I am worried my step-daughter is eating too much: Advice?

I use to eat like that turns out I was hypoglycemia and was constantly starving because my body physically was burning the sugar in my system to fast. I would look into it further I didn’t realize I had hypoglycemia till I was much older. Now that I am in control and getting older it getting better and I’m not always starving I would also ask if she has pains in her diaphragm area if they are shark and stabbing and if eating takes that pain away and then follow the testing something is wrong for a 7 year old to be eating like that

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Some kids can eat like that and not feel full due to a matabalisum being high sorry if I spelled that wrong lol , i was like this as a kid I would eat and eat and eat , don’t assume it’s waigh issue or a emotional issue , or make her feel like she’s over eating , if u make her feel like she’s eating to much it may hurt her feelings ,
My sister’s daughter does the same thing !
But also it’s not her fault , as parents if u feel like she’s eating to much u need to stop her or porshion her , bye letting her slam 10 peices of pizza that’s just telling her it’s ok ,
Could be a medical issue ikno when I was younger I eat and eat but it was a medical issue , but I never became over waigh or anything like that ,
Just don’t make her feel uncomfortable

Take her to the doctor and tell them what is going on. They will run tests to figure out what is going on.

You have to differ to your husband’s decision on this. It is his child.

You should absolutely take her to the doctor. She may have a significant health problem.

She could have alot of things going on but as well she could have medical issues or even parasites. Parasites will make you hungry very well. But DO NOT talk about weight issues or anything in front of her. This will only cause emotional issues and make it worse.

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Hypoglycemia sounds like what she has have her checked

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Definitely get her checked by a doctor to make sure everything is okay! It could also be a mental thing, for example my step son didn’t have food (when he was in his bio mom’s care) his school had to feed him breakfast, snacks, lunch, and send home food for him to eat at supper time and also called CPS several times to report the neglect. Even though the school helped out alot their was many many times he didn’t have food and went hungry. So he developed a eating disorder where when their is food he will eat and est and eat. He won’t stop until someone stops him and will even eat until he is sick. His doctor and I sat down and made healthy meal plans for him and portion sizes and that’s what’s he gets. It’s a survival thing that kids will develop if they didn’t have enough food in the past. It’s super unhealthy and you definitely have to talk to them about it and make it very clear that food security will never be a problem. Also teach how much is a healthy amount for portions and healthier food options. It’s something my son will be dealing with for his whole life, and my hunny and I have to teach him self control and better coping mechanisms. During high stress (new school year, visitations with his mom) times my son will regress and eat everything he can get his hands on.

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How active is she?? The more active, the more they eat. My 11 yr old is always hungry & eats more than anyone else in the house!!

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I Agree with Everyone being on the Same Page.This is a Health Issue, that if Not Resolved now can lead to Health Issues such as Diabetes and Heart Disease. I wouldn’t Take Things Away, because that will Only make Her want those things more. However, She is Young Enough where You can do Portion Control because You are the Cook. Just make Healthy choices. Maybe Let her Help You with Preparing Meals and Meal Plans. Tell Her, this is a Family Plan, so We can Stay Healthy. Unfortunately Men can be Stubborn. Good Luck Honey. Hopefully Your Husband Realizes that You Care, and just want Everyone to be Healthy! XO!

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Maybe u should talk to the doctor something causing that.

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I have hypothyroidism and a few other hormonal medical conditions and when my levels are off, I can eat indefinitely and still feel ravenous.

That being said, you’re a terrible step mom. Seriously she makes you “nauseous “ and she’s going to “blow up like a balloon”. Way to completely kill her self confidence. I would bet major money that you have never struggled with your weight. While she probably should be checked by a doctor, I agree with your husband that you’re a jerk.

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That’s definitely way too much food for a 7 year old

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Is the mother in the picture? If so talk to her and ask her about her daughter’s eating habits. Could be emotional eating or maybe she is getting foods from you she doesn’t get otherwise. Even though she is your step-daughter you have a hand in raising her. If her eating habits upset you, then over ride your husband and seek medical help. She’s much too young to eat this way.

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IMO I would set up appointment for wellness check up along with labs… and I would also surround her with healthier foods rather than tacos and pizza! When you take away all the junk you can see how hungry kids really are! I’ve got 4 boys… if labs come back good I would have to suggest digging for a deeper issue!

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You’re doing it for the right reason!!! No need to feel bad… dude when she hits puberty she will most likely be depressed because her parents didn’t stop her! Start making her eat fruits.

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I think, and this is from personal experience first hand, it’s the girls way of coping with all the stress from major changes, and trauma from those very changes. Another words stress eating put to the extreme. Food is the only area she feels control in the situation of her life. She can’t help it and could probably benefit from counseling and seeing a doctor to help get to the bottom of this. It’s highly important that you guys come up with a plan. The sooner the better. You sound like a sincere and caring stepmom so far. I used to eat till I nearly puked. A lot of traumatic stress and experiences growing up through the years. I used food as my go to.

Honestly…my grandson used to do that. He would actually shove his food down his throat like someone was gonna take it away. Always acting like he starving. So I gave him a baby spoon to eat with. He was 7. And after using that for a while…which he hated. He actually became alot better with his food intake. As far as pizza and stuff yes he would down those like no tomorrow. So I quit buying it. And when he did have it he got 2 pieces and that was it. Eventually things got better and now he’s a normal eating child. And don’t worry about ppl saying it bad to kinda make ya feel sick when u seen ur kid eat. Cause ukw? It did me too. U got this. Take control. She will be fine.

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She is NOT your child. I always say that if you look for faults in a human being you will find them. Stop looking at faults and lower your “expectation” of her. She is a child. You are an adult. Allow her to be a child. Family is about love, support and encouragement. If you can’t do that then please leave before you scar this child for life. I was a single Mother all of my life & received so much criticism but the ones pointing their finger at me couldn’t even do it themselves at the end. Karma got them good! Watch it Step Mom!! The issue of watching her eat makes you sick, is your issue. Not hers!

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She definitely should see a doctor… there’s a multitude of reasons she could be doing it but without blood work done and whatnot, you’ll never know

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Has she had a lot of trauma or family instability lately? Is she getting enough attention, fresh air, exercise? It sounds like it make be emotional eating. Granted my kids are a healthy weight but they eat a ton of food sometimes with growth spurts- maybe bring her to a counselor or you or her parents can talk to her and try to see if she is feeling stress. Life is so stressful for our little ones now.

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I honestly don’t have much advice and I’m sorry but I think maybe cut down on fast food and load up on healthier food…not saying make her eat salad because you don’t wanna make her feel bad but maybe offer like grilled chicken dippers and then load up with fruit and veggies…letting her choose what fast foods she wants isn’t helping. Also she’s 7 so maybe look at recipes that she can help you with like pasta salads and stuff where she can help pick what veggies to into…maybe she’ll be more inclined to eat healthier stuff of she made it. Good luck mama

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Definitely sounds like she needs a workup. Blood sugars/ metabolic panel for sure.

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I’d definitely be concerned there is something medical going on if this is newer behavior.
I eat like a boss and am pregnant and could never eat 10 slices of pizza or 7 tacos in one sitting. Thats enough food for an entire day, if not more.
Is she sitting in front of a screen while she eats? Just zoning out and not even paying attention?
Idk. I think somethings wrong.

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:wave::wave::wave:
Help her make better choices of food to choose from… if u gave her a option for frozen yogurt or Unicorn icecream… she will choose :unicorn: icecream. BUT IF ITS NOT AVAILABLE TO HER, she will get the frozen yogurt. :blush:
No diet for a child but better choices.
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/resources/MyPlatePlan

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Is there a history of hunger, homelessness, or abuse? Those can trigger a child to have an almost addictive behavior toward food. Secondly, get her checked out by a dr. A lot of diseases will make you ravenous.
Thirdly, you need to change your language about her body and food intake. You don’t want to say something while concerned that ends up making her depressed or with an eating disorder. If her weight is your only concern, you are the adult and you decide what food is allowed in the home. Plan healthier meals.

Therapy. Could be emotionally eating.

Couple things.

Could be health related. Many different things that could be. Thyroid. Tape worm. Emotional eating, stress, depression. Or plain ole boredom. It couple be a growth spurt. How old? My daughter goes through one every few or months or so. What is she doing in her spare time? Activities? Sports? Or sitting on her butt. Some kids can eat and eat and eat and hardly gain weight. Some gain a little weight and some a lot. You need to have a talk with your husband about this. It all depends on their metabolism.
And it could be that, she simply can. No one has stopped her yet. No one keeps her from eating all the time. So she will continue to do it.

I’m no doctor, so i cannot diagnose. So your best bet is to talk it out like a family. Get to the bottom of it.

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There could be something medically wrong. Causing her to not feel full. Maybe she’s eating too fast. Pick healthier foods in the meantime. Water instead of soda and juices. But definetly get her seen. No matter what he says. Eating that much for anyone is stretching the stomach and could be damaging

Tbh it sounds like ur discussed in her by the way u rote this ,
She probably sees u look at her that way , IDC who or how many of y’all get pissed about this comment but to be :100: by saying , " it makes me nasues seeing her eat " or how ever it was rote was just rude and hateful , she’s 7 , like come on , and I think she went a little over board on the numbers of pizza , idk all I know is it sounds like ur discussed in her bc she eats alot , my opinion sorry not sorry ,

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Could be a growth spurt… Tapeworm… Stress… She probably does need a Dr.
But I feel inclined to say to say mean things like your “nauseous” or that balloon crap is uncalled for. If you care then CARE dont be mean. Theirs a much better way to get your point across that maybe your husbsnd would be more apt to listen to w a gentle approach.

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Is she under stress? My step daughter is going through a lot at her moms house and this has caused her to stress eat and gain quite a bit of weight recently. Her counselor is the one that brought it to our attention that she was stress eating. Just a thought.

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No your not crazy. Seems excessive. Not healthy. If she is truly hungry there could be a bigger issue. Deffinatly healthier habits are needed. Maybe healthy snacks for constant eating like fruits and vegetables

I would agree with taking her to the doctor that is not normal or healthy she could have a very serious underling health issue that needs to be addressed !!

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My 4.5yo nephew can eat 3 pieces of pizza on his own. It’s normal for him to eat 4 pieces of toast with apple butter. She could be going through a growth spurt.

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Cut down on the fast food do homemade meals where she can help out make things interesting to where she wants to eat you can look up on Facebook 5-minute crafts that you can do with fruit and veggies

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I as an adult could never eat that much, my 7 year old wouldnt come CLOSE to that much. That will indeed lead to health issues if there isnt any underlying issues thats causing this already. Talk to the doctor though because it could really affect her stomach to cut food amounts dramatically which is probably needed.

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I am past my 30s. I eat like food is going out of style all day long… Everyday even when I was a kid. I am 5’2 and I weigh between 105-108lbs. I have 4 children youngest just turned 1. Just because she eats so much does not mean that anything is wrong with her! Please understand everyone’s bodies are different. Please do not give this poor girl a bad body image and stop watching what she eats then! Because it hurts just as much to have people make comments to you as it would if you made a comment about a bigger person or someone that doesnt eat much at all. Please please understand what you do and how you react to this now will be with her for the rest of her life… Make healthy meals and let her eat. Please stop saying there must be something wrong with her!!! This girl is 7 years old!!!

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My daughter is like that. She has a thyroid issue. I would get your daughter’s thyroid checked just in case.

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Sounds like emotional eating. A therapist might do her AND dad some good.

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Offer free range of healthy foods, unsalted nuts, fruits, veggies, cheese, etc. The first thing that came to mind is she’s going through a growth spurt.

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It becomes a habit but after a while it becomes a problem because she wont like being hungry so she will start eatimg non stop her dad needs to monitor her and write down whats actually going into her mouth he probably would be shocked

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She could possibly have a high metabolism. I too was like that…constantly eating and I’m 5’ and 97lbs. I was never active and I have 4 kids.

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She needs to go to the doctor to rule out anything health related. Also, remember that she is growing. My son went through stages wear he would eat a lot and put on some weight before going through a growth spurt, but barely ate while growing. Just be careful what you say to her or you could make her self conscious and lead to a eating disorder.

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My daughter is 6 and eats whenever she wants. She also has a high metabolism. Your stepdaughter could have a high metabolism as well.

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You should definitely talk to her doctor about it. Their may be an underlying issues

Better safe than sorry with medical things so go to the doctor and get a full work up just Incase it’s something medical if not just try healthier snacks teach a better way of living and lead with example and also please don’t break her spirit with how you word things I know some people aren’t good with words but at least try not to hurt her or your husbands feelings he may be more inclined to have a check up if he feels she isn’t under attack

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Definitely go to a dr. It may be stress/emotional. Could be a bigger issue. I have acid reflux and eat to ease it.

Is her mom still in the picture? If dad wont listen maybe talk to her and she can take her to the doctor just to make sure it’s not serious. I would just quit buying junk meals in the mean time to help a bit. No one ever got unhealthy eating too many veggies.

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Definitly go to a doctor… But i mean, my son is 5 and will literally eat 4 pieces of pizza ( minus the crust ) and 30 minutes later eat more. Might he hitting a growth spurt. Dont shame her for being hungry. Let husband know youre concerned and cant hurt to see a doctor.

Honestly, if your husband isn’t on board taking her to the doctor is out of the question. :sob::heart: She is super lucky to have a stepmother like you that cares about her well being, and loves her like you do. :purple_heart: If I were you I would cook at home, and make her things she wouldn’t notice were lowfat. :slight_smile: You could make cheeseburgers with ground sirloin. Slices of Velveeta only have 2 grams of fat a slice. Make baked potatoes with sour cream only, or bake french fries instead of deep frying them. Make egg whites, Turkey bacon, and toast with just jelly no butter. Tacos with ground sirloin with lettuce, and Ortega sauce no cheese. Make her plate. Make 2 tacos, and a half cup of refried beans. Dessert you could make air popped popcorn with salt, prairie farms has a wonderful chocolate yogurt. Give the serving size. Banana dipped in a little Hershey’s syrup. There are so many things that are lower in fat that do not taste lowfat. There are many things you can make lowfat, just be creative. Don’t even say what you are doing to her Father or Mother. It will only cause fights. You could start taking walks together after or before dinner, or play something that involves being active. Good luck! Do not listen to people putting you down on here. I would be concerned as well. :purple_heart: Health is wealth! I am so glad she has someone looking out for her health. You are not only looking out for her physical health you are looking out for her emotional health too, because I know how mean kids can be in public school. I saw kids tortured because of their weight. It was terrible. :sob::heart:

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Please be nice??? You said the child makes you nauseous you said she will blow up as a balloon and you want us to be nice. Mind your own kids maybe if that’s what you tell her when you talk to her can make her stress and she is stress eating anyway if your going to say something to her because her parents don’t care and you really care and not just being a bitch then think before you speak don’t say she makes you nauseous or that she will blow up like a balloon

Sounds most likely to me to be like a thyroid issue. Does she have intestinal worms?! (Semi joking) but wow! Has she ever been deprived of food before? Emotional/trauma response of some sort? She have any health issues or possible underlying health issues? Most grown adults can’t even eat that much.

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Get her thyroid checked. Or it could be a growth spurt. My middle one eats that way right before she gets taller.

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My little sister eats like that and she is super tall and skinny. Sometimes your body just needs the food.shes healthy

Thyroid or could be a growth spurt. My daughter eats like a bird but when going through a growth spurt, she eats like a hog. And when this happens, I offer low calorie food or healthy options. Fruits, carrots with ranch, etc.

Please treat this very gently. Ask her about it. Just say hey, I notice you’ve been eating slightly more than usual, is something going on? Are you feeling okay? Do you need to talk about anything? It could be emotional eating.

Doctor immediately. The constant hunger/thirst plus sudden weight gain could mean something serious like the onset of Type 1 diabetes or thyroid condition.

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Create healthy eating habits within your home. my daughter eats what I eat. I don’t buy sodas or junk… every day I make us a greens & fruit smoothie… water at the table during dinner time etc and always make sure I have a salad with our meals. have healthy snacks in your home that she can snack on… responsibility falls on the parents shoulders. not the kids, forget what your husband says. You’re the mother and wife in the kitchen, take charge of what kind of food you buy, cook and have in there.

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Does she eat regular meals like this? (Not junk food, but home cooked meals) my youngest brother is also like this. My mom offers healthy options with the junk. For example if we get pizza shell make a salad. If he wants more pizza, he has to eat more salad. This post hurts my heart a little. My insecurity about my weight started at a VERY young age and continues till this day because of my parents. Please be gentle. Shes young. She probably is just hungry. :broken_heart:

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High metabolism or not, she should at least get a controlled amount of foods like pizza and taco bell. She can eat as many green beans as she desires and as much baked chicken too. It doesnt seem like a food thing. More like a fast food problem. Because that’s gonna turn into a bad habit and she’ll have diabetes or heart disease by the time shes 30. Get her to drink a full glass of water about 10 min before eating too.

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I mean you are a jerk. Let the girl eat and teach her to love herself

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I would talk to her doctor for sure, my daughter used to eat all day but small amounts, now she eats three times a day and sometimes snacks in between (10 yrs old now )

Well, as someone who was both a bigger child and someone who developed type 2 diabetes at a young age from this type of overeating, I say, to hell with the “ let her eat “ comments on here. Eating 7 of 12 tacos is excessive, however as many have said, this is a slippery slope type of thing. You could say something to her and end up making her feel bad about herself, causing an unhealthy body image, etc. My daughter started recently gaining weight quickly from about age 7.5 to now (she will be 9 in four days) and I started explaining to her the difference between feeling hungry and feeling like that food made me feel good and I want more. Hunger goes with body cues like pain in the belly, whereas wanting more of something simply because you like the taste is a form of overeating (almost an addiction) . My daughter will now stop if she has had normal sized portions of things, get a big glass of water or eat a healthy snack and then see if in ten minutes, she truly is still hungry. If so, she can have another taco (for example), but a lot of times she truly is full from what she ate and just needed time for food to settle. I really like some ideas that I have read about limiting junk food, but don’t let it be known you are doing this, just adopt a healthier lifestyle. Have her help you make some fun, healthy snacks like ants on a log (cream cheese on celery with raisins) or fruit skewer. Bringing A child into the kitchen is both fun and a great life skill to coach

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You need to check your motivation for feeling this way because it seems to be less about helping her be healthy and more about how she looks. That said, she probably should get checked but I don’t know that it’s your place to do that if your husband isn’t on board.

Have her checked for diabetes and thyroid. Don’t hurt to check it out!

I’m sorry I’m in two minds here! The girl obviously has an appetite but if you have bought 12 tacos and she’s ate 7 surely you would have just limited the amount she had same with the pizza!
And if your really that concerned why not take her to a doctor there could be some underlined condition! My sister was like this she would constantly eat and it seemed to not be enough for her turns out she had type 1 diabetes! Not saying this could be the case for your step daughter!
Have you not tried just making her dinners up for her and then if she is still hungry off her a healthier of room like fruit or salad!
It sounds to me like either she has a medical problem or becaise she’s a growing girl she’s just got more of an appetite either way if you think there is a problem speak to a doctor! Yes it’s ok to voice your concern to a bunch of strangers on this group but they’re not going to get to the bottom of it are the

Certainly needs to be investigated

If you have tried to no prevail then all you can do is set back and watch the shit show.

At her age I would quietly take her to her doctor. Most likely its just a growth spurt but I babysat a boy who developed Type 1 diabetes when he was this age and he was starving and eating everything just before he got very sick. Like I said, probably a growth spurt. But never hurts to check.

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I know that I ate ALOT right before I had a growth spurt. Also whenever I had a depressive episode id just constantly eat.

I also am someone who eats throughout the day instead of full meals etc. So maybe having her snack throughout the day will help some instead of just having her sit and eat until she stops.

Medically, it could be a thyroid issue out diabetes, however it could also be depression and some self image stuff.

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Does her dr say she is a healthy weight? Because personally Iv been eating like that my whole life and I have a problem keeping weight on if I dont. Also I found out as an adult I’m hypoglycemic and my dr said that’s most likely the reason I cant gain weight and why i eat so much. I have a hyperactive system. So if the dr says she is healthy and isnt concerned let that girl eat.

She needs ti be drinking more water and she definitely needs to see a doctor. My 6 year old eats a lot because shes bored but i was able to figure it out and can usually stop it. Start keeping healthier choices in the house and limit what and how much shes eating. Also, when she’s done with her regular meal, make her wait 20-30 minutes to see if she’s really still hungry. If so, give her fruit and water. Or a small portion of whatever was for the meal and water.

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My boy is 7 and a big eater! But not 7 tacos.
Maybe just see what the doc says and see a dietation so you can support her in the best way.
Start cooking good healthy food and teach her what is super good for her.
What about her eatting habbits at her mums? Thats something to think about too. Best of luck x

My step daughter is 7 and would eat non stop if we let her. When she first came to me she ate until she wasnt bored or had something better to do. Then I started making her eat vegetables with every meal and drink mostly water. I noticed she was mostly eating out of boredom. Now she’s used to 2-3 snacks per day and 3 meals. I make sure her snacks have lots of protein to help keep her full and she’s pretty much regulated herself. I’d never starve her or let her go hungry but most of the time she eats because she is bored. I’m the same way too.

A good tip is to also try to get her to drink more water. That’s what my pediatrician told me, sometimes they confuse thirst with hunger. We make a game out of it. If I fill up her water bottle a certain amount of times that day she can have a piece of candy the next day after school (gummy pouches mostly lol) as a snack.

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Have her thyroid checked xx

I was just going to say she need to be checked for diabetes. My son also was a heavy eater and it seemed like he never got enough and was putting on weight he was getting over weight and I watched him every time he ate. Well it got to the point that his weight was getting heavier and heavier. We did go to the doctor and his pediatrician was worried about him having diabetes so we had to go for blood work several different times he was on the verge of having diabetes well I started limiting his intake he would literally throw a fit or get very angry when he couldn’t have more food screaming he is hungry. Well he would get a good amount of food on his plate and I wouldn’t let him get seconds well I kept monitoring his intake and now he don’t act like that and he has cut back him self and has lost weight. My boy is 13 and at 9 he was over 100 lbs. I would definitely monitor the intake and have them seen by a doctor and have her checked. Best of wishes

Try feeding her healthy food! Like a big salad before she’s offered other stuff or u all could do the same n teach her. Teach her that her body doesn’t need that much food at once. Eating disorders are real n u have to be careful how I do it. My eating disorder started at 10 yrs old n I struggled for 13 yr cuz my dad would tell me negative things. Show her how to eat GOOD foods!!!

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Is seems like she likes to eat junk food. Im guessing she gets hungry like that because she is growing. But needs healthier meal’s and to be active. Or maybe something is going on at school and she eats out of stress. Is her mom in the picture? Talk to her maybe she needs help.

It does sound excessive, but this could be a growth spurt too. Without knowing more history, like how long this has been going on and such it’s hard to say for sure. Some general advice: fix her plate for her. Give her a reasonable amount of the main food and then add a fruit and vegetable. Also, push fluids. Adding ice makes water more enjoyable. If you have other children, make sure you’re doing the same for them so that she doesn’t feel singled out. Model balanced eating habits yourself as well. If she finishes and is still hungry, or wants a snack later make fresh fruits and vegetables the only option. If she’s truly hungry, she’ll eat.

If you don’t see a change after a couple of weeks of consistency, have her seen. You can just tell her that you’re visiting the doctor to make sure she’s healthy. Use words like “healthy foods/ choices” and “unhealthy foods/ choices” instead of overeating or junk foods.

If I was you I would maybe explain to her that it makes you feel better if you eat healthier foods, healthier snacks more energy.
Also if you start making healthier meals it will only benefit everyone. It’s a life style choice that you have to make. Get her into some type of sport though, it’s important for a child to be active and burn off energy. Make it a thing where maybe twice out of the month use have pizza or tacos if everyone eats healthy for so many days make it like a reward. But u gotta make sure everyone is on the same page here. Stop buying junk food and buy healthier snacks. Or if she’s over eating simply tell her that’s to much it might give you a sore belly.

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I don’t think you are off base. But it’s important to first be on the same page as your husband so you are working together (not apart). Next, you should choose healthy meals and snacks to nourish and fill her up. Try to avoid fast food. I can’t remember the last time I went to a fast food restaurant…and I have 4 kids. One thing I do after school is let my kids have 2 snacks (and I buy the smaller prepackaged ones to help control portion size). I let them choose any two snacks from the snack bin and they like the freedom and it limits overeating. They do get hungry at 3 when they eat lunch at 11.

Maybe she doesn’t get this kind of food at her Mom’s? A doctor’s appointment though to check for thyroid and diabetes would be on my agenda just to make sure. Then go from there. I fought weight most of my life. Just my metabolism I guess back then. I stopped growing when I was 11 and then everything I ate put pounds on me.

I will add my Mom was heavy so she didn’t care about what I weighed.

Let her eat as much as she needs to but proper food that fills her up… junk food like tacos and pizza. Limiting her food or trying to make her ‘diet’ or making her feel bad for eating alot will also cause issues

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I think the best advice is worry about what they eat not how much they eat. Try to only offer healthy foods (harder than it sounds, I know). But really try to avoid making a big deal about it to her because it could be really bad for her down the line… making bad associations. Feeling like she has to hide it when she’s hungry or when she eats. It’s probably just a growth spurt though, and nothing to be worried about. If you are worried it’s something else though, you can see a doctor for advice.

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Your husband is the jerk not you but healthy eating is by far a lot better for all of you. It does not sound like a lot of that is happening in your household.

My son is almost 23…has lived with me mostly his whole life, but he did go stay with his dad for a few years (I wasnt in a good place at the time). Anyways, at his dad’s he hardly ate and because of his depression and anxiety along with a few other issues, his days and nights also go mixed up. He’s 6ft something and weighs around 230. When he first came to me, he was 260+lbs. He’d want Mac n cheese at 3 am bc Mac n cheese was cheap and that’s what his dad and step mum would allow him to eat, just not at 3am. So a lot of times my son didn’t eat. I’m a firm believer of a balanced meal. Do we treat ourselves to pizza, taco bell, and sweets? Sure, but in moderation. My son wasn’t used to home cooked meals, so he’d eat and eat and eat even if he was full. It’s a hoarding food disorder, from not knowing when the next meal is coming. Even though he knew, he still couldn’t control it. He has a wonderful psychiatrist who has helped my son a great deal along with his therapist. My son has lost 30+lbs in a year, which is great for him! But it took time. His step mum wasn’t very nice in ways she spoke to him and it caused some damage to him. Eating was soothing. Now me. Idc if hes hungry at 3am. He can have leftovers, or w/e but usually he eats a bowl of cereal. It’s his “snack” since days and nights are mixed up for him. He eats dinner with my daughter and I now too and I think that makes a big difference too! He can eat and now recognize he’s full. I don’t buy a lot of snacks or junk food either. Never really have. :x food in the house is food that’ll get eaten.
I guess my bottom line is, if it really bothers you seek help. There might be more going on than you know. She is 7 and her brain is developing and learning and testing new things.

Your husband ordered too much pizza for the 3 of you of your step daughter ate 10 full size slices :roll_eyes:
what a weird thing to lie about

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Sorry I don’t believe a 7 year old ate a whole damn pizza herself or 7 tacos

I wouldn’t worry about it. Growing kid equals lots of food. Trust me I tried the whole have your kid eat healthy foods but then apparently he wasn’t average weight and now we lay on the calories. Let the poor kid eat. Its just small taco bell tacos…I’d worry if it was that many 5 layer burritos…but tacos nah they are mostly lettuce

I mean when I was on the swim team at that age I would eat 5 to 7 burritos so if the activity is up it’s normal

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She should see a doctor to be tested for things like diabetes and hypoglycemia. Especially if this has been a random onset of her suddenly wanting to eat nonstop. Excessive hunger is a symptom of diabetes and hypoglycemia.

She could be growing. But it shouldn’t be just swept under the rug with “she’s hungry”.

I would take her to the doctors and insist on them finding out why this happens because are used to do this when I was younger and my mum kept taking me to the doctors and saying somethings not right because I was the biggest two-year-old in England. The doctors wouldn’t listen to my mum and they just kept pushing her away with another diet sheet telling my mum it was her fault. And then when I was seven I was diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma brain tumour. Which is a very rare type of brain tumour there is only three of us in the whole of England. And I’ve had my tumour from birth so has been affecting me until I was diagnosed and then because the doctors didn’t listen and found it so late down the line I now have side-effects that I have to deal with day today and all of my hormones in my body including things like my thyroid either don’t work at all or they dysfunction. And one of the main things for my type of tumour is having a massive appetite all the time. As I’ve grown off I’ve learnt to control it but obviously when you’re younger you don’t understand so you just want to keep on eating. I don’t want to scare you or anything but I have also gone totally blind because my tumour kicked off cysts around my brain as well. When I read this post I felt like I was reading about a younger version of myself. Please you have to be persistent and go to the doctors about this. And if they try and send your way saying it’s nothing please stand your ground and be persistent until I find out what it is because there’s a reason for why she is doing this. Good luck. X

You can also only keep healthy foods in the house, no processed foods, no junk foods,etc. that should also help as well. She may not be getting enough nutrients and protein esp if she is growing. Aim for healthier foods like fruits, protein, and vegetables. Many kids like vegetables with hummus, avocados, fruit smoothies etc.

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The seven year old does not do the grocery shopping, it’s you and your husbands fault for bringing that crap home

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Need to take her for testing. My Daughter did this . She was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetics. Regardless have her pediatrician run some tests. She shouldn’t be eating like that.

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Limit her food intake… Plate it for her and hand it to her.
If she wants more, be clear on what she can have— the protein, veggies, or fruit.
Make healthy meals. Stop buying crap carbs so it’s not even an option.
Pack her a healthy lunch that you have made.

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Obesity is super concerning. I feel like maybe shes offered too much “junk” vs what she eats at moms so she eats all of it. When we do tacos, pizza etc we do veggies or salad on the side and they have to eat that before more “junk” food

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I also totally agree with doctor testing for diabetes etc

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