How to Help Your Child Manage Their Weight

Steps

1. Show your child the problems obesity can cause and how obesity can escalate using movies, pictures, and websites.
2. Teach your child to eat healthy. It is ok to have treats now and then but it needs to be moderated. Don't over-control your child or they will just eat when you are not home, and binge-eating is even worse. Print out a food pyramid and put it on the fridge. Help them plan out snacks for when you are not around, and make sure you serve healthy food. Don't try fad diets, or any diet that limits the food groups you can eat. You should eat a balanced diet and get plenty of exercise.
3. Help your child find a way to get exercise. Enroll them in a team sport to help them get motivated, and make sure they stick with it. Help them practice when you can so they don't give up. If they REALLY hate it after trying it for a month or more, let them quit as long as they try a new sport.
4. If you've tried many team sports and they still don't like any, try individual sports (See the Article below, Enjoy getting Exercise).
5. Keep them busy. Explain to your child that eating is not a hobby, and you should only eat when you are actually hungry.
6. Teach them to cook healthy.
7. Do active things together as a family, such as going hiking together.
8. Have them always carry a water bottle and drink as much as possible, refilling it at least 2-3 times a day.
9. Have them make a list of their favorite junk food. They can have a limited amount per day- this will help keep them motivated.
10. Buy them new clothes whenever they lose weight, especially for a girl, and get them a full length mirror. This will help their self-esteem and motivation.

Tips

• Use rewards when they have a healthy day, or lose weight. Rewards should be non-food items, and promote exercise if you can, such as a new bike, kite, trampoline, etc.

Warnings

• Don't tell them they are "fat." Just use terms such as unhealthy.
• Make sure they don't develop eating disorders.
• If you can't help their self-esteem, have them see a psychiatrist or counselor. Never let them lose hope or become depressed.
• Don't talk about them behind their back, or point them out to others.

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