| Getting Kids Moving - Help for Overweight | | | | physical shape, has confidence a mile high, and he |
| TeensA residential school program for overweight | | | | was just honored by winning the "Program |
| teens comes with a hefty price tag (some in | | | | Award" which the coach explained is granted to |
| excess of $5,000 per month). These programs | | | | the one player he'd choose, "If I had to pick just |
| rely on the same formula for weight loss as is | | | | one as the most outstanding overall." I have no |
| commonly recommended; strict eating guidelines | | | | worries that he'll continue with a healthier lifestyle |
| and increased activities. In other words, better | | | | from this point forward.Before he took up football |
| nutrition and exercise. Hopefully some counseling is | | | | we bought him an expensive bike which was |
| offered, and college prep courses are usually on | | | | rarely used. He also has a skate board, a |
| the curriculum, but what about those kids? Are | | | | mini-scooter, and a pogo stick. We tried karate |
| they getting a realistic head-start on a lifetime of | | | | (he broke his wrist so had to quit, and then didn't |
| healthier habits or are they simply doing what | | | | want to resume), he likes Paintball. Sometimes it |
| they are told, only to be fed to the wolves when | | | | takes awhile to find the right thing but nearly |
| they leave the safe environment of the school?I | | | | everyone will feel better when they find a |
| tried to find stories of teens who had successfully | | | | physical activity they like. Exercise isn't just sit ups |
| completed these programs and gone on to | | | | and push ups. It's anything you do that includes |
| healthy lives, and came up empty. If you are one | | | | movement.No matter where you live get out the |
| or know of someone who's been through one of | | | | phone book and search for indoor and outdoor |
| these live-in school/weight loss programs, please | | | | activities in your town, or use the Internet and |
| drop me a line. I'd love to hear a success story. If | | | | search for "indoor sports" along with your city's |
| you want to be everything you can for your kids, | | | | name. I found listings for Vancouver Parks & |
| here are ideas for getting them (and you) up and | | | | Recreation, Vancouver Indoor Sports and a site |
| moving again.Exercise Should be FunGet your child | | | | on Sports Walking with a search for "indoor |
| interested in some type of exercise activity, | | | | sports Vancouver Washington" (without the |
| whether indoor or outdoor by helping them | | | | quotes).Can Video Games Help with Weight |
| discover what they prefer to do. What about bike | | | | Loss?Video games can help with losing weight. |
| riding or hiking with a GPS (hand-held Global | | | | Just ask Tanya Jessen who lost 95 pounds, Matt |
| Positioning Satellite unit). If you like the outdoors, | | | | Keene who lost 150 pounds, or Tim Mitchell who |
| Geocaching sounds like enormous fun and anyone | | | | lost 50 pounds over a few months time about |
| can do it. Adults are reporting losing 20, 30 or | | | | DDR (Dance Dance Revolution), a video dancing |
| more pounds while they are out exploring the | | | | game. Learning the steps is the challenge and |
| woods and hills in their surrounding area. Learning | | | | since you're moving while you play (dancing really), |
| to use a GPS is also educational and helps kids | | | | so you or your kids gain skill at the game while |
| learn math, science and physics while they're | | | | also gaining excellent physical shape and hand-eye |
| losing some pounds at the same time. You may | | | | coordination at the same time. There are DDR |
| find some Geocaching sites in your area. I | | | | clubs all around the world and many web sites |
| searched on the Internet and discovered there | | | | devoted to the play and practice including exciting |
| was a Geocache not 200 yards from my | | | | new game is called Yourself!Fitness. It's an XBox |
| house!What's a Geocache? It's a "treasure" of | | | | game with a PC version due early December |
| sorts. One person puts a small package or box | | | | 2004 and a PlayStation version in January 2005. |
| somewhere, out of sight, then lists the location via | | | | Visit Yourself!Fitness includes a virtual trainer called |
| GPS. Using a GPS device you look for and | | | | Maya who takes you through your paces with |
| attempt to locate the caches. Once you find one | | | | hundreds of exercises from weight lifting to |
| you may leave a note or mark that you were | | | | yoga.Finding something your kids will enjoy that |
| there, and then you return the cache to its hiding | | | | keeps them active is all it takes, and if they are |
| place for the next person to find. It's not about | | | | reluctant, once their blood starts pumping they'll |
| taking the cache, it's about locating it.Get your | | | | get much more enthusiastic. Games that |
| kids to a martial arts class, if they are at all | | | | incorporate a skill that's built up over time are |
| interested. Martial arts teaches kids discipline, | | | | excellent for increasing your child's self esteem, |
| respect for authority and builds their self esteem | | | | and with you along side, looking clumsy too, helps |
| and confidence, plus it teaches self defense. | | | | them see we all have to start at the beginning. |
| Frankly, I'm starting to think about taking some | | | | You may just find something you love too.Don't |
| type of martial arts myself. Perhaps Tai Chi or | | | | be afraid to try a few different activities before |
| some other gentle movement practice. Any | | | | you find the right fit. The money you spend on |
| activity you find for your kids may also turn into | | | | equipment, games or lessons will be saved in less |
| your favorite activity as well, and what if you | | | | spent on junk food, soft drinks and medical bills |
| could do it with your kids? That can be the best | | | | down the road. Get up and get moving and your |
| of all.Talk to your kids to discover what activities | | | | kids will naturally follow your lead.Not everyone |
| they may be interested in, and explore the | | | | can afford to send their kids to a residential |
| options togetherMy son is a good example. He | | | | program, so design a program yourself, right in |
| was never over weight but at around 13-years | | | | your own home. Switch from chips and cookies |
| old his skin tone was flabby. He didn't go outside | | | | to fruits and vegetables for snacks, and above all |
| much, preferring to play Nintendo or watch TV, | | | | get up and get moving!~~ Kathryn Martyn, |
| and since he was an excellent student, I didn't | | | | Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of |
| push him to go outside more often. Luckily | | | | the free e-book: Changing Beliefs, Your First Step |
| neighborhood kids invited him to play football one | | | | to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of |
| day, and today five years later he's in excellent | | | | OneMoreBite-Weightloss. |