Now THAT’S a challenge isn’t it?!?!
If this is a goal of yours let me make a few suggestions…
1. The first is to show them “what’s in it for me.” (meaning, them).
Let your son know that he’ll be able to get leaner, develop a six pack, or play his sport better. If it’s your daughter, be careful with body image/expectations. Focus instead on better energy, clearer skin, and MAYBE you can slip in something about staying (NOT getting) lean. Just a slight change of wording and the impact is totally different isn’t it?
2. Focus on what TO do, rather than what NOT to do.
…In my own case, my daughter Ashleigh (a few years ago, when she was age 15) had a hellacious schedule, including Olympic weightlifting and track, a full class schedule, church, friends, and so on. She was up at 5 every morning, and typically she was running nonstop till 11 at night, almost seven days a week. Then she ended up with a fever and missed her first day of school that year. I told her that with the schedule she kept, she’d need to get better nutrition in order to handle it all. My request (which I asked her to consider and ultimately agree to) was simply to eat 2 apples and one glass of Carb Countdown every day, and after that, she could eat whatever she wanted. This way, at the very least, she was getting some fiber, some antioxidants, and some good quality protein every day.
3. Encourage only slight changes.
Notice that in the example I just presented, my suggestion was doable, simple, and easy to remember. It involves nothing in the way of cooking or preparation, and I knew beforehand that she likes apples and Carb Countdown. So no excuses. Remember that when a kid is eating terribly, even slight improvements will yield a significant result!
4. Actions speak louder than words.
Parents, you need to walk the walk. If your child sees that YOUR nutrition is terrible, there’s no way she’ll change her nutritional habits. So if you want your child to eat better, maybe use this as an opportunity to clean up your own house, so to speak!
5. Give them an external reward.
In some cases, you may need to provide an artificial stimulus, at least temporarily, until the intrinsic benefits of eating better kick in. This might be anything from earning “points” that can be converted into a trip to the mall, to cold hard cash. The key is to know what will motivate your child. Some people will disagree with this suggestion, citing that, in “the real world,” you’ve gotta do these things anyway and no one is going to reward you for it, but in my mind, your teen isn’t in the real world quite yet, and if it takes a bit of artificial compensation to get the habit pattern initiated, so be it.
I hope these suggestions are helpful for you. If you’d like to add your own input and/or success stories, feel free to add your comments below!
<!– –>
Getting Kids To Eat Better!
Contact Me contact@brinkzone.com
-
A NEAT way to fat loss
Monica Mollica, , Articles, Bodybuilding, Figure and Fitness, General fitness info, General Health, Get Lean, Longevity, Nutritional Science, Weight Loss, Women's Health, 36
Are you struggling to lose that extra flab and all those nasty calories that seem to be glued...
-
Bermuda Vacation, eating well on cruises!
Will Brink, , Brinkisms And Other Stuff, General Health, 5
Just got back from Vacation. Took a 7 day cruise out of Boston (my home town) to Bermuda. Prices...
-
Another Downside To The High Carb Diet?
Will Brink, , General Health, Weight Loss, 6
Another Nail In The Coffin For The High Carb Diet Anyone who reads my articles and ebooks knows I...
-
Stop Taking Glutathione!
Will Brink, , Anti-Aging and HRT, General Health, Supplement Science, Videos, 0
In this vid I cover why those using glutathione, be it via supplements, injections, or other routes, are likely...
-
BrinkZone Radio: Vitamin D3, Scam or Panacea?
Will Brink, , BrinkZone Radio, General Brinkzone Stuff, General fitness info, General Health, Supplement Science, 1
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/willbrink/BrinkZone_Radio_zps533ad05f.png Vitamin D3 is now claimed as a cure for everything from cancer to heart disease to erectile dysfunction....
-
Do You NEED To Count Calories?
Will Brink, , General Health, Get Lean, Nutritional Science, 19
A common question actually. Counting Calories, is it essential for reaching your goals of gaining or losing weight? In...
-
Age Management Center
Will Brink, , Anti-Aging and HRT, Articles, General Health, Longevity, 11
Finding a good doctor to work with can be challenging for people, finding a doctor who is both...
-
Creatine And Depression: Review
Will Brink, , Bomb-Proof Coffee, General Health, Supplement Science, 6
2020 Updates: Studies continue to support creatine as a supplement with a wide range of potential benefits to body...
BrinkZone Authors
Categories
Recent Posts
- Oreo Cookies Better Than Statins For lowering LDL?! March 12, 2024
- Oreo Cookies Vs Statins?! March 7, 2024
- Lactoferrin: A Broad Spectrum Anti-Viral January 25, 2024
- Pragmatic Real World *Permanent* Weight Loss! November 10, 2023
- Psychology 101 Of Weight Loss November 2, 2023
- Creatine in Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome/Long Covid October 4, 2023
- Iron, The Key To Glucose Metabolism And Disease Prevention? September 27, 2023
- NAC Vs Gly-NAC Vs Glyteine Vs Whey! August 24, 2023
Recent Comments
- Stephen Cartwright on Process Training Vs. End Point Training
- Dan on Process Training Vs. End Point Training
- Jim on AlphaJoe Is HERE!
- Will Brink on Whey Isolates vs. Concentrates
- David Plyler on Iron, The Key To Glucose Metabolism And Disease Prevention?
Thank you, Charles, for the great idea. I am trying to teach my young boys, whose are 5 years old and 3 years old, the value of eating healthy foods. They seem to understand that eating the right stuff will help them to grow “big and strong.” They know their daddy is “really old” guy. I will be BIG 5 0 in 6 weeks, yet I try my best to maintain good and healthy eating habits. The best part is that they look upon me as a role model. What a wonderful feeling it is!
BTW, the first time I visited my doctor 2 years ago (and now a good friend of mine) and he thought I was at earliest 30’s. I kindly thanked him for his compliement.