We still adore the cute, chubby kids that get featured on TV commercials, vlogs, or films. However, we fail to put into consideration the implications of their weight with regards to their health. For some who are more conscious, they might already have asked, "how many calories should an 11 year old eat?”

In children, we do not get to use the ranges set for healthy body mass index values in grown-ups. Instead, we compute for the body mass index of the child and plot it against a BMI-for-age chart. We do this by dividing the weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared (weight in kg/[height in m]²). Once you get this value, you plot it against standard growth charts. A healthy BMI should be plotted below the 85th percentile. Those belonging in the areas between 85th and 94th are considered overweight.

Standard weights for children and teenagers actually depend on their age. A healthy 11-year old, for example, would usually weigh around 35 to 40 kilograms, give or take. This can be maintained by a good 2,200 kcal diet for girls and 2,500 kcal diet for boys.

Weight Loss for Children

In case you are worried about your child's weight, always remember that there are risks and dangers involved if you decide to get shortcut answers for your "how to lose weight in kids” questions in mind. For one, children's bodies are busy in building up muscle and bones, as evidenced by their rapid growth. Any uncalculated changes in their diet could mean drastic effects in their anthropometric development.

Just keep in mind that in maintaining a healthy weight for your child, pacing is key. Avoid drastic changes in order to avoid serious complications. Consider talking to a doctor for advice.

Tips on Losing Weight for Kids

Just as with weight loss in adults, keeping your child's weight in check involves an interplay between exercise, diet, and a proper mindset.

1. Get Moving

• Play

The good thing about being young and energetic is that you just can not get enough time for playing! By simply playing tag with other children, playing jump rope during recess, or riding a bike around the neighborhood, your child can burn up many of the unnecessary calories. Aside from this, you also allow your child to develop their social skills by interacting with other children - not to mention playing is so much more fun than just lounging at home!

• Sports

School age is the perfect time for your child to discover his or her skills and talents. If one of these gifts include a sport, then do not hesitate to develop this and use it to keep them moving about. Active sports such as basketball, baseball, swimming, track and field events, and many others are very effective channels to which your child can make use of the excess calories. The rigor of these activities, along with the discipline involved while training, can also help your child develop an appropriate leanness and tone to their developing muscles. Ultimately, you also get to hone their sense of camaraderie and teamwork.

• Avoid shortcuts

Many facilities can help us in making things easy for all the things that we usually do. However, if you want your child to lose weight quickly, do not take shortcuts. Walk the stairs instead of riding an elevator. Walk home from school instead of riding the bus. Do the dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher. Even the simple things can be used as a form of exercise. Just make sure that the environment that your child is in is safe and far from potential accidents.

2. Eat Right

Solutions to 'how to lose weight for kids' are not entirely made up of exercise tips. Of course, we have to factor in the type of food we are offering to our kids.

• Lean Meats

The bulk of the difference between the diet during the yester years and that of the present lies on the amount of fats and oils found in most food. If you wish to keep your child's BMI plotted below the 85th percentile, then you have to shun excess fats from your children's diet and offer leaner selections, such as fish, chicken or turkey breast, and leaner cuts of pork. You can experiment on ways to make these meats tastier and more appealing to your younger consumers.

• Fruits and Vegetables

Indeed, it can be very challenging to make children eat their vegetables and fruits. Nevertheless, you have to remember that they need them in order to maintain their metabolic functions and keep their weight at a healthy range. You can start by asking them about their fruit and vegetable preferences and start from there. Remember, starting early during infancy or toddlerhood and inculcating healthy produce in their lifestyle is so much easier than starting late. Making the fruits and vegetables visually appealing can help you in getting your children to eat them. Cutting them into fancy shapes and putting into bento boxes, for example, can make them more interested in celery sticks, boiled broccoli, or whatever is in your fridge's vegetable crisper.

• High-Quality Calories

Nowadays, easy-to-reach food items are available all around us. The problem with these products is that these contain so many empty calories in the form of sugars and preservatives. These add up to the calories taken in by your child without actually contributing to the vitamin or mineral component of their diet. It is important to keep these to a minimum.

In Conclusion

Weight loss in children involves good pacing and the question 'how to get skinny in 1 day for a kid' is an extremely alarming question to ask. Before doing any tweaking with your child's lifestyle, always put into consideration his or her unique qualities so that you can tailor the appropriate diet and exercise for him or her.