Adolescents, especially during their puberty, will have an increase in appetite and may lead to overweight. Parents play an important role in helping their children to get out of their bad habits and develop better eating habits, guide them to the path of healthy eating. Here are some tips:
- Eat healthy: Fast food is convenient and cheap but don’t forget, it builds up fat fast. A regular hamburger meal from McDonalds would easily go over the calorie intake we need everyday. Please try to make healthy and nutritious good for your kids. If it is not possible to do so for all 3 meals – definitely cook breakfast as it is the first meal of the day and it is when our body most effectively absorb the nutrition we need. Do avoid sugary drinks which would hinder the process of weight loss – especially energy drinks that are supposed to be taken after exercise. The sugar level in these energy drinks is particularly high.
- Move! While we understand that playing video games and watching Netflix all day could be relaxing for both you and your children – do not forget to go out on a good day and do some exercise. Walking around the neighborhoods is recommended – it is easy and you can spend more time with your kids!
- Set small goals – take it easy! Slow and steady is the key to weight loss. Set more realistic goals such as losing 1-2 kg a week instead of encouraging your kids to lose 30 pounds a month! It can place a lot of unnecessary pressure on the teenager and that is not what we want. Set up award schemes so they are entitled to do something special once they hit their goal – encouragement is important in the long journey of weight loss.
Hang in there and you will eventually be able to shed those pounds! Good luck to you all!
shape out? Shape in! 