Working For Doughnuts
After a great workout, there’s a feeling of euphoria. And if your teen like so many people out there has struggled to just move, you better believe there is a sense of accomplishment. So there is no surprise that your face wrinkles when on the way home you stop for coffee and your teen asks for a doughnut at the counter. You try very hard to refrain, from asking, “You just worked out so you could eat -a doughnut?”
A great way of holding them accountable is by journaling their daily food intake. It provides a list of what they have taken in and allows them to see the consequences of that intake. If after a week there is no change in how they feel in their clothes or weight loss they will get frustrated. When they come to you, point them in the direction of journaling their intake. This is where they need to start after deciding if they are motivated enough to lose the weight in the first place.
Accountability without you having to nag, or complain, or point things out really, without you having to be the bad guy, is a way to give your teen the tools they need to see consequences of their behavior good or bad. Have them write down what they have eaten every day for a week. They should include how much they worked out and what the work out was. What they drank and of course ate. Ideally someone, but preferably not you goes over this with them discussing the cause and effect of each choice.
This method allows you to encourage and support your teen without the nagging. They’re able to come to you for help in a very specific way and be clear about what they need to get the job done on managing their weight. No matter how good the intention nagging is simply annoying; spend your time and your teen’s time better by letting them take control of their own weight loss. After enough after work out doughnuts and no weight loss, your teen is going to figure out maybe weight loss is easier without the doughnut.
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