There is no magic forumla for healthy weight loss for kids, however, it is generally easier to promote a healthy lifestyle to your children which will wield good results.

Television
Studies have linked the amount of television we – and our children – watch to obesity and it is no wonder why; as the average viewing time per person has risen, so have the levels of obesity. Not only do we burn less calories by watching programs on the TV, but some adverts are very clever and will have you craving a snack before you realise it.

While you should not prevent your kid from watching TV you can restrict the amount of viewing time they have. This should also include computers and video games.

Encouragement
By encouraging your child if they make a good choice of food they are likely to do it more often, as it is seen as the right thing to do. It also helps to explain why certain foods are healthier than others so they grow up understanding the benefits of what they are eating.

Another good idea is to promote exercise or activities – most schools have some kind of swimming or athletics group which will help your child make friends and get exercise at the same time. At the weekends, you can have a fun day out while also getting some exercise in for the whole family – go for a cycle or a walk around the park, everything helps and you don’t have to end up spending a fortune either. You can always help to promote more activity in your child by introducing rewards. (see rewards below).

Another good way is to ask your child if they will help you to lose weight, and get them to go for a walk, cycle or swim with you.

Make meals healthy – but fun
If you child is of a suitable age then getting them to help with preparing a meal is a great way for them to learn about food and they are more likely to enjoy eating vegetables this way, be careful with sharp knives and hot plates though.

If you have some free space in the garden, consider getting them involved in growing your own vegetables and salad items, while this may take some months to complete you can bet they will start eating more of the things you grow the next time you go to the shops.

Making ice pops by putting fruit juice into ice-pop moulds was a favourite in own home; its a great snack and perfectly healthy too, and kids will love them. You can also get home popcorn makers too which enables you to put popping corn in and limit the amount of oil or butter for a healthy snack – watching it being made is another great way to make a snack more exciting.

Smoothies can make a great snack and you can sneak in fat-free milk instead and they won’t even notice.

Set a good example
“Do as i say, not as i do” rarely works when raising children. If you make them a healthy dinner but get yourself a takeaway pizza they are going to want the same. Most kids learn from example so its also a good time to address your own lifestyle.

A home trampoline can be a great way for the whole family to stay in shape – once your child see’s you using it they will most likely want to get on it after you. You can get small trampolines for the front room for jsut a few bucks, so you dont have to break the bank.

By taking your child to the supermarket and buying healthy food they are also likely to learn the household food policy quicker, however, be sure to keep an eye on them in the snack section!

Rewards
Kids enjoy having sweets, treats and cheeseburger/chips happy meal. The very worst thing you can do is to completely deny them from having them. They can however serve as excellent rewards if they have been well behaved, or after a family day out. If your child is overweight and demands having these things with temper tantrums its time to put your foot down and say “no”. This could even be the reason why they are overweight, if they always get their way.

There are just a few ways you can encourage healthy weight loss for kids, while making it fun too. If you use your imagination there are many ways you can get your child active too. Why not leave a comment if you have a great suggestion?