Overweight kids

I don't have kids myself yet but I've thought about this issue a lot as far as what I'd want to do to keep my kids healthy (I was overweight as a teen but not as much as I'd thought I was at the time). I think little things over time work well for kids from what I've heard and researched. It sounds like the quality of food isn't the issue but do they eat huge portions or drink soda? You could always switch to diet pop and encourage more water with dinner or something. Also for the portions you could try just cutting back on their portion sizes by just a little bit week by week (like one less spoonful, forkful, etc) until they're eating what you'd judge to be a healthier size. Also, when I was a teen I loved exercise but wasn't too good at it. However I did a LOT of stuff with my mom and even though I ended up gaining more weight after I moved out, I always valued the time we spent working out. We did spin classes, went on walks together (fun cause we could chat too) and later joined a women's gym to workout with machines. Don't underestimate family activities. Lastly I would say, and delicately, try to educate them as much as you feel comfortable about the importance of being healthy and active. Spin it in such a way that you're not saying they need to lose weight, but just let them know that proper health is important to you and because you love them so much you what them to know all this great information. Teach them what calories are, and maybe even have them help you in the kitchen if they're so inclined. I used to cook with my dad and those are some of my fondest memories, though I'd like it better now if we'd done more healthy recipes. Just teach them everything you can about how food fuels us and it's equally important to burn our fuel properly.

Good luck, just keep doing what you're doing and slowly bring in any small changes you want and you should be golden over time!

This is such a difficult topic. I would recommend reading Tosca Reno's book for kids. Its all about clean eating. Sugar is the main culprit. It is hidden in so many things too.

Best thing you can do is to try to make sure all their meals are packed with real food only that you have prepared yourself rather than any packaged food and you will see the weight come off.

When my daughter was young (now 21 and was always lean) I would make sure I always had a supply of real food ready to go so when she got home from school it was there ready. I would cut up veggies and put it on the table with dips made myself or a platter of vegies and cold cuts such as left over roast chicken. Also I would cut up a selection of fruit like strawberries, melon etc. If it was in the fridge not cut up she would snuff her nose at it but as soon as I put it on the table all cut up she would graze on it. (fruit is high sugar so not too much)

I would trade bread in sandwiches for whole grain wraps and pack them with raw veggies. Incorporate more raw food and veggies. There are lots of books on making yummy raw food. Toscas book has lots of ideas.

Another thing to do is increase their activity. Give them chores without it feeling like a chore. Make it fun and rewarding. Its surprising how many calories you can burn with housework. Organise games that get them off the couch like hide and seek with a time limit so they run about using objects you have hidden and make a fun outcome like a token reward. (just don't make the reward food lol) Also try and incorporate them into your exercise. Go for walks together. Play ball games, play tag, simon says (this is a good one because you can use things like simon says jump in the air, touch the ground and jump up again etc). Get your kids to skip instead of waking - it makes it fun if you do it too.

Its just about breaking and changin habits. Good luck

Hope this helps