Help me find a way to help my ds lose weight.

[caketinrosie]

My ds is almost 13 and very overweight. He has asd and attends an asd specific school. Ds will not eat any kind of fruit or vegetable. He will only eat pale foods ie pasta, ice cream, cheese and macaroni cheese. He will also eat cooked rotisserie chicken and bread. But that is it. he will not touch bananas or yogurt. As a youngster he was perfectly normal sized until 3 years ago. At school they have tried everything to get him to eat other foods but he will only eat cheese sandwiches. I am at my wits end looking for a way to extend his food intake and help him slim down. Has anyone dealt with this before? Any ideas? I am desperate, I am also fully aware of the implications the longer this goes on, so I really need to find a solution. None of the professionals seem to help. Anyone got any ideas?

Would he be fooled by fat free frozen yoghurt instead of ice cream? Reduced fat cheese? Healthier bread?
finding all the best options for the foods he will eat?
my two both have autism, youngest co morbid with adhd, he has a weight problem and we are struggling. We are trying to increase the amount of exercise he does, to shift the calories in - calories used balance. Can you do that too?

chicken is a good food as long as you remove the skin.

and keep offering other things in the hope that he will at some point accept them

I tried fat free and low fat ice cream, ds knew immediately he smells all his food prior to tasting so wouldn't touch it. We tried low low cheese for a while which worked for a short time until he decided he was not eating it anymore. I try and give several dishes of plain chicken but I'm worried if I overdo it he will refuse to eat it again. It's so frustrating! I've just bought jump shoes to try and increase his appetite just waiting for a dry day. Is it an asd thing? Or a simple wrong food thing?

I mean increase his exercise! The appetites big enough!

Can be.

mine are funny about textures. There are many things they wont eat because they dont feel right
they have sevral food related things!
My eldest has to have a seperate plate for each item in a meal! My youngest wont have mushy food, they get addicted to the same thing and want to eat it for every meal.

I know its not ideal, but I try to just go with it. There are so many battles, I just do the best I can and try to get them to take vitamin suppliments.

yeah. I know that feeling!

Everyone told me the adhd meds would decrease my youngest s appetite... im still waiting...

we just do the best we can, nobody can ask more of you x

Ds is very sensory so I totally get the food feeling wrong or on the wrong plate. Dd also asd won't eat any meat and will only eat pasta noodles and rice with fish. But at least she is halfway to healthy. I am so worried about ds as he has put on so much weight so quickly. I am willing to try anything so if anyone knows any books I could get or imaginative ideas? I am stuck!

Does he like to cook?
would he eat a wider variety ofbthings if he shopped with you and cooked them with you?

also, this section is quiet. Most people hang out on sn chat or sn children, so unless you wantto get stuck with me maybe ask them to move this? X

Ah hect just knowing I'm not on my own is nice. Feel a bit wary if posting elsewhere, I'm new to mn and my flameproof outfit is in the dry cleaners! Ds loves to cook but that's where it ends. I was planning on trying frozen fruit kebabs because he loves lollies? I've also had a bit of success swapping chicken for turkey? I will keep trying! X

Ha! Get it out and a spare!

What about pureeing fresh fruit and making lollies with that?

If all else fails, you may just have to put a calorie controlled diet in place. If he will only eat certain foods then fair enough, but his total calorie intake in a day must be x.

It feels awful to do though, I warn you. When your child is screaming that they are hungry, it makes you feel like shit.

but its Big Picture time.
short termmit hurts, but not doing it leads to adult obesity , heart problems, stroke, high cholesterol...

I think it's the only thing I can do. Tbh I'll do whatever it takes for my little man.

If you can, try to cut down on wheat and gluten, these are the things that make people fat. My nephew is on the Spectrum and is intolerant of a lot of foods.
Give loads of proteins, chicken, meat, ribs with hidden veggies as a sauce and cut out all sugar. Allow small amounts of potatoes and pasta but no fizzy drinks, not even diet ones.

We don't need so much crap and since my nephew was diagnosed and his mum radically changed his diet things have been much better for everyone. He has lost a lot of weight and is achieving better as well. He had terrible 'toilet' troubles but they are getting less and less now.

Your DS will not starve if you serve something he doesn't like. Cut the portions of mac and cheese in half and offer a fruit smoothie.
I know it is hard but you have to be strong about this.

I have two young adult children (21 and 20) my daughter is now quite healthy, my son would live on pizza and mac and cheese if my daughter didn't cook for him. My boy is thin but I worry about all the crap he has eaten since he left home.

I'm in a similar situation. DS seems to be always hungry and is carrying too much weight.

I'm trying to tread very carefully not to give him a complex but being ASD he is immune to subtlety and needs it spelling out to him.

Sorry OP, no advice just letting you know you're notal

Not alone that should say!!