My daughter is 11 years old, she is 4 ft 10 in. She weighs 92 pounds. She is worried about her weight and is embarrased. She has a medium roll of fat on her stomach, and just a little over weight thighs. She wants to have most of the fat off by June the 7, when school ends. Please give me a good fun method for her and so she will look good in a bikini.
Help an 11 year old lose weight in a month?
While researching something on Yahoo I came across your question today. It stirred up something inside of me to make me take the time to actually create an account with Yahoo.
I, a mother myself know that parents want the best for their children...and I do believe you only want your daughter to be happy and confident. You obviously care about her and how she is feeling, or else you wouldn't have written. But yet, your question still breaks my heart...
I grew up in a household where there was an expectation to always be perfect...especially outer appearance. Although I have since realized otherwise, I was never told I was beautiful or that I mattered for who I was as a person. So I always assumed I didn't and searched for acceptance in other places. I am sure you love your daughter immensely, but if she thinks that you are ashamed of her or her body that can definitely lead to other problems later.
As a recovering bulemic I know my parents' expectations and criticism of my body played a role in my eating disorder. Your daughter is at a very critical point in her life...soon to be a teenager, but not quite ready to walk away from childhood. She needs your encouragement and positive affirmations...about who she is in totality...her character, her heart and what it is you *love* about her physical appearance.
I encourage you to please, don't focus on weight loss with her. She is not out of the weight range for her age/height. According to the BMI chart, she is at the low end of weight for her height. There is already so much pressure in our society for young girls and women to be sickly thin. You may not realize how little comments here and there can stick in her mind and play back like a tape recorder. She needs to know you love and accept her as she is...regardless if she has a medium roll of fat on her belly or not. You do not want to model a life-long obsession with weight or body to her.
It is amazing what kids pick up. My cousin is also 11. She was watching my 3 year old nephew eating a snack and said to him, "Don't eat too much, or your mommy won't love you anymore." I just wanted to give her a hug and tell her how beautiful she was and that she is loved. She too, is being raised in an environment of body obsession. She is just an average kid with average build. How sad that she is missing out on the fun of being a kid and feels like her mom will not love her if she gained weight.
Food is nourishment to our bodies, not the enemy, unfortunatetly too many people don't see it that way. Please take the time to look at the links below.
http://www.radiancemagazine.com/kids_pro...
http://www.empoweredparents.com/mini/t6....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipoVt7hQz...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQaOABvHo...
http://pediatrics.about.com/library/grow...
Here's to a happy healthy summer. Have fun, stay active and encourage her to be a kid! You are her number one role model and if you lead an active lifestyle she is sure to follow suit.
--Another parent who loves her child.
Reply:Take her to her pediatrician and ask them for advice.
It can be dangerous for children to loose weight, especially losing a lot of weight quickly, because they need alot of calories for all the growing they are doing.
And if she has not started puberty, she probably soon will, then she'll need even more calories for those body changes.
A doctor can tell you how many calories, and what foods to eat to make sure they are healthy and not "empty" calories. And they can recommend a good exercise program.
She probably will not lose all the weight you think she should in a month's time. But you need to be more concerned about her health than her looks at such a young age, or any age for that fact.
Reply:I don't recommend setting a date for weight loss. Doing so can rush training the could lead to injury or just bring about a sense of defeat if the goal is not fully met by that point. Instead, just try being more active and fit in general -- not only will it help your daughter with her health but it will make life-long habits that will be good to have instead of just "crash exercising" to lose weight. Those programs are hardly ever helpful for the long-term and especially not healthy for young people.
Instead, try and help her find something active that she enjoys doing. It could be as simple as rollerblading or basketball at the park, or signing up for a dance or tumbling class. Anything that keeps her moving as well as happy will be worth it in the long run. Take walks in the afternoon, do cartwheels in the backyard, put on some music and just let her dance around her room. It is not about numbers or calories, it is about health. Not only should children and young adults be getting more activity, but eating healthy snacks and foods that are low in sugar and processed products will be a great way to stay fit. Don't obsess over the numbers on the scale or on the tag of the jeans -- just get moving and make it a fun activity that she can enjoy with you, with her friends, or just in general!
Note: Try and be practical, too. An eleven year old girl doesn't need the added stress of obessing over her body. Her doctor will be the best judge of what weight is right for her and this is by no means recommending a diet or exercise regime for a young girl. It is soley advice and enthusiasm for young people and their families to get out and have fun with one another!
Reply:Ain't gonna happen by that date and if it did I seriously doubt it would stay off. At her age you need to get her eating a low fat diet. Notice I said low fat not no fat diet. She is a child and if you develop good dietary habits now she will be better off in the long run. Also get her butt off the couch and make her do "aerobic " exercise "Heart %26amp; lungs" all she needs is fifteen to to twenty minutes a day of moderate aerobic exercise! Establish these into a DAILY HABIT and you will have a happy healthy and SLIM young Lady.
Reply:Don't talk diet or size with her i think its not a good route to take, but instead take exercises and i think if this is done with you it helps make it fun no presure take one of her friends ,swimming, for a walk roller skating any thing that gets her moving. Instead of the sugar snacks take along fruit for afters and start drinking lots of water ,from bottles even if you fill them up with tap water. Make her meals healthy and fun and get her making her own pizzas. do it slowly and build up she will start to shed the weight without even knowing it. Try and get her enroled in a local club dancing, drama any thing that keeps her busy. I have a 13 year old and had the smae problem we go horse riding together and she loves it. If you have the money try it and if you don't trainners and the local park or even shopping for hours as long as she gets the walking in. good luck and i hope she starts to feel better soon. Such a hard age to feel down about her weight x
Reply:More exercise and less junk food. Find a physical activity she likes and encourage her to do it. Go with her, you will benefit as well, even if you don't really need it. Eat healthy meals at home, and make sure she fills up on good food so she's not looking for junk an hour later.
Whatever you do, don't nag or push her about this. She's obviously sensitive enough. Any progress should be praised. Don't get into weitht number, but praise any improvement in health or lifestyle.
Personally, I find it a bit scary that an 11yr old is even worried about it, but thats' today's world I guess.
Reply:we just got a Wii Fit yesterday, and my 10 year old sister loves it!!! it measures your BMI and it said she is a little obese, but she has been on it ALL day and you get to set goals on how much weight to lose in a certain amount of time. i recomend you get one as my sis loves it and i think she will lose weight on it!!! its fun for her age aswell, not just the normal exercises, you get to ski and hula hoop its great!!!
Reply:Try hoola-hooping or jump-roping. Hoola-hooping works on the midsection and jump-roping is cardiovascular if you do it for a while, so it really burns the fat and gives you leaner legs.
Reply:im a dancer so im totally active and all and have a very toned body, but i do it 4-5 days a week get her in an active dance program once or twice a week and the pounds will fall off. plus she shouldnt make a big deal about that. lol Good luck!
Reply:I find it slightly sick that a mother would even advocate her 11 year old daughter, who isn't even overweight, going on a diet!!! How shallow has our society become that little girls should worry about looking good in a bikini ?
Reply:I wouldn't overdo it at her age but make sure you feed her good food (fruit, veg - no maccy d's or satuated fats)
Exercise more but not too much.
Reply:more important than losing weight, it's crucial that you encourage a healthy body image for your daughter. aiding her desire to lose weight by a certain deadline does not seem like the most healthy option for an 11-year-old's self esteem. at 4'2" and 92 pounds, your daughter is NOT considered overweight according to her BMI. she is still growing and will need all the nutrients she can get at this time in her life.
I'm sure that you know that there is much more to life than weight and what a person looks like, but your daughter may be surrounded by an unhealthy idea of what a girl "should look like" every day at school, on TV, magazines, etc. it's up to you to help her reject society's idea of body image and to encourage her to find out what works best for her, no matter what anyone else thinks.
if she is still uncomfortable at her weight, ask her if she'd like you to sign her up for a sport or activity like swim team, dance, rock climbing, dog walking, etc.... something she will truly enjoy and be able to make friends while doing it. she won't even notice she is losing weight because she will be so focused on how much fun she's having. also encourage healthy food choices for your entire family including yourself, but don't make any foods off-limits. there are no such things as "good foods" and "bad foods," you will only gain weight if you regulary overeat anything. teach your whole family to listen to their internal hunger cues..eating when you're hungry, stopping when you're full, and recognizing when you're craving food for emotional reasons. those cues are biologically there for a reason :)
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