Obesity is a big concern for millions of parents around the world. Unhealthy eating habits couples with a sedentary lifestyle can be considered as the main reason why a lot of kids are obese today. Handling obesity in children is not an easy task as well. In addition to encouraging your kid to reduce weight, you would need to ensure that you go about the process in such a way that your kid does not feel physically and mentally stressed out in the process. Here are 6 tips that can prove to be useful for you in this regard.
Do not lash out at them
If you have an obese kid, trust him/her to already have his/her share of problems outside home where people mock him/her for being overweight and ugly. The last thing he/she needs to hear is you saying the same words again. Your kid will most likely turn to you for support at this stage. So instead of lashing out at him/her for being overweight, be kind and considerate. Tell him/her that physical appearance has nothing to do with intellect and it is ok to be a little overweight. Continue by saying that you could possibly help him/her start off with a weight loss routine if needed. This would surely put your kid on the right path to recovery rather than killing his/her self-confidence further.
Don’t focus on being thin, but on eating healthy
Rather than encouraging your kids to lose weight and become thin, encourage them to start eating healthier foods. Replace existing foods with more nutritious choices that would set them on the road to weight loss with minimal hassles.
Start small and slow
There is no way to make your kids lose weight instantly. You can’t force them to change all of their habits at the same time as well. Start slowly, with a few very small changes that they would hardly notice. For instance, you may replace those potato fries with baked potato instead. Or you may choose to replace those chocolate sundaes with fresh vegetable/fruit juices. You may face with some resistance at first. But be patient and give rewards like stickers, toys or special outings whenever your kids take up the challenge.
Get more active
A sedentary lifestyle would no doubt lead to obesity in the long run. Kids today no longer prefer to play outdoors. Rather, they spend time indoors glued to the TV, Playstation, smartphone or tablet. Adopting a more active lifestyle is one of the most important factors needed to treat obesity. So introduce several activities in your daily household routine in addition to opting for outdoor exercises like jumping rope, playing tag, swimming, dancing and playing soccer, etc.
Limit calorie rich treats
You can’t force your kids to give up on their favorite foods all at once. What you can do instead, is limit the amount of high sugar and high fat foods that they eat daily by replacing them with healthier alternatives. For instance, you can choose to replace those pretzels and fries with fresh fruits that would give the same energy and nutrition sans the high calories. A fruit salad containing apples, bananas, grapes and blueberries can do wonders for your kids health and energy levels, and can be a great replacement for those sugar laden treats.
Don’t ban calorie rich foods entirely either
While you may choose to replace calorie rich foods with healthier alternatives, banning these treats altogether can invoke an adverse reaction wherein your kids will pounce on every cookie, candy or cake they come across. So limit the amount of these treats to occasions instead of hiding them away for good.
Obesity continues to be the main concern for many parents with overweight children today. Luckily for them, there are several ways in which they can handle the obese children and encourage the latter to lose weight in a healthy manner.