I know what works from past forays. There’s inspiration all around me still. But I never seem to marshal and sustain a relationship to food that allows me to lose weight and eat well (and vice versa). This Sunday, during a family brunch of bagels and lox, I raised the topic in the most personal and familial terms—it was quite the aria—and, thankfully, it was well-received.
It’s not the only thing, but what’s bothered me a lot lately is seeing my son, at age 12, also struggling with being overweight—and me feeling like I’m part of his challenge, right at its root, in the habits I model and the food I eat. And then, in a recent conversation with a nutritionist, she confirmed what I felt: “If you want to help him, first start with yourself and your wife, then we’ll work on this as a whole family. That’s always the best approach,” she advised.
At brunch, I admitted that I was disappointed in myself; that I hated the idea that I was passing on to him a legacy of lousy eating habits. And with that, all four of us kicked it around: What can we change? What are the biggest challenges? How should we best go about this? Adam even came to me that night with ideas for healthy breakfasts and lunches that he would eat. And Rebecca, that night, cooked a meal that was wonderful in its deliciousness and nutritiousness and variety. And oh my, Adam and I have been do stretching and sit-ups in the mornings before breakfast.
As we all know, those first couple weeks of a new health regimen feel really good! I hope this lasts, but there’s not much more to say about that for now. That conversation at brunch, however, will stay with me regardless of what happens. What could have been a minefield of hurt feelings felt like an oasis of trust and team spirit.
Eric Messinger is the editor of New York Family. He can be reached at emessinger@manhattanmedia.com
