Losing weight can be more complicated when you are not alone.
Trying to lose weight? Here’s some advice on weight and your children from the book “How to Lose 9,000 lbs. (or less)” (Hundreds of Heads Books, www.hundredsofheads.com, $13.95), straight from people who’ve done it:
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“Having little kids around the house while you’re dieting is a good thing because they require so much energy on your part that you can’t help but lose weight. I even started doing stuff that I would normally ask them to do in order to burn more calories. I still make them help out around the house, but I do more of it myself—especially if it involves going upstairs.”
— Mark Toomey, Boardman, Ohio; lost 6 pounds
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“When you’re dealing with young children, try to promote healthy eating in goofy ways. I will say to my 4-year-old daughter, ‘Let me see your muscles,’ then challenge her to an arm-wrestling match. After she loses, I’ll reply, ‘You’d better eat a piece of broccoli if you want to get stronger.’ She will eat it and immediately afterward we’ll arm wrestle again, and I’ll let her win. My response? ‘See what that broccoli did for you?’ For days after, she’ll want to eat broccoli all the time to get strong!”
Randy Freitik, Peoria, Ill.
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“Little kids are a good barometer for what foods you can and cannot eat on a diet. They will eat anything that you shouldn’t be eating. If I have a Twinkie and ask them to eat it, they will—so I know I shouldn’t. If I have some carrots, and the kids say no, then I know it’s OK to eat.”
— J.H., Poland, Ohio; lost 13 pounds
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“When you have kids around, keep the junk food in a cabinet that you do not use for everyday cooking. At least that way you don’t have to see it every time you need a cup of flour. You’re still going to see the stuff when the kids are eating it, but hopefully they eat fast.”
— G.T., Youngstown, Ohio; lost 16 pounds
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“It’s my husband, not my kids, who insists on the sweet cereal at the grocery store.”
— L.G., Atlanta; lost 26 pounds
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“I’m pretty laissez-faire about what the kids eat, mostly because they exercise of their own accord. They see me do it daily, and I think that has provided an indication to them that this is important.”
— Andrea Cox, Grand Lake, Colo.; lost 30 pounds
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Hundreds of Heads Books’ survival guides offer the wisdom of the masses by assembling the experiences and advice of hundreds of people who have gone through life’s biggest challenges and have insight to share.
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© 2007, Hundreds of Heads Books, Inc.