The problems are all preventable, Wert says, if children slim down by eatingnutritious food and getting more physically active. It's not just a matter of cuttingcalories, which tends to deplete muscle mass along with fat; this kind of "dieting" notonly weakens children, but ultimately slows down fat metabolism.In contrast, exercise boosts metabolism on a 24-hour basis. When kids are regularlyactive, their bodies burn more calories even when they're sitting around watchingXena.Here are some of Wert's ideas for enticing even the most sedentary kids to getphysical:
* Make exercise fun.
"Think of activities that kids enjoy and that they'll succeed at,"advises Wert. "If you pick an activity that's too difficult for them to master, they'llfeel like failures and won't want to keep doing it." Ice skating, inline skating, orskiing, for example, may be great for some, but too complex for others. Considersnowshoeing, a bike ride,
a martial arts class
, or even something as simple as a hikethrough the park or a brisk walk at your favorite shopping center. Better yet: Ask yourkids what they might like to try.
* The family that plays together...
Parents (and siblings) should get on board withthe new exercise program. The more family members who get enthusiasticallyinvolved the better. "If parents see exercise as a chore, kids will sense that and won'twant to do it," notes Wert. Instead, form Team Family so that the child doesn't feelsingled out or punished for being overweight. When was the last time you didsomething fun and active with your children?
* Reward effort.
Set up a point system for exercise. For instance, keep track of everyone's exercise feats with a chart on the refrigerator. Don't make it acompetition, but reward the whole group's accomplishment. When everyone has donethree exercise activities a week, say, celebrate by doing something special
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