Will My Weight Affect My Daughter's Weight One Day?

Canada
February 5, 2008 4:22pm CST
I am currently 50 pounds overweight and am terrified that my personally problem with overeating will one day have an effect on her. The last thing that I would ever want to do is somehow stack the deck against her! You would think that this would be enough of a motivator to get me off of my butt and exercising but at the end of the day I'm just exhausted. With a two year old and a 3 month old, work, and keeping up the house I have a hard time finding the energy to exercise. Does anyone have any suggestions for keeping up motivation or finding ways to fit exercising into a hectic schedule? I would appreciate any tips or hints.
3 people like this
6 responses
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
5 Feb 08
It is highly likely your weight will affect your daughter some day because weight tends to be genetic. Also you are her role model in how to eat, exercise and take care of your body. I sympathise with your fatigue. You have a busy schedule! I always wonder how a person with that kind of schedule can be overweight! You probably not only don't have the energy, but also lack the time to exercise! I would recommend that you 1) cut way back on your portions when you eat. Chew very, very slowly and several times before you actually swallow. 2) Drink more water, tea (hot or cold) and eat soup more often. 3) Eat more raw vegies and fruit and encourage your kids to do that as they get older. 4)Stay away from carbonated drinks, including the diet ones. They tend to make us feel hungry! 5) Avoid processed sugar and flour as much as possible. 1) When you clean house use it to exercise more. Put on some lively music and bend, step and use more exaggerated movements. Get some 2-pound weights for your arms and legs and put those on. 2) Find some exercises you can use to "play" with your kids. For instance, when you lift the baby, lift him over your head, stretching your arms and do that several times before you lay him down again. Put on that lively music again and "dance" with your daughter. Make a dance of changing clothes, brushing teeth etc. 3) At work, don't take elevators, use the stairs instead. Use any excuse to bend, stretch or walk whenever you can. 4) Periodically stop and take a few deep, slow breaths and exhale slowly. Good luck and God bless. HOpe you get lots of good ideas.
1 person likes this
• Canada
5 Feb 08
Thanks so much for the tips! They all sound great. Now it's just getting the time to do them. LOL! Thanks again.
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
5 Feb 08
gees I would have thought with all you have to do you would be getting more than enough exercise, maybe a good healthy diet and just walking everyday if you have time, I hope you work something out but for you, your own health and maybe if it is your daughter you are worried about then she is young enough to start her off on a healthy diet, I wish you well with this, I love that little face on your avatar, so it that is your daughter, oh yes look after her, she is a sweetie
• Canada
5 Feb 08
That's my daughter! Trying to be a good role model is tough work. Thanks for the tips, they sound great!
@Stiletto (4579)
6 Feb 08
I notice that others have already given you good tips for increasing your exercise levels. It's also true to some extent that your daughter may well inherit your body type and may have a natural predisposition to gaining weight. However, if you're concerned about your daughter having weight problems in later life the most important thing you can do to avoid that happening is to ensure that she has a good, healthy balanced diet and doesn't develop a tendency to overeat or to eat the wrong things. Genetics can play a part but the truth is that most overweight parents have overweight children because they pass on their own eating habits to them. If you're careful about her diet when she's a child then it's by no means inevitable that she will develop weight problems as an adult. Of course it's also a positive thing if she sees you actively exercising and trying to lead a healthy lifestyle so good luck with it.
@onesiobhan (1327)
• Canada
6 Feb 08
If you are large because of genetics, then she will probably inherit your body type and metabolism. That's no reason to think that she needs to be unhealthy. If you eat healthy nutritious food and feed the same to your family everybody can be healthy and well-adjusted no matter what their (or your) size.
@ilya7x (28)
• United States
6 Feb 08
Most likely.. Do simple things like jumping jacks during television commercial breaks and walk your dog, imagine how bored s/he must be being cooped up alll day. Or maybe play with your daughter and dog together and you'll all get exercise. (if you have a dog)
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
6 Feb 08
Aside from genetics, I think what affects our kids is seeing our eating patterns--what we eat and when we eat. Until I went on an eating program a few years ago--unfortunately my boys were grown by then and struggle with their weight--I thought I ate like a bird and wondered why I was fat. I started writing down every single thing I ate--as busy as you are, you might want to keep pen and paper in all rooms of the house!--and was shocked to see that I was consuming about 3000 calories a day! That was because, with two boys less than a year apart, I got into the habit of grabbing a bite here and a bite there to kill the hunger and it didn't matter what it was. I lost 65 pounds by using an online food diary at fitday dot com. It's free! It does take a little time to track your eating habits but at fitday it'll show you how many calories, fat and carbs you're taking in and how many calories your expending (it has a section for your exercise, too, including housework, driving, laundry, all the things we moms do so well!) and once you get the hang of it, it's a wonderful and effective tool! I really think that with all you do, realizing your eating habits and doing some planning and portion control is the key to losing weight. I still put snack in little baggies of 50-100 calories each, put a serving of pickles or other cold food I like in little calorie-labeled containers, things like that. Teach your 2yr old to count to five and let her help you package things! Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!