Reply from sue, Age 39 - 1/16/01 - IP#: 172.168.207.142

I couldn't agree with you more. I am the mother of a daughter of almost 12 who gains weight very easily and is probably about 14 pounds overweight now. She was beginning to be unhappy about her weight so we decided to do something about it. In exactly two weeks she has lost about six pounds - although we expect the weight loss to slow down now - and we cannot believe how easy it is. Like you say, lots of fruit, healthy eating, cutting out the junk, nibbling on vegetables instead of chocolate. It wasn't until I started reading the labels of foods that I fully realised just how many calories some things are. I don't know what it is like in the US but in England we have something called Weight Watchers foods, which are tasty but low in fat and low in calories. My daughter is eating sweet & sour chicken and rice, which she loves, pizza but a low fat one and we even found a very low calorie pasta. It is educating each other to eat smaller portions, eat slower, drink more water and generally be aware of what is good for you and what isn't. Also, at weekends we go for long walks more. Some of the kids writing into this site seem desperate and want to shed the weight immediately but there is no quick fix. It is a process of education and also they must have the support of their mum because she is the one buying and cooking the food.