Weight loss camp benefits

Weight Loss Camps equips kids for success by helping them feel loved and important

•  Without TV or other distractions there is more time for talking, listening and growing.

•  The adults at camp serve as positive role models.

Weight Loss Camps Can Change Your Life

Overweight children can get caught in a vicious cycle: as their social lives become more marginalized, eating in isolation becomes the norm. Self-consciousness leads to less physical activity and the weight adds up even more.

Parents are frustrated – trying to change their children's unhealthy eating behavior can evolve into overzealous monitoring and nagging. And parents of overweight children are often struggling with their own unhealthy eating habits.

When an overweight child has normal weight siblings, it can be even more difficult. Parents don't want the other siblings to be deprived of food they enjoy, or to add resentment by siblings to the emotional and social problems the overweight child may be having. So there are always treats in the house to tempt the overweight child.

What can weight loss camps do?
At a quality weight loss camp, children will never have the feeling of being “left out.”

Teasing and bullying will not be tolerated.

Since overweight children are often left on the sidelines, a weight loss camp will be structured so that everyone participates.

In weight loss camps, children are exposed to many sports and taught athletic skills in a non-competitive environment.

In a weight loss camp, there should be plenty of non-sport activities such as theater, sings and arts & crafts, which help develop social skills and self-expression.

Food should be healthy, balanced for growing, active bodies and portion-controlled, since many overweight children have skewed notions of what a serving should be.

A good weight loss camp will also teach nutrition and cooking fundamentals. There is a feeling of empowerment in coming home from school and making your own a smoothie!

In addition, a weight loss camp will help children boost their self-esteem. This will happen in the course of learning skills and making friends, but it's also helpful to share experiences in a group setting with a trained guidance counselor.

•  Weight loss camp is a brand new opportunity to make friends. A child can start fresh; and doesn't have any sort of a reputation

•  Camp is a community to which we all belong, instead of being lost in the crowd.

Good news for parents:

If you itemize your deductions and your medical expenses exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income, w eight loss camp may be tax deductible for “medically valid” reasons.