My family is a good example of the dietary habits of lean individuals vs. fat individuals. My dad brought me up around a lot of cake, sweets, carbs, etc. It wasn’t that he couldn’t afford meat or veggies, but he liked to eat the sweets, etc.
Imagine waking up in elementary school and making a breakfast of cake, pizza, or candy… this is what I did on more than one occasion. Not to mention all the sugary cereals I used to eat, etc. With all the poor dietary choices I made when I was younger, it’s no wonder I didn’t learn to eat right.
My aunt’s family on the other hand, was completely different. She limited candy to one piece (starburst size) a day, and told her kids to eat lots of veggies and fruits, with meats sparingly. She took on a lacto-ovo vegetarian lifestyle in college, and continues to this day. My cousins are some of the leanest people in my entire family due to their soccer playing, and good dietary habits.
I believe parents should set the example, but it is eventually up to kids/teenagers to continue carrying the torch as it were.
As far as addressing the issue with your kids… I remember a conversation I had with my dad when I was in high school and started to get more chubby. It also revolved around girls, etc.
Me: “Dad, I know I’m gaining weight, but I just want someone to love me for me.”
(As if on que, we were turning the corner near the library in my hometown and a 350lbs+ man was waddling down the sidewalk, belly dunlopped over his belt, etc.)
Dad: “I know you want someone to love you for you, but look at that guy over there (points across street), he just wants someone to love him for who he is too.”
Needless to say we never talked about weight gain again as the point was already made. I’ve had to learn about good eating habits in the last several years. My only hope is that I can set a better example for my son so he doesn’t follow in my earlier footsteps.
~V
