Successful Weight Loss in Teens
Monday February 18, 2008
Participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity and limiting time in front of the television are some of the keys to successful weight loss in teens, reported HULIQ.com. So basically good nutrition and an active lifestyle will keep teens from gaining weight and it’s good reason to limit your teen’s television time. Obesity is becoming a problem for today’s kid, we parents really need to step up and help our teens realize that a healthy lifestyle is important. What do you think?
Comments
In regards to the parents roll in prevention of obesity in our children: this has been a topic that I take very seriously, and it starts from when our kids are small, not when they are teens/ young adults. I believe more needs to be done to make parents more responsible for the health and nutrition of our kids. I will go as far as to say I believe it to be a form of abuse to let your child become obese! We are the ones providing the food, the telivision etc, so we are the ones in control. Aside from the health issues that come with being overweight our children are subject to isolation and ridicule from peers which can lead to depression. Children don’t know any better, but we as adults should, and if you don’t please get some education on nutrition and exercise. Fat Free, and Low Cal doesn’t mean that they are good for you…A healthly lifestyle should be afamily affair, and it is never to late to start!
MLE
I have to pretty much agree with MLE. I’ve been on this train with my children since they were BORN. Morbid Obesity, Diabetes, heart disease, lupis, and fibromyalgia all run in our families…and are all contributed to by uncontrolled eating habits and sedentary lifestyle.
My kids have had high protein, high grain, veggie and fruit nutrition explained and illustrated to them since they were little. They still as teenagers eat more sugar, sugared pop, and junk food than I would like and fewer vegetables…but they are both average weight and tall and look just fine.
We try to make them aware of the trade offs they make at meals or snacks…those potatoes mean you really shouldn’t eat the bread too, or if you are still hungry, fill in with veggies.
I’ve been appalled many times by the amount of packaged and processed sugar and additives I see going to lunch with my kids’ friends when I occasionally join them for lunch.
It seems that most parents don’t understand that corn syrup, fructose, and sucrose are just other names for sugars! And they obviously are blank on the fact that corn starch, and flour are processed carbs….forget the potato chips…How many of the foods they send with their children have corn syrup or corn starch?
My kids are learning to read labels and are WELL aware that if they let their fitness go…their lives may turn into the physical challenges that their grandparents’ their dad, and mine have. So they’re not perfect, but they have been shown and told the consequences of their actions.
I have taught all of my kids (5) the proper way to be healthy. Some get it, some don’t. How can I be with them all every single day and make their choices for them? I have to provide food for them, and they choose how much of it they will eat. I don’t buy pop and twinkies, hardly ever potato chips, but they get this stuff AT SCHOOL.
I welcome comments, but take it easy because I’m a single parent (their father is deceased for almost 8 years). Life was much easier from your side of the blog.
Melissa; first and foremost I am very sorry for your loss. I too was a single mom for the first 7 years of my daughters life, not to mention I was a teen parent. It is great that you don’t buy garbage food, but portion control is also very important. I understand the battle of what they chose to eat when they aren’t with you, but who is providing them with the money for the food at school? I know my daughter makes the right choices at school, or she takes something from home. She will even share her healthy eating habit with her friends. But she is a teenager and does occasionally have junk food. But she also knows that in order to stay on top of her game in the sports that she plays, nutrition plays a big roll. Keep up the good work, It is hard with one, I cannot even fathem five! I give you a lot of respect!
MLE
Sandra; great article. I commend you on your dedication to breaking the cycle.
MLE
I have 2 kids. My 8 yrd-old is the best eater in the world and has not one inch of body fat. My 13 yr old eats only carbs and is beginning to show it. I have gently tried to talk with her about the weight she is gaining, but have been completely rebuffed. How can I best approach this tricky conversation without hurt feelings?
Hi Helen,
By saying that your 13 year old eats all carbs and is gaining weight, I gather that she is eating alot of refined carbs, eg white bread, pasta,etc. I agree that this is a touchy subject with a 13 yr old girl, my daughter is also thirteen. Is your daughter active in sports/exercising? Staying active is very important at this age (or any age for that matter). Switching to whole grains and multi grain products might be a good start, without getting into to much detail you should look for food/snacks that have 1.5-2% fiber per 10 grams of carbs, as little to no sugar if possible and organic if avail. There are a lot of foods that claim to be healthy that say low carb or low fat but load up on the sugar & sodium and have a ton of preservatives. It is also important to keep a good balance of protien and carbs.(Consult a nutritionist to find what is best)
By making these types of foods available to your daughter you are helping her make better choices for herself. If she is not active maybe the two of you can start some sort of exercise regimen together.eg; walks in the evening, bike rides on the weekends, tennis. I am not sure where you live and what type of weather, but these are just some of the things I have done with my own daughter. Walks are great because not only are you exercising but you have the oportunity to talk to eachother, wich at times it seems almost impossible at 13! Good Luck!
MLE