How to Help and Empower an Overweight Child
Recognizing a weight problem in your child can be hard for some parents. You may see your child as perfect and not realize they have a problem. Or you may think they’re still carrying around baby fat and will grow out of their chubby stature. But most overweight children become overweight adults. But obesity is a major problem in many countries. So it is important to get a handle on your child’s health early on and get them excited about getting healthy. So here are five ways to help empower your child to lose weight and get healthy.
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No Shame
Shaming someone over their weight rarely works. In fact, it is more likely to make them put on weight when they are shamed. And even if this bullying tactic does inspire your child to take off the extra inches, it will demolish their self-esteem in the process. Low self-esteem follows children into adulthood and has only a tiny connection to their actual weight. So a bullied child will not be able to enjoy their weight loss as much as an encouraged one because they will still feel badly about who they are and how they look.
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Focus on Fitness
Fitness is a big part of maintaining a healthy weight. While diet is the most important part of a healthy lifestyle, exercise will keep your heart and muscles healthy. Keep the focus on being active and building muscles, and cardiovascular strength and stamina, instead of losing fat. Building strong muscles will actually raise your child’s resting metabolism and make losing weight easier and faster than dieting alone.
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Make it Fun
Shedding pounds can be tedious, time consuming, and uncomfortable. It is important to make both diet and exercise fun in order to keep your kid interested in it. Make new and interesting healthy recipes with your child, not only to get them to eat well but to teach them to cook healthy later in life. Find a fun activity they enjoy and want to participate in. This might be a team, individual or contact sport. There are free or low cost activity centers in most cities that will give your kid some good options to get moving.
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Join the Club
Many children with weight issues are raised in households and families where obesity and unhealthy living is normal and accepted. When a kid grows up in house that hordes junk food and rejects exercise, they will quickly inherit those habits. Children can only eat what you buy them, so buy things that are good for them. Older kids can make their own choices, so model better choices for them.
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Reward the Work
Give your kid a goal. Reaching a target weight or clothing size, or fitness goals like strength and stamina accomplishments are great ways to track progress. Small incremental rewards can encourage continued progress, and then milestone should trigger bigger celebrations. Help your kid feel proud of the work they put in, not just the target they reach. You want to teach your child to appreciate the journey, not just the destination.
Keeping your kids healthy is one of a parent’s main responsibilities. Teach your children to care for themselves and their bodies as young as possible. It may be hard at first, but it will help them live longer happier lives in the end and you just might get something out of it, too.
