With the number of obese children in this country continually on the rise, it is more important than ever to pay attention to what your child is eating. Children have also become more sedentary as their favorite types of entertainment have switched from active play to video games.
If you have an overweight child, it is up to you to help him lose weight so that he will be healthier now and as an adult. The eating habits that are developed as a child will carry over into adulthood, so it is important to get him into the habit of eating right while he is still young. Here are 10 tips that will help you guide an overweight child to lose weight and be healthy.
o Set a great example by eating healthy food, and working out yourself. It is much easier to promote healthy eating and fitness when you are actually practicing good habits yourself.
o Stress the importance of good health, and eating correctly, rather than focusing on a number on the scale or a size.
o Visit the doctor for a checkup, especially if your child seems to be craving sweets, urinating frequently at night or frequently during the day, has blurred vision, or unexplained fatigue. Along with the increase in obesity, juvenile diabetes is on the rise as well as an increasing number of children who are developing adult onset diabetes.
o Fast food is one of the biggest problems for obese children. Portion sizes are overly large, and the food is packed with fat and sugar. Even if you have to cook ahead of time and freeze the meals, avoid the drive thru window.
o Always have fresh fruits and vegetables available for kids to snack on. One of the healthiest ways for an overweight child to lose weight is to increase the nutritious, high fiber foods that they need for healthy digestion and for their vitamin requirements. Variety is the key to getting everything they need. This will also supply antioxidants which will boost their immune system.
o Can't seem to get them moving? Start by incorporating some sort of outdoor activity for fifteen minutes every day. It can be shooting baskets, passing a football, or swimming if that is an option. Once they get into the habit, you will likely find them doing it for longer periods of time without having to prompt them. It's all a matter of finding the activity that they enjoy enough to put the effort into. A new bike, scooter, or pair of skates can go a long way towards encouraging healthy outdoor play.
o Start with a good, hot breakfast. Kids who skip breakfast or eat sugary toaster pastries can't function as well and they will be starving early in the day. This leads to more unhealthy snacking when their sugar level drops.
o Don't expect them to give up sweets completely. There is nothing wrong with having a small dessert after they have eaten a healthy dinner, just not in place of it.
o Focus on things you know your child likes and that are good food choices. Make them available so that he chooses them in place of foods that will contribute to the problem.
o Don't reward with food-instead choose fun activities, small incentives like stickers or other non-food rewards.
Make changes your child's diet one meal at a time and try to get him moving by going on family adventures that require getting outside and walking. Working together is the best way to help your overweight child get healthy, and stay that way.
Denise Sanger is the owner of NewCoolToysOnline.com which features a fantastic selection of outdoor toys and outdoor play toys for kids of all ages including toddler outdoor toys. The company is located in sunny Florida and may be reached at 877-950-7665. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Denise_Sanger |
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