In Spain there is a growing problem of childhood obesity. An obese child is much more likely to have health problems related to obesity when older than nonobese children. After the excesses of Christmas, this month is a great time to tackle weight problems in children.
We offer some basic tips for those who want to help your child lose weight without losing heart. It is easier for your child lose weight if you are motivated to do so. But even without motivation you. You can help your child lose weight by choosing good healthy food, which gives your child at home, encouraging him to do some exercise regularly. It can also help a lot if you see that the whole family is involved in doing some kind of sport regularly.
It is important to change behavior, which makes your child fattening and not have then, to lose weight, which includes:
Healthy Eating Habit: your child should do 3 balanced meals, INCLUSIVE of breakfast, plus 2 nutritious snacks (mid-morning lunch and snack).
Serve few fatty foods: It is better to prepare grilled food, boiled or steamed or grilled, than fried. Try giving buy lean meat and plenty of vegetables and salads. If you have more appetite and want to repeat, repeat always salad or vegetables.
Desserts: serve fresh fruit for dessert and discourage eating ice cream or cakes or other calories too often. Apply the same rules for the whole family, not just for children with weight problems. All stand to gain in physical and emotional health and academic performance with a healthier diet.
The shopping list: buy products low calorie and low-fat. The snacks, desserts and milk, which are skimmed. Avoid buying desserts and regular cookies, because they have a lot of sugar. The crisps, soda and ice cream can also buy them with less fat.
Food on the Table: Do not let your child eat off the kitchen or table where you usually eat..
Avoid fast food: the maximum limit fast foods because they contain lots of calories and fat.
Limit TV: TV should force you to decide your child 1 to 2 hours per day (this time includes the time to play video games and use the PC). Watching TV encourages eating junk food.
Drink: You should encourage your child to drink 4 to 6 glasses of water between meals, especially before meals. Water has no calories and as it takes away the appetite for full, you eat less. You should also drink skim milk and diet soda (150-170 calories / soda).
The snacks: should be limited to lunch and snack midmorning. So providing things that have low
calories: If you prepare a sandwich, it brown bread and low fat sausage with lettuce and tomato; but can also put juices, dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots, dried figs …). Avoid putting bags of chips, cookies, pastries …
Personal Diary of evolution, to get fit: Help your child keep a diary in your diet (food and beverages) and its evolution is reflected. The time watching TV or playing with video games or doing sport. You can also record the initial weight you had your son and that is losing each week (but avoid weighing every day).