This Article was originally Published in The July 2004 Issue of The ZoneNet Newsletter
It was very hard having an overweight child. Wherever we were, people just stared. I often wondered if she saw what I saw. I wish I could have protected my 8 year old, Jeanine, from the eyes of this world. I wish I could have shielded her from those stares. We never really talked much about it. It was simply too painful. It is almost as if as long as we didn't talk about it, it was not real. She pretended not to notice but I knew she saw how people reacted to her. She was a smart, perceptive child. From a very early age, she always saw things that I did not even notice. There was that time on a trip to Washington, D.C. she asked me, "Mom, why are there so many homeless people in our nation's capital?"
I blame myself for her weight problems. We were a generally obese family and we did not practice the best eating habits. We hardly ever exercised. Even our dog was fat. From the beginning, I rewarded her with junk food for everything from getting a good grade at school to being a good girl and doing as she was told. I would wave cookies in front of her so that she would stop crying. By 3 years old, she had started manipulating me instead of the other way around!
I had no idea how much I was really conditioning her to reward herself with food as she got older. It was as if she walked through life feeling she deserved something simply for doing what she was supposed to do. I felt so helpless that it had gotten this far out of control. As she got older and spent more time away from home because of school, I simply could not watch her all the time as she rewarded herself with candy bars and ice cream for no reason at all. And she could get all of this stuff at school too! It was easily accessible to her. She stayed away from anything green unless it was artificially colored. One day at school, Jeanine complained of being dizzy. She experienced short dizzy spells a couple of days following that.
She was unusually tired much of the time. She would snap at her young brother-an infant! She was never this way towards him. We didn't consider any of these things symptoms of something. We just thought Jeanine's body was going through changes until one day when she almost fainted in P.E. class.
That very afternoon, the physician diagnosed her with Type one diabetes. AlThough I wished she did not have to suffer by getting pricked with needles and having to go to the doctor so often, her condition has gotten our entire family involved in eating right. After all, we all eat at the same dinner table. We cut out juices, soda and sugary carbs, which do a real number on blood sugar levels.
Now our 4-person household has lost over one hundred pounds in 6 months. Even our 3-year old shed several pounds! It is a miracle because we do not eat half as much and yet we do not feel hungry like we used to. Jeanine is fitting into smaller and smaller clothes and is a lot more active in extracurricular activities at school. And she no longer sits on the sidelines in gym class. She's even going to be on the intramural volleyball team next year! The most ironic thing is that Jeanine may have diabetes, but she's the healthiest that she has ever been in her entire life!
Ryan Joseph is a writer/researcher. For more information go to http://www.fitness-supplements.net/
tidy up service Glenview ..I was thinking about diets and such and it occurred... Read More
According to the BMI chart, if you are overweight, you... Read More
Losing Weight quickly and easily has become one of the... Read More
Cellulite is probably one of the most embarrassing of all... Read More
Many gastric bypass patients report melon to be one of... Read More
All of the things we tell sick people so that... Read More
Weight Loss tipsAll throughout my childhood and teenage years I... Read More
Are you one of the many who may be tempted... Read More
Your health is affected not only by how much body... Read More
You can overcome the desires of your sweet-tooth by incorporating... Read More
"Your Eyes are Bigger Than Your Stomach""Your eyes are bigger... Read More
Quick, what's the first thought that pops into your head... Read More
I've worked with hundreds of people who were interested in... Read More
Here are 4 diet tips we all need reminded of... Read More
I thought I could avoid this when we moved to... Read More
For many years, herbalists believe that Cayenne is the most... Read More
You know you have weighted, err, waited more than enough.... Read More
In our never ending search for the illusive "Fountain of... Read More
Looking for Diet Programs on net is like looking for... Read More
Diet and Exercise. They are the inseparable twins that are... Read More
Protein is an essential nutrient necessary for maintaining good health.... Read More
Oh, no . . . You suddenly realize that you... Read More
To upgrade the current software in your brain you can... Read More
A few months ago, I set out to lose 22.6... Read More
Negative thoughts, symbolic protection, being who we really are ........ Read More
full-service cleaning Mundelein ..To achieve your goals you need a diet that takes... Read More
For the past 20 years, the American public has been... Read More
Chant the following each day, several times. They are mantras... Read More
Using healthy low carb recipes are an important part of... Read More
"I am going to start a diet tomorrow". How many... Read More
Are you just exploding with the presence of light all... Read More
The Atkins Diet Seems To Never Go AwayFad diets come... Read More
What is ephedra? Ephedra, which is also known as Ma... Read More
I personal lost 60 pounds in 2003. Here are some... Read More
Cellulite is a recent addition to the English language. In... Read More
Losing weight can make a significant and life altering change... Read More
Foods that are high in fiber and protein are the... Read More
The cost of gastric bypass surgery and other bariatric surgical... Read More
--ONE--Learn how to reduce the fat, sugar and salt content... Read More
How would you like Julia Roberts to coach you on... Read More
Here are 7 simple habits that can help anyone enjoy... Read More
The Secrets have been in our family recipes, some even... Read More
If you pick the right personal trainer?you'll most definitely see... Read More
"I tried that diet and lost 8 pounds in the... Read More
Have you ever received those tempting ads that seem to... Read More
Because the Internet allows so many millions of people to... Read More
I'm sick of all the fad diets I see people... Read More
The safe way to lose weight begins with a thorough... Read More
Yoga is wonderful for nurturing a state of mental and... Read More
Are you concerned about the lack of exercise your child... Read More
Weight Loss |