On reason fat camps are so effective in helping overweight children is the activity level required of participants. Fat kids won t sit around playing video games for hours at weight loss fitness camp. They won t veg out on the couch watching TV all day either. Activities are designed to make children want to get up and be active so they don t miss out on the fun.
Camp counselors are great at keeping kids moving. Organized competitions, nature walks, swimming and exercise classes are combined with walking to and from the activities to increase the activity levels of overweight kids.
Many adults cringe at the word “exercise” so how can we expect our children to react differently? An overweight child doesn t find it easy to touch his toes or do a situp. The fat he carries makes him feel clumsy and uncoordinated and none of us enjoys doing something that makes us uncomfortable.
Parents can do so much to help their child physically and telling a child to exercise isn t helpful. Why not exercise with him by taking long walks or hike small hills in your area. There are many venues where walking is a requirement – a State Fair, a zoo, or one of the many indoor play areas designed for children. Don t rent a power boat – rent a canoe or kayak for a day trip.
Listen to your child and know what interests him. There are so many military ships and airplane museums that free to visit and require walking literally miles to view all the exhibits. Take a picnic to a nearby stream where stones are waiting for a kid to skip them over the water s surface. An overweight child may not be interested in playing baseball but may look forward to a family bowling night. Younger children love a treasure hunt and you can sit peacefully while your children run from one end of your property to the other finding “clues”.
Has your child begged for a pet? Maybe this is a good time to get a puppy or maybe he would do better adopting a shelter dog that is obedience and house trained and looking for a friend. Of course, the stipulation would be that he walk the dog twice a day but on his own your child would probably spend time paying fetch with his pet, grooming and training him. If purchasing or adopting a pet aren t an option for your child (perhaps somebody in the house has allergies) consider having your child volunteer at a local animal shelter or have him/her help out around the neighborhood by walking dogs. This will give them the exercise they need as well as the exposure to animals that they desire.
When a child s imagination and mind are occupied, he doesn t notice he s also getting valuable exercise.
Fat camps focus on fitness and provide activities that are designed to make overweight children want to keep walking and running and reaching. A fitness camp will help your child begin to exercise in ways that will boost his weight loss efforts. With planning and imagination, parents can continue that exercise program after weight loss camp is over.
Author Resource:
David Kraft is a freelance author that writes articles about weight loss camps for kids and teens. Learn more at http://www.newimagecamp.com
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