How To Help Your Child Lose Weight

According to the Center for Disease Control, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the last 30 years. Kids today are developing Type II diabetes (formally called adult-onset diabetes), high blood pressure, and other cardiovascular related diseases. We should all be alarmed about this.

I would venture to say you had one or two 'husky' classmates when you were growing up. I don't think that's the case in the average classroom today. And this problem is only getting worse.

A new study published in Pediatrics sheds light on helping prepubescent children lose weight. The outcome was no surprise to me. I'm curious if it is to you.

The study took a group of parents and put them through a healthy lifestyle course, or a healthy lifestyle course coupled with a parenting course.

They found that children lost weight in both groups. But what was interesting was there was no significant difference among weight loss with the group receiving both courses vs. the healthy lifestyle-only group.

This means that if you only adjusted your lifestyle and ignored any parenting changes, your child would drop weight.

Does that surprise you? Like I said, it didn't surprise me.

Because that's how kids learn.

Through modeling.

Your eating and exercising habits WILL rub off on your kids. My Mom and Dad's attention and dedication to a healthy diet and their own exercise program rubbed off not just on me, but my three siblings too.

It reminds me of the funny but true anti-drug commercial from the 80's. Remember, the dad asks his son, "Who taught you how to do this stuff?" The kid responds in defense, "You alright! I learned it by watching you!"

Parents who use drugs, have children that use drugs. Parents who don't exercise and eat right, have children that don't exercise and eat right.

Take a good look at yourself and your lifestyle. Are you a good, healthy role model for your child? If your child is overweight or has a bad diet, this question is even more important to ask.

Help yourself first. Become a healthy role model for your child. And you can bet they'll follow you and live a healthy lifestyle.

If you'd like help changing your lifestyle, and thus changing your family's lifestyle please reach out to me. I'm here to help. I hope you do.

To you and your family's health,

Tim Chudy

P.S. If you know you need to do something, but aren't sure what, request our info-pack. Your progress starts with one step. And this can be your first.

P.P.S. My blog post the other week was spot on the minds of more than a few people after a freind passed me an article in the NY Times: Full Service Gyms Feel a Bit Flabby. There ARE reasons why gyms DON'T work for the majority of the population (at least 85% by some surveys). The article also mentions a lady's 50lb weight loss using a personal trainer. There ARE reasons why our personal training system DOES work. It has been proven time and time again.