Over Weight 3 Year Old

how much does he weigh?

very simple - feed the whole family more whole grains, more veg, more lean meats, and less fats, butters, fried foods, sweets. Do you forsee "I don't like that mommy!" Well if he doesn't want to eat what's on his plate, then perhaps he'll eat it the next meal. He won't starve himself. He will eat what he is given....eventually. You're the boss. Let him know it.

PLUS - get outside more. Get active. Go for walks, go to the playground - play with him (as opposed to sitting on the bench reading a book while he plays).

Join the YMCA, put him in classes. That gets him moving and gives you a bit of one on one time with the baby. :)

Oh, and my kids are sticks! yet at that age they had a little extra weight on them. Kids lose their baby fat at different points. All you need to worry about is being as healthy as possible so they don't form lifetime habits.

What all the other mamas said. Plus, no juice (or severely watered down juice) and 1% milk (some fat is good). No sodas, diet or otherwise. I think many of the calories consumed in this country are from beverages, not food.

He is 3! How in the world can he NOT stick to his diet? He is THREE!
At three years old most kids cannot reach the cabinets in the kitchen and the fridge can easily be locked with a childproof fridge latch.

Three year olds don't go on a diet, they eat what the adults in their lives feed them, so when you are saying he doesn't stick to his diet, you really mean that YOU keep feeding him inappropriately.

So get rid of the junk food in your house and start feeding him better: fresh - fruit, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, water. A limited amount of dairy to round it all out.

Yes, he will whine and beg for junk food, but guess what: he is THREE and you are the parent! So put on your big girl panties and be the adult.

And BTW, if you don't buy any junk, then it won't be in the house and you won't have to worry about giving in to him. Last I checked the adults in the house went to buy the groceries...not the three year old.
Good luck.

Hi M.,
I'm trying to do the same with my 10 year old... I can relate. this is what I want to do: more veggies, less fruit. more water, no juice (no nutritional value), no sodas either. find more ways to eat veggies. if he likes 'smoothies' make them at home - do not add sugar. you can use pitted dates to sweeten it. you can add bit of kale, blue berries, raspberries,and that will hide the kale (or spinach) flavor. etc. . most breakfast cereals are really empty calories. don't be afraid of checking out vegan or raw food websites, they have lots of ideas for snacks and healthier smoothies, etc. you don't have to become a raw vegan to eat more raw foods/vegetables. People grin when I mention raw food... then I say, do you cook your bananas, lettuce, radish? so it's a matter of perspective and variety. find a couple of veggie dishes that you can add to your personal "cookbook".
oh, whatever you do, don't use 'sugar-free' products. sugar substitutes are not good for loosing weight anyways. skipping anything with high fructose corn syrup is another idea too. oh, fat free stuff just has more carbs/sugar and it's self defeating.
I think the point is to maintain his weight, if he doesn't gain weight in the next few months, that will go towards getting him to his "normal" weight. He can grow into it =).
Good luck! I have lots of ideas but excecuting them are a challenge for me. so I've written what would be ideal for me to do. I hope it gives you an idea or two. God Bless! ~C.~

I agree with everyone who posted below. I just want to add one thing. Believe it or not, it's EASY to change a 3-year-old's habits. You will get 48 hours of screaming resistance. You will get a week or so of whining reluctance. And then, within a month, he won't remember life was ever any different. And for the sake of your son's health, you can get through a rough week.

So, turn off the TV, period. Tell him it's broken and can never be fixed. Or, really truly throw it away. For all his meals, serve a small portion of a protein (lean chicken breast is good) and a large serving of all different veggies.* If he finishes his protein, he can have veggies. If he "hates" them, he can be hungry. Believe me, he'll start liking them if he doesn't have other options. For dessert, he can have any fruit (no sugar added) that he wants. And, if he's finished eating, please don't feed anyone else in front of him. I too am not perfect about doing a family dinner every night, but if someone needs to eat after my son does, we do it after he goes to bed.

*By veggies, I'm not talking raw kale here. Just, kid veggies. Peas, carrots, green beans, squash.

YOU CAN DO THIS. You just have to start making some unpopular changes ASAP.

You've already been given lots of spot-on advice, so I'll just add one little piece.

If your son needs some direction outside, make a game - get a few pieces of construction paper in different colours and tack them up around the yard in visible places. Then one person yells out a colour and everyone races to get their first. The "winner" gets to choose the next colour. Keep going till everyone is pooped!

You're basically saying you're too busy and it's too hard to get/keep your son healthy. That's sad.

I had 3 kids between 2003 and 2007 and it was never a problem for the toddlers to play and do things while the baby slept or did baby things. I'm sorry, but it sounds like you are using the baby as an excuse to not have an active 3 year old. He watches too much TV? Turn it off. He eats when he wants? Set a schedule.

You need to take control and make the choices. My boys are also overweight, but they have been in sports since they were 4 and we are working on continuing to make healthy food choices. Weight is coming off of all of us. Put HEALTHY options in the house. Don't give the option for junk food and he will slim out. Get active with him. Just stop making excuses for why it has to be the way it is and make changes. I know it's hard, but you can do it!

I hear a lot of excuses as to why you can't take control of this situation and you need to ASAP. It sounds as if keeping him quiet and inactive works to your advantage. He needs to run around and have reduced tv time. Find what fruits and veggies he likes and introduce more as time goes on. The transition will surely take time, but YOU need to at ke charge here. If you don't, his health will suffer. Are your eating/activity habits the same? Good luck.

Ina G hit it on the head and so did Julie G.
The thing is your the parent you have to set guidelines and rules. It may be a little harder b/c its later in the game but that doesn't mean you can't. Please do not allow this to continue and let it lead to other health problems like diabetes. Try some of these tips:
No fast food
Little to know processed food (hamburger helper or freezer stuff)
Include one side of a vegetable with every meal (frozen spinach or peas)
Try as best as you can to cook your own food! and if not look for healthier frozen dinners like Amy's Organic Kitchen.

Hope this helps and if you need more help feel free to send me a message directly.

Can you be more specific? How much does he weigh? How much do you think he should weigh? Is this information that you got from your pediatrician?

What does he normally eat? And how much activity does he do? How much time spent watching TV (or playing video or computer games)?

As a general rule 3-year-olds don't need to "stick to a diet" as it's not a matter of will power, it's a matter of being overfed the wrong kinds of foods or not moving enough. More info on the situation may help people to be able to give you specific suggestions.

If your pediatrician is the one who raised the concern, he or she should have also provided you with information on what to do.

My son was also overweight.. Basically, you have to make losing weight a family affair... My suggestion... Put your 9 month old in a stroller and take both children out for a walk each day.... allow him to even push the stroller... make a goal of it.. one day you walk several blocks and build from there. My son and I walk just about everywhere.. Also, get rid of any junk food in the house. If you don't , you may give into temptation..

In a nutshell, when my husband and I are heavier, my son is heavier.. children tend to mirror their caregivers... whether in exercise and or nutrition.. if you , yourself can eat and do better, I believe your child will do better.. it's about the kid's environment.. if you set things up for success (ahead of time) then I think you will have a better chance of getting his weight under control now..

good luck to you and your family

Get rid of the tv. Seriously, not more than 2 hours a day ---- max. He should be all about movement at 3.

Get a diet from the doctor-and have only those foods in the house. Sugar is probably the culprit-start eliminating it first, for instance anything made from white flour-like pasta and tortillas, drinks/foods with high fructose corn syrup. Remember, too, fats don't make you fat-sugar does- and children need fat-if your child eats a yogurt-make sure it contains fat, many times when the fat is lowered, sugar is added. Fats make us feel sated and keep us from becoming hungry in between meals. Try healthy veggies-and skip things like corn, white potatoes, beets and carrots-that contain a lot of sugar when cooked. This is difficult-but good luck!

Since you pretty effectively hit on all the things that you're NOT doing and SHOULD be doing, you already know what to do, you just don't want to do it. As harsh as that sounds, please understand that I know how you feel. I've got an overweight child as well. It is hard as HELL to get and keep under control, but it is no one's responsibility but our own. Your child can't decide for himself what to eat. It's on you. If he has a weight problem, it's your fault. If you don't get it under control, that's on you too. This is a choice you have to make. Either feed him healthy foods and make sure he stays active, or watch him stay overweight and deal with all the harshness that life brings for overweight people. It's really up to you.

Everyone eats at a different time? You should try and eat with your child. This will help him define when to eat main meals and when to snack. He should eat 3 healthy meals a day and 2 - 3 small healthy snacks - veggies, fruit, cheese.

What are his portions like? Do you use a regular size plate (10") for his food or a small plate (7") for food. It has been proven that just by using a smaller plate it helps in weight loss.

One thing I try to get my kids to do is to wait for desserts. We have a candy drawer and they are allowed to go in each day and get 1 piece of candy from the drawer. They are also allowed one small single serve dessert or piece of candy a night. When they are done with dinner, they have to wait 20 mins before they can eat dessert.

Get him moving. Yes he may sit and watch a lot of tv, but there are things that are simple that can be done.
1. Tummy time. Your baby has tummy time. He can to. While baby is on the floor playing, have him mimic the baby. Laying on his belly, rocking back and forth. Pushing up on his arms. Rolling from side to side.

2. Leg kicks/dancing - lay baby on the floor. Move his legs around, back and forth, side to side. Have your 3y copy it.

3. Dancing. Turn the music on and MOVE!! Nothing gets a kid moving like having random dancing in the kitchen to fun songs.

4. Go for walks. Put baby in the stroller or carry all and walk. 15 mins. To the end of the block and back. Don't try to go to far at first. Remember he isn't used to it, and when he gets tired he'll want you to carry him back...

get him on a soccer team.. a swim class. .gymnastics.. some activity..

he can only eat what you buy at the store.. he is 3 stop buying cookies candy pop and junk.. start buying fruit and veggies..

you can totally control what he eats at this age.

buy healthy things and he will eat healthy things.. also.. he needs 3 meals a day.. and 2 snacks.. not eating snacks all day.. say it is lunch time.. feed thim lunch.. then no food till the next snack or meal.

i feel like this is a joke post?
you told us your 3 year old wieghs what a 6 or 7 year old weighs
you dont have him on a diet and dont know how tomake him eat healthy
you let him watch tv all day
and you're too bust to let him play outside?

i mean you couldnt have named any more things you've done wrong?

1. stop buying bad foods then you wont have the issue
2. turn off the tv and while inside and quiet during the babis naps give him, pain, crayons or art projectsor puzzles, and when the baby is up take them all outside
3. enroll him in a sport?
at 3 its your choice what he eats not his

I looked at your profile picture and can't tell if you are overweight or not. Are you overweight? Are your other children overweight?

ETA: Mira, very well said. M. V., Mira gave you the time frame, just mark it on the calendar. Then go and do.

To quote Mrs Wartooth, "Ina G hit it on the head and so did Julie G." and so did just about everyone else.

Have a dinner time and have a lunch time and a breakfest time, but especially a dinner time. Only healthy snacks like fruit at other times. And that means FRESH fruit, not dehydrated fruit. The dehydrated fruit has lots of calories and sugar.

Hide (put them away or throw them away) the sodas and sugar juices, and candy, etc. and don't get them back out until he is normal weight. Unplug the TV and video games. Have more play dates where he get exercise by playing with others.

As far as your 9 month old goes, get a CD player and put it in his room. Play the classics like Brahms Lullaby while getting your baby to sleep or whenever you and he go to his room. That will get him used to sleeping with noise and will give him an appreciation for good music. (Don't play the 1812 Overture as it has too many startling parts in it.)

If he is a picky eater, give him stuff to eat that he should be eating. He will get over it. I did as a child. My kids did as children. I had 8 kids and was not going to have 9 different menus for dinner. He is a picky eater because you enable him to be picky.

Good luck to you and yours.

Did you change your post? I'm editing to add that I agree to take the kids for a daily walk. To encourage your children to move and play and turn off/unplug the TV. My DD might fuss, but she finds something else to do. You need to find a way to allow your child to play and be an active little boy and not hold him hostage to the baby. The baby can learn to sleep with a normal amount of noise. Being active with his cousin is a good start! Maybe direct some of their play, like kicking a ball or playing on a playground or playing tag or catch.

You need to offer him only the food he needs to eat. I'm not into food fights with kids, but if my DD doesn't eat what's offered, then she's not then getting junk food. She gets to have healthy food later. I just matter of factly say this is dinner. Take it or leave it but I'm not making anything else. If we eat something she will not (like chili) I give her an alternative like low fat turkey slices, fruit, whole grain bread. Quick does not need to be junk food.

You also need to make the time for a family dinner, even if it's just you and your kids. Sit down and model the behavior you want from them. Eat with them. Enjoy the time. Talk about your day. Have a good experience that is more than just food. Studies have further shown that kids who eat with their families regularly are less likely to be in trouble. You are laying down foundations for his entire childhood - all the way to 18 and beyond. Parenting is a long haul, so keep your eye on the big picture vs the little ones. They cannot raise themselves. They NEED you to make the right choices FOR them at this age.

Your son could have been the boy I helped onto a swing months back. He was so big he couldn't breathe well, and he couldn't run and play with his siblings and friends at the playground. His grandmother couldn't lift him onto the swing and I barely could. The kid could not keep up with his peers. I felt so bad for him because he did want to play but was hampered by his size. Please change things for your family so your children are not left behind and suffer socially for something fixable.

Original post below:

Your pediatrician should be able to give you more info on proper diet, direct you to a nutritionist, etc. When I say "diet" I mean "type of food consumed" not "calorie restriction". And just like adults, if he eats a lot and does not move, then that needs to be changed. If you have been told to change the foods he eats or how much he eats, then you stick to it by being firm. "This is what is for dinner. If you not eat, you can get down, but there is no snacking" or offer him a healthy snack only, like a toddler-sized portion of fruit. It may also be that the entire family needs to adapt. He will be more likely to eat fruit, veg, lean meats, etc. if he sees everyone else doing so.

Turn off the TV and take him to the park.
Put the baby in the stroller and go for a walk.
Get him moving.
There are kid exercise videos .
One my kids really enjoyed ( ADHD daughter needed extra energy outlet)
was "Happy Healthy Monsters." It's by sesame street. Talks about exercise, has an exercise program, also talks about eating healthy foods.
You can get it from bestbuy.com and amazon.com

Here's what you have as far as choices that I see.

You can get him active or you can let his weight stay the same and even increase.

This age child should be running and playing for several hours per day. I understand about the needing the house to be quiet but here's the thing. That baby will learn to sleep through everything.

You might consider putting him in pre-school, he would be old enough for Pre-K next year then kindergarten the year after that. So he could benefit from the experience. They have scheduled activities and play time along side of a stable curriculum that will help him learn in preparation for school.

He will eat what they eat or go hungry. It won't take but a time or two for him to get the idea that if he wants something to eat he needs to at least try the foods they offer. He will see them eating the foods and eventually will try them himself.

It may also be that you need to make an appointment with a pediatric nutritionist so that you can better learn what foods are better for him than others. You don't say what he does eat but there are definitely some good foods out there that are not fruit or plain veggies.

I think that you can do this. I know it's going to be difficult to change a lot of your whole family's eating habits but if you go slowly and not all at once they will gradually be eating a much better diet.

Get rid of the junk food and read labels. Educate yourself about what healthy food is for a 3 year old. One Google search will take care of that.

Get rid of the TV. I killed the Wii about three months ago, not for my kids weight reasons, but because of their attitude. They whined and complained for about two weeks. Once they realized it really was not coming back, they gave up and started reading books and playing basketball. You have to be willing to deal with the complaining and you have to be willing to not let the TV babysit your son. It really is as simple as that. It isn't just the inactivity of TV watching; it is the advertising of junk food that also causes the problem.

Get your kid a small sized soccer ball and let him kick it around with a friend or by himself.

You don't want to deal with diabetes...it is a very serious illness. No child should have to deal with it.

Ditto Loving M.
Well said.

He eats what you give, if he doesnt like it he doesnt eat it. Try smoothies as well - kids LOVE them and you can pack TONS of good stuff and they have no clue. Get a rebounder trampoline- the deal is during commercials he bounces, and yes limit tv time. My son LOVES his rebounder (small trampoline-high tension) so much that he bounces on it WHILE watching cartoons. I understand that with a new baby things will be different but that does not mean a 3yr old gets to rule the roost either and that is what is going on here. I agree with the other activity options the other moms have given and wanted to add the thought about a rebounder to go with limited tv time to get him moving and smoothies as a "sneaky treat"

You need to be more structured and he needs more active time. Having a younger child is no excuse for sitting the older one in front of the tv for the majority of the day. You are creating horrible habits that he will struggle to break in the future.

Why is it that you're too busy to sit outside and supervise the children for an hour each day? I'm sorry, but I don't buy it. This needs to be a priority - like eating! You are not going outside for "fun", you are taking your son out for exercise for medical reasons. Saying you're too busy to do that is like saying you're too busy to give your son his medication.

Start preparing dinner every night and get him into the habit of eating dinner and then a small snack before bed. That's it - no more grazing the entire day and night. Not healthy and not teaching him how to sit at a dinner table and have a meal with other people. At some point you are going to want to go out to eat; if your son doesn't learn how to sit at the table and eat a meal, going out to dinner will be a nightmare for you AND for the other diners!

Both of your children will benefit from more activity in their lives. If you take them outside to play, they will both get exercise and fresh air, plus the little one will have an easier time falling asleep...

Only buy healthy foods. If you don't want to monitor what he's eating or how often, then you MUST make sure that only good choices are available to him. He should open the pantry to whole grain snacks and dried fruits or open the fridge to fruits and veggies and water bottles. That way, his choices are to learn to like new things or to wait until mealtime...

BTW, my six year old boys don't weigh 50 pounds yet and they eat all the time. The difference is that they are active all the time and they eat healthy. I share this not to pass judgement, but to put into perspective how much of a difference diet and exercise really make... good luck!