How did you explain surgery/new habits to young children?

Me again!

I have a 5 year old daughter who is very perceptive and inquizitive.

It occured to me tonight that she is going to wonder why I will be eating such small portions of food - perhaps I am overthinking, but in explaining to her that I am making healthy choices for myself and my body, I do not want to give the message that the way to do that is to eat what seems like next to nothing to the observer.

Does that make sense?

What did you tell your young children after surgery?  Did they notice the changes in habits? Any advice? :)

I was honest with my very healthy weight 4 and 6 year olds that I used to eat too much candy and other foods that weren't good for me so now I am overweight and need to lose weight. I emphasize to them that if they make healthy choices now they will never get overweight and will not have to worry about it. We have no forbidden foods and talk a lot about balanced eating and healthy choices. I tell them the ways that different foods are good for them and when they eat candy or something like that I explian that it only tastes good but isn't good for their body. I have never made them clear their plate, rather, I always encouraged them to listen to their bodies (something I have never been good at). They will walk away from the table half way through a cookie. Ironically I had always fed my kids healthy food while I secretly ate junk. Now I will be eating more like them. I guess I have turned it into a learning exercise. Now I can just explain my smaller portions and food choices in terms of listening to my body.

I havent had the surgery yet however, my children have heard me talking about it and asked me why Im having it.  I was honest as the lady above said.  Its not a surprise that Im obese so I just told them that I am having the surgery to help me get healthy.  I too always have fed my girls very healthy and hid my bad habbits.  Although looking back, I wonder how hidden my choices were. I think they know a lot more than I gave them credit.  I talk to my girls too about making healthy choices so they will never have to struggle with their weight like I have.   I think allowing them to decide when they are done is key.  I never had that choice growing up and I think that was a key part in my over eating.