We all see advertisements for them everywhere – those fast weight loss diets, plans, pills, etc. that claim they’ll help users lose 20 pounds in a week.  Television is full of commercials and infomercials promoting these products and it seems like every third page on the internet has some sort of ad for a new, revolutionary product.  Some of these products claim to increase metabolism, others cut certain things out of your diet, some claim to be able to make you eat less…the list is endless.  In a society that is consumed with appearance, the fact that these products are so popular should be no surprise, but the real question is – Do They Work? And, perhaps more importantly – Are They Safe?

The simple answer to both of those questions is:  No. Sure, you may be able to lose some weight by taking a pill that increases your metabolism, but continuing to take that pill for the rest of your life is certainly not safe and doing so in the short term is not even healthy.  As a result, as soon as you stop taking the miracle drugs, you will quickly gain back all the weight that was just lost.  In other words, the plan might work in the very short term, but it is not a long term solution and is certainly not something that is healthy or sustainable.  The same can be said about diets tell you to stop eating carbs, insist that you eat only maple syrup, and so on.  The bottom line is that these things are not healthy (short or long term) and there are no long-term benefits from doing them.

At our weight loss camps, we take a healthy, life-long approach to weight loss.  We believe (as do thousands of doctors around the world) that the only way to truly lose weight and keep it off is to make changes to one’s personal diet and physical activity levels.  This is why we teach our campers about the importance of a healthy diet and give them the knowledge they need to make healthy eating choices for the rest of their lives.  We also provide fun physical activities for our campers to show kids and teens that “exercise” is not running on a treadmill but is something that should be fun.  The fact that it helps lose weight is a bonus, but the key is learning that exercise should be something that you enjoy.  Some people like to hike, others like to swim, and others like to play basketball.  It doesn’t matter which one you prefer, the key is finding the ones that you like so that it is enjoyable to add to your everyday life.

If you are a parent of an overweight child or teen that needs help losing weight, I encourage you to check out our programs.  Doing so will give them the tools they need to live a healthy life, will improve their self esteem, and will be a summer that they’ll never forget.

The increase in childhood obesity across the country has led to an increase in numerous health effects and diabetes.  If you are a parent of an overweight child or teen and are considering a summer weight loss camp, you may be looking for some things you can start doing now before they head off to camp for the summer.

Most people know what it takes to lose weight – eat a healthier diet and increase physical activity.  It sounds simple enough, but anyone that has ever tried to break some bad habits and lose weight knows that it is much easier said than done.  This is especially true for children who often do not have the motivation to do it all on their own.  As a responsible parent, the challenge often falls in to your lap.  So what can you do?

The first thing to keep in mind is that, despite numerous infomercials, ads, and websites out there, there is no “miracle pill” or quick remedy.  Some of these things might work in the short term, but they are not long term solutions that will benefit your child’s long term health.  It’s always best to take a long-term approach to weight loss and realize that it’s most important to teach children to live healthier for their entire life versus losing weight in two months that they’ll gain back.

Stick to the basics.  Don’t even worry about counting total calorie, carbohydrate, and/or fat intake every day or implementing a rigorous exercise routine immediately.  Instead, look for some easy changes to begin with and then increase the efforts as time progresses and your child gets more comfortable with a new diet and increased physical activity level.  If your child likes to snack, start with providing some healthier snack alternatives like carrots instead of potato chips.

If your child has been gaining weight consistently for a period of time, the first thing to do is stop the weight gain.  According to Keeping Kids Healthy, one pound of weight gain is equal to about 3500 calories.  So, if your kid is gaining a pound of weight every week, begin by cutting 3500 calories out of their weekly diet or about 500 calories a day.  The change might be as simple as switching to diet soda or non-fat milk.

For example, a can of Dr. Pepper has 100 calories.  A can of Diet Dr. Pepper has 0.  If your child drinks three cans of Dr. Pepper a day, switching to Diet Dr. Pepper will cut 300 calories out of their daily diet.  A simple, yet effective change.

Once your child’s weight has stabilized, you can begin the process of shedding weight.  Sticking with the above formula will help, but exercise will become more important here as well since increasing physical activity levels will increase the impact of eating healthier.  A 30-60 minute period of exercise every day can burn 50-100 calories in kids.  Combine this with a decrease in calories consumed, and the net impact on a daily basis is much bigger. Exercise can be as simple as something like walking the dog, shooting some hoops, or going for a bike ride around the neighborhood.

It is also important that parents serve as good role models.  Sticking with the Dr. Pepper example, if your child switches to Diet soda, you should do the same.  Don’t send them off to walk the dog every day by themselves – go with them.

Starting simple at home will set your child up for more success when they head off this summer to weight loss camp.