Advise on Helping My 7 Yr. Old Start Losing Weight Any Tips

Do you have a dog? Maybe the two of you can walk the dog every night? Everyone benefits-including dog, and the two of you have quality time together.

No dog- maybe a neighbor needs his/her dog walked. Maybe can start business, and he would never look at it as an exercise program. Remember the 10,000 steps.

Good luck!

Cook healthy recipes together. Put as much time into cooking and the enjoyment of being together as the enjoyment of eating! I know it sounds like a simple solution in a challenging issue, but it could be a good start. Kids love having a part in the food they eat, especially when they get to see where fresh fruits and veggies grow and then creating dishes with it! Good luck!!!-www.weelicious.com

I am going thru this with my 4 year old. We are just trying to not have any junk food in the house. If you don't have it, you don't have to say no. Also, just try to avoid eating out at all costs and cooking with extra fats such as butter and cheese. Good luck, it's tough but definitely worth it. At least with a 7 year old you have more options for sports to enroll him in, does he like karate?

Join a sport. It would be cool if you could do it together, something like Karate or a swim club. If not, find a team or class and sign the boy up. If he is lukewarm about it, ask his friends' moms what sport their kids are in so he can have a friend on the team.

Of course, you need to eat right... switching to whole grain carbohydrates is a good start. (and I mean ALL carbohydrates - whole wheat pasta, brown rice, 100% whole grain bread, fruit instead of sugar and cut out all candy/cookies/cupcakes, etc). See how many veggies you can slide into meals. If you fill up on veggies, you won't have room for cookies!!

Good luck to you. It is a bit of a transition at first, but I'm sure you will embrace it once you start the ball rolling. Read about your health and nutrition in as many places as you can. That will help.

When I started planning school lunch and snacks for my son, I started to pay attention with the kind of food I wanted him to eat for his LIFE, not just to slim down. Snacks are the hardest, because so much is marketed toward convenience with pre-packaged, full of sugar snacks. For his lunch and snacks, I try to have each of the following healthy groups present: 1) something high in fiber (whole grain crackers or toast, a vegetable or fruit with the peel on) 2) a protein (hummus, a little portion of cheese, edamame, shredded chicken, etc) 3) a fruit to boost immediate blood sugar levels, and satiate that craving for something sweet.
My kid actually eats this food, and he's pretty picky. Also, knowing that I want him to eat this way, I've started to eat this way too, and it's benefited our whole family. To phase in this lifestyle, continue to use the foods he's familiar with, just in very small portions. i.e. 1/4 of his plate should be his favorite food (in our case, it's high-starchy foods like pasta). The rest of the plate should be high-flavor "fresh foods" like veggies, fruit, whole grains, etc. Be sure to monitor portion sizes! Also, remember that fresh fruits and veggies are the ultimate convenience grab-n-go foods that require no prep time.

Here are a few ideas for kid-friendly snacks that I've used:
1) caprese salad on a stick: cherry tomatoes and little pieces of mozarella string cheese on a stick
2) Hummus on whole wheat toast
3) a small portion of whole wheat pasta with veggies and a tiny sprinkle of cheese
4) chicken quesadilla (go easy on the cheese) with a whole wheat tortilla with a little salsa
5) sugar snap peas with ranch dip
6) whole wheat crackers and salsa
7) fruit with low-fat yogurt
8) any kind of fruit 2 clementine oranges, or an apple, or a banana, or 1 c. strawberries, 2 kiwis, some cut up starfruit, etc.
9) red pepper, cucumber slices, etc. with hummus dip
10) carrots, celery and peanut butter
11) whole wheat toast and string cheese

I hope this helps! One thing I read in a book, is to change your mindset about this change. Don't think of it as "going on a diet" think about it as "This is our family's new cuisine". It should be a lifestyle, not just a temporary fix. Also, it takes 2x as long to take off the weight put on. So have realistic expectations about taking the weight off that your son has accummulated. If 40 pounds came on in a year, plan to implement these changes and watch the weight come off over the course of the next 2 years. It should be gradual, and be due to a lifestyle change.

well losing weight i would say is 80% diet...can u get him involved in some exercise program or go for hikes with him? get him out and about and lay low on dairy..only have carbs once a day..mix things up.. go bike riding with him...get active...even yoga class could be fun..they have a place on Mission in South Pasadena that has yoga for kids while u do yoga in another room ..good luck

D.

When my son who is now 11 turned 9 he suddenly started to gain weight even though is plays both basketball and football year round.

For football he has to lose 10 to 15 pounds each year in order to play with kids his age because he is naturally heavier.

I lost 25 pounds on weight watchers over a year ago and now I go back on plan with him for a month or so to help him lose the football weight.

WW is having a one month free special right now for online membership. Join now and you can just have him eat what you eat. It really works, 2 to 3 pounds a week without starvation and pain. It also helps to develop the ability to make good food choices for your son.

Good Luck.

Hi K.,
I'm not a doctor, but I do have some advise for you.
Exercise for your son. Plus, anything you can cut out of his meals such as ketchup. Things like that add more calories then you think. Mustard has very little calories. Maybe you can start replacing those little things with lower fat/calorie dips. Just cutting back portions can make a huge difference. I always boil broccoli and cauliflower in chicken broth. It actually works because my daughter will not eat those veggies unless I cook them that way. It brings a lot of flavor to it.
If you think about it, a child's stomach is very small, probably smaller then your fist, (well, it's supposed to be)
And a 7 year old child doesn't need much. If he asks for seconds, don't give it to him unless it is veggies or fruit.
Also, maybe you can let him snack more often between meals on healthy foods only. If you are going to feed a high calorie/fat food, do it for lunch and then he can "work" it off during the day. If he is obese, then he is absolutely eating to much food. Cut him back on everything, and I know you will see him start to lose weight. (as long as he is getting exercise) Try walking with him everyday if you can, maybe just around the block.
This may be toughest thing you will ever have to do, but you must be consistant and don't ever back down from what you tell him.
I'm sure you will get excellent advise from other moms!
Good luck to you and your family!

Hi K.,

When my oldest son, now 15, was in the 3rd grade his weight when through the roof, too. Three pant sizes up in one school year! It took my husband and I a while, but this is how we got it under control (and we're still working on it).

First, severely limit "electronic" time to a few hours on the weekends. For example, gameboys, Wii, Xbox, television, computer, cell phone games must all be limited to a few hours on the weekends. These things act like anchors and limit movement. (Yes, I know some Wii games are very physical, but you get the point.)

Next, encourage your youngster to play outside. Bike riding, scooter, trampoline, street football, basketball in the drive way are all fun things for little guys to do, if you feel your son will be safe enough playing outside. With the limited electronic time, "go out and play" will take on a whole new meaning.

After that, build physical movement into your routine. This summer, my son and I decided to start walking our dogs morning and evening. I needed to walk as part of a surgery recovery, the dogs needed walking, so we put it all together. Every day but Sunday, we're up and walking the dogs for a good 15-20 minutes. Is there a school nearby with a track? Try intervals...walk the straights sides, jog the curves. Increase the number of laps as you and your son feel comfortable. These morning and evening walks have turned in to great one-on-one time for my husband and I to spend with either of our sons and with each other...and we're all in motion together.

If outdoor safety is a concern for you, and you have the space, try a second hand sporting goods store for a treadmill (or a new one, if you can afford it).

Some elementary schools have set up voluntary jogging programs during recess to get kids up and moving. For example, my son's elementary school would give away little prizes (erasers, pencils, shoe charms, etc.) for kids who had run/walked "superlaps" around the school field. Perhaps you could start such a program at your son's school to encourage healthy movement.

Last but not least, rework his diet. After my son's weight ballooned, we stopped keeping foods like chips, cookies, sweets, even ice cream, in the house. If my sons wanted to snack, they could get fruits and veggies from the 'fridge. Baby carrots, apples, bananas, pears...these are all normal snacks in my house. Try to limit fast food, both at home and out, as well as soda pop. Last but not least, encourage your son to drink more water. We often mistake thirst for hunger.

Is my eldest perfectly skinny now? No, he is not. But as he puts on his height, we see him slimming down. These changes have been lifelong changes for our family. I know they work because my younger son avoided the weight gain because we had instituted these changes. My son will likely always struggle with his weight since our mutual favorite activities are reading and watching movies. But, we walk together, do our pushups and crunches together and I invovle him in physical activities whenever I can. He's not an athletic guy, so we make it happen at home.

Whatever you do, don't make him feel bad about his weight. Poor self-image is just as destructive to guys as it is for girls. Avoid comments like my mom said about my son, "I just don't understand why the girls flock to your son with that spare tire hanging around his middle!" I told her it was because he was charming and made them laugh. Her response, "Hmmmm...I just don't get it. It's not like he's buff or anything." Obviously, my mom and I disagree on what women find attractive in a man, but those sorts of comments really hurt my son.

Sorry this is so long. Good luck!

I don't know the answer, but you should read "Fat Nation" and similar books. HFCS seems to be a possibility for what is a national problem. Try Mexican coke and you will see how much less fills you up. Also diet soda seems to be deadly for your appitite. We were recently in Canada and they are thinner, but even they are getting a bit heavier.
I would love to learn how you do solve this problem. Your are not alone. What about a support group?
B. v. O.

There is a book called Trim Kids which you can get from Amazon - I couldn't get it in any local book stores. It is a 12 week program and has great success. The diets and exercises are targetted for different weights and it is safe for younger kids.

I just wanted to say I understand it is hard with the busy lives we all lead. I would recommend getting him into some kind of sport. Don't make it a chore to lose weight. There are a couple small books that we have used that are great they are called Eat this not that. They make one for eating out at restaurants even fast food and one for the grocery store they give you better choices of what you want instead of what you can't eat. Try to slowly one meal at a time switch things so it doesn't seem like he is on a diet. Just start helping him & yourself make better food choices. If you want dessert how about walking or riding your bikes to the ice cream store. The trick is eat the right food and try and get moving don't put him on a "diet". I know for myself as soon as you say I can't have something thats exactly what I want. Good luck!!!

Less time playing video games, computer, TV, etc. & more time outside playing. Get out & play with him :) Increase his cardio & along with your meal planning you will both have fun with each other & get healthy

Cut out all OJ. It's not as healthy or good for people (especially) children according to Obesity expert Dr. Robert Lustig (he's a pediatric endocrinologist). Do a google search for him and you'll read his interviews and research. He works with children now.

http://www.ucsf.edu/science-cafe/articles/obesity-and-met...

He says because juices have no fiber (fiber is removed) it's ALL sugar and it inflames the liver (makes it fatty). I attended a free seminar of his in my community a few years ago.

His advice is to cut out ALL High Fructose Corn Syrup and OJ (any juice where pulp/fiber is removed).

Give your son more WHOLE fruits (fiber is very healthy and necessary) and vegetables if you can. Milk or Water is fine (I think). But Juice and obviously soda, is a big no-no.

My kids do drink OJ sometimes (they love it - roll eyes) but they are very slim. When I cut out OJ out of my diet a few years ago (and ate a high fiber cereal for bkfast with non-fat milk), I lost weight.

You can have you 7 yr old lose weight without her knowing she's on a diet. You may cause issues if you make her think she's fat.. Shes too young to understand and she would make judgements wrongly.
The food you buy, the meals you serve, the snacks available. It is ALL in YOUR hands, she doesnt cook the food or buy the snacks.

Wendy

Hi K.,

What you are dealing with is an all to common problem. About 1/3 of all children are now obese, according to the Surgeon General.

I love that you say you will loose weight with him. You are such a good mom, both for loosing your extra weight and for helping him lean out. At his age, please focus on calling it anything but a diet. It´s the "run faster" plan or what ever his goal is plan :-)

Having studied nutrition for years, I highly recommend Dr. Sears L.E.A.N. programs. (LEAN stands for Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitude, Nutrition).
http://www.drsearslean.com/
They have coaches who can help you (a 3-6 week program for about $75) and you family change your habits through "traffic light" eating, and fun games (read exercise) :-)
I tried it, and I thought it was great fun.

I wish you the best of luck!

Are you looking to vent or are you looking for an answer?

K., as there are specific guidelines to repsonses so I will quote you what some of my clients have said:

Kim D, mom of 3 (8,10 and 15)
"B., not only did I lose 31 pounds, my 15 year old toned up, my youngest has NO MORE SICK days and my 10 year old, well he grew 2 inches and lost 15 pounds! Your nutritional program is the ONLY thing we changed!"

Ang T, mom of 2
"WOW! I have tried everything, so I thought. We were eating healthy. We were an active family. But when you taught me about how to buy the RIGHT food, what was really in the foods I was feeding my kids WOW everything changed. Behaviours changed - for the better- my relationship with my kids changed. My moods were lighter. We like each other more AND now you have showed us how to use our grocery bill as an investment in our financial future. WOW. We are so blessed you came into our lives! Thank you B."

Heather, Mom of 1
B., I am writing this because I want you to know how much what you have taught us has changed our lives. Emily has been overweight her entire life. I am not sure what I did, but I know I did something wrong. When I met you I was desperate. You made our lives so simple. You helped us in ways you don't even know. I want to share what happened tonight. Emily had a bath. She got out without calling me up to help. I wondered why she didn't call me, she ALWAYS called me to wash her back. You see, the folds in her skin on her back were unreachable to her. She could not clean them. So I always had to come in and wash her back. She came downstairs crying. I was scared...why was she crying, why would my 9 year old be crying...She looked at me and said "I washed my own back mama". When I looked at her back...the folds were gone. My baby's folds were gone. We both cried. B., I can only say Thank you."

K., the choice is yours. You can try and do it on lyour own, or you can get help. This is what I do, I help. There is no chage for the advice.

B.
Family Wellness Coach

First thing is to make sure he is active and not just inside playing video games. Even just 30 minutes a day is a great start...maybe walks with him around the neighborhood or bike riding...especially at that age they love to do those kinds of things. Maybe make it a family thing where everyone in the house does it together. Makes it more enjoyable than telling him to just go outside and play. If you know what I mean.... LOL

I learned with my step daughter, and it was the easiest thing to do. Besides having the healthier snacks, I learned to make the portions on her plate smaller so when she got up to get a second plate, she was really just getting the 1 full serving. Her mind thought she was getting seconds, but in reality it was her 1 full serving. That seemed to work and she slimmed down pretty easily without even knowing she wasn't eating as much.

Best wishes with your son.

Hey K.!

From what I remember as a fat child it is SO important that you NEVER EVER talk about putting him on diet. Tell him that WHOLE family is simply changing the way they eat because you feel that it's important to be healthier. I grew up being put on EVERY diet imaginable... well those diets helped me get to 320 pounds by the time I hit 20 years old... not a pretty picture of health. I managed to lose a few pounds by becoming a vegan, but not only is that lifestyle very hard to maintain, but it's also not a healthy one. I became deficient in MANY nutrients. Long story short, after gaining that weight back I "figured it out" and began studying Holistic Nutrition and working out... I changed the way I ate and now I have lost 165 pounds NATURALLY...
I'm nearing the end of my Masters degree program and my thesis will be on Childhood obesity and how to solve it. I would be willing to work with your family pro bono if I can use him as a case study for my thesis... look at my website and let me know what you think. There would be no drugs, needles, brutal exercise routines, nothing drastic. Just changing the diet, possibly a pantry purge, maybe some cooking lessons (for him if he's old enough).

J.
www.HolisticWellnessAndNutrition.webs.com

Sign him up for lots of activities - soccer, baseball, swimming, etc. With my girls, if I see the pounds creeping on, I give them less food on their plate, and they used to like to eat a big bowl of cereal before bed, now I just let them eat fruit only. I never let them drink regular sodas, only diet sodas once in a while, but mostly milk and water, very little juice. They key is keeping him very busy, not much TV, computer, video games, take him out bike riding, etc.

I am so glad to hear you are taking positive steps to make your son healthier - that is really the most important thing! Working with him on his meals without making a big deal out of it will really help him.

Find new ways to get him to exercise and be more active, but all in fun ways. Sign him up for soccer or basketball, which both have a lot of running. Take bike rides together. Invite a few friends over and suggest a game of tag. Sign him up for martial arts classes, which may also boost his confidence (maybe he eats if he's not feeling his best, same as adults do).

Good luck and keep us posted!

K.
http://oc.citymommy.com

Make him earn computer, video game and TV time by doing chores or exercise. Most chubby-ness is not due to a poor diet, but not enough activity. Get him more active! Encourage him to join a sport. Whatever you do, do not make him feel bad or tell him he is chubby. This will only hurt his self confidence and draw attention to the issue of his weight.
R.

Hi K.,
The good news is that you took your son to the doctor. I'm hoping the doctor was distressed and concerned enough to let you know the urgency of your son losing this extra weight. I think having an understanding of the health risks that will most definitely arise as he gets older will be just the motivation you need to begin taking charge. Do you really want to be responsible for your son getting Type 2 Diabetes or High Blood Pressure? The list goes on and on.

The social aspects of being an overweight child are life altering. Self loathing, lack of self-esteem, mocking from other children, acting out due to frustration of not fitting in are just a few possible results of being an overweight child.

So, here's the good news, K.. YOU have the ability to turn this around. Once you determine that YOU are in charge, you're on the way to tackling this serious problem. YOU are the one that goes food shopping, so YOU can make healthier choices. Do not bring in any kind of junk food -- no chips, no cookies, no candy, no sodas, no high fat cheese! If it's there, be assured your son will find it. And so will you.

Instead, buy a sensible book about eating right and put it on the table to remind you of what your goal is. Just reading an article isn't enough. Refer to a balanced food plan.

And stay away from "rewarding" your son with "treats" if he does something that warrants a reward. Take him out to a special activity (movie, miniature golf). It's the inactivity, boredom, lack of friends, depression that makes people overeat.

Good luck and congratulate yourself your caring enough to reach out for help. Again, your son is not the boss in the house.

I encourage you to get on the computer and find a support group of other moms dealing with the same issues.

I have a great plan!
Go to Lance Armstrongs's web site The Daily Plate. It is a hands on guide to healthy food. You put in your weight, and what you want to lose per week. It should really only be 1-1 1/2 pounds per week. It tracks your food and exercise, gives healthy alternatives, and IT WORKS. It takes time, but it is the healthy way to lose weight, get in shape, and learn which foods are the best for the rest of your life. It is a very easy way to change your eating habits. I have been on it since April - and am now exactly where I want to be. I have another friend that did it with me - and he is 2 pounds away from his goal too. It was easy - I did not ffeel deprived. It was fun to track. Just remember, it takes time and is a long term goal. It is free,, or you can join for more services. They have online "commmunities" and support too.
Go to thedailyplate.com and start this weekend!
It is great!!!
Good Luck
K.

Hi K.,
I'd like to first say that I really understand your concerns. I have a 11 yr old daughter who at 6 yrs of age started to gain alot of weight and was also going through huge growth spurts. I suggest that first you have him seen by a doctor just to make sure his hormones are normal (Thyroid, etc...). If all come back ok, then slowly change his eating habits. What I did with my daughter was, i had her list everything she ate everyday for 2 weeks. Including water, candy and gum. I also kept track to make sure it was accurate. When we both went over the final list, I was shocked at how much food and sometimes junk she was eating.

If you try and change too much at once it will not be easy and will not last very long. Change little things like instead of ice cream I make strawberry and banana smoothies. Just freeze ripe bananas & berries. Put them in a mixer with vanilla soy milk and the kids love it! Have him eat larger portions during the day and less for dinner. Also, have him eat and snack throughout the day. See what types of fruits he likes and make sure to include it as a snack daily. I changed little things like using non fat mayo, olive oil in tuna salad instead of whole fat mayo. Splenda instead of sugar. Limit juices that have lots of suger, no soda. Most important...have him be more active. Take him for a nice walk after dinner, make it a family time thing. She's slowly lost weight and so have I. This is not a quick fix but slowly I think you'll see a difference.

Hope this helps.

J.

the thing that made a big difference for us was what we drank. no juice, no soda (even diet soda since that has been shown to cause overeating), no yogurt drinks, etc. all the food should be something recognizable as food, not processed like crackers or cereal, even if it says low-fat or diet food on the box. i leave out a plate of fresh veggies and fruit to snack on all day. they eat less at meals as a result. it took me a long time to adjust to changing my style of cooking. that was the hardest part for me. good luck!

although this may not apply to your son, i also want to add that when i was little my weight went through the roof in a couple years. Then, I went through a growth spurt. I needed every bit of that extra weight for I grew a foot in a year and ended up 5'10" and 110 pounds. so, weight gain right before puberty may not be something bad.

I did this with my daughter at about the same age! I also need to drop a few pounds since delivering TWO more babies LOL I put her in scouts, then we made some minor changes. We had certian times we ate (think good snacks~fruit veggies) and we stuck to a schedule on food. We had our one naughty snack right after school, before we did some outside activities. I started trying to beat her at basketball (still have not won 3 years later) then we would walk the neighbor hood to see what new things we could find, or we would hit the nearest park, all kinds of games are helpful to both you and him! Have some friends of his and yours join in too. I mentioned scouts because they do ALOT of acitivities, and build self esteem, which helped her WANT to be more active. TV and computer were limited to certain times and days of the week...
I will tell you that three years ago my 7 year old was 115 pounds and in a size 16, now she is 77 pounds and wears a 10! She has the joy of sharing clothes with her friends and being vary active ALL the time, she has even joined the city basketball league.
Good luck to you and your son, and make time for FUN!

Hi K.,

I would recommend picking up a copy of Dr. Robert Young's The pH Miracle for Weight Loss. He introduces an amazing program that isn't too hard to introduce to children. Let me know if you need support. I've trained under Dr. Young as a nutritional microscopist. Take a look at his website: http://www.phmiracleliving.com and this one: http://www.snyderhealth.com which gives great comprehensive information.

To your health and the health of your family,

P. P. (____@____.com)
Quantum Health - nutritional microscopy consultant, massage
therapy, skincare, and weight loss
http://www.livewellintl.com