aged 15. I myself don't eat big portions.....am trying to instil (given her large appetite) that gisrls just don't need to consume as much as boys and though it's not fair - 'life aint fair'

She is a gorgeous girl but beimg big holds its own health and clothes shopping problems - the latter will get her down I'm sure.....

off to read that thread now

Ok so some similarities - though my dd is a super-UNfussy eater.

She isn't pongy under the arms yet and only early hint of boobage - I didn't start my periods until 13 and 4 months - she is 12 and 4 months so appears to be following in my footsteps there.

She takes a homemade granary roll (no butter) for unch and sliced ham. has £1 to spend at school and usually buys melon with this. The she eats all her friends cholcolate biscuits!!

She usually has specialK fruity for breakfast because she likes it. Or a poached egg on 1 slice of toast.

We have no biscuits in the house and only ricecakes (the nice flavoured ones) quaver and wotsits.

I think from reading all the stuff she is just not moving enough. When she sits down she is totally stationary. No fidgeting, nothing. Maybe 3 hours of swimming per week made her even stiller the rest of the time.

She often does 2-3 hours of homework in the evening - through choice because she likes to spend an hour and a half choosing the font and planning the layout!!!

She was doing a street dance class last term which she loved but due to my work (I only work part time) I could not get her there. Any other form of dance you seem to need to start aged 4 or else you have had it.

I have a cross-training machine with a TV infront of it and a digital recorder which I (religeously) go on 3 -4 times per week. I have resisted starting her on this as it seems a bit too a)boring b)grown-up c)like a punishment!!

I have to say that due to giving birth to her my bicycling days are over (can barely sit on a saddle for 2 minutes)but I did buy a long skipping rope last weekend whichis tied to a tree in my front garden.

Thanks will continue to watch thread for any more feedback.

Fixed braces going on on 3rd december - impact of that will be interesting! She has had jaw expansion braces for 3 years - this is the grand finale....

Sounds like finding a fun exercise will be key. Street dance?

Think our threads crossed BOF!