Your thin kids under 18, don't eat junk or good metabolism?

amother

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 12:24 am

If you have thin kids under the age of 18, are they naturally thin because of good genes and metabolism, meaning they eat a lot of junk and unhealthy foods but stay thin regardless, or are they thin because they work at it, (eat healthy, exercise, don't eat junk, or if they eat junk, that's all they eat all day so it evens out)?

My second question is, do you give your thin kids snack foods like potato chips, corn chips, supersnacks, cookies, and junk to eat every day for snack in school?

What is your typical kids diet- breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks? And their age

amother

Hosta

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 12:27 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Some kids can eat all that junk every day and stay thin. Doesn't mean they are healthy.

amother

Whitewash

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 12:35 am

For us it's a combination (my kids are really thin). I try to feed them - encourage them to eat - healthy foods - Vegetables and proteins and limits on desserts and snacks. They do get snacks, just that there are limits.

I have to say that when I started working and wasn't so on top of what they ate, my kids got somewhat heavier (though still not fat).

So it's a combination. They're super thin when I'm careful and limit snacks etc but they are not fat if I let them eat whatever they want. I know some kids can just eat and eat and eat and that is definitely not my kids. Even so, I really do think that the unhealthy diet we are feeding our kids is contributing to the rising obesity problem. Let's be real, allowing unlimited soda and chips and cookies and cake is not a recipe for thin. Or health.

ETA: just saw the second question. I definitely send snacks to school with them such as chips and cookies.

amother

Whitewash

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 12:43 am

amother [ Broom ] wrote:

My goal in feeding my kids healthy, nutrient dense foods is not so they’ll be thin. I think that’s the wrong message.

I have boys lol so not sure what wrong message I'm sending, and I do think being thin is important. I dont mean underweight, I mean a healthy weight. They'll thank me when they're adults.

amother

Holly

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 12:56 am

amother [ Whitewash ] wrote:

I have boys lol so not sure what wrong message I'm sending, and I do think being thin is important. I dont mean underweight, I mean a healthy weight. They'll thank me when they're adults.

thin as a child doesn't mean thin as an adult. and chubby kids don't always end up chubby- one of my friends was so chubby in elementary and one year-maybe 7th? 9th? she just shot up a few inches....she's like now a 0/2 after a bunch of kids...go figure...
and my DH was a thin teen, when we got married he was underweight...now? sigh sigh sigh...

wanted to add- the part of about the good eating habits- now that's something they'll thank you for!!

amother

Royalblue

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 12:56 am

Thin doesn't automatically equal healthy. My middle ds is underweight. He eats nearly only junk food and nothing else. He's an extremely picky eater and looks malnourished.
My youngest ds is a good eater, eats healthy food and is a bit chubby. He's the heavier and healthier of the two.
Children don't need to be *thin*. They simply should have a healthy bmi. Leave them alone with that stupid adult obsession with looks.

amother

Caramel

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 12:57 am

My son is young teen. He was eating unhealthy and was husky.
Recently he decided to eat healthier. Prepared 3 meals plus snack for yeshiva. He walks and bikes daily and looks very healthy.
Had he continued eating yeshiva food and junk I’m sure he’d still be husky

My 2 middle girls are very thin and eat tons of junks so it’s genetics I guess. But not from me.

amother

Powderblue

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 12:59 am

Genetics play a huge role. I have kids on both ends, super stick thin and heavy. They are fed the same foods and always have been. Now they are teens and the one who is heavy needs to watch (his own choice) and I do not buy a ton of junk food. But it's not like we allow the thin kids to eat more junk.

I am always reminding the kids that thin doesn't equal healthy and it's important for everyone to eat a balanced diet.

Also equally as important to food is keeping your kids active. Sports, walking, hiking. It keeps them healthy and is excellent for self esteem.

Rappel

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 1:04 am

(Caveat: my kids are little.) My kids are thin because they run all day. We also don't eat a lot of processed food, but I don't hold them back from anything.

DS is going to be tall and broad, so I know he's going to need exercise discipline if he doesn't want to be fat when he grow up. But I think peer pressure will probably help there. XD

I've never discussed being thin or fat with my children.

ora_43

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 1:41 am

Where's the option for "in constant, constant motion"?

If you spend half the day jumping on furniture and the other half running around outside - like, literally running - it's hard to gain weight no matter what you eat or what your baseline metabolism is.

Junk food doesn't make people overweight, eating more calories than they burn makes people overweight. Whether the calories are coming from chocolate or from carrots. Davka my kid who eats more junk food was very skinny as a kid (and is now a healthy weight). But she eats more junk because she's a bit of a picky eater and can miss meals without even noticing.

Official rules, my kids can eat unhealthy snacks around once a day. Not as a snack in school. Even the picky eaters have to find something healthy-ish that they like for school. (Not b/c of weight, I just think healthier foods will make it easier for them to stay reasonably alert in class.)

(unofficially, I'm sure the older ones eat more junk than that. they have their ways.)

ora_43

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 1:49 am

My older kids who are thin do make an effort to eat healthy and stay in shape. But they don't avoid junk food and sweet stuff, they just eat it in moderation. And I think naturally being active does still play a part. They aren't jumping on the beds anymore, but just normal daily life for them requires a lot of walking.

Teomima

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 4:47 am

Other. There is a middle ground.

We don't do tons of junk. We don't keep it around the house, and whatever junk my kids do eat is often homemade (regular cookies, muffins, etc, just homemade). But my kids aren't deprived and occasionally I'll buy them junk food or they'll have at parties. The rest of their diet is mostly balanced. Hardly any exercise beyond regular walking and playing around outdoors.

No snacks at school. It's against school policy (technically I think it's even against government policy, though not every school is as good at enforcing it as the ones my kids go to).

They eat regular food, mostly Israeli-style meals. Breakfast is small, cereal or pancakes or oatmeal or yogurt and granola. They eat two midday meals, aruchat eser and lunch. The former is usually a sandwich, cheese or egg or tuna or peanut butter, with some fruit and veggie sides. Lunch might be chicken and couscous or pizza or rice and beans, also with fresh fruit and veggie sides. Dinner is usually something like eggs and potatoes, or corn shnitzel, or cheese burekas, all often with veggie sticks and chumus.

Eta, for those saying it's due to genetics, dh and I are both overweight but b"h none of our kids are. A balanced lifestyle is key, in my experience.

Last edited by Teomima on Wed, Jul 07 2021, 7:11 am; edited 1 time in total

amother

Hotpink

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 5:50 am

I’m morbidly obese so worried about genetics and my kids were always on the high end of the curve for height and weight as babies but as they get older (3 plus) they lose their pudge and are not fat at all. Not petite but not fat and not even close to fat. They do eat some healthy foods but lots of unhealthy food too. Sugar cereals or grilled cheese for breakfast, usually sandwiches for lunch. Definitely have carbs like pasta and rice regularly. They do like some fruits and vegetables but we don’t have them often enough. They bring 2-3 snack bags daily (I used to send fruit more regularly but if not eaten it smelled too bad and kids complained that they are the only ones with fruit). I’m super grateful they don’t take after me that way. They are not particularly active but will ride bikes and scooters and swim when give the chance. Also play games that involve running so that’s exercise but no official daily exercise.

FranticFrummie

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 8:25 am

A lot of it has to do with exercise, too. Kids that sit and play video games are going to have more health problems than kids who ride bikes, scooters, and run around a lot. Sports, ballet, gymnastics, all of that is important for healthy development.

Kids have forgotten how to entertain themselves outdoors. "Go outside and play" is not even a concept by most people these days.

Heaven forbid your child should be bored for one second of their life. Then the snacking starts, because they have no idea what to do with themselves.

Our culture doesn't value exercise. "Boys should sit and learn 24/7, and girls should be lady-like and never get dirty." Kids need to be kids!

amother

Copper

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 9:30 am

I don't think it is a black or white question because there are many factors.

Kids (and adults) have different activity levels. One of my girls is happy to lie on the couch reading all day while the other is more active even when not exercising. Even when being sedentary some people move around more just sitting while others are more calm.

Some kids seem to have more of a taste for higher calorie/sweeter/fattier foods and so when given a preference one will actually prefer plain vegetables without sauce.

I am very conscious of not wanting to make food intake an issue creating a possible disorder so I try to serve "healthy" foods with normal portions and I don't keep lots of "junk" food around so I don't have to limit one child and not the other. I keep stuff like ice bars rather than Haagen Daaz ice cream and generally don't have baked goods around except for special meals. If we eat out or go to an amusement park, then they can eat whatever they want within reason obviously.

Also - and I have noticed this with adults as well - some people just self regulate food intake better and eat from hunger rather than appetite. I had an assistant who was a naturally slender girl and if she ordered some French fries (which she often did for breakfast Smile

) they literally would be on her desk for the morning and sometimes she would throw some out. If I had fries on my desk they would be devoured until they were gone - and if for some reason I wanted to limit intake, I would have to consciously do so and get rid of them rather than leave them within reach on my desk.