Workouts for Young Girls

[40andFAB]

Hi Cathe -

I know you are always so busy, so I'm hoping you have just a minute to help me out. My neice just turned 11 and is becoming very aware that she is overweight (young girls in school can be very mean). She told me yesterday that she is desperate to lose the weight and be "skinny" like the other girls in her class. I want to see her lose the weight too but in a healthy way, and I'm concerned she might try weight loss methods that aren't good for her. I can work with her eating habits but I'm not sure what to suggest when it comes to workouts. Is it okay for her to do the same workouts (Cathe - of course!) that I do or should she be doing something different? If she needs to lose mostly weight around her midsection, is cardio better or should she mix cardio with weights?

I'd really appreciate any help you can give me, thanks!!

40andFAB

 

[meowracer]

I am just going to jump in here while you wait for Cathe. I don't know anything specific about weights but if she does them, just be sure she uses proper form. There is cross-fit for kids and they seem to enjoy it. If there is not a club in your area, you could still get some great ideas online. My daughter is entering her first triathlon in September. It is specifically for kids but if she likes it, she is going to start doing the sprint distances. If your niece enjoys physical activity, she would love these. Plus, they are great calorie burners AND the added bonus is that you learn to love your body for what it is capable of doing. There is a focus in the training and it just gives a person amazing confidence. Hope she finds something that she enjoys - girls that age can be so cruel. Just think - if she became a triathlete, she could challenge them to something like that and see whose body is the awesome one Teach her, also, about clean eating, portion control, healthy carbs/proteins/fats. Tosca Reno has a book called Eat Clean Diet for Family and Kids that has some recipes and good info. Her regular cookbook has more recipes in it. She is also old enough to enjoy Eat This, Not That for Kids (and his other two as well - my DD (9) loves them all).

 

[Roxie 1965]

I was watching so you think you can dance last nite and they have come out with 2 dance workouts that look like something someone her age might enjoy.

 

[aveggiegirl]

I'm sorry your neice is getting made fun of. Children can be mean. I was made fun of as a child too so I know how it feels.

I agree that she should eat in a healthy way and get into some kind of activity that provides her some exercise that is fun to her. If she likes it she will continue doing it. How about swimming or karate? Is she good at soccer or maybe dance? Could you go bike riding together or take her hiking?

However, I also think that she should also focus on something (not talking exercise here) that she is really good at so that she can be proud, really proud of hersef. She needs to feel good about herself in ways other than how she looks.

Screw those mean kids (Don't say that to her, obviously) Maybe just forget about them. She should look for some friends that like her for who she is and not what she looks lilke. I know it's easier said than done. Been there, done that.

I bet with an aunt like you, she's going to come out "A OK".

 

[Blessed!]

There is a Jillian Michaels dvd workout for girls. I think it was made for Cosmo Girl

 

[RapidBreath]

Have her run 3x a week, that will work wonders for her in many ways, also be sure she wears a baseball cap/sunscreen. She could work the C-5k program and not over do it. I feel her pain, I was the fat girl.

 

[GMonkey]

I think that starting out with walking and some workouts at home would be good for her. They should be fun and not so complicated that she gets discouraged. I think that Basic Step and LIS would be fun, maybe also something kickboxing related. It can be hard for an overweight girl to start out in a team activity, unless it's something where the other participants are in the same boat. I think that the Y has some programs for kids looking to shed a few.

Poor girl. Kids can be so evil. I always try to remind my daughter and other kids that when a kid is cruel, it means that something is wrong with themselves, not the person they are being cruel to.

 

[DDRdiva]

I was an obese 11-year-old (back when there were at most 1 or 2 fat kids per class) so I can totally relate. Has she hit puberty? If not, sometimes surprising things happen at that point. From 11 to 13, I shot up several inches and lost more than 20 pounds, going from fat to thin in a short time.

If she wants to do Cathe step videos, let her! Individual fitness activities can be more fun for her at this point than trying to fit in with a team or compete with others, and will start her on a lifelong habit. Do you have Cardio Hits? Power Max and Step Fit have some fun pop hits to step to, aren't too complex, and are divided into segments, so she can feel a sense of achievement with each segment she's able to pass.