Hi guys,
congrats on the weight loss, Nikki!
I am thinking about the childhood obesity epidemic from two different perspectives.
1) my friend is reading a book about it and we were discussing it. One thing the book was saying was to take the vending machines out of schools and to serve better school lunches. While I think that is a *fine* idea, I just don't know if all the children will lose 10 lbs as a result. (first off, it makes me very angry that the machines are there in the first place!) Anyway, take the machines away, please, but there are just too many other options, too many other ways to get high calorie food. I feel like we would have to take away the vending machines, the restaurants, the little debbi and soda aisle at the grocery store to start to even make a dent. So instead of just taking things away, because obviously that won't happen, we need to think of other ways to help kids who are struggling with obesity. I don't want to "mommy the planet", but it is an important social issue that many children are stuggling with and I don't think looking at things in terms of external things like vending machines or fast food restaurants are the answer. I managed to get fat without fast food restaurants.
2) a long time ago on dr. phil, there was a story about a family. The mom had been overweight but had lost a good amount of weight and was "normal" weight on the show. she had 2 teenagers. She was a food nazi, she mandated their potion sizes and if they said they were still hungry at the end of the meal she told them to "drink water". Anyway, the kids used their allowance and bought junk food at school and other places and started hoarding it in their rooms. Not exactly the desired result to being a food nazi.
Just things I am thinking about in terms of the future. Obviously now I have complete control over what Iz eats and that is ideal. At some point, though, she will start to ask why we dont' eat hotdogs and chips like her friends do or have to make her own decisions at school and I want to make sure that the answers we find work for us and for her.
Lastly - you guys ROCK for breastfeeding! You are doing the best thing for your babies and I am in awe of both of you. I know you may get flack from friends/family/society, but you are impressing the hell out of this mommy. :)
# posted by amy @ 5:54 AM
