Posts Tagged ‘weight loss’

Creating a “healthy home” can be easier than you think.

Putting together a nutritionally sound home is the first step to assuring the health of your children. Begin by making the right food choices. This will allow your children to begin an affirmative association with healthy food. Your children will learn what they should and should not be eating by following your lead.

Here are the top 10 tips for getting children to eat healthy food:

1. Make sure that you are not restricting food to your children. The restriction of food to children can be responsible for the development of eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia, later in life. Furthermore, it may stunt your children’s growth and development, as well as increase the risk of overeating later in the day. Overeating leads to weight gain.

2. Keep healthy food at hand. Children will eat what’s readily available. Keep fruit in a bowl on the counter, not buried in the crisper section of your fridge. Remember, your child can only choose foods that you stock in the house, by limiting ‘junk food’ you will, by default, teach your child how to choose healthier foods.

3. Avoid labeling foods as healthy and unhealthy. Rather, associate foods to areas of interest to your children, such as sports, school, and favorite hobbies. Make your children aware of the fact that certain super foods, such as turkey and yogurt, provide the physical and mental energy to strengthen their sports and academic achievement.

4. Praise healthy choices. Give your children a proud smile and tell them how smart they are when they choose healthy foods. Kids thrive on positive reinforcement!

5. Don’t nag about unhealthy choices. If your child chooses unhealthy foods infrequently, ignore it. However, if your child always wants fatty, fried food, redirect the choice. You might try roasting potato sticks in the oven (tossed in just a bit of oil) instead of buying french fries. Or, if your child wants candy, you might make fresh strawberries dipped in a little chocolate sauce. Too busy? Then keep naturally sweet dried fruit at home for quick snacks. With consistent effort taste buds change and soon your child will be craving healthy foods.

6. Refrain from utilizing food as a prize. Such acts usually lead to weight problems for your children later in life. Conversely, you should honor your children by taking them swimming, hiking, skiing, or with a game of catch. So long as it is something which engages them in physical activity.

7. Make sure that you sit down and eat dinner as a family. This should become customary in your home if it is not already. The truth is that children who eat their dinner at the table with their parents not only eat more healthy, but are far less likely to get into trouble as teenagers.

8. Dish the food out in the kitchen. In the kitchen, you the parent can place healthy food portions on your children’s dinner plates. Over the course of time, your children will be able to see what a healthy portion of food looks like.

9. Allow your children to exercise some decision making. Listen to your children’s food likes and dislikes. This is especially important when it comes to healthy food. When healthy foods are the food of choice for your children, serve these foods to them more often. Conversely, offer foods which your children do not like less often.

10. You should always confer with a pediatrician prior to putting your child on any diet. Whether you child needs to gain or lose weight, seek a professional opinion prior to making significant changes in your child’s diet. If your child does need a change, then find a book which will guide you on the subject.

Megan Hillard is the author of several books related to weight loss for kids. To learn more, visit Megan Hillard’s site on how to choose the best execute safe weight loss for children.