I’ve been thinking about ways to make weight loss fun. What’s missing from most programs is just that.
My most successful group program was Chef Clinic, which our contestants (we had contestants, like Jillian Michaels!, back in ‘98) called “Camp for Adults.” No panty raids, but a lot of campfires, and incredible success.
Now I’m preparing to do a weight loss program for overweight kids, at the YMCA here in Santa Barbara. With a 8 week easy Chef Clinic, for parents, nearly all online. To give parents the cooking/healthy eating/fitness/coping skills they don’t have, to take the pressure off overweight and obese kids, to make the best choices easy choices. At home, at school, on weekends, at night.
My friend Mark Palmer sent me the video below, from thefuntheory.com, part of Volkswagen. Bugs have always been fun, and Vanagons too (I learned to drive in a parking lot, grinding the gears of Julie P’s bright yellow VW). Boy, was that fun.
And Mark has it right: creating a environment helps people do the right thing in that environment. But even in a suboptimal environment, parents can help kids, especially kids under 12 years old with more dependence and less autonomy than teens, make the right choices by making them for the family. Without blame or finger pointing, but instead with a wink and a nod.
How does your family have fun eating to lose weight?
