I've run a few half marathons and I was always amazed at the diversity around me as we made our way to the finish line. All kinds of people were running - young, old, big, small, overweight, underweight. But we were all out there. Didn't matter what we looked like. Our producer Karen Bridson has run many full marathons, some of them 40 pounds heavier than she is now. That's when she realized you can be big, and healthy. Karen recently met Dr. Leora Pinhas, an expert on children and eating disorders, and wrote about what she learned. After reading Karen's blog and articles, I thought about how big an issue this is for families. For my family.
I'm kind of a tiny person. My mom was 5'2" and 102 pounds. My dad was 5'9" - I think now he's about 5'6" - and I'd guess he weighs 140 pounds, wet. My husband, on the other hand, is nicknamed "Big B" and it fits. He's a big guy. Stocky. Solid. Just the way I like it. His dad and siblings are the same, some more, some less. Enter our three kids. One of them takes after my side of the family and can eat brie, avocado and bacon sandwiches, washed down with beer, without any apparent effect on his weight. Our other two kids are built more like my husband's side of the family. They call themselves curvy, and I like that. They are curvy, and hugable and gorgeous. But they've had to live with being big in a world that covets small. And therein lies the challenge as a parent. How do we make our kids feel beautiful and strong and not succumb to society's message that they must be thin? How do we encourage exercise and healthy eating and not send that message ourselves?
My kids know their genetic history. They know they'll never be skinny. And I've tried not to make that the goal. I talk about being strong, healthy, being able to do all the things you want to do. Yet when I say "Let's not buy those chips," or "Why don't you take the dog for a walk," I wonder if they know I mean healthy and not thin. I'm not sure I always get that right. Did our parents worry so much about this? When they said "No snacks before dinner" did they worry they were sending wrong food messages? Or did they just want us to wait and eat the meal they'd spent an hour cooking?
My kids can ski and swim and hike. They eat - and cook - good food. They like beans and broccoli and tofu and whole wheat, and steak and cake and ice cream. I think they're going to be okay, but it's been a challenge to make sure they feel good about themselves.
Take a look at Karen's blog about her own weight and what she's learned. In it you'll find links to articles and Dr. Leora Pinhas's excellent advice for parents.
How have you managed the messaging and encouraged your kids to be healthy?
