Weight Loss for Kids: Five a Day

Now that you’ve eliminated as many unhealthy foods as possible from your family’s diet, it’s time to divide your child’s food intake into five small meals a day. Research has shown that five meals a day – breakfast, lunch, dinner and two healthy snacks for kids – is better for kids than limiting meals to three per day. Use the five a day foundation in your plan.

The five a day nutrition plan boosts metabolism to its highest possible level and burns more fat. Frequent meals keep blood sugar levels stable and prevent hunger. The five meals a day plan also gives children enough energy to keep moving all day – an important factor in weight loss.

Diet Nutrition for Children

Make sure your child eats a protein at every meal. And never had a carbohydrate without a protein – the reason? The more easily absorbed carbs will give your child instant energy, while the slower-to-digest protein kicks in with energy as the energy spike from the carb fades.

Kid Meals: Before and After

Here’s a sample of a one-day menu before and after the transformation. Notice the healthy substitutions and structure of the daily meals.

Breakfast

• Before: Pop-Tarts, juice, “milk and cereal” bars
• After: Two waffles with butter spray, one egg poached or boiled or scrambled in butter spray, one cup skim milk

AM Snack

• Before: Fruit roll-ups, crackers, cookies
• After: One small apple + yogurt or mozzarella cheese stick

Lunch

• Before: Peanut butter & jelly on white bread, cookies, potato chips, juice box
• After: Three ounces of turkey, two slices of bread, lettuce, tomato, one teaspoon low-fat mayo, one small apple, baked chips

PM Snack

• Before: Chips, soda, cookies or cupcake
• After: Unsweetened flavored water, one kids’ chocolate protein bar

Dinner

• Before: Fried chicken, French fries, biscuit, macaroni and cheese, soda
• After: Four ounces of baked chicken, one cup cooked carrots and broccoli, one teaspoon butter, medium sweet potato