Adults who struggle with their weight can go to the health club to get into shape. Most adults understand calories must be burned, and a rigorous diet must be followed. However, children have a more difficult time losing weight, and most overweight children will quickly get bored if told to exercise.

Exercise doesn’t seem nearly as exciting as playing video games or watching a movie. If you tell your child to go outside to do something active, there is a good chance he will just sit on the porch; this isn’t much of an improvement. Weight loss camps for kids are effective because they manage to provide children with activities that are enjoyable. At weight loss camp, children get to have fun and play, which allows them to naturally burn calories.

Parents of overweight children should take a cue from weight loss camps and provide children with fun ways to exercise. You might be able to get your child to go on walks with you or even a jog. But for many children this doesn’t seem very fun. However, you can go on a bug hunt or go hiking in search of wildlife; for many children, this does sound like fun.

A great way to burn calories is through swimming. Swimming works the entire body, and it is very effective for weight loss. More importantly, most children love to swim and play in the pool. Planning a weekly visit to the pool may be just the thing your overweight child needs to get into shape.

Chores and duties provide another avenue for exercise. Do you have a dog? Perhaps your kid should be in charge of walking the dog each day. Do you live close enough to school for your child to walk? This provides another opportunity for exercise.

Getting the entire family involved is a great way to get an overweight child in shape. Games provide a fun way to burn calories. Try a game of charades, or if you are energetic enough, play hide-and-go-seek or even tag. Perhaps a family bike ride to the park or maybe a game of frisbee at the beach.

Kids love to have friends over. If your child wants to invite a friend over to watch TV or to play video games, encourage them instead to do something more active. Most kids will find plenty to do at the park. Send them on a bike ride or even a trip to the zoo.

Another great activity that can involve the whole family is camping. A weekend camping trip is a great opportunity for exercise and fun. Have your child help set up the tent and chop and stack fire wood. Enjoy hiking and exploring the surroundings with your children. Family camping trips are fun for all involved, and exercise opportunities are ample. Just make sure to leave the TV and portable video games at home!

Many of the recommended activities require involvement from the whole family. Family involvement helps provide the motivation for exercise just as the kids and instructors at weight loss camps help provide fun and motivation. Additionally, it helps to keep everyone in shape. So turn off the television and enjoy getting into shape with your child!

•  They have to eat foods they don’t like.
• They are forced to sweat and exercise.
• They are kept from having candy and snacks.
• They are limited or even restricted from video games, television, and other “inactivities.”

To a child, this is like punishment or torture. But now let’s look at what the staff is really doing.

• They are trying to teach children about healthy food choices.
• They are making them exercise to burn off excess fat.
• They are limiting the sugar and carb-filled snacks that add to the fat problem.
• They are teaching kids to be active as entertainment, to burn off calories and keep their weight in check.

In a child’s mind, it is not easy to see that the staff is really trying to help.

When a child goes to a fat camp, they should understand that the camp is a resource for the child to use to create a healthier lifestyle.  They should understand that the members of the staff specialize in childhood obesity and are trying to make a difference in your child’s life.   At camp, your child will be placed on a healthy diet and exercise routine.  Even though it may seem like the army at times, some camps use this kind of tactic as a way of getting through to reluctant children that need a little push in the right direction.

Another advantage of a fat camp is the setting. There are other children there with the same problem that they can make friends with and confide in.  Being surrounded by a group of peers with the same goals and objectives allows peer pressure to work in a positive manner, encouraging each individual to “do what everyone else is” and invest the time and energy into the program.

It is important as a parent to understand what will be happening at the camp and to get involved with your child’s health.  Unfortunately, some children that go to fat camp and lose weight end up gaining all that weight back within weeks of returning home.  Why is this? As a parent sometimes we look at camp as a solution.  We believe that once our children are get back home that they are “cured” and can eat what they want. That couldn’t be farther from the truth.  Camp is the beginning of a lifelong process.  Once our children get back home, we as parents have to help them stay on the same diet and exercise program that they learned at camp.

That is correct, the AMA feels that childhood obesity can be prevented by classroom lecturing.

What about the children in the classroom who may already be considered obese? The borderline children who teeter on obesity and the impressionable children who may be negatively effected by the fear of obesity thus creating intentions which could lead toward the just as deadly opposite end of obesity?

The AMA announced support for a call on taxing sugary drinks in order to fund the programs which would eventually become the ‘obesity prevention program’.

The tax on sugary drinks is already being called into question as doctors feel that it will negatively effect the poor disproportionately. While others feel that it is not right to tax people into making healthy decisions that they should be making on their own.

Excess weight is a real problem and can lead to some forms of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Scientists have discovered that even a five-percent weight loss can greatly improve ones health.

There are real alternatives to the scared straight type teaching, this is where a kids and teen weight loss camp like New Image Camps can help create a healthy approach to weight loss. New Image Camps are currently underway at Camp Pocono Trails and Camp Vanguard.

According to a 2006 study, children who are overweight in their preschool years are five times more likely than other children to be overweight at age 12.

Earlier last week Bloomberg.com released an article focusing on childhood obesity and the minefield that kids must navigate between calories and bad ads.

With parents now focused on school lunches and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg banning the sale of sugary drinks over the size of 16 ounces at delis,vending carts, movie theaters and restaurants. The heat is on and it is all aimed at this national crisis.

Food intake is the number one factor in childhood obesity and this is something that can be fixed, at New Image Summer Weight Loss Camp for Kids at Pocono Trails that is one of the primary focuses.

As founder Tony Sparber puts it, “If you’re serious about helping your child attain and maintain a trim and fit body, you must be the first one in your family to make the changes that will put all of you on track in this race for fitness.”

Find out more about the summer program as sessions are currently underway at http://www.newimagecamp.com/

“This summer I’ll be instructing a course on charm, poise, and building self confidence and a healthy body image at Camp Pocono Trails. I’ll be living at the camp full time starting June 13 through August 15.”

Settles is best known from her self-titled show on MTV which chronicled her journey from cutting down from 326 pounds. With New Image Camps, Chelsea will focus on teaching classes in grooming, poise and charm.

Parents or caregivers have several ways of influencing the weight-loss success of their child or teen. Two important actions parents can take are:

1. Identifying and changing unhealthy behaviors–both by the parent and the child or teen. Keeping a daily log of behaviors helps you to be more accountable for what you do, and the need for change becomes clear. When parents work alongside teens and kids to change their diet and exercise habits, children are more likely to do the same.
2. Relying on positive reinforcement. Like all behavior changes, giving praise goes a long way in getting results. Positive reinforcement for behaviors should include non-monetary and non-food rewards like spending time together or a fun outing.

Parents’ behavior at home has a big influence on how kids tackle weight problems. Something else parents can do is consider sending their children to a summer weight loss camp to help kids begin to learn about good habits and jump-start their weight loss.

Are these striking commercials enough to make a difference in the childhood obesity epidemic? Raising awareness is one step, but being aware of the problem won’t stop it. True lifestyle changes are the only way to conquer childhood obesity once and for all.

Changing one’s lifestyle, or the lifestyle of one’s children can be an overwhelming task. Incorporating more exercise, healthier foods and less time being sedentary in front of the TV or video games requires true commitment and dedication, and often parents don’t know where to start.

Weight loss camps for kids, such as Camp Pocono Trails, are a great way to kick-off healthy lifestyle changes. Kids and teens are taken out of their current environment and routine for a summer to a place where they can play, learn about and experience the lifestyle changes it takes to be healthier.

Additionally, kids and teens have a chance to connect with others who are working toward the same goals as they are, leading to an environment of acceptance and lifelong friendships.

Is there a better way to spend a summer? It’s not too early to start planning. Check out our dates & rates page today to find the summer adventure of a lifetime.

Obesity normally runs in families. In order for the chain of obesity to be broken, one responsible adult must break from the pack and look for both realistic and proven tricks and tips to transforming the families lifestyle. But how?

If going to a full time weight loss camp for kids is not an option, then you can decide to empower yourself with knowledge and information (which is free) and make your home a weight loss camp of its own. All you need is the committal of every family member and a little bit of instruction. The first place to start is by visiting any of the sites offered by the CDC that discuss healthy weight loss for children.

Secondly, you may want to attend a two or three day course in nutrition so that you have accurate information to base your camp upon. The third step is to go through your home and remove all of the foods and items in your home that do not fit into your healthy lifestyle. Learn how to read food labels, and look for meal planning ideas from weight watchers or other online sites that specialize in healthy eating.

At first, the drastic change of your home becoming a weight loss camp will be met with hesitation. However, the end result is worth it. Each week begin implementing one new activity that will promote health and wellness. This can be as simple as taking a walk after dinner every night or limiting the amount of TV watching to an hour. You can also sign the family up for a fitness class or purchase a DVD exercise program that the family does together.

As the initial resistance tapers off, you will notice that being healthy and exercising really is fun. You and your entire family will feel better which will have you all looking for creative ideas to stay healthy. Allow your children to participate in the meal planning and shopping, and try to explain to them what makes food healthy or just ‘junk.’ Obviously, when you are dealing with children, they will feel punished if they are restricted from all sweet treats. For this reason, it is smart to come up with modified food choices that are slightly indulgent that your child can have from time to time.

Setting up a weight loss camp for kids in your own home should not just be a temporary adjustment. The truth is as you learn more about healthy living and eating and become a living example of just how transformational it can be to you and your child’s health, you are taking giant steps to making a positive change in your family. There are plenty of free resources to help you, many of which will help you overcome your emotional response to weight loss as well. Children are resilient and since you are introducing and enforcing the right and healthy way to live, they will naturally want to follow course.

If you can, you may want to find an affordable, temporary weight loss camp that you and your child can attend to gather ideas and get a boost towards your goals. However, just because you cannot afford it, doesn’t mean you can’t make it a reality in your own home.

In a camp atmosphere where all the kids are overweight, the children lose the hesitant approach they use in their daily life.  Unfortunately, a large percentage of overweight kids don’t know how they will be received in most situations and have learned to be cautious.

These kids are sometimes accustomed to being stared at in public and teased in school.  They hear whispers when they walk by a group of kids.   Overweight boys, for example, get used to being the last person picked for a game during exercise periods at school.  Some adapt by using humor; others will become bullies themselves.

Overweight girls can be deeply hurt by comments about their size and often become loners or find another overweight girl to befriend.  Nothing hurts a parent more than seeing their child unhappy, but many times parents don’t know what they can do to help.  Often, well-meaning parents encourage their children to make friends or to date without realizing the damaged self image their child suffers due to their weight problems.

When teens attend what is commonly called “fat camp” (click to see why our camp is NOT a fat camp) they quickly notice they are no longer “different”.   For the first time in their life many kids are able to let their personality shine without worrying about calling attention to themselves.

Because all the teens have the same weight issue, the element of judging others based on appearance no longer applies.  Following the example set by camp counselors, teens support each other and encourage.  They counsel a friends and provide positive reinforcement for each other.

The most effective “therapy” at weight loss camps for kids may be the other kids at the camp.  Friendships are formed and kids are free to share stories with those who have had the same experiences.

For children who are the only overweight person in their family, the experience of time spent with other similar kids is priceless.   The lone overweight child is often exposed to ridicule from his own siblings who don’t understand his weight problems.  At camp, children blossom when they are encouraged and join a group of kids who encourage each other.   This brings out the best in each child and helps improve their self confidence and give them a new sense of worth and self image.

Doctors often recommend additional counseling for obese teenagers, as this may establish a reason why the child is suffering from the weight problem. Obviously, overeating is a key problem but the reason behind the weight gain itself may be complicated.

There are 10 big reasons as to why obesity occurs. They are:

• Depression
• Family issues
• Genetics
• Lack of exercise
• Low self-esteem
• Medical conditions
• Medications
• Overeating
• Peer issues
• Poor eating habits

Some teens are being lazy, eating whatever and whenever they want; really obese teens tend to have an underlying factor or two behind their excessive weight. However, it’s not known whether the factors cause the child to become obese or if the obesity caused the factors.

The majority of overweight teens want to lose weight but they have a misconception that losing weight gets quick results. However, teen weight loss camps like ours help them understand the truths and myths on weight loss along with setting realistic goals and developing exercise and nutritional plans. Besides doing all this, weight loss camp will help tackle the emotional characteristics facing teens and their weight loss.

Through the use of counseling, teens are able to recognize the underlying issues that causes them to eat more than they should and address them head on. If a teenager eats lots of food when his/her parents are fighting, they can discover a different method that allows him/her to deal with those emotions, all without picking up a lick of food.

When teens tackle the problems of unhealthy food choices and lack of exercise, they can begin to meet their weight loss goals. However, parents play a big role in their teenagers weight and health by making health food choices of their own. Some well-meaning parents have thwarted their teenagers weight loss plans because they’re afraid their child isn’t eating enough. It’s hard enough to diet but for obese children, it’s even worse when parents are trying to force more food into them. Sometimes, it’s more than just the fear of them not eating enough food but the fear that the child will accomplish their weight loss goals, something the parents have been unable to do themselves.

Teenagers who can recognize their overeating triggers will succeed in losing weight. Under a substitution method, they can do exercises instead of eating junk food.

Another big reason for teenagers to overeat is boredom. Boredom isn’t classified as an emotion but it’s the lack of having something worthwhile to do. Teens will use the emotional terms to clarify why they overeat. However, by substituting these emotional responses from eating to exercise, they can begin to tackle their weight problem.