RNMOM said:
Kendra, you may want you children to have drinks with artificial sweeteners but many of us don't. I would rather have good old sugar that is not all that high in calories on it's own than chemicals. For about 10% of us the sweeteners don't taste sweet at all but bitter. That is why some people don't drink diet drinks.
I eat real butter and use olive oil on salads and for cooking. Guess what? My cholesterol level is 114, down from 134 last year. My "good" cholesterol is fine too. I eat real cheese too. My very thin and tall husband has cholesterol over 200 eating more healthy than do I. Tough one to explain isn't it?
I think we do a big disservice getting our kids fat free this and that. They need to learn to control regular foods. What will they do when they no longer have someone buying the fat free versions for them? Medicine is beginning to catch on that it is the quality of the food you eat not only whether it has fat or sugar in it. Wholesome natural foods are what our family eats as much as possible.
I am beginning to think if obese people are in a majority now we should revolt and make it unacceptable to be thin.
Personally I would rather look at a pooh sized person than at someone as thin as Nicole Ritchie. Be careful you don't put your obsessive exercise and diet notions on your kids or you might just end up creating a child who is bulemic or anorexic.
Get over your notion about who is acceptable to be in your presence or not. If you don't like what you see, turn your head and hopefully you will find a nice size 2 person standing there.
Is this entire post directed at me? I think Crystal Light and Diet Coke with Splenda or other sweetener should indeed be an option. As should juice. As should water. If you don't want your kids drinking that, tell them not to drink that. For me, I find plain water just unpalatable usually. I drink a lot of fluids, and I find it easier to do so if it's sweetened a bit.
I agree we have to control what you refer to as regular foods. However, I think regular foods are healthy and lower fat foods. Or, they should be. It seems as if today, McDonald's, Krispy Kreme, Frappuccinos, etc. are considered "regular food". I love McDonalds, but eat it infrequently and in moderation.
I'm sorry you consider my exercise regime "obsessive". ALthough you have no idea what I do daily, it's interesting to note that you deem it obsessive, nevertheless. I exercise daily because I like being healthy, energetic AND I like being a size 4/6. I think you just criticized me for this, and I'm absolutely amazed. My daughters aren't forced to exercise or workout, they choose to or not. However, they know I find health and fitness important and they know that being healthy and fit is important. If I at all made it seem as if I encourage my 3 year old to work out, please know that I do not. She likes to come in our gym with me and copy me. Therefore, she takes little one pound weights and does a few bicep curls and things like that. She then goes off and plays, then comes back, then goes off and plays.
I am not concerned about any of my childrens' weight. I want them to have healthy eating habits and exercise habits (whether skating, biking, playing soccer, gymnastics, etc., or other). And, thankfully, they do have healthy habits-- for the most part. I buy hohos like everyone else once in a while and we also go out for ice cream during the week.
As for this:
Get over your notion about who is acceptable to be in your presence or not. If you don't like what you see, turn your head and hopefully you will find a nice size 2 person standing there.
, did I AT ALL say I didn't like what I saw? I said that my in-laws were wonderful people dealing with health and social issues because of their weight. Does this mean I can't look at either of them or don't want to? No, and I am certain nothing I wrote would indicate this. I used them as an example. My brother in law loves to eat and really relishes his food. He loves good restaurants, and has made a decision somewhere along the lines that he prefers eating whatever he chooses to keeping his diabetes and weight under control. He is the kind of person that eats whatever he wants then adjusts his insulin immediately afterwards.
As for my sister in law, another poster mentioned she's lucky she found that out. I agree she's lucky she found this out. But, my point was that she WANTS to be in a relationship and she doesn't like being lonely. She's in her late 30s and has always been single and doesn't WANT to be single. Further, she's not 20 or 30 pounds overweight, they are both (bil and sil) at LEAST 100 or 150 pounds overweight. Even when sil thought she found someone that said weight wouldn't be an issue, he found he couldn't get over weight being an issue. And, she's unhappy and she has food issues also. When we go to visit, she is always making cookies for us, but then eats them all herself. Sure, maybe there is some guy out there who really doesn't mind a funny, interesting 300 pound woman with pretty eyes. If there really is, she hasn't found him yet. And, she wants to, but has pretty much accepted she probably won't find him unless he has a type of "fetish" for heavier women. And, she doesn't want someone like that. So, she is alone. She is independent, but sometimes she would like to be a little dependent on someone and have someone dependent on her. And, yes, I bet she would like to have sex be part of her life. I hope her feelings of loneliness and knowledge that it's difficult finding a life partner-- not to mention a date for Saturday night-- aren't offensive to you.
I do think any adult can do whatever they want, but I also think it's our responsibility to teach our children healthy eating habits. This doesn't mean don't EVER have sugar or cake or ice cream, but it means it doesn't have to be a DAILY treat, and it doesn't have to be a huge portion. It also means serving lots of vegetables and whole grains and grilled meats/fish. I really don't even see the controversy here.
I think to even make the claim-- even in jest-- that since most of the country is overweight, we should make overweight the norm is completely missing the point. It's not how aesthetically pleasing I find you or my brother in law or sister in law or any other 'pooh-sized' person. It's about feeling good for ourselves. If you want to make the claim that you feel healthiest being obese, then go ahead and make that claim. I would never even dream of disputing you. However, I believe in general that healthier people who exercise and eat right have a better chance of staying healthy over the long term and most likely feel better both physically and psychologically.
And, if you revolt, we can most likely outrun you.
), but I do think that society in general has lost focus on being healthy, eating right, and getting excercise. I do think there are parent's who really need to think about teaching thier children these values, nothing but good can come from that.
L ! 
Dont worry - soon enough all the "fat" people will die off fromtheir heart attacks, strokes, diabetes & asthma and leave the bulemic & anorexics. Then they'll die off too - from the same diseases! 
