There are 2 types of boys

- Those who can eat pizza, cookies, and pop tarts and not gain a pound

- Those who can’t

With the alarming statistic that 1 in 3 children born after 2000 will become type 2 diabetic in their lifetime, we parents don’t have to look any further than our pantry to start fighting the next generation’s obesity epidemic. But if you happen to have a boy who could stand to lose a few pounds, how do you transition them away from the typical fattening American staples for children like chicken nuggets, pizzas, sodas, crackers, and cookies without feeling like a food Nazi who has sucked all the joy out of our child’s heart while putting them on the path to an eating disorder?

As an obese child and diabetic, I can tell you I would have preferred my parents had taken a harder line against the 5 night per week fast food dinners and all you can eat ice cream for dessert. Here’s how to start making permanent change in your child’s weight.

First, be very clear with yourself and your child why he needs to eat differently. Make eating a better an issue of health, not weight loss, and be prepared to explain what you mean. If your boy is a bit chubby like I was, he may very well have already been teased in school and automatically associate eating differently with weight loss. But being honest with your kid that you love them and want them to be healthier can only do good.

Second, be prepared to set the example by eating better yourself. Your child is the most powerful audio and video recorder you will ever encounter. They hear and see more than you think. Sit down and have the baked chicken with vegetables for dinner with them. Show them the healthy breakfast, lunch, and snacks you’re going to eat as well so they can see you’re not only serious but hold yourself to the same standards you expect of them in regards to health.

Third, make it taste exceptional. The taste of sugar and fat or fat and salt like in doughnuts and pizza is hard to pass up but easy to forget if you’re living a diet of healthier substitutes for those 2 very powerful chemical combinations. That’s why your healthy alternatives have got to taste great. In my household, coco made with organic raw coco and sweetened with Stevia is asked for regularly. Low carb, low fat cheese quesadillas with salsa and low fat grilled cheese sandwiches are also 2 favorites from my son.

Finally, stand your ground, but know when to let up. There are more special occasions celebrated in a child’s life with food than there are for adults. Birthday parties, Valentine’s, Easter, and St. Patrick’s’ are but 4 examples of seemingly endless celebration for children. Consider that for Valentine’s Day, a typical elementary school child will probably receive candy from his classmates, cup cakes and other treats at school on the day, and then chocolate from you that evening. And there will be another and yet another “special occasion” every 2 weeks until the New Year. You can’t allow your child to have all those treats and expect them to lose weight. You will need to monitor what goes into your child’s mouth, decide what’s most important for them in terms of social participation, and restrict the rest.

Aaron Snyder is a diabetes patient-expert, nutritional coach for adults and families, personal trainer, and author of The New Diabetes Prescription: The Diet, Exercise, & Mindset Revolution. He lives in San Diego with his family. For more information, please visit http://www.TheNewDiabetesPrescription.com or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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I found this recipe for mummy dogs in a local newspaper recently, and thought they would be something easy, quick, and fun to make with your boys.  They're basically pigs-in-a-blanket, but boys can make their own little mummies, then enjoy it as a tasty snack (throw a side in, and it's a little meal!).  They'll make a great snack for sleepovers - just pass out the hot dogs and rolls, and have everyone fashion their little hot dog mummies.

This recipe makes 10 mummies

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: 13-17 minutes

1 (8-oz) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

2-1/2 slice of American cheese, quartered

10 large hot dogs

cooking spray

mustard

Heat Oven to 375 degrees.

Unroll the crescent dough and separate at perforations to create 4 rectangles.  Press at perforations to seal.

With a knife, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough - this will be the "bandages".

Slice cheese slices into quarters; for the 1/2 slice, cut in half.

Wrap 4 pieces of dough around each hot dog, along with a 1/4 slice of cheese, to look like bandages.  Stretch the dough slightly to completely cover the hot dog.  At about 1/2-inch from one end of the hot dog, separate the "bandages" so the hot dog mummy's face shows through.

Place on a large, ungreased cookie sheet, cheese side down, Coat dough slightly with cooking spray.  Bake 13-17 minutes, or until dough is a light golden brown, and the hot dogs are hot.

Draw a little face for your mummy with mustard.

Serve with ketchup and mustard.  For a meal, also serve with a side of fresh vegetables or fruit (e.g. celery sticks, carrots, pineapple spears, apple...etc).

These are so cute! If you make them, snap some pictures of your creations and share them with us!

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