With the rise of obesity and the increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes occurring in children, many parents are now faced with helping an overweight child. This may not be a daunting as first seems and here are some simple, but effective steps to take to help your child develop eating habits and active lifestyle that will assist improve their health.
Be supportive
? Tell your child that he or she is loved, is special, and is important. Children's feelings about themselves often are based on their parents' feelings about them.
? Accept your child at any weight. Children will be more likely to accept and feel good about themselves when their parents accept them.
? Listen to your child's concerns about his or her weight. Overweight children probably know better than anyone else that they have a weight problem. They need support, understanding, and encouragement from parents.
Encourage healthy eating habits
? Buy and serve more fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, or canned). Let your child choose them at the store.
? Buy fewer soft drinks and high fat/high calorie snack foods like chips, cookies, and candy. These snacks are OK once in a while, but keep healthy snack foods on hand too and offer them to your child more often.
? Eat breakfast every day. Skipping breakfast can leave your child hungry, tired, and looking for less healthy foods later in the day.
? Plan healthy meals and eat together as a family. Eating together at meal times helps children learn to enjoy a variety of foods.
? Eat fast food less often. When you visit a fast food restaurant, try the healthful options offered.
? Offer your child water or low-fat milk more often than fruit juice. Fruit juice is a healthy choice but is high in calories.
? Do not get discouraged if your child will not eat a new food the first time it is served. Some kids will need to have a new food served to them 10 times or more before they will eat it.
? Try not to use food as a reward when encouraging kids to eat. Promising dessert to a child for eating vegetables, for example, sends the message that vegetables are less valuable than dessert. Kids learn to dislike foods they think are less valuable.
? Start with small servings and let your child ask for more if he or she is still hungry. It is up to you to provide your child with healthy meals and snacks, but your child should be allowed to choose how much food he or she will eat.
Healthy snack foods for your child to try:
o Fresh fruit
o Fruit canned in juice or light syrup
o Small amounts of dried fruits such as raisins, apple rings, or apricots
o Fresh vegetables such as baby carrots, cucumber, zucchini, or tomatoes
o Reduced fat cheese or a small amount of peanut butter on whole-wheat crackers
o Low-fat yogurt with fruit
Foods that are small, round, sticky, or hard to chew, such as raisins, whole grapes, hard vegetables, hard chunks of cheese, nuts, seeds, and popcorn can cause choking in children under age 4. You can still prepare some of these foods for young children, for example, by cutting grapes into small pieces and cooking and cutting up vegetables. Always watch your toddler during meals and snacks.
Encourage daily physical activity
Like adults, kids need daily physical activity. Here are some ways to help your child move every day:
? Set a good example. If your children see that you are physically active and have fun, they are more likely to be active and stay active throughout their lives.
? Encourage your child to join a sports team or class, such as soccer, dance, basketball, or gymnastics at school or at your local community or recreation center.
? Be sensitive to your child's needs. If your child feels uncomfortable participating in activities like sports, help him or her find physical activities that are fun and not embarrassing.
? Be active together as a family. Assign active chores such as making the beds, washing the car, or vacuuming. Plan active outings such as a trip to the zoo or a walk through a local park.
? Because his or her body is not ready yet, do not encourage your pre-adolescent child to participate in adult-style physical activity such as long jogs, using an exercise bike or treadmill, or lifting heavy weights. FUN physical activities are best for kids.
? Kids need a total of about 60 minutes of physical activity a day, but this does not have to be all at one time. Short 10- or even 5-minute bouts of activity throughout the day are just as good. If your children are not used to being active, encourage them to start with what they can do and build up to 60 minutes a day.
Kim Beardsmore is a weight loss consultant. Tons of recipes, articles, free ezine, meal plans and resources to help you lose weight through excellence in nutrition. Estimate your healthy weight, free newsletter and more at http://www.weight-loss-health.com.au
recurring maid service Wilmette ..Actually, I was reading about fad diet and suddenly I... Read More
Fat Burners refer to the hundreds of products on the... Read More
When you hear a doctor or a personal trainer say,... Read More
To upgrade the current software in your brain you can... Read More
Are you just exploding with the presence of light all... Read More
According to the American Obesity Association, an astounding 64.5 percent... Read More
As a low carb dieter, you have probably been bombarded... Read More
Fat Loss Tip #1) Train With WeightsWorking out with weights... Read More
Axiom Number One - Nourish your body.Probably the most important... Read More
Have you ever seen an overweight rock climber or yoga... Read More
In theory, if you're starving, exercising less helps conserve energy.... Read More
The revolution is here. Weight Loss as we know it... Read More
Are you considering a low carb diet? If so you... Read More
How's this for a diet: Take in fewer calories than... Read More
Axiom Number Two: Hunger ControlTrying to lose weight without understanding... Read More
Losing weight is a struggle that many of us face... Read More
No matter what the reason, successful weight loss and healthy... Read More
Have you ever received those tempting ads that seem to... Read More
These days, Jennifer Secrist has little interest in idle activities.... Read More
I am Greg Ryan, a high profile fitness expert with... Read More
As a weight loss mentor it never ceases to amaze... Read More
Why Making Small Changes in Your Eating Habits Adds up... Read More
How's the practicing going? Are you spending time each day... Read More
This is a continuation of the article entitled, "Making Diets... Read More
I don't know anything about you but if you're anything... Read More
last minute cleaning help Highland Park ..In this age being ignorant is like committing a crime.... Read More
Healthy living begins with healthy eating and healthy eating begins... Read More
The Atkins diet Plan breakfast can usually composed of eggs... Read More
Recently, I won a family cruise on the Regis and... Read More
Being overweight is no laughing matter. For those who are... Read More
There is only one way to lose weightThere really is... Read More
Recently, I was reading about a diet plan where you... Read More
"Polyols" or sugar alcohols are a number of different carbohydrates... Read More
5 Easy Steps to A Healthier WeightAlthough different people have... Read More
The rediscovery of the wealth of the wonder drug Hoodia... Read More
All Diets Work: No Diets WorkHave you lost weight in... Read More
Why has Phentermine stopped helping me lose weight?Many people are... Read More
Fasting, when done properly, can be a basic part of... Read More
Have you been surfing the web trying to find a... Read More
Ever thought of, known someone, or gone on a diet?... Read More
Fifteen Secrets of Safe and Easy Permanent Weight Loss Revealed!*... Read More
Gastric bypass surgeries are temporary physical fixes to a long... Read More
Want to shed that beer belly? Why not try the... Read More
Your Non-Conscious Mind is 98% of your full power.Your Inner... Read More
Now that the temptations of the Holiday season have passed... Read More
Changing habits is one of the most difficult challanges we... Read More
Dieting presents many complications if you are not fully committed... Read More
New studies suggested once again that citric fruits including oranges,... Read More
There are many factors that cause us to increase body... Read More
Sharing our bariatric stories is as personal decision as electing... Read More
Weight Loss |