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Need help with sons diet

13 replies

familyissue · 24/08/2019 10:44

Hi,

I have three boys, 5,9 and 10.

They have great appetites and generally eat healthy home cooked meals. DS2 (9yrs) and DS3 (5) are both quite tall and both lean.

The problem is DS 1 (10), I recently had him at hospital apt for something unrelated. When checking in the weighed him and measured his height (he is 130cm and 36kg). They didn't say anything but when I checked the BMI calculator, he is overweight.

I knew he was chubbier than the others but I had hoped when he grew up a bit that it would even out. I suppose I've also been burying my head in the sand a bit too.

His meals are very healthy but he just never stops snacking. I am sick telling him to get away from fridge between meals. We were at a party last week and he just sat himself at sweet table for whole day munching away while other kids played.

I worry about him when he is older. Any tips on how to stop them snacking?

My mam and mil see the kids daily and tend to give them money and sweets so I'm going to speak to them and tell them to stop.

His typical diet would be: (this is summer diet which would be a bit more than normal)

Breakfast:omelette with peppers/feta cheese
Snack fruit/yog
Suspect he often goes to shop while playing with friends at this time and will buy a pocket of sweets, we live beside a newsagents)

Lunch: pita bread, tuna salad, fruit, sometimes soup too

Dinner: average family home cooked meal, lasange spag bol, meat and veg, stir fry etc.

Snack: cracker/ peanut butter/ice pop

Supper 2weetabix with milk
Also during summer months would often watch a movie in evening and I would 3rd a bag of micro popcorn between them.

He normally drinks just water in school but again have got a bit lax and would have squash with meals...

When I wrote it down it does seem like a lot.

The other boys would eat the same meals but prob only half the snacks that he eats but again as I said they are much taller.

It's tricky because I don't want to insult him so just want advise on how to speak to him about it.

He is normally quite active but lately he has been less. Do brings him for a run every second night and he plays football with friends.

All his weight is around the tummy area

Please advise and no jiffy comments please. I feel guilty enough myself.

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hormonesorDHbeingadick · 24/08/2019 10:51

Can you make snacking veg and dips only?

Wildorchidz · 24/08/2019 10:55

Cut out the snacks. He does not need fruit and yoghurt within a couple of hours of an omelette and less than a couple of hours before soup, pitta bread, tuna salad and more fruit!
Ditch the squash immediately.
A run every second night is not enough - he needs a couple of hours of aerobic exercise every single day.

familyissue · 24/08/2019 11:05

Ye will ditch the fruit snacks. He normally does have a good bit of exercise during school year with football training and sports club after school but yes will start doing the runs every day.

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SmartPlay · 24/08/2019 12:20

Aren't dinner and supper synonyms?

Pipandmum · 24/08/2019 12:25

I’d lose what you are calling supper - he doesn’t need all those carbs so late in the day.
He’s going to be growing a lot soon so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

Ginnymweasley · 24/08/2019 12:29

Does he really need the weetabix before bed? As well as a snack after tea/dinner whatever you call it. He is eating around every 2 hours I imagine which is excessive.

dementedpixie · 24/08/2019 12:35

No dinner and supper aren't the same in some places. Supper is a snack before bed where I'm from

Cutesbabasmummy · 24/08/2019 16:09

Cut out the snacks.Amd he definitely doesn't need 2 weetabix after eating a proper dinner!!!

Blueandredandblue · 24/08/2019 20:04

Stop all snacking between meals and the sweets. Don't give him money every day to buy sweets. Hildren shouldn't be eating sweets every day at all.

treeplop · 24/08/2019 20:08

Having breakfast cereal for a bed time snack should be dropped, that's another meal on its own.

SmartPlay · 24/08/2019 21:08

"No dinner and supper aren't the same in some places. Supper is a snack before bed where I'm from"

Thank you! That would make it 2 suppers, since he already has a snack after dinner.

familyissue · 25/08/2019 00:11

Ok I'll ditch the weetabix! They all say they are hungry before bed so maybe I need to push dinner a bit later...it's usually around 5:30 and bed is 9/10

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Bol87 · 26/08/2019 18:06

Cereal is surprisingly sugary unfortunately .. I don’t think fruit is inherently bad to snack on, I have done my whole life & I’ve never been overweight. I also drink squash, it’s very low in calories if you buy the sugar free version.

It’s the popping to the shops where you have no idea what he’s eating that’s the issue. Is he also buying full fat fizzy drinks do you think? Along with chocolate/sweets.. if it’s everyday, it’s going to be problematic. And could become a bit habit long term. That said, the amount of crap I ate as a teenager yet I’m a really healthy eater as an adult..

Good luck, hope you can make a few simple changes to help him Smile

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