11 year old exercising

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  • Eleanorjanethinner
    Eleanorjanethinner Posts: 563 Member
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    Just wanted to say what an awesome Aunty you are. It warms the cockles to see you caring for you niece and trying hard to do the best for her.

    Good luck! :smile:
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
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    The sad thing about kids now days is there are so many unhealthy choices for breakfast & lunch at school, I see it everyday....terrible!
    Then you add that they don't want to go outside & ride bikes , and play. All they can think about is video game, computers, texting, & tv.

    I would say, show her how to make yummy foods that are healthy...and get them outside to run around. Letting her workout with you a little is probably a good thing....but not over doing it. They should have guidelines at the YMCA to figure out what is right for her age : )

    Your such a great sister!! It's really nice you can be there for your sister's kids : )
  • Peta22
    Peta22 Posts: 377 Member
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    I would say she will hit it hard for a short period, then either her focus will wane or her body will catch up with her. What I find ironic is when we were kids(I'm 37) we were out all day everyday, running, cycling, building/destroying things & that was normal, I guess what I am trying to say is her energy levels are high because of her age, leave her burn it off :)

    Russ

    I completely agree with this! A a kid I was almost literally running through life from 6am to 8pm everyday... I had so much energy and hiking, biking, climbing trees, digging holes, building forts and treehouses ect were all normal ways to spend every spare moment. I find it strange to think that ppl might think a kid may need to be restricted to a certain amount of exersize. I think if I'd ever had access to a gym at 11, I would have been playing for hours!

    The only limiting factor may be if she seems to have an unhealthy obsession with weight loss or body image, otherwise, why try and slow her down? Its a great thing to be doing!
  • thisisjl
    thisisjl Posts: 1,074 Member
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    I think with kids, the focus should be more on activities that are FUN, that get them exercising, but without having them thinking of it so much as "cardio" or a "strength workout". I would just plain get her off of the cardio machines, period. There's too much potential for a dependency on numbers: counting calories, minutes, etc... at too young of an age. Sports-type stuff is probably best, even if it's playing catch or kicking a ball around. Swimming can actually build quite a bit of muscle, too. In an ideal, healthy society, we as adults would have been engaging in activities like this all along, without ever needing to use solitary cardio machines to burn off our indulgences, later.

    Because her body is still developing, and especially given that she's in the middle of puberty, her body really can't be deprived of sufficient nutrients needed for growth, so change should probably be gradual. I would explain this to her, that because her body is still growing, losing the weight too fast by eating too much less than her energy expenditure is probably doing her more harm than keeping a bit of extra weight on for a bit longer. She needs to know that there is more to it than being skinny or fat, and that she still needs to eat enough dietary macro and micronutrients (dietary fat, included; very important for brain health), so all of her organs, bones, muscles, skin, etc are healthy. She'll have better odds of maintaining her lifestyle change if it happens gradually, too, instead of losing the weight in a crash course.

    Really this working out upstairs with me started because she couldn't swim with the younger kids because it was TOM for her and I didn't want her to be bored for and hour to an hour and a half while they were swimming so I told her she could come upstairs with me I thought she'd do what my oldest does just sorta pedal while watching tv and chat with me. But she really worked out to the point she told me man I am bringing a water bottle with me next time. She was getting drinks from the fountain when she was thristy but you have to be doing some work to need to drink that often. However, at the end of the week she might just go back to swimming laps and playing in the pool or she might want to spend the time with me. I think I will limit it to just a once or twice a week thing for us to have some aunty and me time. Again I will stress she is having plenty of kid time playing outside and being active in that sense.It's a mile over to the park they bike, we have a 14' tramp, she's playing plenty.

    I worry about her and my 10 year old because they are both on the heavier side and Obesity runs rammpent in our family and my neices dad's side. I think most of the adults in my family are either over weight or obese I managed to work hard at keeping myself from being obese I was 145 from age 16-23 until I had my kids I gained 50# with both and never took it off until recently I lost 45 pounds 3 years ago and have kept it off now I'm working on loosing the rest. My mother, father, aunt (mom's twin), have diabetes. I'm striving to bring my kids up with better knowledge about health. I mean come on I never ate a single vegatable that didn't come out of a can until I was married or sometimes at a family function with a veggie tray. Salad what was that oh wait it was that stuff covered in mayo, and sugar with some banana's thrown in or slathered in french dressing when we went out to eat.

    At this point I think she gets that she just needs to make healthier choices when eatting rather than having 3rds or 4ths of a plate of spaghetti because it tastes good she is eatting until she feels full and STOPPING not going back for more "just because". I take the kids shopping with me to be included in the menu's since I don't know a ll their likes and dislikes and they were throwing fruit and veggies in the cart left and right. They like healthy foods it's the over eatting of the other stuff that's gotten them in trouble.
  • thisisjl
    thisisjl Posts: 1,074 Member
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    The only limiting factor may be if she seems to have an unhealthy obsession with weight loss or body image, otherwise, why try and slow her down? Its a great thing to be doing!

    I guess when I saw how much she was really getting into it and the comment she made to me about how I told her mom she was going to be "ripped" (which was a joking comment) made me wonder if I made the right decision letting her work out on cardio I just keep seeing a REALLY OLD episode of Full House where the oldest daugher worked out so much she made herself sick I think she was actually bulemic as well or something. I know I would notice it if it was out of hand or I hope I would. I just wasn't sure if working out on cardio for an hour was healthy. I've heard you never want to put a child on a diet which I'm not doing.Am I limiting her on how many servings of dinner she can have yes, am I telling her she can only have salad no. Do I want her to be active and not sitting in front of a TV or computer YES! Do I want her working out 2 hours a week thinking it's what you have to do to be healthy not really no.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    Why is no one suggesting discussing this with the kid?

    It seems to me that you can have a discussion with your niece about how she would like to structure her exercise now that she's discovered she enjoys using the equipment as well. Remind her that she can do most days in the pool, and one or two days with you. You can also explain to her that you are happy that she is getting healthier, especially in light of the weight problems in your family, but emphasize that her weight is unrelated to her worth as a person.
  • HelenDootson
    HelenDootson Posts: 443 Member
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    Here in the UK David Lloyd Health clubs allow 11 - 14 year olds a supervised 45 min session, 4 times a week on the cardio machines (they include the treadmill) - One of the gym staff supervises them. So I assume 4 x 45min per week is fine.
    I was advised by a rehab trainer I asked once that kids that are still growing should stick to light weights if they are using them as too much muscle can impeed bone growth - Don't know if it is true or not
  • jadedzen
    jadedzen Posts: 221 Member
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    I started working out at a young age. the main problem with kids is poor form that leads to injuries on still developing bodies. But at 11 i was also doing pointe ballet and hapkido and was using exercise to rehabilitate an ankle and hip injury. Really, talk to the kid, she sounds mature. Explain to her there's good pain from working out and bad pain from working out, and to know her limit. teach her how to warm up properly and stretch. unless she's had dance training or something she may not know how important that is to a workout. Having a dr's checkup before she can exercise is a good way to instill that this is something that could potentially hurt her body and she needs to be mindful of.
  • HelenDootson
    HelenDootson Posts: 443 Member
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    By the way - You are a very wonderful Sister/Aunt :)
  • Peta22
    Peta22 Posts: 377 Member
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    The only limiting factor may be if she seems to have an unhealthy obsession with weight loss or body image, otherwise, why try and slow her down? Its a great thing to be doing!

    I guess when I saw how much she was really getting into it and the comment she made to me about how I told her mom she was going to be "ripped" (which was a joking comment) made me wonder if I made the right decision letting her work out on cardio I just keep seeing a REALLY OLD episode of Full House where the oldest daugher worked out so much she made herself sick I think she was actually bulemic as well or something. I know I would notice it if it was out of hand or I hope I would. I just wasn't sure if working out on cardio for an hour was healthy. I've heard you never want to put a child on a diet which I'm not doing.Am I limiting her on how many servings of dinner she can have yes, am I telling her she can only have salad no. Do I want her to be active and not sitting in front of a TV or computer YES! Do I want her working out 2 hours a week thinking it's what you have to do to be healthy not really no.

    Don't get me wrong, it sounds like your doing a great job and your really the only one who can really see how shes interacting with the exersize equipment... My thoughts were purely that, as an 11 year old, I think I would have been treating them as toys - like a game to see how well I could 'score' and then to see if I could beat that score etc... If its fun, if its a game, thn I think it can only be a good thing. If she starts to act as if its a chore she must do to lose weight, look good or please anyone, then I'd start worrying.
  • thisisjl
    thisisjl Posts: 1,074 Member
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    Why is no one suggesting discussing this with the kid?

    Because this just started earlier today and before I have an indepth conversation about how much or little she should use the equipment I thought I'd get suggestions on what's to much at this age. I'd rather be informed with information rather than tell her something or tell her I don't know and have to look it up. I never said I wasn't going to talk with her.
  • Kara_xxx
    Kara_xxx Posts: 635 Member
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    This thread made me quite sad, in the sense that it even exists. :frown:

    I think the biggest difference between kids today and when I was a child are that we were never bored, always up to doing something, playing outside without this ridiculous parental paranoia that exists now. You were home when it gets dark and those were the rules.

    Plus we never had free access to food. I now see kids just going into the kitchen, opening a cupboard, taking what they like without asking and walking off to their room. When did that become acceptable?? My mother or grandmother would have gone apoplectic if I had done that. You could ask to have something but no meant no.
  • MessyLittlePanda
    MessyLittlePanda Posts: 213 Member
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    Hiya,

    I used to run a programme for kids/teens as part of Change for Life here in the UK. Part of that was helping kids who did not excel at or like school type sports to discover different types of exercise so we took the 11-16's to visit a local gym that does teen gym sessions - some kids get on better with doing their own gym workout routines and improving their personal performance than doing more traditional competitive sports. Some of the teens who started off going to teen gym then went on to start doing classes like dance/zumba or trying out sports, using the machines helped build their confidence. So long as they don't overdo it or get obsessed, it's not a bad thing at all.
  • thisisjl
    thisisjl Posts: 1,074 Member
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    Kara. My house is not a free for all with food. If you want a snack, you ask for it, if I don't want you having an icecream cone I'm going to say nope there's some Kiwi in the fruit bowl or Carrot sticks in the fridge. As for exercising outside as I've said my kids do this too but we also like to go to the YMCA and go swimming. My sisters kids are use to s wimming on a daily basis because they have a pool in their back yard so we've been going to the Y more often so they can get their "fix" of swimming. I as a kid was also outside every single day sun up to sun down riding my bike all over the darn place was I over weight YEP! did my parents let me have free for all on foods NOPE! It isn't necessarily all about playing outside more and parents feeding right. Like I said obesity runs in my family and while people can argue genetics doesn't make people fat it can give them screwed up metabolisms or something.
  • Kara_xxx
    Kara_xxx Posts: 635 Member
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    Kara. My house is not a free for all with food. If you want a snack, you ask for it, if I don't want you having an icecream cone I'm going to say nope there's some Kiwi in the fruit bowl or Carrot sticks in the fridge.

    It's how it should be isn't it. :flowerforyou:
    I just can't believe how many people just let their kids help themselves to whatever they like without even asking.

    In the UK a well know fertilitist by the name of Prof Robert Winston is doing a longitudinal study called "Child of our times". He picked a load of babies from all sorts of social backgrounds all born on the 1.1.00 and basically follows their life to establish which aspects are nature and which are nurture. Obviously they're all around 12 now and a few years ago the series was focussed on 'play'... how many hours were spent in active play versus 'screen time' etc. It was quite shocking how many hours some of them were spending in front of TV, computer games, internet, playing with mobile phones etc. When he interviewed the parents, many said they weren't happy for their kids ever to be out of sight and it basically boiled down to excessive stranger danger. Many parents believed that the world today is somehow more dangerous then is was when they were kids etc and so they kept them in a lot more. It's quite an interesting study.
  • herownkindofwonderfull
    herownkindofwonderfull Posts: 307 Member
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    I guess my question is, after all that back story, should I limit her to 30 minutes or should I let her work out 45-75 mintues with me?
    At age 7 my daughter was doing an hour of gymnastics, at age 11 an hour of track running, and now at 13 she is doing an hour of dance (street modern jazz and disco), I'd say so long as YOU don't push her, she's fine. She'll mostly likely stop or slow down on her own without anyone pushing her to 'go for the burn' or what ever the current trendy phrase is.

    ^this
  • thisisjl
    thisisjl Posts: 1,074 Member
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    I don't beleive the world's gotten more dangerous I think crimes are being more sensationalized. My ex got mad because I let them ride their bikes 1 mile up the road to Target it was all back roads didn't need to worry about getting hit by a car on the busy road he thought it was to far to let my 11 year old go. I was like when I was her age I was riding 3 miles to to local swimming pool.
  • Kara_xxx
    Kara_xxx Posts: 635 Member
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    You're spot on and Robert Winston's conclusion was pretty much exactly that. The world hasn't hugely changed but the media sensationalises anything negative and bad creating this fear that it's somehow no longer safe to be out.

    Interesting you mentioned cycling to the shops, because when they were about ten or so he interviewed parents and asked if they allowed their kids to walk to the corner shop for a pint of milk and some wouldn't. Part of growing up is to become more independent, and he did express concern that in those families where the kids weren't allowed to do anything at all without supervision, that it would ultimately hinder their development.

    I think the way I grew up would these days almost be considered neglectful by some parents. We'd be out in the woods building dens for hours without an adult in sight. :happy:
  • yksdoris
    yksdoris Posts: 327 Member
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    From your Opening Post and the follow-ups I can already tell that you're approaching this WAY better than my parents did. My mom would every now and then say that when she was my age, she'd be into gymnastics and sporting ALL the time. While telling me, being overweight. My dad the same. The good old do as I say, not as I do approach obviously doesn't work.

    You're doing the right thing: you took her along, she enjoyed it (probably because she could spend time with you as much as for the excercise itself). You're taking the kids along shopping and they are making the healthy choices. So yes, both discussion and modeling.'As far as I'm concerned, you're on the right path.
  • ajourneytoskinny
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    If I were you, I'd talk to her about her eating habits and perhaps introduce her to healthy snacks - one's that she'll prefer to chocolate and crisps! Such as a healthy variety fruits, granola bars etc.. In my opinion, I think she is too young to be working out at the gym. You should definitely encourage her to swim, go on bike rides, the trampoline and walks - I don't know what gym equipment she's using, but I think that it'd be detrimental in the future - she'll get an obsession with her weight and body, and that's often how eating disorders start :/ but definitely encourage healthy habits! :)
    I hope that helps:)
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