Good Workout For Preteens To Lose Belly Fat

No matter what age you are, to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recommends kids get 60 minutes or more of physical activity a day. Getting rid of excess belly fat will help your preteen develop healthy habits that can last a lifetime. Keep your child moving and encourage healthy eating to help her lose belly fat.

Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise is a good way for your preteen to lose belly fat. Swimming, running and biking are all effective exercises that burn plenty of calories, speed up metabolic rate and tone the body. Games like tag and jump rope are effective and fun aerobic workouts as well.

Play Time

Get your preteen off the couch and take him to a park. The park is a great place to walk, run and climb. Swings, monkey bars, jungle gyms and balance beams are all effective playground equipment that will allow him to work on his strength and build lean muscle -- muscle burns calories even while your preteen is resting. Also, jogging around the bases of a baseball field for 15 minutes three or four times a week will help him lose belly fat.

Sports

If your child is interested in sports, contact your local community center to get her signed up for her favorite sport. Team sports, like basketball, volleyball, soccer and baseball allow kids to stay moving, socialize with their friends, work on coordination and lose excess weight from the midsection. Gymnastics, dance and martial arts are also physically demanding activities if team sports are not of interest to her.

Family Time

Be a positive role model for your preteen. If he sees you taking care of yourself, he will likely do the same. Get the family together and go for daily bike rides or a jog around the neighborhood. If the park, grocery store or school are in walking distance, walk instead of drive. The more kids move, the more calories they will burn.

Diet

Exercise alone will not help your child lose belly fat if her diet is full of unhealthy high-fat foods. Chips, cookies, doughnuts and candy provide very little nutrition and aid in weight gain. Encourage her to drink eight to 10 glasses of water a day instead of high calorie sugar-filled drinks, like sodas and juices. Provide a diet that contains plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats like chicken, fish and turkey and whole grains such as oatmeal.