How to help a child aged 7–9 years lose weight at home?

The problem of obesity and overweight worries many, including a large number of parents. Diet restrictions and strict diets for children are a thankless task. This can only lead to permanent health problems, and this is unacceptable. But how can you help your child lose excess weight so that it does not affect his condition in the future? We will discuss this issue in our article.

The downside of being fat

The problem of excess weight in childhood has now become quite relevant. Previously, such a question arose quite rarely. The children were passionate about outdoor games and did not spend much time on laptops and other gadgets. Therefore, in the past, the dilemma of how to lose weight for a 7-year-old child at home was quite rare.

Obese children have lower resistance to infectious diseases. They are more likely to develop heart pathologies. Obese children are more prone to developing diabetes. In addition, such children may have serious difficulties communicating with peers. An overweight child often becomes the subject of ridicule from classmates.

The effect of excess weight on a child's body

Overweight children cannot independently cope with physical activity, engage in various sports, or play outdoor games. The state of health is gradually deteriorating. Children develop complexes associated with excess weight. It’s not easy for such children at school: their peers tease them and don’t want to be friends with them.

There are four degrees of obesity:

• obesity degree I - the child’s body weight exceeds normal by 15-25%;
• obesity II degree - the baby’s body weight exceeds normal by 25-55%;
• III degree obesity - 50-100% excess weight of normal body weight;
• IV degree obesity - more than 100% of normal body weight.

The higher the degree of obesity, the more pronounced the child’s movement and posture disorders are. In overweight children, the back is hunched, the abdominal muscles are very weak, the legs become X-shaped, and flat feet appear. Such children sweat more. As a result, the child develops diaper rash, eczema, and the skin becomes vulnerable to various infections. Excess glucose in the body leads to early puberty in girls. In obese children, joints wear out faster and osteoarthritis appears at an early age.

Children at risk for developing obesity include:

-whose parents are overweight: if one parent is overweight, the likelihood of obesity in the child increases by 2 times, if both parents - by 5 times;

- parents or close blood relatives have disorders of the endocrine system or diabetes mellitus;

- who were transferred to artificial nutrition, especially when the mixture is high-calorie;

- premature and low birth weight babies;

- with congenital diseases of the endocrine system.

Causes of extra pounds

The problem of how to help a child lose excess weight often arises due to hereditary predisposition or diseases of the endocrine system. There are other reasons that provoke the appearance of unwanted kilograms:

• poor nutrition. Nowadays, fast food has become very common. During short breaks at school, children often treat themselves to sweets or baked goods. Even with an intense metabolism and active lifestyle, extra pounds may appear if the diet is incorrect;
• low level of physical activity;
• the presence of psychological problems in adolescents. Children who enjoy regular consumption of sweets often compensate in this way for disharmony in the family or misunderstanding of peers. This problem occurs especially often among high school students. At the same time, girls are more vulnerable and emotional than boys. Therefore, they are more at risk of overeating.

At the same time, the inactive rhythm of life of a modern child is only the tip of the iceberg. The roots of the problem of excess weight are much closer. Much is predetermined by the mentality of the parents. Many of them are trying to make their lives easier by purchasing instant food products.

Psychologists conducted a simple experiment. Its results were truly shocking. Based on the results of the experiment, the children's favorite dishes were:

• French fries;
• chicken nuggets;
• pizza;
• hamburger.

Such taste preferences are dictated by frequent visits to McDonald's and similar establishments. That's why children list hot corn and a serving of Mexican salad as their favorite vegetables.

What foods should you exclude?

It is recommended not to accustom a child to forbidden foods from childhood, since the formation of taste preferences and eating habits is laid down precisely during this period. If you are obese, you should exclude the following foods:

• sweet drinks, especially synthetic ones;
• cookies, ice cream, sweets, pastries;
• drinking no more than 1 liter of fluid per day (30 ml per 1 kg of child’s weight);
• products for snacking “on the run”;
• desserts based on milk or high-calorie yogurt;
• limit consumption of egg whites;
• mayonnaise and hot seasonings;
• fatty foods;
• fried foods.

How to lose weight for a 3 year old child?

It is difficult for preschool children to independently control their nutrition. It is difficult for a child to cope with the temptation to eat flour or sweets. Especially if he sees his parents constantly doing this. Therefore, the principles of proper nutrition should be adhered to by the whole family. This will be an excellent support for your child when losing weight.

Regular physical activity also helps to get rid of extra pounds. You can enroll your child in various sections:

• aerobics;
• run;
• gymnastics;
• swimming.

Sport helps preschoolers improve their health. Thanks to high physical activity, metabolism improves. It is also worth noting that the love of sports training, lovingly instilled by parents in early childhood, will guarantee the absence of excess weight in the future.

Learning to read the label

It is important that children learn to read labels from an early age. For example, carbonated drinks contain a lot of sugar, and while in Europe there is a “light” category, in our country there is almost none. You can clearly demonstrate to your child the amount of sugar that he eats with some food or drinks in a drink. For example, 100 grams of cereal contains 40 grams of sugar! One teaspoon contains 8 grams of sugar. Offer to eat all this sugar - five spoons, just like that. It is unlikely that he will agree.

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How to lose weight for a 9 year old child?

Extra pounds can cause low self-esteem in a student, which will negatively affect recognition among classmates and academic performance in academic subjects. Weight loss methods that answer the question of how to lose weight for a 9-year-old child at home require sufficient willpower and independence.

When choosing a diet, the daily calorie content of food is taken into account. Fatty foods are excluded from the daily menu. It is necessary to strictly control portion sizes and minimize sugar consumption. Your child's diet must include fiber-rich foods.

Hourly mode

If your son or daughter is involved in extracurricular activities, such as going to a sports section or a music club, it is necessary to provide him with a snack - this could be a carton of juice and fruit.

The daily energy value for an eight-year-old schoolchild should be about 2350 kcal.

The diet of children 8 years old on a weekday is as follows (approximate time):

• homemade breakfast – 7.30;
• school breakfast –10.00;
• hot lunch – 12.30;
• afternoon tea – 15.30;
• dinner – 18.00;
• light snack – 20.00.

How can a child lose weight with simple exercises?

How to lose weight for an 8 year old child? At this age, exercise is recommended and should be done at least three times a week. Running is one of the most effective methods of fighting extra pounds. During the warm season, it can be practiced outdoors. During the winter season, it is recommended to visit indoor gyms. Alternating between slow and fast running paces is especially beneficial.

You can also do cardio exercises. As they are performed, the tempo of movements gradually changes. Cardio exercise helps burn calories not only during the workout, but also for some time after its completion. These include:

• performing jump squats;
• jumping to high places. When performing this exercise, you can use a stool or chair;
• attending training sessions with dumbbells. If you do not have the necessary sports equipment, you can use ordinary bottles filled to the top with water.

Taste of chocolate

Article on the topic

To drink or not to drink. Selling soda to children: pros and cons The other extreme is that mothers prohibit eating chips, chocolate, soda and other children’s delights. But when you really want something, you will still find a way to get it. As a child, I had terrible neurodermatitis, and my parents did not allow me to eat sweets. I ended up stealing candy when no one was looking and throwing the wrappers behind the cupboard; or I came to my grandmother and begged her for chocolates. From such restrictions, children grow up with an insane desire to eat everything harmful and forbidden. When a mother proudly says: “My child doesn’t know the taste of chocolate,” I always answer: “So what next? Then he recognizes him and won’t be able to stop.”

How to lose weight for a 7 year old child: sample menu

How can a seven-year-old child lose weight quickly before school using dietary principles? When losing weight, you need to focus on the recommendations below:

• the diet should include a variety of porridges (barley, oatmeal, wheat);
• You need to eat vegetables and fresh fruits regularly. Such products saturate the body with vitamins and sufficient fiber;
• A small amount of lean meat should also be present in the diet of a future schoolchild. It is recommended to eat it in the first half of the day;
• dinner should be light;
• It is recommended to periodically have small snacks during which you eat healthy foods. In this case, fat reserves will not accumulate in the body.

3Dinners

It is better to use cereals without gravy as a side dish. If you decide to give potatoes for dinner, let them be boiled without oil (1-2 pieces are enough). The main dish can be steamed cutlets or fish fillets baked without oil with spices and lemon juice. To avoid using oil, you should cook in special bags for baking in the oven or microwave.

Of course, such dishes do not have an appetizing crust, so for taste, use mustard, soy sauce, honey and spices as a marinade. When serving, drain the juice. Children really like meat and fish baked with cheese. It is not even necessary to serve them with side dishes, just a large portion of vegetable salad and a slice of bread.

Finding smooth curves in your figure during adolescence

Teenagers’ worry about the imperfection of their own figure is no less common a problem than how to quickly lose weight for a preschool child. To bring your weight back to normal, you can use the following appetite control techniques:

• fractional meals. In this case, the teenager needs to eat often, but eat food in small portions;
• enriching the diet with fiber, which gives a feeling of fullness;
• increasing foods with tartronic acid (for example, some vegetables) in the diet. This acid prevents the conversion of carbohydrates to fats;
• reducing the amount of egg whites on the menu. They contain
• appetite stimulating substance.

The breakfast menu may contain the following products:

• freshly squeezed smoothies;
• fruits;
• chicken eggs;
• dishes prepared from lean meat;
• dairy products;
• green tea;
• a small amount of dark chocolate;
• porridges cooked from a variety of cereals.

The lunch diet includes soups cooked in vegetable or non-rich meat broth, oven-baked fish, seafood salads, and fresh vegetables.

It is recommended for a teenager to have dinner no later than three hours before going to bed at night. Before going to bed, you are allowed to drink a small amount of kefir or low-calorie yogurt.

An approximate menu for the day can be seen in the corresponding table.

The main thing is to do no harm

Carbohydrates and fats. When creating a children's menu for weight loss (especially for children aged 11 years), it is very important to take into account all the needs of the child at a specific age period. It is absolutely impossible to exclude foods that contain healthy carbohydrates and fats from the diet, since increased stress at school, as well as emotional upheavals (for example, a quarrel with classmates) require a lot of energy to recover. If a child does not receive the required amount of carbohydrates and sucrose, academic performance and endurance may significantly decrease, which is unacceptable for boys of this age.

Squirrels. At the age of 11, boys begin a transition period and hormonal changes in the entire body occur, as the production of male sex hormones increases. A period of active growth continues, so a diet for weight loss must fully provide the required amount of protein. For an 11-year-old boy, this figure is 93 g per day.

Important! Protein products are necessary not only for proper growth development, but also for weight loss. A diet with sufficient protein content promotes long-term satiety, which eliminates the likelihood of snacking on the go.

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Sugar. Some mothers of overweight children try to exclude sugar and foods containing it from their children's diet. This approach cannot be called correct, since sugar is necessary for brain function. In addition, most sugar substitutes are not suitable for use in baby food.

Calcium. Calcium is essential for the growth and strength of the bone tissue that makes up the human skeleton (including jaw bones and teeth). A common mistake that parents make when preparing a diet to lose weight for a child is an attempt to remove all fatty foods from the menu, including full-fat sour cream, cottage cheese, etc. This cannot be done, since calcium from low-fat dairy products is only absorbed by half, which significantly reduces the level of this element in the child’s body.

Advice! For 11-year-old boys who are overweight, dairy products with a fat content of 2.5-5% are ideal. Low-fat foods are not suitable for children's diets.

The right motivation

How can you help your child lose weight without putting too much pressure on him? In this case, well-chosen motivation will come to the rescue. If a child is interested in success, the weight loss process will happen much faster. There are no ready-made recipes for this matter. Each child is individual. We can just give a few examples of well-chosen motivation:

• losing weight “for company.” It will be much easier for the child to follow a diet with his mother. You can use a little trick. Tell your son or daughter that you don’t have the willpower to fight excess weight on your own and need your child’s support. Losing weight “for company” also has a significant disadvantage. It is important not to overdo it with the “competitive element”. If the mother begins to lose weight much more actively, the child may begin to feel like a loser. As a result, instead of increasing motivation, there will be a sharp decrease in it;
• receiving a super prize. You can offer your child some significant prize if he achieves great success in losing weight. This can include: an interesting trip, a bicycle, long-awaited skates. But at the same time, you should not set a long deadline for completing the task. Six months can seem like an eternity to a child. Therefore, the time interval should be more modest;
• a radical change in image. This type of motivation is optimal for teenagers. For parents who don’t know how to lose weight for an 8-year-old child at home, such an incentive is unlikely to be suitable. Teenagers strive to look attractive in the eyes of others. Therefore, buying new stylish things and the promised trip to the stylist can force them to actively fight the hated kilograms.

Some parents, who are frivolous about how to lose weight for a child aged 8-10, try to use monetary rewards as motivation. But this is far from the surest path. The child must understand that losing weight is not a method of making money, but an excellent way to normalize their own health.

IMPORTANT! Informational article! Before use, you should consult a specialist.

Expert advice: losing weight correctly

What do pediatricians, as well as experts on the problems of excess weight in children, suggest?

• As we have already said, sharp prohibitions will not lead to anything good. You can sometimes allow your child to cheer himself up with sweets or chocolate. After all, if in childhood he does not recognize this taste, then in the future, having tried it just once, he will hardly be able to stop. You need to get rid of everything harmful gradually, giving the baby time to get used to it. It is better to allow sweets in the morning, when fat is less deposited.
• Snacks are healthy, and smaller meals are good. But they should not be turned into real “overeats.” In the intervals between meals, you only need to satisfy your hunger slightly, and not eat to satiety.
• Get a scale at home and a habit of weighing yourself regularly. This will help you better control the changes happening to your baby.
• No popcorn in the cinema or peanuts and chips while watching TV. Being carried away by an interesting film or cartoon, even an adult can consume half a bucket of junk food without even noticing it, not to mention a child.
• Set an example for your child with your behavior. This is the only way he will believe that this is really necessary.

It is worth changing the eating habits of the entire family. This will benefit not only your child, but also yourself. For example, you can refuse five pieces of bread for a plate of soup, buns, and pastries of any kind. Instead of fatty meat or fish, take lean foods. Introduce the rule of preparing dishes that require minimal heat, or indeed any processing. More vegetables, fruits, dairy products.

A set of home exercises for children

It doesn’t hurt to learn and regularly perform simple exercises with your child that will help you quickly get rid of excess weight. It won't hurt to do a warm-up - run, jump, bend over, swing your legs and arms.

Legs

• An excellent option would be jumping rope. At the same time, you can twist it forward, backward, and also jump on one leg or on two. This exercise can easily be turned into a game.
• Jumping into rings (hoops), laid out on the floor, is best suited for children under five to six years old.
• Jumping from a deep squat, the so-called frog, trains the legs well.

Arms and exercises on the bar

• The plank, as well as its variations (on one arm, with weights), are well suited for working out the muscles of the arms for children.
• Install horizontal bars and a wall bars in the children's room. Hanging on it is good for the whole body.
• Movements while hanging, that is, with the help of the legs.
• Pulling up with the help of parents, and then independently.

Abs and back

• Raising your back while holding your legs with your parents.
• Raising legs from a lying position.
• Raising your back up from a lying position on your tummy. In this case, the legs are held by the parents.

Stretching

• Sitting on the floor with straightened legs (knees straight), reach for your toes with your fingers and pull your torso towards them.
• Ring exercise. To do this, you need to lie on your stomach, bend your knees, and arch your back. You need to grab your feet with straight hands. Ideally, you should end up with a ring of sorts.

These exercises can be used to complete exercises for children to lose weight, or use them as a cool-down.

Fast weight loss: pros and cons

Many parents ask the question of how to lose weight for a child before competitions, various performances, and whether it is worth taking any emergency steps at all.

One of the quick weight loss methods used by athletes before important events is dehydration. To do this, they go to a bathhouse or sauna, where they sweat in their clothes and do exercises. You cannot conduct such experiments on your own child, as this can only cause harm.

• Children should not go on a hunger strike; this is fraught with serious disruptions in the functioning of some organs.
• Immediately discard options with strict, and even more so mono-diets. This can seriously disrupt metabolic processes in a fragile child’s body.
• You cannot completely eliminate the consumption of fats and carbohydrates before performances, as many do. It may be possible to lose a few kilograms in a week, but then they will return, taking their “buddies” with them.

Pediatricians recommend abandoning the idea of ​​emergency weight loss in children altogether. It is better to move towards the goal slowly but surely. In the future, many other competitions await you and your baby, but health is given only one thing. Why sacrifice it for the sake of a momentary dubious victory.