#66: From Small to Large: Respecting Size Differences in Children
“Focus on habits and behaviors, not your child’s weight.” -Dr. Yami
Yes, you read that right, I quoted myself in this blog post and in my podcast episode this week. I just couldn’t find a quote that embodied the message that I want to convey to you. I had no choice but to quote myself ;).
What’s ironic is that I spent many years very focused on weight: including my own, my children’s and my patients’. Thankfully, I learned a better way to approach health and wellbeing and discovered that being overly focused on body weight may actually cause harm.
It causes harm because it leads us to behave in ways that may actually be counterproductive to forming health-promoting habits.
In this episode of Veggie Doctor Radio, I discuss body weight in children, why we worry, why most of the time there is no need to worry and what happens when we get over-focused on the size of our children’s bodies.
There are times when there are legitimate medical reasons that we must be concerned about weight. Please do not take this episode as medical advice and always follow the advice of your doctor.
However, for the majority of children that are happy and thriving, instead of focusing on the size of their bodies, it may be more beneficial to consider their lifestyle habits. It is our daily habits that determine the trajectory of our wellbeing, health and longevity.
I hope that you take a listen to today’s episode and I would love to know what you think!
Call to Action —> Notice any anxieties you have about your child’s size or weight. Reflect upon where you might have felt the need to control your child’s weight. What would change in your life if you were to let go of that need?
Did you know that my book is available for pre-order? Pre-order via Amazon or Barnes&Noble.
Have you signed up to get weekly goodies from me? Sign up now and get the FREE download Five Simple Steps to Raising a Healthy Eater Without Stress.