Not only is society hard on heavy children, but the negative self talk that goes on in that child's head sets the course for their lives. Again, I am speaking not just as a mother, and a female, but as one who has been there! Also, in my professional experience, I have educated and counseled numerous overweight and obese children and teens. Yes, most of them have learned how to cope with the daily snares of others by putting up a defense mechanism, but deep inside they hate being considered fat.
I have lost over 145 lbs and feel great, however, i am so sad when I see children starting out just like I did. Most obese adults start out as slightly overweight or overweight children. As time goes by, the weight piles on till one day you wake up as an adult, obese, with low self esteem.
So moms, parents, my charge is to you. Please do not love your children with food. I know it is easy to feed them whatever is convenient and then plop them in front of the TV so you can get some rest. I TOTALLY get that, especially being a stay home mom where every second of my day seems to revolve around the kids and hubby, except my time at the gym. Please make some form of cardiovascular exercise part of your daily lives. I am not telling you to go out and jog for 4 miles in this summer heat. I suggest checking with your doctor as well as your child's pediatrician and find out what a healthy weight is for you all and what forms of exercise you all can do to loose the weight and gain muscle.
When I pick my daughter up from school, I find myself looking at all the heavy children come out the door and I instant say a prayer asking God to help them gain a handle on their weight issues while they are young so they do not have to endure the physical, emotional, professional, relational, and social stigmas and challenges that accompany being fat. Am I saying to never feed your child pizza and doughnuts ever again? HECK NO! The key to being healthy is not total deprivation, but moderation and movement!
Parents, we have an obligation to set healthy examples. The true realty is, if our children see us obese, lethargic, not moving and filling our bodies with junk, they will most likely follow suite. They usually do what they see rather than what we say. And the percentage grows larger when both mom and dad are heavy. The other day I was in Walmart and I saw a very obese woman riding in her rider while her two gorgeous, but extremely heavy 9 and 11 year old daughters followed behind pushing the grocery cart. My heart almost sunk for the girls and quite honestly, I found myself getting angry at the mom. OK, if she wants to stay in her obese state to the point where she can not walk around the store, that is her adult decision, but for Gods sake, give your girls a chance to live the best life they can. Provide actives and foods that will exercise and nourish their bodies. These two girls were physically beautiful and even flashed me a sad, but welcoming smile. Instantly I knew that look! Their eyes told the story that I lived. Pretty faces and obese bodies. And with the culture we live in today, I know that children are way meaner and more verbally abusive than in my day.
Am I being "judgemental?" NO! I am just begging all moms and parents to please create a road of health and safety that your child can walk down leading to a productive and happy destiny and life. I have decided to start a program that will educate and encourage children to be the best physically and health wise they can be. I am turning my tumultuous past years of obesity, low self esteem and bullying from others to show youth that they can change. That the way they look and eat today, does not have to stay that way. And moms, the journey for your child's weight and health begins with YOU!
Me in 2006 at my heaviest weight of 318 lbs.
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