Healthy Eating Habits

It is not necessary to count calories, but you and your child should become more educated about the foods you eat and how many calories they contain. You should begin to routinely check the nutrition label of the foods that your family is eating. You want to try and eat foods low in calories and also low in fat. Be careful of many low fat or ‘diet foods,' as they can still be high in calories even though they are low in fat.

Also, begin checking the serving size of prepared meals and snacks. A bag of chips might only have 200 calories, but you may be surprised when the serving size is only 10 chips. Eating the whole bag can easily get you over 1000 calories.

Some eating habits that will help your child lose weight include:
Healthy Meals: your child should eat three well-balanced meals of average size each day. Serve fewer fatty foods. It is best to prepare foods that are baked, broiled or steamed, rather than fried. In addition to a small serving of lean meat, provide large servings of vegetables.

Single Servings: Avoid serving seconds of the main course or dessert. You can eat more salad or other vegetables if still hungry.

Desserts: serve fresh fruit as a dessert and avoid frequent eating of ice cream or cake or other high calorie foods.

Grocery shopping: buy low-calorie and lowfat meals, snacks and desserts and buy low fat or skim milk and diet drinks. Avoid buying high calorie desserts or snacks, such as snack chips, regular soft drinks or regular ice cream.

Eat at the table: Avoid letting your child eat meals or snacks outside of the kitchen or dining room. And no eating while watching TV.

Avoid Fast Food: you should limit how often you allow your children to eat fast food, as it is usually high in fat and calories

Calorie Guide and Exercise Routine

Achieving a healthy weight through diet and physical activity has many benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol and improving mood, according to the Mayo Clinic. Whether you're trying to lose weight or maintain your current weight, eating the right amount of calories and working exercise into your daily routine can help

Counting Calories
1. Determining your calorie needs isn't a one-size-fits-all magic number, according to Baylor College of Medicine. Calorie consumption depends on your height, age and activity level. For example, if you are a woman who is 30 years old and 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds, you need to consume 2,043 calories each day to maintain your current weight, according to Baylor College of Medicine. If you want to lose weight.

2. Portion control can help you cut out hundreds of calories each day. Try pre-measuring portions into small zipper bags to reduce the chances of overeating. Reduce overeating at restaurants by asking your server to box up half of your entree when the food arrives. Also, avoid calorie-dense foods such as ice cream, fried chips or sugary beverages. Instead, choose low-fat yogurt, baked chips and calorie-free beverages. Even cutting out a high-fat coffee beverage each day can trim hundreds of calories each week.