's motd Tuesday December 14, 2010

[Guest guest]

DEAR

RICHARD...

Tuesday, 14 December 2010

Santa Claus gets a lot of mail

this time of year. And you know who else gets a lot

of E-mail in December? Me, that's

who. But here's the difference. Santa is getting

mail from kids while I, on the other hand, am getting

lots of E-mail about kids. Letters like

these...

", this year I've

watched my daughter get heavier and heavier. I look

at photos of her from last year and compare them

with pictures I've taken of her this year. As I see

her ever-increasing size, honestly, I just cry

inside. I don't know what to do, . I'm just

worried sick about my not so little, little girl."

"I have four grandchildren and one of them is very

overweight. He's only nine years-old but already

wearing clothes that would fit the average 13

year-old. I know my daughter and son-in-law see

what's happening to him. But I don't know what I

can do as a grandparent to help my grandson. So I'm

coming to you for some advice, ."

I get hundreds of E-mails like those from all over the

country. The sad truth is that our kids are more

overweight and obese today than they've ever been.

And it's paralyzing to see someone in your family so

young and...so heavy. Many times I will call

the relative who writes and offer a little advice on

what they can do to help.

First, I ask a lot of questions

of that relative about the child they're concerned

about. I ask if the mother or father, themselves, are

overweight. I also ask if the child has an overweight

grandparent. See, here's something you must realize:

Many traditions are passed from one generation to the

next. And the traditions that really stick out in a

lot of families are the addictions that

center around food. Yep, what we eat and how we eat

is often learned behavior. And it's learned

as your kids watch you and other family members eat.

If you're growing up on grandmother's pies and Dad's

famous and juicy pork ribs, you'll begin to have a

real taste for those foods. And those tastes of yours

lead to cravings that cause you to end up overeating.

Or let's say you were raised with a mother who loved

chocolate. And everyday you saw her open that box of

Whitman's to have a couple of pieces. Well, chances

are, watching your mom, you'd want to do the same

thing. And today, as an adult, you may still be doing

just that. (See what I mean about learned behavior?)

After I finish asking those questions about how their

families eat, I gain more insight into what the

problem may be with the child's weight. And the

problem usually is that the parents and maybe even the

grandparents, without even realizing it, are teaching

the children to crave the same foods they themselves

eat way too much of. I tell them that unless they

change their own eating habits and educate their kids

on eating healthy, those kids will continue to gain

weight and very likely end up becoming obese adults.

So here, in the middle of December, how may tins of

cookies have you made? And how may fruitcakes have

you baked? Tell me, which foods will you be serving

your children and grandchildren this holiday season?

Honestly, you really need to set the right example

for your kids. Because they will "follow the

leader" watching what you're eating.

If you're gobbling down slices of

pizza, hey, your kids will follow your lead. But if

they see you eating healthy salads with a big smile on

your face, you're teaching them to enjoy the healthy

benefits and great taste a salad has to offer. And

here's some more good news. If you keep teaching your

children to take better care of themselves, you'll

start taking better care of yourself, too!

Love,