Any tips/guidance on how to help an overweight child

[lisalisa]

Message withdrawn

Cycling/skating vg for fat-burning and have the cool factor.

You are right not to make too big a deal of it, I think. Just a thought - is it worth making less main course (ie none left for seconds)and dumping puds altogther for a while (maybe a treat on sunday after a roast?). Fruit and yoghurt can be available but if the extras aren' there, you are not having to actually refuse him them. I'd go the 'Mum hasn't had time to do a pud today/we can't afford it with Xmas coming up' route. In amonth or 2 it will be normal not to have puds.

What about a martial art? VERY cool and useful skills, and often they are run with a good ethos behind them.

Agree with Slouchy - re the food and the cycling.

I wouldn't mention the fat thing at all - just quietly dump the pudding for fruit maybe, and not have any main course left for second helpings.

And cycling is great. Especially off-road.

Ooh yes, martial arts. My dh has lost about 2stone and toned up royally doing tae kwondo 3x a week since the summer. And they are seen as very cool by boys.

Even just going for regular walks might be a start. Can you go for a ramble as a family? Are you anywhere near a wood or anything like that?

Or a decent playground?

Take him and a friend or siblings to have a long play session?

Message withdrawn

Ooh, yes ice-skating! Don't know where you are but Hyde Park is going to have an open air ice-rink in December.

Reading with interest as have chubby 8 yr old DD ... but she does lots of PE at school, short tennis, hockey club, karate and at the weekend we nearly always go out walking, or swimming or rollerblading....
she was thinning down a little but the last few weeks have been bad weather which has limited things . And its dark after school.... its harder at this time of year.

I'm sure she'd love to try ice skating but I don't know of any rinks in our area (lancs) except I think theres one in the Blackpool pleasure beach which I'm not sure I fancy ...

I'm sure it isn't too late. He sounds like my nephew at a similar age. He is now a really fit 18 year old, not skinny but then his parents are both of heavy build. He got really into sport in his teens.

Does he get enough water to drink - sounds obvious, but hunger is so often mistaken for thirst, and kids do forget to drink. Also does he eat quickly/is he in a rush to finish? As it takes time for the stomach to stop sending hungry signals. Maybe engaging in a good converation over dinner will make him slow down a bit and feel fuller.