Overweight as a child

[run4fun]

Hello-

I was just curious if anyone else here on the forum was an overweight child. I was quite chubby till I started exercising consistently at the age of 16.

I remember being called Blubberly instead of my name Beverly in grade school. I guess being an overweight child gave me the mindset of being a heavy person and wondered if it ever goes away.

My kids are very healthy and fit thank goodness, I would never want them to experience what I did. My son and daughter both spent the summer at my parents and my son came home 13 pounds heavier and barely grew an inch. He has now lost 8 of those 13 pounds and looks great. I did not put him on a diet, just got him out on the trampoline, bike riding, and gave him healthy snacks.

I can't believe how many kids are overweight today. I feel for them.

Have a great day!

Beverly

 

[Carol122201]

I was a stick, but I do remember a girl down the street named Veronica. She was very overweight, and she was teased incessantly. It was very sad. Today, my daughter (who is in seventh grade) tells me all the time that most of her classmates are heavy. One of her best friends is very overweight already. She makes a point of telling people it's "muscle". I don't know if this is what her parents are telling her or not, but I feel for that sweet little girl.

Carol

 

[dpiglet]

I have always been overweight, even though I was a premie who only weighed 4 lbs at birth! I guess I spent most of my life making up for that! But while the weight bothered me...I was more bothered by the fact that I was soooo unathletic. I HATED gym class...got stoamch pains before that class everytime. I think my inactivity as a child stemmed from the fact I was asthmatic....and in those days you just did not do anything physical, now we all know that you can train your lungs along with everything else! My kids are split....I mean my daughter is the one who runs in the kiddie mile races every chance she gets, while my son is much happier with a book. He is also just at the top of the healthy weight range. All his classmates are about the same, some even larger than him, so he is not bothered by it so much. I try to keep things healthy and limit goodies at home. He is only in 6th grade and has a bit of growing to do yet, so I am not that worried yet. But my husband is always teasing him(not very nicely, either, and I can see this becoming a problem. He is a sports hater too...loves to watch, hates to do. School is helping with that....he has to participate in a after school sport this year. Hopefully that will break him out of his shell...Take care, Donna.

 

[hippahips]

I was quite chubby in my adolescence. Once those hormones started raging, I ballooned like a puffer fish. Especially my hips, hence the nickname. I still have the stretch marks on my behind as souvenir of those days. I went on so many crash diets and basically ended up hurting my body. Fortunately, in my 20's I met several people in the medical field who taught me quite a few things about fitness. And I met my husband who became my workout partner. My son keeps saying that when he grows up he wants to exercise. He can also tell junk food from healthy food. And I'm glad that I am setting good examples for him at such an early age.

Pinky

 

[KathyH]

Hi Beverly! My son, Craig, is 11 & overweight. The doctor doesn't seem to be worried about it but I am. He's an inactive child straight A student in school loves video games & his computer. Loves to bike ride though & is very good in gym in school. I don't know how he packs on the weight I have no junk food in the house but he sure does love bread. It must be genetics as my husband's side of the family are obese. What healthy snacks do you give your kids? And how do you get them to eat it? I need some help over here. My kid could stand to lose at least 20 lbs. & I'm not joking! TIA, Kathy

 

[run4fun]

Hi KathyH,

It sounds like maybe the bread is putting some pounds on your son. My son is also a big bread eater (biscuits, toast, banana bread, breadsticks) you got the point. I try and limit it if I see him over doing it. I still make my kids dinner plates (they are 13 and 10). That may sound crazy, but I am trying to teach them about portion control. I make sure nothing is eliminated from their diets because I do not think any food should be forbidden. But no one food should be over done whether it is healthy or not.

I know the more exercise they get the better. My daughter (the 13 year old) will walk on my treadmill every once in a while or do the 8 minute and 30 minute Tae Bo (Cathe is a little to advanced for her yet). I am trying to convert her over.. My son will get my stability ball out and roll all over with it. I guess anything is better than nothing. I hope they like exercise because they watch me every day in and out.

I am only cautious about this because of me being overweight as a child and the health conditions my parents have had because of their weight. High blood pressure, stroke, cancer and soo on. My sister was up to 190 pounds. She has started walking and eating better (WW) and has lost 20 pounds.
I am genetically meant to be fat but I fight it every day!
I also know lifestyle is a big thing for my parents also, especially when they packed 13 pounds on my son in 6 weeks. After he got back to our lifestyle of living he dropped 8 pounds in about 8 weeks.

Sorry this is long.. Hope something was helpful!

Have a great day!!


Beverly

 

[Jenne]

I was overweight as an infant and was put on a diet of skim powdered milk. I was a chubby kid and a chubby teenager until 10th grade, when I got taller but forgot to gain weight. By the time I was 18, I was heavy again, but I had that brief taste of what it was like to be thin and have been trying to get back since.

I was not teased about my weight because I was only slightly overweight and there were so many other things to tease me about.

My kids are both healthy weight.

 

[KathyH]

Hi Beverly! Thank you so very much for helping me. I've started trying to make Craig understand about portions. Last night I made for DH & Craig breaded chicken cutlets which happens to be their favorite. Now Craig could easily pack away 2 large ones but last night he only ate one small one w/mixture of veggies. He loves working out w/Mindy Mylrea in Strength Express though. He thinks she's so lively & energetic she gets him moving. He also loves my stability ball & uses it every chance he gets. Well I'll keep watching his portions & doctor told me once puberty strikes the #s are going to come off. Wish him luck! Thanks again, Kathy

 

[julin]

Hi Beverly --

Boy, can I relate!!! I was heavy up until I was about 13-14. My friends and family teased me a lot and also had all kinds of "cute" names for my pudgy frame. Would you believe that I weigh 5 pounds more as an adult (I'm 46) than I did in 5th Grade? That floors people when I say that because I am thin today. I am 5'7-1/2 inches and weigh 130-132 pounds. One summer I grew nearly 4 inches and that was the end of the pudgy stage. I still remember the taunts, though, especially from my family. The weirdest part is that morbid obesity is a lifestyle in my family, yet I was the one attacked. It doesn't stop once you're thin, though. I get it now even though people tell me I could be a model.

Many people think that some of us are blessed with "thin genes". I tend to disagree with that. I eat a lot but I focus mainly on keeping my eating natural and eat about 2,000 calories a day. I keep active and walk, do yoga, lift weights, etc, given my inclination for that particular day. My family is completely sedentary and eats 5-6000 calories per day and it is having an effect.

I share these comments because there is no "free pass" for anyone. Although I "outgrew" my pudginess, I am sure I would be heavy at my age if I did not have a healthy lifestyle.


Juli N.