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Episode 2782:
Sally Kuzemchak emphasizes the importance of breaking cycles of food and body image baggage to nurture a healthy mindset in children. Drawing from her own experiences, she provides actionable strategies for parents to promote body positivity, avoid food shaming, and encourage a balanced approach to eating ensuring kids grow up with a healthier relationship with food and their bodies.
Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.realmomnutrition.com/mom-thank-never-talking-weight-mine/
Quotes to ponder:
“Talk about how your strong legs helped you hike the mountain or run 5K enough positive things about your own body and you’ll internalize those thoughts, which just might quiet your inner critic.”
“There are no ‘good’ foods and ‘bad’ foods. You aren’t ‘good’ for ordering the veggie plate or ‘bad’ for eating pie.”
“Offer a variety of foods at mealtime and allow your kids to serve themselves, letting them eat the foods and amounts they want.”
Episode references:
The 101 Healthiest Foods For Kids: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1592337228
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[00:00:00] This is Optimal Health Daily. Don't Pass Down Your Food and Body Image Baggage. 5 Rules To Raise Your Kids By by Sally Kuzemchak of RealMomNutrition.com and I'm Dr. Neal Malik.
[00:00:13] Hey there and welcome to another bonus Sunday episode where I share an article from one of the other podcasts in our network that I think will add some value for you here.
[00:00:22] Today's post comes from Optimal Relationships Daily where articles covering all types of relationships are read to you every day.
[00:00:30] So with that, here's an article from Greg as we optimize your life.
[00:00:39] Don't Pass Down Your Food and Body Image Baggage 5 Rules To Raise Your Kids By by Sally Kuzemchak of RealMomNutrition.com
[00:00:49] Like most moms, mine occasionally gives me unsolicited advice about my appearance.
[00:00:54] Over the years, she has politely questioned the black lug sole loafers I wore with nice dresses, my four sizes too big blazer, and the extra messy bun I put my hair in for a family wedding.
[00:01:06] Hey, it was the 90s.
[00:01:09] But for the record, she was right on all three accounts.
[00:01:12] But my mom never mentioned my weight.
[00:01:15] She never eyed my hips and suggested a smaller helping of pasta, even when I returned home from my freshman year of college with 15 extra pounds on my 5'1 frame.
[00:01:25] She never talked about her weight either.
[00:01:28] She's always been petite, so maybe it's no surprise that she never griped about it.
[00:01:32] But, as we know, plenty of people in all sizes of bodies agonize over goal weights, deny themselves enough food, and complain about their belly.
[00:01:42] But in my house, weight was never mentioned.
[00:01:45] No one was on a diet.
[00:01:46] While so many of the girls I knew were counting calories and calling themselves fat, home was a safe haven away from that kind of self-loathing.
[00:01:55] Not only did my mom never talk about her weight, but she also never talked about foods being good or bad.
[00:02:00] We almost always had home-baked goodies, potato chips, and ice cream stocked in the kitchen.
[00:02:06] We also had home-cooked meals every night, vegetables from the garden, and fresh fruit in the crisper drawer.
[00:02:13] But when I gained that weight in college, my mom knew I wasn't happy about it, because I told her.
[00:02:19] So, at my request, she helped me cover the cost of seeing a local dietician,
[00:02:24] who taught me that bagels, waffles, pizza crust, pretzels, and cereal were indeed in all the same food group,
[00:02:31] and that I would do well to occasionally incorporate some vegetables and protein into the mix.
[00:02:36] That dietician also sparked my interest in nutrition, which eventually led me to become a dietician too.
[00:02:42] So, I'm grateful.
[00:02:44] A lot of women weren't so lucky.
[00:02:47] Over the years, I've heard stories of parents weighing and measuring food, withholding dessert,
[00:02:52] and requiring after-dinner exercise to burn off calories.
[00:02:56] I've heard of households where diet talk was rampant,
[00:02:59] where weight loss plans were posted on the fridge,
[00:03:02] and where praise was given only to those with smaller portions and smaller bodies.
[00:03:06] Research has shown that growing up in a home with dieting and negative talk about bodies and food
[00:03:11] really hurts kids, not just in the moment, but also long-term.
[00:03:15] People who grew up in a diet-centric environment are more likely to feel dissatisfied with their body and weight.
[00:03:22] How to put your kid on a positive path
[00:03:25] As a parent, you play a powerful role in your child's views on weight, dieting, and eating.
[00:03:31] And FYI, boys can develop a negative body image in disordered eating just like the girls can.
[00:03:37] Here are five rules to raise your kids by.
[00:03:40] 1. Keep body talk positive
[00:03:43] Don't talk about your weight, or your child's weight, or bemoan the size of your thighs.
[00:03:49] Instead, talk about how your strong legs helped you hike the mountain, or run a 5K.
[00:03:54] When your child inevitably comments on someone's body in public,
[00:03:58] acknowledge that there are all kinds of bodies, and that all bodies are good and worthy bodies.
[00:04:03] Bonus!
[00:04:04] Say enough positive things about your own body, and you'll internalize those thoughts, which might just quiet your inner critic.
[00:04:12] 2. Green light all foods
[00:04:14] There are no good foods and bad foods.
[00:04:17] You aren't good for ordering the veggie plate, or bad for eating pie.
[00:04:22] And kids should not grow up with a list of good and bad foods in their heads.
[00:04:25] They shouldn't connect their own goodness with what they're eating.
[00:04:29] These labels are especially confusing for kids, who may be genuinely afraid that they are bad for liking and wanting cookies and chips.
[00:04:37] Most kids love sweets, yet parents may talk about sugar as being bad, or kids being good if they ate fruit instead of cookies for dessert.
[00:04:45] And don't get me started on parents telling their kids that organic lollipops are good, but regular ones are bad.
[00:04:51] Talk about confusing.
[00:04:53] If you grew up with the diets and lists of foods that were off-limits, you might struggle with this, and that is okay.
[00:04:59] This is your chance to break the cycle, and it can take some self-work.
[00:05:04] 3. Let kids control their portion
[00:05:08] Offer a variety of foods at mealtime, and allow your kids, if they're able, to serve themselves,
[00:05:13] letting them eat the foods and amounts that they want.
[00:05:17] Some research has shown that restricting how much kids eat, especially forbidden foods like desserts and salty snacks,
[00:05:23] can backfire, causing some children to crave them even more, and to even sneak or overeat them as a result.
[00:05:30] Demands, like eat two more bites, are also unhelpful,
[00:05:34] interfering with your kids' natural ability to recognize their own hunger and fullness.
[00:05:39] Imagine your partner insisting that you take two more bites when you're feeling stuffed.
[00:05:43] 4. Make changes together
[00:05:45] Any tweaks related to food or exercise should be positive and involve the whole family,
[00:05:52] like more after-dinner walks or more fresh fruit on the counter.
[00:05:56] Nobody should be singled out with a weight-loss diet, food restrictions and rules, or extra exercise.
[00:06:03] 5. Don't panic about your kid's body
[00:06:07] Over the years, you'll watch your child's body grow and change, and there may be moments you worry.
[00:06:13] Talk to the pediatrician, privately, who can tell you if your child is following their growth curve.
[00:06:18] And if not, what might be going on?
[00:06:21] For instance, many kids gain pounds before inches leading up to a growth spurt.
[00:06:25] But no matter where your child lands, it's crucial to accept their body,
[00:06:31] which may be bigger, smaller, shorter, or taller than you thought it would be.
[00:06:36] Kids should feel loved and appreciated for who they are, not for the size of their bodies.
[00:06:45] You just listened to the post titled,
[00:06:47] Don't Pass Down Your Food and Body Image Baggage
[00:06:50] 5 Rules to Raise Your Kids By
[00:06:52] By Sally Kazemchak of RealMomNutrition.com
[00:06:57] And a big thank you to Sally, not just for this post, but for many more to come in the future.
[00:07:02] Now, being that it is her first post with us, in lieu of my normal commentary at the end,
[00:07:07] I'll use this time to tell you a bit more about her.
[00:07:09] So, Sally received her master's degree in dietetics from the Ohio State University in 2006.
[00:07:15] And as a registered dietitian, she's worked in weight management, prenatal nutrition,
[00:07:20] and diabetes education in both clinical and community settings.
[00:07:24] She's also served as adjunct faculty at Otterbein University,
[00:07:28] Ohio University Lancaster, and Ohio University Chillicothe.
[00:07:32] As a writer specializing in nutrition, she's been published in nearly 20 national magazines,
[00:07:37] including New York Times, Parents, Prevention, Health, and Family Circle.
[00:07:43] She's the author of two books, The 101 Healthiest Foods for Your Kids,
[00:07:48] and Cooking Light Dinner Time Survival Guide.
[00:07:51] And she has also been interviewed on both Fox and NBC.
[00:07:54] So, with all that being said, keep an eye out for her work on our health show as well,
[00:07:58] Optimal Health Daily.
[00:07:59] But you can be sure she'll be a regular staple here on our parenting episodes too.
[00:08:04] But I'll leave it there for today.
[00:08:05] Thank you so much for tuning in, everyone, and welcoming Sally to ORD.
[00:08:09] Have a great Friday if you're listening in real time,
[00:08:11] and I'll talk to you again tomorrow, where your optimal life awaits.