How to lose weight for an 11-year-old child: an integrated approach, proper nutrition, physical activity according to age, advice and recommendations from pediatricians and nutritionists

Weight standards by age

Before comparing numbers, it is important to remember that each child is individual and it is necessary to take into account the child’s growth. But there are still weight limits that must be respected.

Children aged 10-11 years have an average height of 135-145 cm. In this case, the optimal weight is considered to be in the range of 32-39 kg for boys and 30-38 kg for girls. The genetic characteristics of the teenager should be taken into account. If the parents are large enough, then a deviation of 2-3 kg in a larger direction is allowed.

Children aged 12-13 years have an average height of 155-160 cm. With such standards, weight can vary from 40 to 55 kg.

If the child is above average height, then parents should take into account the norms for an older child.

Child’s weight: what are its features?

Childhood obesity is understood as a condition when a child’s weight exceeds the age-height standard by 15% . And extra pounds in childhood are considered a more serious problem than a similar condition in an adult. And all because the child’s body is just forming and does not need developmental adjustments that obesity can make. That is, disruptions may occur that, in older age, turn into diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases.

But before you start dealing with this problem, you need to find out whether your child has it. It’s just that, unlike adults, children need additional nutrients as they grow and develop. That is, if a child consumes the amount of calories he needs for growth, metabolism and daily activity, then he will gain pounds in proportion to his height . If the energy intake from food exceeds the mentioned needs, then weight gain begins, which is then extremely difficult to get rid of. Therefore, it is important to determine whether your child’s existing kilograms are truly excessive, and where the limit comes when additional calories become too many and they begin to be deposited in fat depots.

Disadvantages of excess weight in children

Not only adults should take care of their body and shape. Excess weight significantly complicates the life of teenagers. Firstly, it interferes with the child's activity. And at this age it is the main component for future health.

In addition, being overweight does not exclude the development of diabetes in the future. This disease is incurable and can eventually cause death.

Also, excess weight in a teenager will most likely cause complexes. After all, everyone knows that children can be very cruel in their expressions towards their peers.

The “food promiscuity” factor

Unfortunately, many parents do not notice the point beyond which the excess intake of additional calories into the child’s body begins. In other words, banal overeating occurs. It is provoked by such a widespread factor in our society as “food promiscuity.”

Food has become a real cult for modern people, and our children are adopting this health-damaging trend from adults. Sweets of all kinds, pastries, sweet soda, chips, hamburgers - these temptations are difficult for a child to pass by. The child is also overfed with homemade food. For example, the “good grandmother” syndrome is well known, when feeding a grandson turns into a special ritual. Such grandmothers work their magic every day at the stove, not knowing what other culinary masterpiece to please the little family member who is already so big in size that he barely fits at the dining table. In one of the TV shows, a 38-year-old man admitted that if it weren’t for his grandmother’s obsessive desire to constantly feed him as a child, adult life would have turned out differently. With a height of 180 cm, he weighs 120 kg and experiences serious complexes because of this. The man is still not married, because he is ashamed of himself, his body and therefore does not meet women. Attempts to lose weight invariably ended in failure. Would you really want such a fate for your child?

What should parents not do?

How to lose weight quickly for an 11 year old child? Some adults, faced with the problem of excess weight in a child, take the wrong actions. For example, there are times when parents begin to reproach a teenager and even call him names. Such actions are prohibited, because the child will have a reverse reaction. He will withdraw and lower his self-esteem even lower.

There are also cases when teenagers are given excessive dietary restrictions and every movement the child makes towards the kitchen and refrigerator is controlled.

In this way, you can only cause a different reaction on the part of the teenager - he will start hiding with food from adults and may even start stealing it. Adults should support the child every step of the way to lose weight.

Only calm conversations and explanations can help, from which the child will draw the right conclusions.

You should lose weight

It “touches me” when a mother makes dumplings with mayonnaise in the evening, plops down in front of the TV, and then says to her child: “You should lose weight, go on a diet.” Have you set an example yourself? Even if a parent does not have weight problems, he should be a role model. When they tell me that obesity is inherited genetically, I always object: no, it is not inherited genetically, metabolic rate is inherited. The fact that you have a size 56 butt is not inherited genetically; habits that you have seen since childhood are inherited. If your mother gave you half a loaf of bread for a snack, then you will continue to snack on it for the rest of your life, thinking that this is normal. When parents eat healthy, the child will strive to do the same.

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Features of the diet for teenagers

How to lose weight for a child aged 11? First of all, you need to understand that a diet for teenagers should not contain too strong restrictions based on fashionable nutrition systems for adults. For children, first of all, a balanced diet should be established with the predominant consumption of natural products.

A very important point is setting the diet. Teenagers should eat at least 4 times a day while on a diet. In percentage terms it looks something like this:

• 30% - breakfast;
• 10% - lunch;
• 45% - lunch;
• 15% - dinner.

This is the ratio to the total amount of food offered to the child per day.

The diet must include:

• white fish;
• lean meat;
• low fat dairy products.
• vegetables and greens.

Legumes are very useful. They have many microelements and vitamins. Legumes will also be able to saturate the child’s body for a longer time.

Intestinal flora and child weight

Many scientists are of the opinion that the composition of the intestinal microflora affects not only the health and development of the child, but also his weight . If an imbalance occurs between beneficial bifidobacteria and lactobacilli and pathogenic microflora, and the latter begin to “take over”, then under their influence fermentation processes begin. As a result, complex organic substances are broken down and hydrogen is released, which is absorbed by special methane-producing bacteria. Interestingly, obese people, including children, have a higher percentage of such bacteria in their intestinal tract than people with normal body weight. The “solution” is that these microorganisms actively break down indigestible proteins and carbohydrates, which is accompanied by the production of additional energy, which in turn leads to weight gain.

Often the cause of excess weight is the slagging of the child’s body, especially the intestines, which turns into a kind of “garbage heap” of undigested remains of refined food, in which opportunistic microorganisms feel at ease.

What products are prohibited?

Parents must clearly understand that the burden of responsibility also falls on them, even more so than on the child. Adults should develop a sample weekly menu for their child, taking into account all the nuances.

How to lose weight for a child aged 11? In the diet of a teenager who wants to lose weight, it is strictly necessary to remove the following foods:

• sausages and sausages;
• semi-finished products;
• bakery products;
• lollipops;
• carbonated drinks;
• fatty meats and fish;
• fried foods;
• fast food.

It is worth as much as possible to offer your child meals that you prepare at home yourself, because store-bought semi-finished products most often use margarine and flavoring additives that increase appetite.

The daily kcal requirement for a 10-12 year old teenager is 2300-2400, so the diet should contain no more and no less than this amount of energy. Your daily diet should include fresh fruits and vegetables.

There should be at least 4 meals per day, dinner no later than 6-7 pm. Below is a sample menu that should be followed during the diet:

1. Breakfast - milk porridge based on buckwheat or oatmeal and skim milk.
2. Lunch – steamed vegetable cutlets. To prepare them, it is recommended to use beets, zucchini, and cabbage. As a drink, you can offer apple compote.
3. Lunch – borscht with lean meat, vegetable stew, a slice of rye flour bread.
4. For dinner, it is better to offer a salad of fresh vegetables and fruit jelly.

You can use small pieces of fresh carrots or apples as snacks; they must be placed on a plate that will be constantly within the teenager’s reach.

Balanced nutrition for weight adjustment

In order to eat rationally, it is important not only to choose the right foods, but also to eat them correctly. It is important to follow the following rules:

• eat small meals up to 6 times a day;
• Eat high-calorie foods in the morning;
• buy fresh food;
• eat slowly, chew food thoroughly. It is advisable to turn off the TV and put away the book/gadget or foreign objects that distract you;
• Don't use meals as rewards or punishments.

Serve food in small portions and set the table beautifully. This will make your food look bright and appetizing. Below you will find a list of foods that you should not eat or should cut down when losing weight:

Avoid:

• sweets (cakes, ice cream, candies, cookies)
• various sodas;
• fast food, chips and crackers;
• shelf-stable products;
• products with dyes and additives;
• fried and smoked

Reduce your use:

• of bread;
• fresh milk;
• potatoes;
• nuts and dried fruits;
• fatty meats;
• canned foods;
• Fruit and dark chocolate;
• pasta;
• salt

Products for losing weight:

• raw and stewed vegetables;
• cereals (with a little added oil)
• chicken, rabbit, beef, turkey (stewed, boiled, baked);
• egg yolks;
• low-fat varieties of fish (stewed, boiled, baked);
• unsweetened fruits (raw or baked);
• fresh juices;
• compotes (from fruits and dried fruits);
• vegetable soups;
• unsweetened and low-fat fermented milk products.

The second menu option for weight loss for an 11 year old child

How to lose weight for an 11 year old child? There are several possible answers. One of the mandatory points is following a specific diet. Below is another meal option for the day.

1. Semolina pancakes with apples and raisins, unsweetened tea.
2. Lunch – two sandwiches with rye bread and homemade liver pate, fruit.
3. For lunch, it is better to offer oatmeal soup with the addition of prunes.
4. Dinner may consist of boiled potatoes with steamed meatballs, dried fruit compote.

You can offer your child dried fruits as snacks throughout the day.

How to lose weight for a 7 year old child: sample menu

How can a seven-year-old child lose weight quickly before school using dietary principles? When losing weight, you need to focus on the recommendations below:

• the diet should include a variety of porridges (barley, oatmeal, wheat);
• You need to eat vegetables and fresh fruits regularly. Such products saturate the body with vitamins and sufficient fiber;
• A small amount of lean meat should also be present in the diet of a future schoolchild. It is recommended to eat it in the first half of the day;
• dinner should be light;
• It is recommended to periodically have small snacks during which you eat healthy foods. In this case, fat reserves will not accumulate in the body.

The nuances of proper nutrition

How can an 11 year old child lose weight? A teenager needs to introduce new dietary rules very carefully and gradually so as not to provoke protest from him. After all, after delicious and aromatic French fries, even an adult, much less a child, will not be able to switch to broccoli.

First you need to try to introduce a few new rules into the life of a teenager:

• Absolutely do not eat after 19:30.
• It's good to have enough breakfast.
• Do not eat in front of the computer or TV.
• Avoid eating candy and other sweets as snacks. Instead, use dried fruits, vegetables or low-fat dairy products.
• Do not eat fried foods.
• Avoid fast foods completely.
• Prohibit any salads containing mayonnaise from your diet.

It is also very important to ensure that the child consumes the required amount of fluid. The average norm for a healthy child is 30-40 ml per 1 kg of weight. Of course, you need to drink water or dried fruit compotes, not soda.

Gradually you need to reduce the amount of sugar added to tea. There is no need to completely abandon it. The child's body must receive glucose in sufficient quantities.

How can getting enough physical activity help?

How to lose weight for an 11 year old child without dieting? There is no clear answer to this question. Without proper nutrition, it will not be possible to achieve optimal results. But with the help of physical activity you can move the “ice” from a dead point.

Getting rid of fat cells in a child’s body is somewhat easier than in an adult. Diet alone can cope with this process, but not as quickly as we would like. Then you should apply moderate intensity physical activity.

Teenagers who do not participate in sports clubs can use morning exercises for these purposes. Thus, the kcal that children will receive per day will be used up faster.

Walking for pleasure

Physical activity is important for any child. I walk for 1.5–2 hours, and my daughter doesn’t like to do this, but she knows that if we go together, we will chat, keep secrets, I can devote this time to her - in the end she goes for a walk with pleasure, because she is interested in chatting.

It's great to go somewhere with your family. Of course, there are situations when a child in adolescence begins to be capricious and say that he will not go anywhere with you, he is tired and wants to stay at home, i.e., if translated into Russian, this means that your child will lie down on the sofa and will watch TV. In our family, we solved this issue simply. One day my husband and I went on a short trip without our daughter and began sending her on her phone pictures of beautiful places we saw, interesting toys we saw, food we ate. Everything that she could have received, but did not receive because she stayed at home. Now there is no such problem in our family. We need to motivate the child.

Morning work-out

How to lose weight for children 10-11 years old? Morning exercises will be the first assistant if the teenager is absolutely not accustomed to sports. First you need to start with very simple exercises that will allow you to develop discipline for daily exercise without aversion to this process.

Before exercise, you need to warm up your muscles. To do this, you should walk in place for 10 minutes or run at a leisurely pace, if possible. In the warm season, you can walk quickly around the house several times.

Cardio exercise is very useful in the first weeks for burning fat cells. Such exercises improve metabolism in the body, and the body warms up faster. Then you can start doing abdominal exercises. This can be followed by squats and exercises using the lightest dumbbells. It is recommended to do morning exercises before breakfast.

Exercises for losing weight

Today you can easily fight extra pounds at home. There are many complexes and exercises on the Internet that help girls and boys of different ages lose weight.

• walking in place (need to be repeated for 2-3 minutes);
• running in place (3-4 minutes);
• squatting and jumping (to begin with, do 4 times, and then you can gradually increase)
• Jumping on a small chair;
• exercises with dumbbells.

Start doing the exercises 2-3 times a week for 15 minutes. This way, physical exercise should become a habit and you will do it automatically in the morning.

Sport sections

If a child has a desire to go to any sports-oriented clubs, then this will be the best option for solving the problem with physical activity.

How to lose weight for a girl child at 11 years old? The answer is obvious - send her to a dance group for classes. This way you can kill two birds with one stone - increase physical activity and make the girl more relaxed.

The main thing is to remember that at first you should not expect instant results. It is necessary to understand that what is primarily at stake is the teenager’s health, not his achievements. Therefore, you need to rejoice at every new success in sports and encourage your child.

There have been cases when a teenager’s desire to play sports gradually increased, and he even achieved high results. Children who are too obese should not be sent to sports, which initially involve very heavy loads. Otherwise, the child will noticeably lag behind others and have complexes about this. Over time, he will completely refuse to study.

How to lose weight for a 3 year old child?

It is difficult for preschool children to independently control their nutrition. It is difficult for a child to cope with the temptation to eat flour or sweets. Especially if he sees his parents constantly doing this. Therefore, the principles of proper nutrition should be adhered to by the whole family. This will be an excellent support for your child when losing weight.

Regular physical activity also helps to get rid of extra pounds. You can enroll your child in various sections:

• aerobics;
• run;
• gymnastics;
• swimming.

Sport helps preschoolers improve their health. Thanks to high physical activity, metabolism improves. It is also worth noting that the love of sports training, lovingly instilled by parents in early childhood, will guarantee the absence of excess weight in the future.

Family Affair

Losing weight for an 11-year-old child is a very difficult and sometimes unpleasant process. In order for a teenager to see the first results and become interested in this process further, it is better to support him in this matter with the whole family.

Everyone knows that proper nutrition has never harmed anyone, even if a person is in perfect physical shape. Therefore, following a diet with the whole family is not so difficult.

How can an 11-year-old boy lose weight without paternal support? Almost nothing. Therefore, it would be great to do morning exercises with dad or go to the gym. In this way, you can also strengthen a trusting relationship, which is very difficult to win with a teenager at this age.

Only love, understanding and support from adults will help a child cope with excess weight problems.

Causes of extra pounds

The problem of how to help a child lose excess weight often arises due to hereditary predisposition or diseases of the endocrine system. There are other reasons that provoke the appearance of unwanted kilograms:

• poor nutrition. Nowadays, fast food has become very common. During short breaks at school, children often treat themselves to sweets or baked goods. Even with an intense metabolism and active lifestyle, extra pounds may appear if the diet is incorrect;
• low level of physical activity;
• the presence of psychological problems in adolescents. Children who enjoy regular consumption of sweets often compensate in this way for disharmony in the family or misunderstanding of peers. This problem occurs especially often among high school students. At the same time, girls are more vulnerable and emotional than boys. Therefore, they are more at risk of overeating.

At the same time, the inactive rhythm of life of a modern child is only the tip of the iceberg. The roots of the problem of excess weight are much closer. Much is predetermined by the mentality of the parents. Many of them are trying to make their lives easier by purchasing instant food products.

Psychologists conducted a simple experiment. Its results were truly shocking. Based on the results of the experiment, the children's favorite dishes were:

• French fries;
• chicken nuggets;
• pizza;
• hamburger.

Such taste preferences are dictated by frequent visits to McDonald's and similar establishments. That's why children list hot corn and a serving of Mexican salad as their favorite vegetables.