2 Yr Old Gaining Weight

I think you should just try to chill out about it. It really is a matter of genetics and different kids process the same foods differently. My daughter is 8 and such a string bean that it's impossible to find clothes that actually fit her while my son who is 10(and quite active) just seems to be a little bulky around the waist. Same parents, same refrigerator, but different body types...

Oh... I wouldn't worry about it. :) It sounds like you are doing a great job. Toddlers naturally get wider and then taller, and then wider as they are growing. Model a great healthy lifestyle for her, and she will be fine. :)

Annies makes a great organic Mac N Cheese that is about a buck at Target. My kiddos love that stuff, so I throw in veggies and maybe some kind of protein to round out the meal.

I think that if your daughter is gaining weight then you could add more exercise to her day and maybe cut out her dessert or change her pretzel snack to a fruit or veggie. Try going on a walk with her or play tag, dancing is great fun exercise too. Good luck, and I don't think its vain to be concerned if a child gains weight, she is lucky to have a parent that takes notice and is proactive.

my family has the same weight issue but The thing is and this will sound offensive but i don't intend it to be. sounds like you're feeding her the right type of foods but not enough. In the morning toast juice eggs is considered complete snack graham cracker and milk lunch again a grain a fruit a protein a vegetable. Children need more servings of fruits grains vegetables and dairy more than us. Feeding her the the right serving in conjunction with the healthy way you serve it will go along way to keeping her at a healthy normal weight.

I think you're doing great with her diet and as long as she's active I don't think you have to worry. If the weight continues to increase I would have her checked to make sure there are no medical issues that could be causing a weight gain.

My impression is that kids often gain a lot of weight before they grow taller. I rec the Dr Sears book/s on feeding your kid though too. If the yogurt is low fat and your kid is active I wouldn't worry.

Babies go through that cycle all the time. My daugther would look chunky and then grow and slimmed down, then she get chunky again. However, I don't think you are making a lot of wise choices with her food. Mac and cheese is loaded with MSG. You are not giving her protein for breakfast, only sugars (toast and banana. Nothing worng with juice, just give her half water and half juice. May want to switch from frozen yougurt to plain yougurt with fruit and honey, otherwise she will always expect dessert and you are createing a dangerous habit. Try giving her cheese and ham and eggs. This has worked really good for me.

Jamie...

I wouldn't worry about your daughter's weight gain at this age. Both of my daughters were really chubby as toddlers and now they do not have weight problems. They are 12 and 9 years old now and very involved in sports which helps to keep them fit. But at 2 years old and the food your daughter is eating, I think it sounds good and healthy and I would give her some time before you worry too much about her weight. Of course ask her doctor for advice. I don't know if that big of a weight gain could have medical reasons behind it.

I'm trying to raise my girls so that they don't have food issues or body image issues the way I did as a teen. It is hard because I have to watch my own weight and I don't want them to think I am obbsessed with it. It seems like a fine balance between letting kids be kids and eat kid food and at the same time trying to keep them healthy and not make an issue out of food.

I don't know if my advice helped or not. Just want you to keep in perspective that things can change over time and what she looks like at 2 years old does not mean she will be fat when she is older.

Good luck. By the way my older daughter is named Jamie :)

J.

Her diet doesn't seem bad at all. But I do understand being concernced with weight because I am too with my kids. I give them both lots of fruits and vegetables and fish. My 2 1/2 year old eats a lot more than what you described. Sometimes my 4 year old and my 2 1/2 year old eats a lot more than me. How about getting exercise? Enroll her in karate, pre-soccer, gymnastics or dance. This will help her with her metabolishm and burn off what she' eating. Good luck.

Could she have a reaction to the wheat flour? Have you tried using only whole grain products. What this means is that you would not give her anything that says "enriched."

For me, I know that I have a reaction to wheat. I do not have major issues, but it does keep weight on me. When I cut that one thing out of my diet I can lose weight instantly.

I hope this helps and that you find the culprit soon.

A.

Hi Jamie,
I have thought about this subject a lot because I have struggled with weight my whole life & I'm afraid my almost 18 month old daughter will as well. Anyway, I've read that we are all genetically pre-programed to be thin, chunky, etc.. Obviously, that can be helped or hurt by eating habits and activity levels. I think that if your daughter is going to be chubby, she will be chubby. As a parent, just give her good eating habits (which you are doing) and when she is older it will be easier for her to regulate herself.
Best wishes!

What activities is she into!! Cause u'r not mentioning that, it sound like u'r giving her some good things to eat so there is one other item that might be contributing to her weight gain, lack of excise, yes even at her age.........she needs a excise routine!

First of all, the baby needs the fat in whole milk. Is she active? Does she spend a lot of time watching videos, etc?

I'm a 49 year old mother of 22 and 14 year old girls, and I am currently raising my 2 year old grandbaby girl. Here is a sample of her diet:

Daily: Oatmeal. Not the packages, and not quick oats. Easy to make, 1/4 cup oats, 1/2 cup milk, pop into the microwave at 50% power for six minutes. I add a little butter or a little applesauce to it. She loves it, and it keeps her full for a long time.

Lunch...I slice an orange (and take it out of it's peel) or an apple, or maybe cut a banana in half, and give her that first. After she's eaten the fruit, I'll give her some cheese and maybe some yogurt. The dairy products are really important for many reasons, you can look that up online. I give her fruit juice, which I make from frozen and I always add an extra can of water. At dinner, I give her the veggies first, peas, for instance, and then I'll give her some mac n cheese or some rice, she really likes refried beans and rice. She eats pretty much whatever her auntie (my teen) and I eat, just in smaller portions. If I make burgers, she has a smaller burger. Baked potato is great. If I make (whole wheat, not enriched) pasta and alfredo or red sauce, that's what she eats. She likes the canned ravioli, I'll give her that, about 1/3 of a can at a meal. Sometimes I'll give her a scrambled egg or two for lunch or dinner. I give her sandwiches occasionally, but not too often. And cheap bread is horrible! The snacks are fine, but the main thing I'd suggest is making sure she gets enough exercise. Take her out for a walk, no stroller! It sounds like you are able to be home with her. Turn on some music and dance with her. And make sure she is taking a kiddie vitamin every day to make up for any nutrients she may miss.

I would also suggest that you not get too excited. I have had issues with my weight all my life too, but that is because of the way I EAT and not being willing to get enough exercise. When I eat right and get enough exercise, I'm okay. Don't visit your weight issues on the baby. If her size 2Ts are fitting her properly, you probably have nothing at all to worry about. And if she is tall, no reason why size 3T shouldn't fit her with a little room. Kids generally grow up, then out, then up, then out, and so on.

Jamie,

What kind of exercise she is getting? How much tv does she watch and (including videos) and is she getting enough rest? Are you a working mom?Do you and your husband model fitness and good eating habits?

3 year olds are busy...but girls are happy playing quietly and they have to be motivated to get out and RUN around! My daughter loved her castle at that age(lil tikes) she had to climb and slide and crouch and climb some more..she also loved one of thos sticks with the pretty long ribbon on it..like the gymnasts use..she danced and danced all over!

The diet sounds fine...I might include more fruits and veggies in each meal. Believe it or not..they do get tired of mac and cheese.

I used to say it is not what is on the plate...but how it looks to the kids.

I called them "F.K.S" fussy kid samplers ..thinking back now I could have called it tasty kid samplers but anyway...my kids are 13 and 16 and eat everything and are both really fit and understand the food as fuel rule!

One example of breakfast would be a round plate ith food positioned to looked like a clown face:

the eyes are 1 large purple grape sliced in half...the eye brows are maybe a thin slice of cheese(julienne style)...the nose is a chunck of banana...the mouth might be a slice of tangerine or pieces of apple bit size...ears are a1/4 slice of toast ...one peanut butter..one cinamon sugar(lite)
and then the hair might be cheerios or some kind of cerial or some scrabled eggs.

It sounds like (and is)a lot of food...the variety worked for my kids.(be as colorful as possible)and it is all good stuff!

Then...as she is eating..you praise her for choosing the protein and tell her that this will help her to have strong muscles to be able to jump rope some day or climb the play structure....etc...

When the kids would have waffles only for breakfast...I would wait until around 10am when they were dragging from the sugar crash...and help them identify what that feels like and how to fix it immediately and how to avoid it tomorrow with the right choice.

This can all seem like a lot of work ...but totally worth it!

Just yesterday my 13 year old son thanked me for "teaching him to eat the right foods and now to take care of his face " because some of the guys at school are really having serious acne eruptions...and this can be just as devastating as weight issues.

You sound like a great mom! Hug her a lot!

My daughter turns 16 tomorrow (valentines day) and that went way too fast!

Blessings!

C.

Dear Jamie,

You have the right idea , so go with it. Go on line to www.drgreene.com and other websites so that you can plan a good menu plan for both of your children. Jessica Seinfeld has some good recipes about putting veggie and fruit puree into children's foods. It may seem like it is a bit of trouble, but if you start doing it, it will turn into just part of your routine of preparing food for your family. It is good for adults. My husband and I are wayyyyy up there and we love those recipes too.

One of my children had to have a very special diet and it wasn't long before I did it quite without thinking that it was a chore, and it helped him get well too.

C. N.

One - I know that my daughter and son both gain a few pounds right before they go through a big growth spurt, so it could be that these last few months she is just gaining weight to get ready for her growth spurt. Children all are so different so even if your son doesn't do this, your daughter, as I am sure you are more than fully aware :-), may have a different way of growing.

Two - As someone who has struggled with her weight almost her entire life, I have had to work really hard not to project my fears of gaining weight and being over weight on my kids. At 2, it really seems too early to be worrying too much about her being overweight. Maybe in another year or two if it started to get out of control then I would start to worry about it, but, it isn't fair to our kids for them to take on our anxieties about weight gain. I think it is very wise of you to be aware of possibilities, but, a lot of times I know that when I am aware of those possibilities, I will find myself projecting those anxieties on my kiddos.

Three - It sounds like she eats a lot of carbs. Maybe instead of giving her rice or mac and cheese at dinner you could give her some cut up chicken breast or some other low fat proteins (i.e. turkey meatballs from Trader Joes). Maybe also with breakfast you could alternate days with the toast or english muffin and give her an egg on the other days. (Not sure if she has allergies or not.) Anyway, our family has made the shift to a lot of low fat proteins and complex carb diet and it has made a difference in all of us. (physically with weight, emotionally, and energy wise.)

Good luck! Parenting is hard!

First of all, don't let her know that you are concerned with her weight. It seems to me that she is eating too much bread and carbs. She could have a wheat allergy. Give her protein for breakfast...eggs or yogurt. Make sure she drinks enough water and go to the park and play every day. Good luck....

Jamie,
Why all the high calorie foods?
Change the bannana for an orange, it also has high vitamin C and potassium.
Try giving her a small bowl of vegetable soup and half a tuna sandwich or just tuna and two crackers for lunch.
Dinner needs a low cal vegetable, green beans or spinach or?
Snacks can be apple slices and desert low fat yor=gurt, not the ice cream!
She is eating a high calorie diet, does she get intense exercise to go along with it?
I am quite overweight and had to struggle with watching my children's diet. It is worth the effort. My oldest daughter is 5'11" and weighs 140 lbs, the youngest is 5'7" and weighs 130.
Give your children a chance to break the family mold.
god Bless
D.

You are giving her a lot of starch. The banana is very dense with starch and sugar, plus the toast (again) with breakfast it is good to give the banana with egg/boil it if you are too busy and chop a little celery/red or yellow colored veggie...lunch, peanut butter and cheese, no either one or the other with some chopped veggie [try changing peanut butter to almond butter (which is less fat but a good fat...also most of us are reactive to peanut butter which brings on weight)]...smash a half of avocado with tuna plus chopped onions/celery with a dash of basil...the nonfat milk -oddly enough is not good (use whole milk - YOU can dilute it a bit with water it's the processing that causes problems less processing of food, less problems) - go with the yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir (put it in a little mixture of fruit that she likes...just a little)...the commercial yogurts are high in sugar...kefir delivers more nutrients instead of the sweet yogurt...throw out the pretzels...instead bake a sweet potato...slicing it for snacks with a little sprinkle of cinnamon...with a little extra virgin olive oil (which is a good fat that helps with loss of weight)...those packaged breads, chips...use dried fruit/vegetables...you can dry them youself when they are in season, ziploc bag them...if you don't have time to do it...the nut/fruit packages are better than pretzels...all the things that you give her - she is just not running off the calories like your son and their matabolisms are probably different. Simple things to know...broccoli is great but it is a semi-starch, use spinach, kale (quick cook in a little olive oil then add broth), check out some colorful veggies that you usually do not...basically you can chop them fine adding to your basic salad greens or quick them in a bit of olive oil then adding the chicken broth for the last 10 minutes...uumm good...and good habits to train little tastebuds to...good luck...
peas, beans, brown rice, brown rice noodles with the cheese, all good but let them be the smallest serving on the plate...a table spoon more of the spinach (do a spinach with cheese to get her to like it sprinkle a little nutmeg) and the meat of your choice...breads should be given in the mornings...half size portions with breakfast and/or lunch

She may be gearing up for a growth spurt. A lot of kids go out then up then out then up, etc. I wouldn't cut anything out of her diet or put her on something different from her brother, cause then you may upset her and she is too young to be worrying about weight. Another thing to try is to increase her physical activity, keeping her diet the same. Try to make sure she has a good run around at least 30-60 minutes per day and limit TV time. And just consult your doctor to make sure the gain is normal. I don't think it is anything to worry about at such a young age. All kids are built differently and while your son may not have gained any visible weight before a growth spurt, you may have noticed he was hungrier. My daughter did the same thing. Don't stress yourself out, she will be okay because you care, but don't give her a complex about weight. My mother was too weight conscious and it actually caused me to have a weight problem later in life.

Good luck!

Hi Jamie:

Please take into consideration that there are different body types and each body develops a bit differently. Babies only eat out of hunger and stop when they are satiated. As a result, there is rarely any reason for concern over how chunky they are. Its when we start eating as a by listening just to our appetite that we start getting things out of balance.

I suggest you go to mypyramid.gov and explore what constitutes a healthy diet. This is a USDA site and has interactive tools to help you learn what is needed for different bodies. Obviously the nutrients and quantities for a 2 year old are not the same as for an adult. This site helps you understand what is needed so you can make the best choices. Something to keep in mind when concerned about weight, is the fact that it is very important to feed the body within about 30-40 minutes of waking up each day. Otherwise the body gets the message that it cannot trust that it will receive what it needs to start the day and goes into fat storage mode rather than fat burning mode.

Best wishes
M.

My advice would be to cut way back on the processed foods; bread, pretzels, crackers, rice and pasta, they have lots of calories with very little nutrition, and add more whole foods such as fruit and vegis. When you do want to serve grains check the label and pick the one with the most fiber per serving.

Hi Jamie,
Have you taken your child to your pediatrician? What does he/she think? Also, is there a reason you are not giving you child 2% milk or giving her chicken or other meat? I strongly urge you to discuss your child's diet with your pediatrician since it seems to be very high in carbohydrates and low on protein. Children's brains need fat to develop, so non-fat milk might not be the best. Also, how much exercise is she getting? I really think you are on the right track- mom's usually know what it going on with their kids. If your pediatrician seems wishy-washy, ask for a referral to a nutritionist. Be persistant! Best wishes to you and your family.

Humm.. I'm no expert but have you spoken to the doctor?
She may be going thru a growth spurt. I don't think you really need to worry too much right now. Chunky is not so bad at her age. She may not put on any more weight for a while. Kids are amazing.
I think that because you and your hubby struggled with weight growing up you know exactly what to look for and that should be the portions, making sure they are active everyday, a well balanced diet and a good night sleep.
You mention all these foods but not how much of it she consumes. Keep an eye on her but don't worry too much.
I wish my soon to be 2 year old would eat all those foods.

J

Hi Jamie,

My daughter has a chunky problem too. It really worried me when she was younger but now Her body seems to be slimmer, she's 7. She will never be one of those really skinny kids. It just isn't her body type. The doctor has reassured me many times that she's perfectly healthy and normal, but like you I worry.

I think one of the reasons her weight has stabilized this year is because I've been careful about portion sizes. I bought a "laptop lunch box" for her school lunches. The box comes with individual containers and automatically acts as a sort of portion control. It only fits half a sandwich. You can find them on-line at laptoplunch.com.

I also enrolled her in ballet once a week and we try to spend the weekends going to the park and being very active.

Oh, and I got rid of my TV. Harsh, I know. She still watches movies on a portable DVD player but no video games and no cartoons unless she's at grandmas.

This doesn't really help you with your 2 year old though does it! I would suggest watching her portions. My daughter has a HUGE appetite and has never been picky about what she eats. She could easily eat two bowls of pasta at dinner. We have to remind her to stop when she's full. I only serve pasta once a week because of this. The rest of the week we eat soup, casseroles or chicken and one beef dish once a week. You might want to add soup and some homemade breaded baked chicken "nuggets" to your dinner rotation for the kids. Both are easy to make and children tend to like it once they get used to it. I would also nix anything that she likes too much or that she eats without thinking. My daughter would eat a whole package of goldfish if I let her. I don't buy them or any chips anymore.

Is she running around enough? How often do you take her to the park? Try visiting the park or if you have one take her in your back yard at least once a day and play some active games like tag or hide and seek. Whenever my daughter starts looking a little chunky I start hitting the playground before we go home from school. I have a friend who takes her eldest daughter on power walks with her (again, you'll have to wait a little for that.)

Finally there's the TV thing. I don't know if I could have made it through toddlerhood without a TV. it's essential. But try to keep it to a minimum if you can.

I hope this helps! I know how you feel. I was a really skinny kid though I have fought with my weight since I was a teen. I would love it if my daughter didn't have to go through it and I want to teach her good habits now!

Good luck and please let me know how it goes.

H.

How active is she? It just sounds like she is growing and while I can understand your fears I don't think that there is anything to really worry about. I would call her doctor and get her evaluated if you are really worried about it.

Hey there!

I have a son that has the same problem and I have to watch his weight carefully (not obsessively) because my side of the family tends to be overweight. I just make sure that he eats A LOT of fruit and veggies, BUT the fruit/veg I offer him is fiberous fruit with a lot of water content. Apples, oranges, carrots, melon...you get the picture. All of his snacks are fruit or veg, with maybe a protein such as a nut butter or hummus. All our grains are whole grains...I just don't allow white breads much. Also, I have to make sure he is exercising daily...going to the park or sports. I notice when weather doesn't not allow for this, he slowly gains weight. I think some people are just much more sensitive to it. My daughter is a little more active and can eat anything and not gain. Just a different body build I suppose. I imagine your daughter, though, my be about to have a HUGE growth spurt. Typically, my kids chub out, then stretch up.

Hi Jamie, It's clear that you are concerned about your daughter and don't want her to have to struggle w/weight. It's great you're aware that the habits you help her to establish now will probably stick with her her whole life or at least be hard to break. After reading your report of what she's eating my advice is:

1) Add in more fresh (or frozen) fruits and vegetables
2) Cut back on the pretzels, crackers, english muffins and toast.
3) Watch what quality of bread you are serving, look for whole-grain bread.
Ezekiel bread is a very good choice.
4) Really cut back (or cut out) the dairy.
5) Read the labels. Many common children's foods are full of junk. For example, certain brands of peanut butter, and crackers contain high fructose corn syrup. it's no wonder children gain extra weight with these. When buying peanut butter, get the 100% natural (and organic if possible) kind.

This is some of what I do for my daughter who is four now. She eats as much as she wants of what I offer only when she is hungry and she stops when she is full. I also give her two or three extra protein sources throughout the day like a warm bowl of yummy beans which she loves, or some nuts for a snack. And she thinks that a freshly peeled, juicy orange is a real treat (I do to)! When children are only given healthy choices they enjoy their food and thrive! :) Hope this helps.

Cut back on the dairy products....do it slowly and sub in rice milk or soy, and lots more fruits and veggies...etc..It was hard for me to find things to give my kids instead of dairy, but now I/they are used to it...They still eat cheese on pizza and mac & cheese...From my personal experience, I think our bodies are better without so much milk and cheese...I know mine is! My pediatrician encouraged me to quit most animal products altogether....send me a message if you want more info
all the best, N.

It looks like you are doing just fine. I definitely wouldn't worry about how much she ways. However, you could probably start her off with fruit before you give her the mac n cheese. And maybe try instant oatmeal occassionally instead of the english muffin? My first daughter was a michelin baby. Very very chubby with many many chins! She is five now and is finally slim. It took time, but all the running around and she is just fine. Also, the eating habits are changing. My 2.5 year was chubby, but not nearly as the first, when she was a baby. However, she LOVES fruit and Edamame. So, we give her that stuff prior to the mac n cheese or whatever she is having for the main meal. She is very very slim and she runs at full speed. I really don't think you are feeding your child the wrong stuff or doing anything wrong. Also, don't focus on when you and your husband were young. My bestfriends mom did that to her and she had a complex thinking about it even now.

It sounds like your daughter is getting a lot of carbohydrates, you may want to give her more protein instead. I do not suffer from weight problems myself, but my 12 yr. old daughter has always been chunky and dense, and can gain weight easily. At the beginning of this year we began to track her weight and everything she ate, and she gained 10 lbs in 3 weeks! She was devastated, but with watching her carbs and calories and getting more exercise she is loosing some weight. (She also had a growth spurt, so that may account for some of the weight gain). I always assumed that she just had a bigger appetite than the rest of us, but it's more than that. She is much calmer about food since we switched to lower carb. It's never too early to get serious about it.
Good Luck

I understand your concern, because I was there two years ago. I highly, highly recommend the book Your Child's Weight, Helping Without Harming by Ellyn Satter. I read it when I was concerned about my todder's chunkiness, and it changed our lives! She explains that our main job is to allow children to maintain the self-regulation they were born with. Her division of labor: the parent puts a variety of food on the table (always including carbs, protein and fat, and produce) at structured times and it is the child's job to decide what and how much to eat. I learned that I was restricting my child, esp. fat, and as soon as I "let go" he stopped stuffing food down and eating like crazy. She also explains a lot about body types and the natural varation.

Jamie, I would look at your sugar content. Processed sugar can turn to fat and could cause weight gain, but your meal plan sounds pretty reasonable. Perhaps more time at the park???

Dear Jamie,

I think you're doing fine with her diet. I would pretty much continue what you're doing, and keep an eye on her for the next couple months. She may have just gone through a growth spurt. (One change I might make would be to add a fruit or vegetable to her lunch.) Have you gone in for her two year check-up yet? If so, what did the doctor say? I understand your concern, I have struggled with my weight for most of my adult life and don't want to pass my bad habits and struggles on to my children.

One thing that pops out at me is the "two cups of milk" - as a pre-pubescent girl, she needs the calcium equivalent of 24 ounces of milk a day, and I'm not sure she's getting that. I would find somewhere in her day to give her more milk, or maybe make one of her snacks yogurt . . . My girls don't drink milk, and I worry about osteoporosis - you don't want to be setting her up for an issue like that!

It's so hard to not worry about our kids and if they are growing up right and if we are doing the right things for them - try not to stress too much!

Good luck!
B.

what is her weight and height? she eats alot of carbs during the day. why not cut out the peanut butter sandwich and replace it with apples dipped in peanut butter or celery with peanut butter on it. she does not need the cheese with it so change that to a handful of carrots or other veggie. she could use some protein at night instead of rice or mac n cheese. replace that with baked chicken or a small amount of meat. talk to your doctor about the weight. 4 pounds in 6 months is not a worry. do not stress over her weight too much as that can lead to eating disorders later in life. I too have had a weight problem all my life and it is worrysome. my son is almost 7 over 4 feet tall and 80 pounds. He is a bit chunky but not terribly overweight due to his build. he is just a big boy. Encourage some exercise with her that is what we did. he has actually lost about 5 pounds in the last year because of this. Her weight will fluctuate so don't worry too much about it.

My daughter was very similar to yours except she didn't lose weight before gaining it. There are weight issues in mine and my husbands families too so I was really worried, but when she turned 4 she just started shooting up and outgrown most of the baby fat. She hasn't gained much weight in the past 2 yrs (which puts her at the same weight she was when she was almost 3 because she'll be 5 in May)she has however gotten much taller and grown into the weight. She also started doing gymnastics once a week at around 3 1/2. I think your daughter will grow into her body, but if you're still concerned you could look into a Mommy and Me gymnastics which basically lets them run around and socialize (My Gym fitness for kids is great)or into a tiny tots dance class.

Hi you need to make sure your baby is getting good fats to counteract the "non" fats/bad fats baby is getting from the fish crackers, peanut butter etc. As for breakfast, that is pure carb with no protein which baby needs to build muscle. Give her at least 2% milk or whole fat cottage cheese. Up until about 3, baby NEEDS the fat for her brain and overall physical development. Like anything, too much fat is no good but once she gets the good fats in her body, ie. avocado, cooking with olive oil (rub on the food first, then cook), it will counter the need/hunger for other things like processed foods that are just no good for a growing body. Also, water all day for your 2 yr old is straining her for the calories she needs...give her juice once a day or every other day. Remember she is so much more active than we are as adults and you don't want to build her on empty calories, like water, etc. I struggle with weight myself and thought i'd be doing my kids a service if i curb their eating from early on. AFter 4 children, i've learned that their bodies are truly growing and we need to fortify them with a balanced diet--in good stuff: good fat, calories, and the like. Feed her the best foods and she will grow fine.

Hope this helps. Aloha.

Jamie:
Every child is different. I would check with the pediatricians growth chart to see if she is within normal parameters. A lot of times kids grow out before they grow up which may be what is happening with your daughter. If your pediatrician isn't concerned about her weight then let it go and enjoy your daughter as she is. Good Luck!

Activity is key, a 2 year old can probably walk as far as you can and walking is wonderful thing to share. Secondly, i would cut out the carbs late in the day, because she will be sleeping and not burning them off. Vegetables and meat for dinner is enough and desert should be only for special occasions. Maybe move the frozen treat to earlier in the day too.

My daughter was the same way, she gained a lot of weight right befor she turned 3. Six months later she grew 5 inches in less than a couple of months! I was told by her pediatrician to stop feeding her any processed foods and get her to help in preparing each meal (my daughters job was to wash the fruit and veggies) and to introduce fish as a protien. He also told me to switch to rice milk because it does not contain all of the animals hormones that make our bodies go wacky sometimes. She was in a size 6 from age 3 until her 8th birthday (when she shot up another 2 inches). I highly recomend starting a fun activity with her and allowing her to eat a little something whenever she is hungry (carrot sticks, popcorn, ect...) also as this will encourage her to stay active all day.

I hope this helps!
H. Stanley

I know you got a lot of responses, and I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this or not but I thought I might mention it. My daughter (3&1/2 now) always seems to go through chunky phases just before she has a growth spurt. maybe she is putting on weight because she's about to shoot up again. Just a thought.

When I read your letter the hair on the back of my neck stood up! I'm not being critical so please don't take it that way but i worked as a model for 22 years and have seen more eating disorders than you can imagine. Many of them because young girls were told as children they were "fat", "chubby", or had to "be careful because of family genes". Parents like you are only trying to do the best for their daughters but you need to train yourself NOW to stop discussing her weight, especially in front of her. She's 21/2 and kids at this age go through spurts! If you're really concerned about the weight gain, ask your Dr but I think you should relax as to whether it has to do with her eating. From the diet you described I see a couple of things I might change. (By the way, I also have to be very careful talking about weight, I have 2 year old boy/girl twins and put on weight from fertility drugs and am very critical of myself. Daughters learn from their mothers so I'm try to never speak about being overweight in front of her.) From what you listed, I think it sounds like your daughter may not be eating ENOUGH! My kids menu for the day is this: breakfast: plain oatmeal with fruit and Yo Baby organic yogurt, scrambled eggs and half a banana or half a whole grain waffle plain. They have some combination of the above every morning and eat until they say "all done". at 10:30 they have a snack. It's usually cut fruit, organic crackers and sometimes an orgainic cheese stick or the baked fish crackers. Lunch at 12 is organic chicken with steamed veggies. no butter, no salt, no cheese. sometimes rice. thick chicken and veggie soup also goes over well. Nap at 1. Snack at 3:30 more of the same as before. Dinner at 5 is more of the same menu as lunch. they also love avocados and I make them a special version guacamole a lot for dinner with chicken. (tomatoes, avo sometimes a bit of onion, no salt) And they have applesauce or fruit for desert. They have milk with dinner. Once in a while they get pinkberry frozen yogurt but not too often, no juice and no sugar. I think the diet you're giving your daughter is not bad but sounds like not enough food, a lot of carbs and not enough protein. Cut the processed foods. She needs to eat throughout the day to keep her metabolism going and of course have her getting enough exercise. Turn on music and dance with her, get her outside or in an active class of some kind. TV in our house is limited to 15 minutes of Baby Einstein before bed. If kids watch TV they see commercials and want all the bad food advertised. My husbands family as well as my own has the overweight gene so I understand your concern. Just change her diet, get her doing a lot of physical play and NEVER critisize her body! You're a great mom and she'll be just fine. Good luck!

I would say that her diet doesn't sound too bad. I like to make sure that my kids get at least one protein, one healthy (or semi healthy) carb, one fruit or veggie, and one dairy product with each meal & I like to give them something different every day so they're getting a variety of foods. I think besides limiting junk food, the number one most important thing to keep your daughter's weight under control is to make sure she is very active. Limit TV time & get her outside as much as you can. My almost 2 year old is going to be joining "My Gym" next month, which is a great way to keep him active!

Good luck!
C. : )

Hi Jamie: Please talk to your pediatrician about the weight gain. They all have growth spurts. At her age she needs fat and calories for her brain and body to develop properly. They are supposed to gain some weight. I was told that my kids should be on whole milk rather than non fat. Just give her a variety of healthy foods and make sure she has excercise. I gave my kids choices of cereal and yogurt, toast, fruits, veg, milk, juice, meat and cheese. They had a lot of opportunity to run and play and there were no weight issues. All body types are different so you can't really compare her with her brother. It might be helpful to see a dietitian about what kind of foods she needs and the quantity she needs for good health. Good luck! Mary