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Motivating and Helping Your Child to Lose Weight

Many people, including children, are overweight. You may already know that overweight adults are susceptible to high cholesterol and diabetes, but did you know that overweight children are at risk also? The first thing you will need to do if you feel your child is overweight is visit the pediatrician. He or she will weigh and measure your child and diagnose whether or not your child has a weight problem. Your child may be diagnosed as overweight during a routine checkup. Your doctor will let you know how many pounds your child needs to lose and possibly even offer a diet and exercise plan that can help.

There are lots of ways you can encourage and assist your child. The first and most important thing is to make exercise and diet a family affair. Your child isn't preparing meals, you are. You have the power to serve healthy, low-fat, low-calorie choices. Go for foods that are baked, steamed or grilled instead of fried foods. Rather than using butter or margarine, try extra virgin olive oil. Serve reduced calorie cheese and salad dressings instead of the full fat varieties. Smart snacking is also important. Pay close attention to what your child is nibbling on throughout the day. Don't allow your child to have things like chips, cakes and cookies. Instead, provide them with healthy snacks like raw fruits, vegetables, pretzel sticks and yogurt.

Some children are picky eaters. They might turn their nose up at these healthy foods, especially if they're not used to eating them. To remedy this issue, make food fun. This might mean adding a blueberry smiley face to whole wheat pancakes, or stuffing a celery stick with fat free cream cheese and raisins. When offering fruits and vegetables, arrange them in a fun way and offer a variety of lowfat dipping sauces.

Exercise is important to weight loss in adults and children alike. Most children enjoy being active, especially if they're having fun. Encourage your child to play sports they like, or play with them. Go for family walks on a regular basis. Buy your child a jump rope and encourage them to use it. You might even want to enroll your child in an exercise class designed for their age, especially if they enjoy being around other children. Even encouraging them to go outside and run around can be enough to melt away those extra pounds.

As mentioned before, it's important to consult with your pediatrician regarding your child's weight. This is because there are some medical conditions that can cause weight gain. Your child's doctor will want to rule these conditions out, or treat them if necessary. They will also want to track your child's weight loss progress over time. You might even be referred to a dietician or nutritionist who will help you devise the ideal diet for your child's individual needs.