Back to School Weight Loss Tips

With the approach of the New Year it seems like the perfect time to help our children settle themselves into a healthy routine for keeping their body weight within the right range and preventing future weight gain. One of the best ways to help children avoid weight gain is by following a few simple back to school weight loss tips. After all, there are many opportunities at school to develop unhealthy habits. Therefore, it is important to start at an early age and continue encouraging your children to eat well and remain active throughout their school lives.

One of the simplest back to school weight loss tips is to walk your child to and from school or to and from the bus stop whenever possible. This works very well because you’ll be able to start and end the day with an activity that is both healthy and practical, and that will burn calories at the same time. You’ll also save money on gas, decrease the overall wear on your vehicle, and be friendlier to the environment. If school is a bit too far to be a reasonable walk, then bicycling might be another alternative – especially on warmer and sunnier days. Even if you can’t walk every day, make a goal to walk it at least a couple of times every week. This will also help your child to become used to walking places instead of driving, so that trips to a local store, or even to work later in life can be done on foot or with a bicycle.
A healthy start in school also includes packing healthy, tasty lunches. Involve your child in the decision regarding what will go into the lunches (within reason, of course) and make sure that a well balanced meal is provided with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other tasty, nutritious options. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to include a treat every now and again, but that needn’t be a daily item. Remember, treats should be just that – a treat: something special. Have a dessert day on Friday, for example, to end the week in a positive way, but don’t help your children to build habits of eating junk food or sweets all of the time.
Another back to school weight loss tip that is important is to have a family fun night. Every week, have a certain night that is dedicated to doing something active with the family. Whether it’s playing catch, tag, racing, Frisbee, bowling or some other game that you enjoy playing with your children, give your family a good excuse to get off the couch and away from the television so that you can all move around instead. This also helps you to be a good example for your children because if you’re active, your children are more likely to be active, too.