How To Help Your Child Lose Weight

It's sad but true that obesity rates among children are on the rise. As childhood obesity rates climb so do the number of children being diagnosed with adult medical problems like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Helping your child lose weight is a wonderful thing to do, but there is a certain way to do so that you don't come across too pushy or negative about them. Instead you want to encourage your child and never, ever put them down.

Always set realistic goals for your child. Depending on how old they are and how overweight they are, it may be a good idea to simply have them maintain their weight rather than have them lose weight. If you child is still young that means that they are still rapidly growing. A big growth spurt may just put them back on the healthy weight range. If your child is morbidly obese, then it is a good idea to have them lose weight and not wait for them to catch up.

Encourage your child to do fun exercises. Buy some fun workout DVDs geared towards children . . Your child can learn some fun and trendy dance moves all the while burning calories and getting fit. Try to incorporate fun activities into their schedule such as riding bikes or going swimming. They may just think they are getting a treat when in fact that are really getting physical exercise to help them lose weight.

If you buy potato chips and donuts, then your child is going to want to eat potato chips and donuts. If you buy healthy and nutritious foods such as fruits, yogurt, and low-fat popcorn for snacks they are going to eat those. Keep the junk food out of the house and there will be no choice for them but to eat healthy food for snacks and meals at home. Also, if they buy lunch, make them start packing a lunch at least 2-3 times a week. This way you know that they are getting a healthy and balanced lunch instead of pizza or snacks from the vending machines. Allow them to buy lunch only when their favorite food is being served or as a special treat. This should be limited to 1-2 times a week.

Be sure that when your family eats, it is at the dinner table and not in front of the television. Make it a priority to eat dinner as a family around the dinner table. When your child eats in front of the television, they may actually consume a lot more food than they would if they were conscience of what they were eating.

Never reward your child with food. Set up little goals and achievements for her such as if she eats a piece of fruit everyday, she gets a small toy or if she is older, maybe a bottle of nail polish or a new shirt. Don't ever reward her with ice cream or cake if she does something good. It will only set her back and make her see food as a reward and not as being something to get nutrients from and supply the body with energy.

Do you best to introduce new exercises such as Shaun T's Fit Kids Club as well as have the whole family start eating better. When your child loses weight, it can help her self-esteem and put her on the right path to a healthy life.