She Did It! Jean Riordan

It’s a fact: Jean Riordan’s daughter Jackie Hattar has lost 110 pounds since 2007. How did Mom help?

by Abby Ellin

It's a fact:  Jean Riordan's daughter Jackie Hattar has lost 110 pounds since 2007.  Riordan herself never had a weight problem as a child, which is “why I did not catch Jackie's earlier,” says Riordan, who is in her early 40s and lives in Poughkeepsie, NY.   In 2007, Riordan sent Jackie to Camp Shane, a weight loss camp in upstate New York.  While she dropped weight there, the real challenge came once Jackie was back in the real world, at home!  Here’s how Jean helped:

What’s the top food-related change you made in your house?

Having attractive "pre-portioned" servings  of healthy foods available.  Got rid of easy to grab junk food!

What was your biggest challenge?

Preparation instead of succumbing to prepackaged foods.

How did you overcome it?

We cleaned and chopped vegetables and fruits that were in season and placed  them in ziploc bags according to serving sizes.

How can other moms make changes?

Camp Shane! Put your child with other children dealing with the same challenges, and even with some who have  successfully adopted a more fit lifestyle.  Especially for teens, the acceptance from their peers is so compelling.

What’s your favorite healthy recipe?

It's very basic and the teenagers make it themselves.  Fresh vegetables (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower...) sprinkled with seasoning (we love McCormick's "Middle Eastern seasoning") and baked in the oven!

What do you wish someone had told you about healthy eating?

If you cannot identify its origin, do not eat it!

What else would you like to change in your own life or your family’s?

More outdoor activity together!  We have two teenagers and a two-year-old.   The baby loves to take walks in any kind of weather and she touches every leaf and rock and bug.  Her delight has lifted us all off the couch and is healthier than computer and TV time!

What was the most important way you helped your daughter with her weight issues?

I did not give up on her!  I sent her to Camp Shane, a weight loss camp, for three years in a row, at great financial sacrifice to our family.  The camp addressed the physical and emotional challenges of obesity and enabled her to make friends who understood how she felt.  The first year, at age 13, she gained all her weight back when she came home, but even so she learned that it was possible to lose weight! The second year she kept the 40 lbs off all year.  Last year, she kept losing, even after camp ended, and has now lost over 100lbs.  She finally made real lifestyle changes and is so happy and empowered!

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From Fitsmi:  Hear from Jean's daughter Jackie over at Fitsmi.com.  And still thinking about fat camp?  Get the skinny from a former fat camper.

  Published June 1, 2010