Dieting

[FirstTimeStep]

Hi there!
I am starting a new diet of shakes and meal replacement things on Monday, now this is my first time ever being on a diet since becoming a step-mum to an 11 year old boy and 8 year old girl.

I am looking for advice on how to explain why I won't be having normal food like I usually do when the kids are round ...particularly for when the million and 1 questions come from my 8 year old step-daughter

She's very impressionable and looks up to me so much, I don't want to give her the wrong impression.
She's very thin and she is also drop dead gorgeous, so I don't want her to ever get the wrong ideas in her head as I would never forgive myself.

Upon my research I haven't found any information how how to explain to your children as to why you're on a diet yourself. When I type in anything about diet and daughter, it is all advice for putting your kid on a diet if they're overweight!

FYI I am not overweight at all, I am actually quite slim - so I can't really say to her that I need to lose weight, my reasons for doing a diet is more just to lose the little bit of weight I have gained from working from home over the last year and the Xmas weight put on.

All I am looking for really is a few things I can say as to why I am not eating normal food for a couple of weeks without it becoming a big issue.

Thank you!x

Tell her you are having some medical tests being done to identify which food is causing your issues and that you need to be on "fake food " for a couple a weeks to clear all your system . The issue can be an allergy rash or some tummy pain.

I don’t think it’s helpful to pretend to have a medical issue - that could be concerning to a child

Why use shakes etc at all? It would be healthier to just have more veg & smaller portions if everything else esp if this is a few pounds only.

Just explain that your clothes aren't fitting well so you want to lose a little weight to stay fit and healthy, that it's just a temporary change and you'll be eating the same food as her soon.

I'm obese and calorie counting, I've explained to my 6 yr old when she's asked why im not having cake, 'mummy has too much belly and needs to eat more healthy foods to lose some of it', when she's asked if she needs to stop eating cake, I said 'no, you are exactly the right weight for your height and growing taller, everyone is allowed to have some cake as long as they also have fruit, vegetables and all the other healthy food and keep active. Mummy just can't have as much cake as I was having.'

If you only need to lose a little bit of weight, then increase your exercise and cut your portion size, instead of doing a meal replacement diet. No awkward questions will be asked. An already slim woman, substituting normal meals for shakes, because she feels a tiny bit heavier than usual, isn't a good role model for anyone.

This thread is from January. Why bump it now @sukifhalorafitness?