I am trying to get my son on CC. Would like to know if there is any group of boys supporting each other or anything?? My son is 14. thanks
There really isn't. There are lots of girls of that age, but mostly we try to discourage them from even using this site because counting calories at that age almost never leads to healthy dieting and healthy mindstates.
Is your son obese? Is he under a doc's care? I'm not a parent myself but there are lots of mothers and fathers on here that can give YOU advice on what to do with your son if he needs to lose weight. But if he hasn't been ordered to lose weight by a doctor then I would be really concerned because boys of 14 tend to have growth spurts during which they NEED their body fat.
Also, all of the sites calculators are geared towards adults. When you are trying to set a calorie target for your son, make sure you search online for a "teen calculator".
I agree with feanor, if he's moderatley overweight, he'll prebably grow out of it.. maybe get him to join a soccer team or something? If you know his stats, ask your doctor on your next visit. Dragging him in there him self might make him self consious. If your doc thinks there is a need for change, then schedule an appointment for him.
Teen dieting is very tricky. They require much more calories then an adult because they are still growing. It also may be frustrating and boring for someone of his age, so why not incorperate your helalthy lifestyle into his?
Make sure there are plenty of fruits and vegetables available for him to snack on, buy low fat dairy and meats, whole grain breads and pastas, and eliminate junk food in the house. If he chooses to buy it on his own, try packing him healthy lunches and snacks, and promote saving money for more valuble things than junk food.
Yes he is obese, and before he became obese he had severe allergies and several health issues. Now he is 14 and has just lead an inactive lifestyle because of these issues and now we pay!! So it is time for him to strap on some boots and get the weight off - and dragging him to the gym did not work. He hates sports - but i feel it is because of his weight, I am very in tune with nutrients needs, I am just failing at getting him motivated. And he friends are just as inactive as he is. We do NOT buy junk food and never have - obesity in my genes, dads genes, everywhere, but you can break the unhealthy habits. I just thought if there was a group of young boys on the site it might help - I try and will continue to try everything.
Hey mover and to answer your question there are guys here(im one :P) its just the girls outnumber us by alot. Now it would be a great thing to get your son on this site becuase this site really jumpstarted me into a active and healthy lifestyle(i wasnt overweight though) Now one things teens hate is being told what to do lol but if you get your son on here me and im sure other boys and even girls will urge him on into a healthy lifestyle and to get active.
hmm that's pretty tricky then. If he is obese, waiting for him to "grow out of it" could just make things harder for him in the future. Maybe you could by him some interactive video games such as ddr (dance dance revolution) to get him active but still having fun. I know alot of kids who lost weight playing those dance games. Also on the weekends you could do family activities such as bowling, swimming, playing frisbee or catch, going for walks etc. Every bit of movement helps.
You could try doing the old "half plate veggies" at dinner. That would cut his calories quite a bit. Or use spaghetti squash instead of pasta.. with the right sauce I actually got my brother to eat it, and know he loves it. And he's the guy who eats like 10 burgers and 2 pizzas a week.
Hi mover, you may have already tried some of these but here are a few ideas:
1) For every hour playing video games, he has to play one hour outdoors.
2) Buy him interactive games as mentioned above. The dance games have helped lots of people lose weight. The Wii system is really good interactively.
3) Weekend family outings such as a hike in the park, camping, going to the zoo, stickball in the backyard, riding bikes around the block, rollerblading, etc.
By incorporating healthy lifestyles as a family, he is more apt to take to it.
This is my post and happy to say my son is now 17 and has lost 75 pounds using calorie count solely and healthy eating.
Original Post by mover2:
This is my post and happy to say my son is now 17 and has lost 75 pounds using calorie count solely and healthy eating.
How wonderful! I didn't notice that the post was so old when I clicked upon it but this is just great news! I'm so glad to hear about his weight loss. :D
