Help get child back to a healthy weight

[mumfeelingguilty]

Name changed for this as I'm really embarrassed. Please be gentle and kind.

My primary school aged DD has put on weight during lockdown. I don't know how much but it is very visible, and I've had to buy her bigger clothes.

There have been a number of things that have caused it... I have been unwell for a few months and so had become more reliant on convenience food rather than cooking, I had taken my eye off the ball in regards to how many snacks she was having, and she has been eating more due to lock down boredom. Added on to that, since lockdown she has had to stop all of her usual activities (previously did some sort of sport / physical activity most nights after school). She has been cooped up in our little house with limited options for burning off energy.

I'm a little bit better now, but still quite limited in what I can do, so big energetic family activities are going to be difficult. I've also got a newborn baby to take into consideration.

We've made a few changes so far. We've ordered a trampoline for the garden, and have ditched snacks between meals. Also starting to move back to cooked meals rather than convenience food.

I don't want DD to be aware of how much weight she has put on, and don't want to make an issue out of it, but really want to get on top of things before it's too late.

Any suggestions on how to get her more active, when my own activity needs to be fairly gentle / limited? (Normally I would send her to all sorts of clubs but everything is shut).

Also, if anyone has successfully helped their overweight child get back to a normal weight, how quickly should I expect to see a change? I don't really want to be putting her on the scales, but need to know that we're heading in the right direction.

Anyone?

Recon you’ve made good steps OP. Don’t beat yourself up. You sound so similar to me! I’ve also got a new (ish) baby & spent a lot of pregnancy very ill with hyperemesis. So it’s been a real fun period of time 😫
I looked at my 3 year old a couple weeks ago & realised she looked a bit bigger than she perhaps had been pre-lockdown and decided to take action to nip it in the bud. We’ve got a trampoline that she’d loved at the start of lockdown but like everything, we’ve all just lost motivation!

So now, we get her out daily for a walk or bike ride. About an hour if we can fit it in. Baby in sling or pram & off we go! Or my OH takes her during his lunch break. My OH is fab with DD, he’s got her out on the trampoline & running round our garden everyday (even in the rain!) & he found a skipping challenge on his Nintendo Switch and it’s simple enough that my 3 year old can work it. They have skipping competitions which is essentially just them bouncing up and down for 30 minutes. It wears them both out!

We’ve reduced snacks down to fruit & the occasional cream cracker only midweek. At the weekend, she’s gets a treat of usually a couple mini gingerbread men as they are her fav! Cooking wise, we are using less oil & trying to vary up meals a bit!

Can your OH help get her out & about & moving if you are unable? Also gives you some valuable time with just baby?

Thanks @Bol87 We have Magee to get out for a walk today, which DD enjoyed. Admittedly, it was me that got worn out first.

DP helps when he can but he's just gone back to work and does long shifts so often isn't available until nearly bedtime. Hopefully we can do something nice over the weekend.

We've got through today without any snacks and it hasn't caused any upset so hopefully we can get back on top of things.

Trampoline is a great idea. Seconding getting out for a decent walk every day - will baby spend much time in sling or pram and be happy? (Don’t know how tiny your little one is, mine was pretty intolerant for the first couple of weeks)

Bringing dinner a little earlier can be an easy way of cutting out a snack if you can do that - your DD probably won’t even notice. Bit of extra protein in meals will also help her to feel full for longer so she might not snack as much (but not toooo much protein, you don’t want to go down high protein route with children, just increase her portion size slightly at meals)

If you’re still feeling fragile, can your OH get her out and about a bit more? Some energetic daddy time in the park?

You're doing the right things, and well done for realising it's an issue and addressing it - SO many parents bury their heads in the sand on this issue. Many people have lost sight of what a normal child should look like (visible ribs, no rolls).

Can you weigh her so you know what you're aiming for? If it's a few pounds it's simpler to try to prevent weight gain and let her growth catch it up. If it's a lot then concentrate on diet, since weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. Portion control is very important, and if she's still hungry then fill her up with veggies and fruit. If she's genuinely hungry she'll eat boring food like cucumber sticks.

www.kidsandnutrition.co.uk/correct-food-portion-sizes-for-kids.html

DDs put on weight too, ordinarily she's a competitive swimmer so tends to eat quite a lot and I obviously didn't adjust her portion sizes or snacks enough to compensate for not swimming 7+ miles a week. It sounds like you've made some positive steps so just carry on doing that as we return to normal life and activity levels the weight should come off too.