Obesity is a recognized health threat and the rate at which it's increasing---in both America's youth and adult populations---is disturbing. For this reason, several organizations and concerned parties have developed weight-loss camps to begin addressing the obesity problem early in life. In Texas, you can find weight-loss programs to help your child plan for living a healthy, weight-managed life.
Misconceptions
Many people think that youth weight loss programs are synonymous with "fat camps." This is untrue. Fat camps refer to exercise-intense, short-term weight-loss courses. Typically, eating is harshly monitored and restricted and the goal at a fat camp is to drop pounds rapidly. The more modern weight-loss camps take a long-term view. They focus on education---teaching kids how to manage their weight---nutrition and exercise that feels more like fun. Youth weight-loss camps should focus on encouraging children to make a lifestyle change, not simply help them lose pounds quickly.
Food
One of the main sources of weight gain is the amount of calories you put in your body. That's why it's important that the Texas kid's weight-loss camp you select has a concentration on nutrition. Children need to learn how foods affect their bodies and leave camp with the ability to create healthy menu items on their own.
Wellspring Texas offers campers three meals and two snacks per day. There is no starvation or fad dieting in the program. There are restricted foods and unrestricted foods and campers are responsible for tracking and documenting their daily caloric and fat intake. Campers are taught to shop for and prepare some of their favorite foods in low-fat ways and they take several recipes home after camp. Nutritional education is a large part of the food program at Wellspring Texas. Kids go home with an understanding of nutrition and how it affects their weight.
Exercise
A necessary aspect of weight loss is exercise. However, children will struggle to maintain an exercise regimen if it's overly difficult and strenuous or boring and repetitive. It's important that the activities available from a weight-loss camp are appropriate for the child's fitness level, engaging and can be replicated once he leaves the camp.
Texas' Camp Jump Start is a proponent of this fun-based exercise theory. In their four and eight-week programs, campers enjoy an array of activities. Some include sports---softball, soccer, field hockey and basketball---mountain biking, canoeing, self-defense classes, camping skills, aerobics, horseback riding and even, on occasion, playing video games.
Risks
There are several risks to being an overweight child. Some include diabetes, sleep apnea, gallbladder and kidney diseases, predisposition to adulthood obesity and the possibility of gastrointestinal problems throughout life.
There are additional risks for children suffering adverse effects of obesity when they decide to lose the excess pounds at a weight-loss camp. It's important that medical professionals are present on staff. Overweight youth may experience overexertion, strained or injured muscles and other problems when beginning to lose the weight. Following the guidelines and instruction of the staff at the camp is the best way for a kid to avoid injury and lose weight safely.
Texas Weight Loss Camps
Two weight-loss camps in Texas take a holistic approach to losing weight--Wellspring Texas and Camp Jump Start. Both camps focus on the importance of nutritional education and provide children with an array of engaging, calorie-burning exercises on a daily basis. They also offer after-program care, through online sources and follow-up mentoring. This is ideal for children who need a little more encouragement and professional guidance after the program ends. Wellspring Texas also focuses on family involvement and they have a two-day family workshop during the program. They also invite family to visit the weight-loss camp.
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