Reasons That Weight Loss Camps Are Successful

For years weight loss camps for kids were filled will teen age girls who were willing to eat sparingly and exercise dutifully for a few weeks in exchange for quick weight loss. These programs were often advertised as "diet camps" and nothing more.

Over the past 20 years, the obesity rate in children has climbed significantly. There are two reasons for this epidemic, which are:

- A change in the way kids eat
- A change in how often kids exercise

Families are so busy that fast food and sugar-laden drinks are normal, every day meals rather than a treat. Instead of going outside and playing, kids are often found inside sitting on the couch playing computers and video games. Children don't normally walk to school anymore either. Instead, they are bussed or dropped off and picked up by their parents, even if the school is a short distance away.

The modern childhood lifestyle creates plump toddlers. These plump toddlers then become chunky kids who in turn become overweight teenagers and fat adults. Weight loss camps are designed to stop this from happening and provide kids and teens with strategies that will last their entire lives. These modern teen weight loss camps do not like to be called fat camps; they much prefer being known as fitness camps.

The best weight loss camp for any child is the one where he will become engaged in the process and learn to change his eating habits and his exercise routine in a way that will benefit him long after camp is over. The goal of fitness camp is to teach kids the relationships between eating and exercise and how both are necessary for healthy living. Weight loss is about calories taken in versus calories expended and understanding that relationship is crucial to establishing a healthier lifestyle.

There is a prominent reason behind these camps' success and that is children are exercising with children who have similar issues. During gym classes, overweight children have a hard time staying caught up with the rest of the average weight peers, either they'll try hard or give up. However, when overweight children workout together, they can cheer each other on and don't have to fear of being made fun of for being clumsy or for struggling to keep up. This creates an environment of positive peer pressure versus the negative peer pressure that many kids are used to dealing with.

These camps make physical exercise fun and try their hardest not to make kids feel embarrassed. All of the other kids are very supportive and kids should benefit from this extra encouragement. Everybody at these camps has experienced similar things and this makes it easier for them to support you.

Nothing makes a child feel more self confident than knowing he tried hard and did his best - and it was good enough. A week (or a month) of weight loss fitness camp will not undo years of overeating and sedentary behavior but it can start an obese child or teen on the path to a healthier future.

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