Tag Archives: childhood obesity

You can do more for your overweight teen by closing your mouth than trying to control what they put into theirs

It’s heartbreaking to have an overweight teen. It doesn’t matter if it’s a girl or boy, you know that weight is a major reason why your child is unhappy. Let’s not pretend that an overweight teen doesn’t make the parents unhappy too. As a parent you’re concerned about how your teen’s weight affects friendships and […]

Give your overweight child dessert

If you want to make sweet, high-calorie foods the stuff that cravings are made of, just forbid your child to eat them. “In this house we only eat healthy food.” Great, so the kid learns, “all I need to do is get out this house where they can’t see me and then I can eat […]

Why do I gain so fast and lose so slow

“Why do I gain so fast and lose so slow?” I get that question all the time. Frustrated folks looking to lose some weight and hoping to improve their health express their wish that they could lose weight as quickly as they gain it. There’s a standard reply to that question, but it’s not really […]

How can Dad help his daughters to maintain healthy weights?

Is helping female children maintain healthy habits and a healthy self-image and a healthy weight is the mother’s job? There’s no denying that mothers are important when it comes to daughters’ health, habits, and self-esteem, but her efforts can either be reinforced or undone by the father. Parents can do a great job role modeling healthy eating […]

Yesterday I ate too much and I’m paying the price

Yesterday was a nothing-special day. It wasn’t a holiday; I wasn’t invited to a party. It was a plain, old day and I don’t have a good reason for eating as much as I did. Worse than eating too much without a good reason, I ate too much stuff that didn’t even taste all that […]

Ending childhood obesity and what isn’t working

If a child is overweight, the last thing you want is to encourage his love of food, right? Food is the enemy, isn’t it? That prevailing belief couldn’t be more misguided.    Some experts and parents think the way to address the problem is by using approaches that are failing to manage adult obesity – restrictive, calorie-reduced diets […]

3 Things you should never say to an overweight child

#1. “You have to be careful or you’ll end up just like (fill in the blank – an obese family member.)” Every time you speak to a child you’re giving them information they’ll use to create their self-identity. You don’t want to unintentionally help them to create a negative self-identity. Winding up obese like “Auntie […]

Surprising way to feed your sugar fiend

How can sugar fiends be turned into healthy eaters? The strategy that works will surprise you. Get ready to have your mind blown! Everything you thought you knew about feeding kids, especially overweight or obese children is about to be exploded! Let’s start with a general observation. Overweight children are particularly challenging to feed. They […]

Don’t send your overweight child to an adult-based weight loss group

Overweight kids are kids! They are not overweight, tiny adults. It’s a mistake to treat them as though they were tiny, overweight adults. It’s a mistake, but that doesn’t stop parents and even some childhood obesity experts from treating them that way. It’s not uncommon for parents of fat children to feel confused, overwhelmed and unsupported. It’s […]