Worried about daughters future

I am kinda lost and need some advice. I am fixing to have lap band because I have been overweight my whole life. Lets just say my parents didn't care what I ate and we always had fast food. Well because of all that I have been through with my weight issues (school was tough) I want life for my children to be better. My daughter just turned 3 in December and she is well......hefty. I had to buy little girls size 7 jeans and cut them off so that hey would fit her.All of my friends kids are in a 3t-4t. I am not trying to compare her to them, but I can't stand the though of her getting picked on. She is a beautiful and very active little girl, but she is very picky. I can't get her to eat anything healthy. I feel like I am doing this to her, by feeding her bad stuff, but she wont eat anything but mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, french fries and fish sticks. If you give her veggies she dose says shes not hungry and will leave it set on the table and be hungrey. Anyone have any advice to get her to eat better. Thank you Holly

Holly, this is going to be hard, but... let her go hungry! She won't starve herself. Get rid of the mac and cheese, the chicken nuggets  ~ or make your own healthy versions! (Try www.cookinlight.com for recipes.) Teach by example. No one at your house (or mine!!!) needs the cookies, ice cream, etc. Good luck! My once thin 3 yr old is now a hefty 13 yr old, and it's much harder to control her diet!! Yours, nancy in CO

I agree with the last poster, let her go hungry.  Offer one healthy option for her meal or snack and if she does not want it, tell her there is nothing else.  She will come around when she gets really hungry.  She may just be eating because its there anyway.  I know my daughter would eat, eat, eat if I let her when she was younger.  I know it will be hard for both of you at first, but you have to know that you are doing it because you love her and want her to be a healthy happy child.  Also, cut out the juice if you give her that.  My child only drank juice and it is full of sugar.  When I stopped buying it and only had water or milk in the fridge, she lost a few pounds just from that alone.  Juice is filled with so much sugar, it's not worth it.  Good luck!

Hi Holly..remember me? we talked before.. anyway... i agree with the others...let her go hungry. She defintely wont starve. She will eat when she gets hungry. I dont have all the answers...Im actually here looking for some myself. My daughter is 9yrs old and is hefty. I know I have been an awful example...our whole family needs to lose weight. I know that the older she gets, the harder it will be for her. Im having surgery in March, so things will change around here then. My husband will be dieting right along with me.. I will be buying much different food. It will be a hard adjustment for all of us. My daughter is the same way....I keep telling her shes going to turn into a chicken nugget.  Its just so hard trying to get her to eat the right things. She doesnt like many veggies or fruit.  Im hoping after i get my surgery...and our "diets" get lined out some...things will fall into place. It will be so hard...but we all have to do this in my household. good luck

I to have the same problem except my daughter is 17 and pushing 250 and all she wants to do is eat junk food and drink soda pop. I myself just had the RNY done in nov of 2007 and we have changed alot of eating habits around here but because she works she feels she can still bye the soda and drink it like 4 to 5 cans a night sometimes when we go get her dad from work she will buy a 20oz cherry coke. I tell her she needs to cut those out she is gonna be the next to have surgery she sees what i have gone through with my weight problem. I have even takin her with me to the surgeon with me before i had surgery and her even told her she needs to cut back or she will be next to have the RNY. She eats when she gets upset at school when something goes wrong she eats because of emotions. any suggestions would help.

HI HOLLY, YES IT WILL BE HARD BUT WHEN SHE IS HUNGRY ENOUGH SHE WILL EAT!  MY DAUGHTER IS THE SAME WAY AND SHE IS 9 YRS OLD.  IT BREAKS MY HEART NOT TO ALWAYS GIVE HER WHAT I WANT AND I AM A SINGLE MOM.  YOU CAN DO IT HOLLY.  SOMETIMES WITH THAT AGE YOU CAN FIND WAYS TO DECORATE THE FOOD, LOL SOUNDS GOOFY BUT IT WORKS GOOD LUCK! KELLI

I have two children who didn't really put on the weight until middle school, but I realize now it was portion size that was the issue, even when they ate healthy foods. Plus I taught them to add margarine to vegetables, etc. I guess my point is that she may be able to eat some of the foods she likes in smaller amounts, plus introduce veggies, etc. My boss just told me about a book that is called something like Surprisingly Delicious, that tells you how to cook things like chocolate cake using pureed veggies! I haven't had a chance to get the book yet, but that might help getting good foods into a picky eater! Your daughter might like fruit smoothies or whole wheat flour pancakes with applesauce on them. Best of luck to you!

I know it is hard!  My daughter was the same way.  She only eats meats and carbs, no veggies,  no fruit.  She wasn't a large child, but now she is 14 and weighs 188 lbs.  She plays sports, ..but she is also lazy and wants to lay in bed on the weekends.  She eats large amounts of food and does this not because she is hungry, but because she is bored. I am having surgery next month and I am getting ready to start my liquid pre-op diet.  She wants to do the diet with me.  I don't know if I should let her, but If she stuck to it, maybe should could lose a few pounds with me. I plan to have her exercise with me everyday to help get her where she needs to be. Please start with your daughter now.  I know it seems mean, but it's in her best interest. My doctor used to tell me, just offer the right foods at every meal and she will eventually eat it...she never did.  because with the veggies, I also offered the mac/cheese or mashed pototoes, etc.  quit cooking that stuff. only cook nutritious foods and then she will have to eat it. Good Luck. Debbie