I'm interested in how others handle this situation--for themselves or for their children.
In light of New Years' resolutions and likely vows to do better in the nutrition, exercising and/or eating healthy, I wonder how successful people are promoting change and/or supporting positive lifestyle changes when family members (especially close family members) either don't practice or don't make those changes themselves.
To me, a support network does make a difference, but it's ultimately about me. Others I know are significantly more hampered by those around them, and have a lot of trouble sticking to things.
I think you are talking
I think you are talking about diet changes, right?
My in-laws are some of the biggest diet saboteurs around, especially my MIL.....I am typically a very light eater, and my husband has tried to lose weight at different times and it always seems to be an issue with them, where they keep offering him things he doesn't want to indulge in, they push second and third helpings of food, won't take no for an answer, or they make little comments.......I don't know why they do this, I think some people are just threatened by change and they don't want to take a look at their own habits that need changing. Some people feel if you are refusing the food they offer, you are refusing their love. I will usually just take a very small helping of something in that circumstance.
You just have to stick to your guns and be strong enough to where you can't let them totally interfere with your decisions.........and if they get mad, it's their issue not yours.
The easiest way for me to
The easiest way for me to make those kinds of changes is when my husband does it with me. We have to motivate each other or neither of us is very successful. We both need to set this goal in 2008!
Susie is a discussion leader in the east valley for arizonamoms.com. She has two sons, ages 6 and 2.
Thanks for your comments. I
Thanks for your comments.
I also think there is a sort of "baby bird syndrome" (every time a mouth opens they think it should be filled with food) built into certain cultures, and that such "eat something, you look so thin!" conditioning from years back may be exacerbating the problem. It's a reflection of different generational priorities, too--thin vs. keeping on weight for the bad times, just in case. I hate to think they're simply trying to sabotage us.