It’s time. As cruel as I seem to so many and as sensitive as the world has become, we passed the friendly discussion point in this conversation.  

We all made mistakes growing up or at some point in our life, impacting our health in some way or another, whether we realize it or not. Weight gain is a very good indicator of our lifestyle and health standards. Harsh, real, and looking back at us in the mirror daily.

My mistakes started when I would suck weight for wrestling and try and pack it on for the next season in football, for example. 

Now, I have to deal with what that did, and I chose to deal with it before I taught my kids my vices, giving the people I am supposed to be setting up for a beautiful life a disadvantage. I would be holding them back and hurting the ones I loved the most.

I find it ironic that in the age of coddling and nuclear enabling, parents seem to have blinders on when it comes to raising their kids with healthy standards and body weight.

We pass on fears, likes, tastes, habits, dreams, and self-limiting doubts and beliefs to our children, whether we know it, want to, or pretend it isn’t true. 

Animal studies show that fears passed to offspring need seven generations that live without the specific fear to stop the legacy of that fear from moving forward indefinitely.

That’s not the legacy I want my family line to remember me for or suffer with. And that, my friends and fellows, is where I come from. 

So, instead of hatemail and vile comments, set to make some goals. Go promise your kids you will do better for them and for you. Give them a chance to be healthy and teach them how never to need a diet in the first place. 

Trust me. I know how hard it can be. I’ve worked with overweight and obese kids in my career, and do you know the most challenging part? 

The PARENTS! 

Don’t be those parents. Don’t make excuses for them, yourself, or your parents who taught you all your bad habits. 

Just make a plan and stick to it. Get help when needed and call on that help when stuck.

My dear parents out there, take a deep breath and read with an open mind, uncross those arms already, and de-clench those teeth!

DO NOT mistake youth for health because it looks good or they seem to bounce back.

Stop yourself if you start saying things like, “My kids are growing. They don’t have my issues. They are healthy,” and stop in your tracks if you hear these words coming out of your mouths, “big bones, growth spurt, baby fat, thyroid issues, or it’s genetic.” 

Just because they are not sick, or have a labeled problem, doesn’t mean they’re healthy, and odds are they aren’t healthy. 

Weight is a great “tell” in kids. They often don’t feel the symptoms we do or don’t express what they think as well. But you can see them in weight. 

Being overweight as a child means a stressed body, liver, kidneys, digestive tract, respiratory system, and heart. It means more oxidative stress and inflammation than is needed.

As they hold onto or gain extra weight, insulin is causing havoc, lowering human growth hormone, interfering with estrogen and testosterone, and priming cortisol for hyper-responsiveness, which is not a good thing.

If you don’t want to take all this seriously for yourself, do it for your kids. 

Get them involved, and share your health concerns for yourself and them. 

Build your team and create your tribe. 

If you need a plan, structure, and a coach to get you going or across the finish line, message me, and I will help where I can.

Keep following, join “Insulin Friendly Fasting Secrets,” and keep at it, no matter what!

The “go-to” habits they learn now will be around for the rest of their lives, making them great!

We can do better!

Dr. Don