Re: IE with children underfoot :)

[Guest guest]

There's no "good" or "bad" foods. Honestly! I have had to learn this the hard way with my own son who has TONS of food allergies and refuses to eat anything but what he wants. I've had to learn to trust that he intuitively knows what will make him feel good or not. He's naturally slim, healthy, energetic and bright. He doesn't always eat a typically "healthy" diet, but I've learned that it's not my responsibility to make him eat what is healthy. It's merely my responsibility to make those foods available. Offer them, in other words, not force him to eat them. I have a very relaxed approach to food. Micah is going to be three in a couple months, by the way. I generally give him two or three options at meals for him to choose from. Often he'll eat all three, but just one at a time. I make "unhealthy" foods available to him as well, just not as frequently as the "healthy" food options. The same way that I'm learning that excess of sweets and fatty foods makes me fell bloated, gassy, and tired, and I feel healthier when I eat them as a taste satisfier, not a hunger satisfier, I try to limit the amount that I offer to my son. It's okay to have a chocolate chip cookie or two. Eating the whole box isn't such a great idea... LOL

-----Original Message-----From: IntuitiveEating_Support [mailto:IntuitiveEating_Support ]On Behalf Of S Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 10:33 AMTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Subject: IE with children underfoot

I have little girls, 4 & 7yrs old and I am so afraid of passing on this obsession. They are healthy slim girls, I am 5'7" around 225lbs (threw out the scale so not sure) and I want them to eat intuitively. But the idea of eating chocolate chip cookies in front of them because that's what my body wants, scares me, feels like I am sharing 'bad' eating habits with them. How do you gals handle eating this way with children. The 'Thin Within' book suggested eating alone as much as possible so you don't have distractions, but I'm a stay at home Mom, I'm basically never alone.

[Guest guest]

--

Chocolate chip cookies aren't bad--eating them to the point of making yourself

sick is the not so great part.

Your kids are still at an age when they are eating mostly from

intuition--they'll eat enough to satisfy themselves.

You have a wonderful opportunity to show them how to eat a cookie or two and

then put the rest away. Your doing this will actually reinforce how their bodies

are telling them to eat.

Cheryl

>

>Date: 2006/07/20 Thu PM 12:32:59 CDT

>To: IntuitiveEating_Support

>Subject: IE with children underfoot

>

>I have little girls, 4 & 7yrs old and I am so afraid of passing on

>this obsession. They are healthy slim girls, I am 5'7 " around 225lbs

>(threw out the scale so not sure) and I want them to eat intuitively.

>But the idea of eating chocolate chip cookies in front of them because

>that's what my body wants, scares me, feels like I am sharing 'bad'

>eating habits with them. How do you gals handle eating this way with

>children. The 'Thin Within' book suggested eating alone as much as

>possible so you don't have distractions, but I'm a stay at home Mom,

>I'm basically never alone.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

April--

I love this sentence:

---

I feel healthier when I eat them as a taste satisfier, not a hunger satisfier,

---

I never thought of it like that, but that is what I want too!

Cheryl

>

>Date: 2006/07/20 Thu PM 12:49:18 CDT

>To: IntuitiveEating_Support

>Subject: RE: IE with children underfoot

>

>There's no " good " or " bad " foods. Honestly! I have had to learn this the hard

way with my own son who has TONS of food allergies and refuses to eat anything

but what he wants. I've had to learn to trust that he intuitively knows what

will make him feel good or not. He's naturally slim, healthy, energetic and

bright. He doesn't always eat a typically " healthy " diet, but I've learned that

it's not my responsibility to make him eat what is healthy. It's merely my

responsibility to make those foods available. Offer them, in other words, not

force him to eat them. I have a very relaxed approach to food. Micah is going to

be three in a couple months, by the way. I generally give him two or three

options at meals for him to choose from. Often he'll eat all three, but just one

at a time. I make " unhealthy " foods available to him as well, just not as

frequently as the " healthy " food options. The same way that I'm learning that

excess of sweets and fatty foods makes me fell bloated, gassy, and tired, and I

feel healthier when I eat them as a taste satisfier, not a hunger satisfier, I

try to limit the amount that I offer to my son. It's okay to have a chocolate

chip cookie or two. Eating the whole box isn't such a great idea... LOL  

IE with children underfoot

>

>

>I have little girls, 4 & 7yrs old and I am so afraid of passing on

>this obsession. They are healthy slim girls, I am 5'7 " around 225lbs

>(threw out the scale so not sure) and I want them to eat intuitively.

>But the idea of eating chocolate chip cookies in front of them because

>that's what my body wants, scares me, feels like I am sharing 'bad'

>eating habits with them. How do you gals handle eating this way with

>children. The 'Thin Within' book suggested eating alone as much as

>possible so you don't have distractions, but I'm a stay at home Mom,

>I'm basically never alone.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I try to be relaxed, but ocassionally the record from my own

childhood pops in and I want them to 'eat their veggies' or 'you

must finish your dinner or no dessert' like eating more while

stuffed makes sense. I do try to limit sweets, but always from a too

much sweets making your tummy sick, not a making you fat thing. My

older daughter has noticed herself that her tummy is uncomfortable

if she eats too many sweets, she often passes on things because she

is not hungry. But my youngest is very site motivated although she

never finishes anything, she is a nibbler. My mother started me on

her strange diets when I was 13, we yo-yo'd together and I just want

them to be IE eaters and not go through all that.

>

> There's no " good " or " bad " foods. Honestly! I have had to learn

this the

> hard way with my own son who has TONS of food allergies and

refuses to eat

> anything but what he wants. I've had to learn to trust that he

intuitively

> knows what will make him feel good or not. He's naturally slim,

healthy,

> energetic and bright. He doesn't always eat a typically " healthy "

diet, but

> I've learned that it's not my responsibility to make him eat what

is

> healthy. It's merely my responsibility to make those foods

available. Offer

> them, in other words, not force him to eat them. I have a very

relaxed

> approach to food. Micah is going to be three in a couple months,

by the way.

> I generally give him two or three options at meals for him to

choose from.

> Often he'll eat all three, but just one at a time. I

make " unhealthy " foods

> available to him as well, just not as frequently as the " healthy "

food

> options. The same way that I'm learning that excess of sweets and

fatty

> foods makes me fell bloated, gassy, and tired, and I feel

healthier when I

> eat them as a taste satisfier, not a hunger satisfier, I try to

limit the

> amount that I offer to my son. It's okay to have a chocolate chip

cookie or

> two. Eating the whole box isn't such a great idea... LOL

>

>

> IE with children underfoot

>

>

> I have little girls, 4 & 7yrs old and I am so afraid of passing

on

> this obsession. They are healthy slim girls, I am 5'7 " around

225lbs

> (threw out the scale so not sure) and I want them to eat

intuitively.

> But the idea of eating chocolate chip cookies in front of them

because

> that's what my body wants, scares me, feels like I am

sharing 'bad'

> eating habits with them. How do you gals handle eating this way

with

> children. The 'Thin Within' book suggested eating alone as much

as

> possible so you don't have distractions, but I'm a stay at home

Mom,

> I'm basically never alone.

>

>

[Guest guest]

I try to be relaxed, but ocassionally the record from my own

childhood pops in and I want them to 'eat their veggies' or 'you

must finish your dinner or no dessert' like eating more while

stuffed makes sense. I do try to limit sweets, but always from a too

much sweets making your tummy sick, not a making you fat thing. My

older daughter has noticed herself that her tummy is uncomfortable

if she eats too many sweets, she often passes on things because she

is not hungry. But my youngest is very site motivated although she

never finishes anything, she is a nibbler. My mother started me on

her strange diets when I was 13, we yo-yo'd together and I just want

them to be IE eaters and not go through all that.

>

> There's no " good " or " bad " foods. Honestly! I have had to learn

this the

> hard way with my own son who has TONS of food allergies and

refuses to eat

> anything but what he wants. I've had to learn to trust that he

intuitively

> knows what will make him feel good or not. He's naturally slim,

healthy,

> energetic and bright. He doesn't always eat a typically " healthy "

diet, but

> I've learned that it's not my responsibility to make him eat what

is

> healthy. It's merely my responsibility to make those foods

available. Offer

> them, in other words, not force him to eat them. I have a very

relaxed

> approach to food. Micah is going to be three in a couple months,

by the way.

> I generally give him two or three options at meals for him to

choose from.

> Often he'll eat all three, but just one at a time. I

make " unhealthy " foods

> available to him as well, just not as frequently as the " healthy "

food

> options. The same way that I'm learning that excess of sweets and

fatty

> foods makes me fell bloated, gassy, and tired, and I feel

healthier when I

> eat them as a taste satisfier, not a hunger satisfier, I try to

limit the

> amount that I offer to my son. It's okay to have a chocolate chip

cookie or

> two. Eating the whole box isn't such a great idea... LOL

>

>

> IE with children underfoot

>

>

> I have little girls, 4 & 7yrs old and I am so afraid of passing

on

> this obsession. They are healthy slim girls, I am 5'7 " around

225lbs

> (threw out the scale so not sure) and I want them to eat

intuitively.

> But the idea of eating chocolate chip cookies in front of them

because

> that's what my body wants, scares me, feels like I am

sharing 'bad'

> eating habits with them. How do you gals handle eating this way

with

> children. The 'Thin Within' book suggested eating alone as much

as

> possible so you don't have distractions, but I'm a stay at home

Mom,

> I'm basically never alone.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Then you're in the right area. You can LEARN from them and teach them

about IE. Basically, they're already doing it, just reinforce that

from them and then OBSERVE them and how they eat and model it for

yoursellf. I did this with my 14 month old. Yes she likes sweeter

foods, apples and sweetpotatoes instead of just sweetpotatoes but with

that she'll eat the veggies. I used to try to push veggies on her, now

I work with her tastes. She likes sour so saurkraut, pickles, beets

etc. You're in a great spot!!!!! Use those tools to your advantage!

>

> I have little girls, 4 & 7yrs old and I am so afraid of passing on

> this obsession. They are healthy slim girls, I am 5'7 " around 225lbs

> (threw out the scale so not sure) and I want them to eat intuitively.

> But the idea of eating chocolate chip cookies in front of them

because

> that's what my body wants, scares me, feels like I am sharing 'bad'

> eating habits with them. How do you gals handle eating this way with

> children. The 'Thin Within' book suggested eating alone as much as

> possible so you don't have distractions, but I'm a stay at home Mom,

> I'm basically never alone.

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I have two kids -- a son & daughter -- ages 8 and 5.5, respectively. And, I'm a

SAHM. So I can TOTALLY relate!

I, too, worry about the messages I'm passing on to my kids, especially my

daughter, . On the one hand, I hear a little voice saying, " You're teaching

them to ignore society's 'diet mentality' and to trust their own body " , but

there's also that other voice (the little devil sitting on the opposite

shoulder!) that says what you said: " How dare you teach your kids that it's okay

to eat cake for lunch! "

And, I've not quite figured out which is right, if there IS a right way. I want

to instill in my kids a knowledge of good nutrition, and to make sure that they

eat well-balanced meals. But, that's also not trusting that God made their

bodies to be trustworthy, too, just like He made mine! So, I guess, in the end

run, I really should just go at it, and trust that they'll grow up okay --

possibly better than they would if I were *dieting*... going up and going down,

then going up and going down... over & over again.... Like I used to.

And, when they get older, I can explain the method I use (non-dieting) and why

it works soooo much better than dieting ever could, and I can explain how to be

more accepting of our bodies. )

Hope that helps!

Jenn

<><

-----Original Message-----

>I have little girls, 4 & 7yrs old and I am so afraid of passing on

>this obsession. They are healthy slim girls, I am 5'7 " around 225lbs

>(threw out the scale so not sure) and I want them to eat intuitively.

>But the idea of eating chocolate chip cookies in front of them because

>that's what my body wants, scares me, feels like I am sharing 'bad'

>eating habits with them. How do you gals handle eating this way with

>children. The 'Thin Within' book suggested eating alone as much as

>possible so you don't have distractions, but I'm a stay at home Mom,

>I'm basically never alone.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Yeah -- see? I think this is just it. We, as parents, have to provide the outer edge of the puzzle, so-to-speak.... the boundaries for our kids. We can provide a variety of foods for them that are healthful, and a few that aren't, and let them still choose what most satisfies them, individually.

Thanks so much, April! Great! )

Jenn

<><

-----Original Message----- There's no "good" or "bad" foods. Honestly! I have had to learn this the hard way with my own son who has TONS of food allergies and refuses to eat anything but what he wants. I've had to learn to trust that he intuitively knows what will make him feel good or not. He's naturally slim, healthy, energetic and bright. He doesn't always eat a typically "healthy" diet, but I've learned that it's not my responsibility to make him eat what is healthy. It's merely my responsibility to make those foods available. Offer them, in other words, not force him to eat them. I have a very relaxed approach to food. Micah is going to be three in a couple months, by the way. I generally give him two or three options at meals for him to choose from. Often he'll eat all three, but just one at a time. I make "unhealthy" foods available to him as well, just not as frequently as the "healthy" food options. The same way that I'm learning that excess of sweets and fatty foods makes me fell bloated, gassy, and tired, and I feel healthier when I eat them as a taste satisfier, not a hunger satisfier, I try to limit the amount that I offer to my son. It's okay to have a chocolate chip cookie or two. Eating the whole box isn't such a great idea... LOL

http://mizbooksreads.blogspot.com

http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/IntuitiveEating_Support

* NEVER DIET AGAIN! *

[Guest guest]

, I have 3 little girls, ages 9, 8, and 6 and I homeschool, so they are

ALWAYS with me. I've talked about this a bit on the TW group, I think, but

I basically eat healthy things around them, but they know that I don't

always eat with them because I might not be hungry. I don't eat icecream or

cookies for lunch even if that's what I would prefer because I would have to

give it to them too and I won't. Seems a bit hypocritical, I suppose, but I

feel like they need nutritious meals as children.

Leisa

IE with children underfoot

> I have little girls, 4 & 7yrs old and I am so afraid of passing on

> this obsession. They are healthy slim girls, I am 5'7 " around 225lbs

> (threw out the scale so not sure) and I want them to eat intuitively.

> But the idea of eating chocolate chip cookies in front of them because

> that's what my body wants, scares me, feels like I am sharing 'bad'

> eating habits with them. How do you gals handle eating this way with

> children. The 'Thin Within' book suggested eating alone as much as

> possible so you don't have distractions, but I'm a stay at home Mom,

> I'm basically never alone.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Jenn,

I guess I do about the same thing, just right now I'm eating less

nutritious food as I explore my ability to eat 'anything' I want. I

don't give candy to them (none before they were 4yrs) they get some

at Halloween, but at Easter the Bunny gives little gifts, I explain

that they need to limit how much they eat because it can make your

tummy sick and it's not good for your teeth. I'm just hoping I get

myself to that point people talk about that I will start craving

more healthy body happy foods, right now it's sort of a crazy IE

menu til my mind gets that it's really okay to have anything and I

stop craving weird stuff.

>

> ,

>

> I have two kids -- a son & daughter -- ages 8 and 5.5,

respectively. And, I'm a SAHM. So I can TOTALLY relate!

>

> I, too, worry about the messages I'm passing on to my kids,

especially my daughter, . On the one hand, I hear a little

voice saying, " You're teaching them to ignore society's 'diet

mentality' and to trust their own body " , but there's also that other

voice (the little devil sitting on the opposite shoulder!) that says

what you said: " How dare you teach your kids that it's okay to eat

cake for lunch! "

>

> And, I've not quite figured out which is right, if there IS a

right way. I want to instill in my kids a knowledge of good

nutrition, and to make sure that they eat well-balanced meals. But,

that's also not trusting that God made their bodies to be

trustworthy, too, just like He made mine! So, I guess, in the end

run, I really should just go at it, and trust that they'll grow up

okay -- possibly better than they would if I were *dieting*... going

up and going down, then going up and going down... over & over

again.... Like I used to.

>

> And, when they get older, I can explain the method I use (non-

dieting) and why it works soooo much better than dieting ever could,

and I can explain how to be more accepting of our bodies. )

>

> Hope that helps!

>

> Jenn

> <><

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> >I have little girls, 4 & 7yrs old and I am so afraid of passing

on

> >this obsession. They are healthy slim girls, I am 5'7 " around

225lbs

> >(threw out the scale so not sure) and I want them to eat

intuitively.

> >But the idea of eating chocolate chip cookies in front of them

because

> >that's what my body wants, scares me, feels like I am

sharing 'bad'

> >eating habits with them. How do you gals handle eating this way

with

> >children. The 'Thin Within' book suggested eating alone as much

as

> >possible so you don't have distractions, but I'm a stay at home

Mom,

> >I'm basically never alone.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

So basically provide balanced eating options without preaching. Sounds

like a great approach.

[Guest guest]

,

Much as I'm still going a little nuts with the sweets, I'm also starting to

*want* to eat the healthier foods like fruits & veggies. A great way to get that

in, I've found, is smoothies! ) Do a search for them at www.allrecipes.com

and you'll get TONS! )

It comes ... patience and grace (no condemning self). ;o)

Jenn

<><

-----Original Message-----

> I'm just hoping I get myself to that point people talk about that I will start

craving

>more healthy body happy foods, right now it's sort of a crazy IE menu til my

mind gets that it's really okay to have anything and I stop craving weird stuff.

http://mizbooksreads.blogspot.com

http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/IntuitiveEating_Support

* NEVER DIET AGAIN! *