PDF Version Available

Losing Weight: What to do when you get stuck

Disclaimer: This fact sheet is for education purposes only. Please consult with your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child.

• Sometimes when you are helping your child to lose weight you get stuck. When this happens, your child may even gain weight rather than losing it.
• If this happens, don't be discouraged. Very few people make changes without occasionally "falling off the wagon." The key to success is to work out how you can get back on track as soon as possible.
• When you get stuck - ask yourself the following questions:
• Is there anything you used to be doing that you are not doing now? This will help you to pinpoint which changes your family did not stick to.
• Are there any unhealthy foods still in the house? (Kids will find it almost impossible to resist if there are tempting foods that are easily accessible).
• Is there no time for exercise in your routine? (The goal can be to squeeze any kind of activity into your day - see the fact sheet on physical activity for more details).
• What are you saying to yourself? If you don't really believe that your child's weight is a problem then it's difficult to make changes.
• Do you still have some bad habits which were never addressed? Examples can include watching more than two hours of television a day, eating in front of the T.V or computer and "grazing" throughout the day.
• Are you getting enough help? It may be time to see a health professional for some new ideas on how to proceed.

• Encourage, encourage and encourage some more. Make sure that you notice and comment when your kids make changes.
• Remind yourself why you want to help your child lose weight. What are some of the good things which will flow from the whole family adopting a healthy lifestyle?

The Children's Hospital at Westmead Tel: (02) 9845 3585 Fax: (02) 9845 3562 www.chw.edu.au	Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick Tel: (02) 9382 1688 Fax: (02) 9382 1451 www.sch.edu.au	Kaleidoscope, Hunter Children's Health Network Tel: (02) 4921 3670 Fax: (02) 4921 3599 www.kaleidoscope.org.au