How to achieve healthy Weight loss in Children
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How to Achieve Healthy Weight Loss in Children
Obesity and overweight in children is making headlines and many stories make frightening reading. Definitely, weight loss for children is a very sensitive subject, but one that is very important, as many of overweight kids will grow up into obese and overweight adults, with higher risk to life threatening and limiting diseases leading to reduction in their life expectancy.
Today kids live a sedentary lifestyle. Aside from sensible food choices, another step that can help them with weight loss is to get them away from TV, computers and video games. So, what can be done to encourage our kids to be active in life so that they can achieve weight loss?
First, it is necessary for the parents to handle the subject of weight loss in their kids with all care. After all, kids are still growing and need a nutritious diet with fine balance of nutrients to ensure that they grow as healthy kids. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss any weight loss diet with dietician or physician. There is no use of avoiding one set of illnesses, if we follow conditions that encourage another set of illnesses, in this case, the ones based on the nutritional deficiency.
While it is not possible for parents to control everything that their child eats, but they can at least help them in developing healthy eating habits, by telling them the significance of nutrition, and providing them nutritious and tasty food at home. These may include treats, so the kids don’t feel that they are not getting the foods that are being enjoyed by their parents.
Your dietician or doctor can inform you of the calories required by a growing child and would also recommend the exercises that are appropriate for your kids to lose weight. Parents should opt for exercises that the entire family can do together, making it a sort of fun activity for the sake of weight loss for children. Exercises should become a part of daily routine in a house. They should be done in such a way that child enjoys it and does not see it as a task. You can make your kids move, by going for a daily family walk, perhaps with your family dog.
You can help your kids in achieving weight loss in less painful way by helping them in making sensible food choices. Today many kids love eating fast food at least few times a week as they feel it is a part of their lifestyle. Unfortunately, these foods are loaded with calories and fat. In addition, when kids get addicted to eating these highly salty and flavored foods, they are most likely to reject bland vegetables or grilled chicken.Weight loss for children is possible if you can taper their fast food one a week and then gradually work towards limiting such treats to one a month.
You should avoid being over-strict with either exercise or diet routines as this can have detrimental effect on your kids. So, be careful and introduce new ideas in a gradual way and involve your kids in planning and decision making to get the desired results in a much easier and faster way.