Exercise and diet work much better for kids.

An article in the NY Times discusses something that puzzles me and puzzles a lot of you too: how do those before and after pictures used to sell the latest fad in exercise equipment relate to reality? We've all seen the flabby,soft lumps transformed into svelte well toned muscles. Well surprise surprise, they're hype. The reality is 6 weeks or even 6 months is too short a time to see visible changes after a new exercise regimen and 30 minutes three times a week on any machine is not enough. The good news is that for kids things are different than for us adults. I've seen major improvements in looks in children and teenagers in short periods of time because they have one factor adults don't have-GROWTH. Kids who lose a modest amount of weight with diet and exercise or even just maintain their weight in a few short months look remarkably better and are much healthier than before. I've seen it happen time and again in my practice. All it takes is a desire on their part, the right advice, and a family willing to change the home environment to support them. So don't despair, get started now.