Helping Children Lose Weight Without Losing Their Self-Esteem

3. Instruct

Take a trip to the grocery store to teach your child about the benefits of eating whole foods to nourish her body with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, instead of how many calories they contain. Replace soft drinks and juice with plain ol' water. Discuss the importance of eating a healthy breakfast to give her body good fuel to burn throughout the day. Most important, practice what you preach. That means if you are asking your child to get off the couch, for example, you'll need to get moving too. Sneak in exercise whenever possible. Suggest taking walks or going for bike rides more often. Leave your car at the far end of a parking lot to make the walk to the store longer. Or take the stairs instead of an elevator. Making little changes like these will add up to big results.