Child Weight Loss Problems - Are Parents to Blame?

As a father of three and a fitness fanatic, I am very aware of child weight loss problems and how they are increasing at an alarming rate. I stay on top of whether my kids are in shape and active, rather than overweight and inactive. I do my best to show my kids what it takes to eat healthy and exercise regularly. With the onslaught of video games and computers these days, it is easy for a kid to get away from playing outdoors and getting enough exercise.

As a kid I was rarely ever in the house

As a kid, I used to spend most of my time outdoors, especially in the summer months. I very rarely was in the house and more often than not, my mother had to call me to come home at night. Child weight loss problems were few and far between in comparison to today's kids. I realize that times have changed and it may not be a good idea to let you kids roam the neighborhood and woods outside like back in my childhood. I also admit that back in the early eighties, there wasn't as many cool games and computers like there are now. I can still remember when Atari came out and how much I loved to play it! I think that even though there are so many fun things for kids to do inside, as parents we need to make a conscious effort to keep our kids active and healthy. A soccer game a few times a week is not the same as playing outside from dusk to dawn with a group of friends all summer long.

Diets play a huge role in child weight loss problems

Another huge factor in the increase in child weight loss problems is our diets today. Adults and children alike are fatter than ever because of the poor diets and excess carbohydrates that most people eat. I am not trying to be rude or say that I am better than others because I stay lean, I am just stating an obvious fact that as a nation, there are more overweight people in America than any other time in history. Of these people, an alarming amount happen to be children. As a society and as parents, we have a responsibility to teach our kids about fitness, diet, and overall health. If we practice a healthy lifestyle and eat right, our kids will learn from us and lead healthier and longer lives.

Parents need to take control of their lives and set an example

As a parent, I want to be around as long as I can for my kids and future grand kids. I read that around three quarters of Americans alive today will die from either heart disease or cancer. This just isn't acceptable in my opinion. It is common knowledge that a proper diet and fitness routine will keep you healthier than if you are overweight. Isn't it time as parents that we take control of our own lives and set a positive example for our children? If we do, I am sure that this will help decrease the child weight loss problems that are plaguing our nation and society as a whole.

No matter what body style or how much weight that you need to lose, weight loss all comes down to three simple steps. The fitness and dieting industry try to make it more difficult that it really is so they can sell you the diet of the week or the newest magic pill that never works! If you would like to finally leave all of the hype and lies behind and learn the real way to lose weight and get the body that you deserve .

Author : Kelly_U

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Weight Loss For Children

Weight loss has become mainstream media over the past 20 years, if not longer. Everyone wants to know how to lose weight fast, keep the weight off, and the easiest ways to stay fit. Everyone wants to jump on the "next big thing" and hope that there train will come rolling in. The sad truth is that most of these people fail to lose weight. If they do, they can't keep it off for very long.

Why is that? Well, for starters, weight loss isn't a temporary solution. Since being chronically overweight or obese is a long term problem, weight loss needs to be viewed as a long term solution.

Did you or your child put on an extra ten pounds at one meal? What about one Christmas dinner? (well, that one might be possible, but hopefully not likely).

If you or your child didn't gain all the weight in one sitting, what makes you think you can lose it all that fast?
Common sense dictates that problems created over a period of time need to be solved over a similar period of time.
Do you see now why we are targeting childhood obesity? We want to minimize the amount of time people are overweight and at risk for various health issues related to obesity. So if your child has only been overweight for a year or so, we can help to bring them back to the healthy weight in the same period of time, or much shorter depending on your efforts and determination.

If on the other hand an adult has been overweight for 15 years, then their weight loss process will take considerably longer.

The reason? Well, simply put, they have spent the past 15 years developing bad habits that now need to be broken and ideas about food that need to be reversed. Are we saying it will take just as long to lose the weight as it did to put it on?

Absolutely Not! However, it will take longer if you or your child has been overweight for a longer period of time. A good rule of thumb to get back into acceptable shape is one-two months of healthy living for every year of unhealthy living. So, if your child has been overweight for just a year, it will take only two months to get them back down to the proper weight and size. That is, of course, assuming that all the proper steps are followed.

There are three main steps that need to be adhered to in order to get to a healthy weight and stay there.

The three P's are:

- Patience

- Planning and

- Persistence

Patience: This isn't a race. You aren't competing against the neighbor's kids to get your kid in fighting shape by the next wrestling match. Instead, you need to focus on pacing yourself and your child so that the goal of weight loss can be achieved. You want your child to understand the value of patience in everything, and you need to understand that by being patient you are more likely to withstand the downturns when they come and bounce back.

Planning: Just throwing caution to the wind and picking up food at a whim is what got your child where he is today. Planning will take all of the guess work out of what you need to stock in the house so that the weight loss will be automatic. I gained 20 pounds after getting out of the Navy, and I felt gross. When you leave a regimented lifestyle and just pick out whatever sounds appetizing for the moment, you lose. No one can win without a plan. You've heard the term "Failing to plan is like planning to fail" right? Well it's no different here. You absolutely need to plan how to go about losing weight (you and your kids). We are here to help.

Persistence: Persistence is needed in order to see the plan through to completion. Without persistence you are going to fail. Nothing in life comes easy, whether you would like to think so or not. This is especially true in weight loss. Even Kirstie Alley wasn't able to lose all of her love handles in one try, nor was it immediate. She implemented the three P's and lost weight (at least the first time).

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Designed as Educational Information, to helpsolve Health Issues, with Tips on Exercise,Weight Loss, Addictions, SleepDis-orders, Depression and much more.

Short term goals
The best way to feel as though you are making progress in any endeavor is to make short term goals.

How short? Well, that depends on you. Do you forget what you had planned for the day by lunch time? In that case, make daily and weekly goals. You can also set biweekly, monthly, and yearly goals.

An example of how to make a weekly goal would be:

- Instead of trying to get your child down three sizes in the next month, focus on how to get them eating fewer calories in the next week.

- Don't go out for fast food or pizza this week

- Make lunches for your child for every day of the week

- Make a weekly dinner meal plan that you can actually implement

- Go for a 30 minute walk every evening after dinner

For monthly goals, try these out:

- Only go out for dinner four times this month (that includes fast food, pizza, and dine in type restaurants)

- Take part in an outdoor activity as a family every weekend

- Turn a nightly walk into a run once a week for the next month

- Read one book on weight loss and fitness

- Join a new group activity that you haven't done before and attend the classes for one straight month (this can be the YMCA, a yoga class, dance class, martial arts, etc. Make it tailored to your child's likes and dislikes)

Goals need to be specific and attainable. You don't want your goal to be "Lose two inches this month." You can have that thought, or even overall long term goal, but you need to have short term goals that drive you towards that end. If your short term goal is too broad, you won't be able to focus on smaller things that get you there. Your short term goals need to be small, focused, and attainable. Don't make them easy goals, push the envelope a little, but don't make them unattainable either.

For instance, don't make a goal of losing ten pounds this week. Instead, make a goal of reducing your caloric intake by 100 calories daily. This will aid in losing those ten pounds down the road, but it won't happen over night.

Remember:
- Patience
- Planning and
- Persistence

Keeping these 3 P's in mind, you will get where you want to be, and so will your children!

Achieve Your Maximum Health Potential
Website & Blog site provides new and exciting techniques to aid world health enhancement. Offering articles, videos and alternative products to help people obtain their optimum health & fitness. Covering topics such as good health care, wellness, alternative exercising, yoga, skin care, body care, vitamins, anti-aging, weight loss & fitness.

Author : Danielle_Seigle

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Top 10 Points of Encouragement for Weight Loss

On the road to weight loss, fitness, and health, you can easily become discouraged. In fact, discouragement is what leads many people to give-up when they may have been near a point of significant progress and encouragement in their program.

I've put together my "top 10" points of encouragement to help keep your spirits high on your road to weight loss, fitness, and health.

1. It does get better - and often very quickly! Many people that are significantly overweight or that have been sedentary for a long time, find any activity, even walking a few hundred feet, to be very difficult and uncomfortable. Be encouraged, many physiological changes happen very quickly once you start moving. Walking, for example, starts getting easier and more comfortable within a couple of weeks. Keep moving - every day will be a little better! Be encouraged!

2. I love this lady's story. It just makes you want to cheer for her while sitting at your computer. Margie from Madison, Wisconsin weighed 296 pounds when she started walking in her neighborhood. She says she started by walking about half a block twice a day and that it was incredibly difficult at first.

After the second day she had decided to quit but a neighbor encouraged her to continue. Every day she walked the same route but added a little distance each week. She says there were many days when she wanted to quit, but she wanted very badly to lose weight and be healthy. After several months the people in her neighborhood started noticing her consistency and her progress and started giving her compliments and words of encouragement. She said that after a few months of walking, it went from painful to enjoyable.

About ten months into her walking program, she began her morning walk as usual, but she noticed people out in their yards. As she passed each yard they were clapping and cheering for her, "go Margie", "we're proud of you Margie", "congratulations Margie!" She said tears of happiness flowed through her entire walk that morning as over a hundred people cheered her on all along her route! Be encouraged!

3. The visible signs of progress in a weight loss program are often very slow to come. Healthy weight loss takes time, but that can be very discouraging. Be encouraged to know that for each day that you exercise and eat healthy foods in moderate quantities, you have made progress. It might not be measurable that day, but you have made progress and it will be measurable over a period of weeks and months. Be encouraged!
4. Katherine was 43 years-old and had been sedentary for 20 years. The scale had not changed in those 20 years - she still weighed 136 pounds, but she knew she had lost muscle and gained fat. Her waist was bigger and she couldn't fit into the same size clothes that she did 20 years earlier. What bothered her most was that she was always tired and never had energy.

She decided to start walking and weight training but quit after a week. She said, "it's too uncomfortable, I can't keep doing this." I encouraged her to continue and told her that it would get better. She "quit" three times during the next two weeks. We talked frequently. Six weeks later she started to notice some muscle tone and she noticed that her endurance and energy level had increased dramatically. She said, "I'm very encouraged!"

Eight months later she had gained two pounds on the scale but lost three inches in her waist - and she walked a marathon! Yeeeeeeesss! Be encouraged!
5. The whole idea behind physical training is that you push your body to do a little more than it's comfortable with and it responds by making physical and physiological changes. These changes make you capable of doing a little more with less discomfort. Be encouraged!

6. Gerald in New Orleans, Louisiana lost 85 pounds after he started walking and weight training. Once he had lost the weight, he decided to do something that would allow him to fully appreciate his weight loss. For an entire day, he carried around a sack that contained 85 pounds of metal weights.
Getting around during that day was a struggle and very tiring. At the end of the day he was exhausted! Life without the weight is great! Be encouraged!

7. Keep records of your progress. Every day write down the positive changes you've noticed and also keep a record of the exercise you do every day. Write down what you did, how long you did it, and any thoughts about your exercise that day. Keep a running total of your minutes. You can look back at what you've done with a great sense of accomplishment and you'll be motivated to do more. Be encouraged!

8. Daily exercise will change your life! I believe God designed humans to be active on a daily basis. Why? because when you are, lots of good things happen..

- you are healthier
- you feel better and have more energy
- you are less likely to develop cancer, heart disease, stroke, etc.
- you sleep better
- you have a better outlook on life
- your relationships with people are enhanced
- your skin looks healthier
- you are sick less often
- your immune system is stronger
- you lose fat
- you gain toned, lean muscle
- you look healthier
Be encouraged!
9. Betty Jo in Tuscaloosa, Alabama wrote to me.. "Greg, After 24 years of being married to a grouchy, pessimistic man who didn't enjoy life, I saw all that change over a period of about a year. Harold was the classic 70 pound overweight couch potato when he was scared into exercising and healthier eating habits by the death of his 46 year-old friend."

Harold's doctor recommended that he start walking every morning and after a couple of weeks Harold told Betty Jo that he wanted to start eating better. Harold really took-off with this "health thing" and lost 72 pounds and become a new man - inside and out. In Betty Jo's words, "I have a new husband. He walks for an hour every morning and he is a joy to be around. His enthusiasm for life makes our marriage fun." Be encouraged! 10. Progress and improvement generate encouragement. YOU can progress and improve and be encouraged to do more. Tomorrow morning, put on your walking shoes and take a walk, even if it's just a few minutes. The next day, do it again - progress and improve.

Author : Greg_Landry,_M.S.

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Healthy Foods to Help You Lose Weight

Losing weight could be traumatizing for people who keep on trying different ways on how to lose weight but still they could not get the results they ever wanted. But one thing that they might forget when doing this is to make some changes in their daily diet. This is the most effective way when losing weight in the most ideal manner. So, if you are one of them, then you should start eating these foods to help you lose weight.

1. Eat Plenty of Fruits

Maybe you should try being a "fruitarian." Fruits are totally healthy because they don't have those bad cholesterol that you usually consume everyday like when eating pizza, spaghetti, bacon, cheese, hamburgers and many other unhealthy foods that your taste bud loves. So, it's time to make a change. Once you're hungry, why not fill in your stomach with your favorite fruit or any fruit that you find tasty. Most of the time, you like eating sweet foods during snack time. So, try eating some fruits during this time so that your stomach will not get hungry. And during meals, try to eat some fruits before eating your entire meal. This way, you tend to eat less.

2. Try brown rice as your main source of carbohydrates.
Many are complaining about too many carbohydrates in their bodies. So, instead of eating lots of bread, pizza, pasta and other unhealthy foods with plenty of carbohydrates; why not stick to brown rice. You may not feel like eating to this at first; but with a conditioned mind you will be used to it. Brown rice is rich in fiber, thus you will have a better digestion. Another good thing about this kind of rice is that you will eat lesser in amount because you will not have too much appetite when eating. So, if you will be hungry after few hours; try eating some biscuits and drink plenty of water or fruit juice.


3. Eat more fish than meat.

When preparing food for your meal, try concentrating on making a dish from fish. You can make a research on how to cook it well to make it more delicious. You can cook it in different ways so that you will not find it boring to eat. Use your creativity too so that it will appear more delicious to your eyes. You can also add some healthy vegetables to make some variations in taste. Add some spices and flavors to make your dish perfect. Actually, fish is very healthy especially those with high levels of Omega 3 because there are healthy fats which are very good for your heart, eyes, brain and mood.

So if you are really sincere and very much determined in losing weight, then try eating these foods to help you lose weight. Just try to experiment it for a month then check the results. If you find things are working well, then why not make it a lifestyle to maintain a healthy and a nice looking body. Healthy foods are not only for losing weight, they are also important to make a longer and more meaningful life. So, there's no reason for you not to like them.

Author : Vincent_Pham

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Why Maintaining a Healthy Weight Is About More Than Looks

We're told so often to eat healthy and get regular exercise that the reasons for doing so can get lost in the message. Numerous research studies make the connection between a healthy lifestyle and a decreased risk in disease, leading to a longer life. But what's the mechanism behind this?

Diet and exercise alter hormone balance

Scientists from the National Center for Tumor Diseases in Heidelberg suggest that one of the reasons that diet and exercise are so successful is because they impact hormone production. There are two primary hormones that are produced by fat tissue: adiponectin and leptin. Adiponectin is anti-inflammatory and works to increase the effect of insulin, while leptin is capable of fueling tumor cell growth. The two hormones are balanced in a healthy way when adiponectin levels are high and leptin levels are low.

With this in mind, the researchers looked at the effect of diet and exercise on these hormones. They followed 439 obese women over the age of 50 for a full year. One group made no changes to their lifestyle to act as a control. A second group made changes to diet alone, while a third changed just exercise habits. The final group altered both diet and exercise.

The results showed that leptin production was decreased in all three of the groups that made a change, but the largest decrease was seen in the group that changed diet and exercise simultaneously. An even more significant finding was that the more weight a person lost, the healthier their balance of hormones. This remained true across all groups, regardless of whether they lost weight by changing their diet or through exercise.

The numbers were noteworthy. Some of the women who lost 10 percent of their body weight saw over a 50 percent decrease in leptin, accompanied by a 20 percent increase in adiponectin.

The bottom line

Diet, exercise, and any resulting weight loss are about more than physical appearance. They have a substantial impact on hormone levels in the body, which play a major role in the prevention of disease. In addition, those who eat well, stay active and maintain a healthy weight can expect to live longer than those who don't. By incorporating nutrition and regular physical activity into your lifestyle, you are working to lower levels of a hormone linked to the growth of tumor cells and increase levels of a hormone that reduces inflammation.

Author : Shawna_Matthews

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Weight Loss - Your World Is Full Of Sugar

Have a look around local supermarket. The aisles of chocolates and candy and biscuits and cakes. The refrigerators are full of sugar rich yoghurts and desserts. Rows and rows of soft drinks and cordials, and even the fruit juices are loaded with sugar to maintain a consistency of flavour.
Then you get to the checkouts with the daily discounted chocolates and treats to tempt adults and children. You drive home passing bakeries, and fast food outlets with their fridges full of sodas and ice creams and their big multi coloured slurpies.

You go to the movies and the snack bar is loaded with overpriced sweet snacks and yet we are still tempted. How about when you stop for fuel at the roadhouse, walking in to pay is like running the sugar gauntlet. You are surrounded by tempting snacks and even the refrigerators are bursting with sweet brightly coloured refreshing beverages.

You have been conditioned since your childhood to believe that sweets are a reward. That sweets are there for us when we are upset or need comforting, and that chocolates are a sign of love and romance.
Sweets are treats and desserts are naughty but that makes them even more appealing.
So how on earth do you manage sugar in your life. It seems you have three options.

1. Keep on eating the way you always have. Continue the cycle of Eat, diet, eat, enjoy and be angry with yourself. This is the standard cycle of lose weight and gain more back. The cycle of dietary frustration
2. Endlessly struggle with trying to avoid sugar. Forcing yourself to not reach out for the strategically placed chocolate at the supermarket checkout. Or finding yourself staring through the window of your local bakery, or trying to just order a coffee and then going for the muffin as the waitress opens the cash register.
3. Release sugar from your life, using weight loss hypnosis. If you are sick of struggling then hypnosis will release you from all your old connections and habits about sugar.

You can do this easily and quickly, and all that is required is that you are committed to your health and you are willing to make changes in your life and willing to participate in the process.
Hypnosis is not a magic process, it does require some commitment from you, so just keep your desire clear and know why you want to remove sugar from your life.

Author Source: Ian_Newton

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Foods That Fight Against Obesity and Help You Lose Weight Fast

What is obesity?

Obesity is a medical condition where excess body fat has accumulated in different parts of the body. There are different adverse effects of obesity on human health. Too much intensity of body fats results in many health problems and reduction in life span. Obesity initiates different diseases like heart problems, type 2 diabetes, insomnia, skin disease, certain kind of cancer, disorders in endocrine systems, mental illness and arthritis. The medical association of America classified obesity as a kind of disease.
What are the causes of obesity?

1. Intake of excess food energy.
2. Lack of exercises and physical activities.
3. Obesity can also from genetically.
4. Too much intake of steroidal medicine.

What are the active measures taken to fight against obesity?

1. Regular exercise and proper physical activities are taken to fight against obesity. Intake of fat burning supplements must be avoided which causes some health problems.
2. Intake of proper and healthy foods to overcome obesity. Overfeeding and intake of excess food results in the accumulation of body fats. To fight against obesity, several dietary measures are taken which restricts the intake of carbohydrate and fats which are the main two components for obesity.
3. Avoid the intake of steroidal medicine.

Foods that help you lose weight.

There are different foods available worldwide used for burning excess body calories. These foods are used to fight against obesity and which is obtained without doing too much exercise. This kind of food helps in retention of waters and increases metabolism which ultimately results in feeling fuller for longer hours.
The different foods for weight loss are:
1. Almonds: The nutritional value of almonds is Vitamin E and Protein with high fiber contents. Intake of almonds stops us feeling hungry.
2. Leafy green vegetables: By proper intake of leafy green vegetables like spinach and lettuce results in the loss of weight. It is the quickest way for weight reduction as it extremely low in calories. It consists of rich fiber, several vitamins and minerals which help in body water retention.
3. Oats: Oats are basically used for lowering of body cholesterol. A portion of oats are taken regularly in the morning for breakfast and it is a low calorie diet. The intake of oats results in the slow release of natural energy throughout the day which keeps us feeling fuller all the day.
4. Olive oil: Intake of olive oil results in the overall weight loss of the body. Olive oil consists of a naturally occurring chemical commonly known as oleic acid which helps in the breakdown of excess fat in our body.
5. Beans: The different nutrients of beans are protein and fiber. It is basically low in energy and releases slow energy. This food is also taken for the proper body weight loss.
6. Green Tea: It is another component of food used for the excess weight loss. This is basically used for the water retention and flushing out excess fluids from the body. Regular intake of green tea speed the metabolism which help in burning the excess fat in our body.
The above foods are the good sources for you to stay away from obesity and help you lose weight fast. You can use them in any diets and any times needed.

Author : Vincent_Pham

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