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In my household, fat is a four-letter word. I banned it back when my two daughters were toddlers in an attempt to nurture a positive body image, and as they enter their tween years, I?m redoubling my efforts. In my ideal scenario, my girls would be active because it feels good, they?d eat only when hungry and love their bodies for what they can do rather than what they look like. To say that it?s easier said than done is a massive understatement.
It?s hard to nurture good habits when there?s Pottermore and Pokemon Go, Sour Patch Kids and Sour Cream Glazed. In Canada, the rates of obesity have nearly tripled in the last three decades. And if you?re overweight as a kid, it?s really hard to outgrow it in adolescence.
So what?s the best way to broach the topic about maintaining a healthy weight" To get tips and perspective on the topic (and some reassurance I wasn?t totally screwing up my kids), I talked to Amy McPherson, who works with kids and families at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital to help them develop better lifestyle habits.
Weight can be difficult to talk about?I don?t want to pass on my own body image baggage onto my kids.

In this culture, weight is equated with a kind of negative quality about the person. But it?s crucial to start talking about it from an early age in terms health rather than focusing on the number on the scale.
How should we talk about it"

I?m constantly wrestling with that question; it?s something quite of ...