Kids have a lot of energy, but many kids aren't given enough opportunities to be active. If your family doctor has determined that your kids should lose a few pounds, chances are he won't recommend a calorie-busting diet that you've read about in your fitness magazine. Because kids are still developing, they need to eat a variety of nutritious foods to support their growth. However, if you offer them the right support, they will lose weight without ever needing to cut carbs or step on a treadmill.
Step 1
Turn off the TV. Screen watching habits are more closely associated with a child's overweight risk than diet, according to a 2006 study by the Center for Human Growth and Development and Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases at the University of Michigan. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children only watch about two hours of quality TV daily, it found that children watch an average of three hours of TV per day.
Step 2
Prepare healthful meals for the family. Take the kids shopping and let them choose nutritious food, such as dairy products, fruits and vegetables, protein-rich foods such as meat and beans, and whole-grain cereals and breads, according to the Nemours Foundation. Eating a wholesome breakfast each day, drinking fewer sugary beverages and eating five servings of fruits and vegetables each day can help kids lose weight, according to Nemours.
Step 3
Cook and eat dinner together. Kids will be less likely to shirk the idea of eating a healthful stir-fry if they've selected the vegetables and helped throw them into the pan. Regularly eating dinner together also improves families' meal bonding experiences and increases their chances of eating healthful food, according to research by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.
Step 4
Exercise together. Exercise won't seem like a chore if it is a way of life for your family. Taking the stairs instead of the escalator, biking to work or school, walking the dog together after dinner and going on active family outings, such as hiking trips, will encourage your kids to adopt a healthful lifestyle regardless of whether you're around.
Step 5
Sign them up for activities. School or community sports teams will keep your kids active and teach them the merits of working together. But not all kids thrive under some of the pressures of organized sports. Ask your kids whether they would prefer to participate in individual activities such as swimming or horseback riding.
Step 6
Buy them active toys. They will be more likely to participate in active play if they have easy access to a variety of balls, bikes, jump ropes, pool toys and even motion-sensor sports or dancing-oriented video games.
Things You'll Need
- Active toys such as jump ropes and balls
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Dairy
- Whole grains
- Lean protein
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