Children and teens that are overweight suffer because daily they have to deal
with rejection and being made fun of by their peers and people who stare. Obese
children find it difficult to participate in athletic activities or other
school or community sponsored events. What has happened is that these kids are
victims of our fast-food, supersized world with no physical activity
and are also addicted to computer games. Did you know that there are a growing
number of teens who are overweight (who need to lose fat)
who's only friends are computer generated?
If you have a young child who is overweight or needs to lose 10 pounds then the
onus is on you as the parent to begin making the necessary changes in their
life so they will lose weight
and not risk chronic illness as they get older. You can begin making changes by
purchasing and preparing wholesome natural foods and teaching them about making
healthy food
choices.
If you have pre-teens and teens you
will need to talk to them about what healthy food choices
are and how the body digests and assimilates foods, that exercise is good for
both body and their mental health. Be available to listen to them when they
come to you for help or support and try to do this without stressing the fact
that they are overweight. It is important to be supportive of your children and
help them do what is necessary to become healthier. The internet is a great
resource for children and teen websites that have online support groups,
encouraging stories and a great way to develop friendships with real people
experiencing the same things as they are. I believe that the most important
thing you can do for your children is set an example and live a healthy
lifestyle yourself.
You may need some outside support
also. As a family, go to see your doctor or health-care practitioner where you
can get a BMI chart for children and teens and talk about losing weight / weight loss
programs.
regular exercise program for your
child/teen is an important part of any weight loss
program. So when ever possible get them involved in
organizing family outings like biking, hiking, swimming, skating, tennis or any
type of family activity that gets the body moving. Another very important thing
you want to do is set up some type of reward system that doesn't involve food;
for a young teenage girl a mini spa day to get a pedicure or her hair styled,
for your son, a new accessory for his bike a new soccer ball. It is important
to allow your child or teen to slip up, we all do, so don't make a big deal,
just encourage them not to give up, simply begin fresh tomorrow.
Well here's the next
step. If you enjoyed this article, here's something else you can do. Check out
the FREE sneak preview of The MindBody FX Lifestyle book and Consumer's Guide @
MindBodyFX.com
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