If you know anyone who would be interested, please pass this on.

 I have been a foster parent of many teenage boys for seven years.  I have had on hands experience in dealing with all kinds of children's issues whether it be emotional, physical, mental or behavorial.  Some of these issues of course were normal for teenagers.

 I would like to share my experience regarding one boy in particular, I will call him B.J. for privacy protection.  When B.J. came to live with me I knew I had my work cut out for me.  He was 5'4" tall, weighed 230 pounds and had a really low self esteem.  He could not even look people in the face to say hello. He could not read very well and had no real friends.  He was one week shy of turning 14 years old.  Beause of all these issues he had an anger problem.  The problem was that he felt ugly, stupid, fat and worthless, which resulted in frustration and came out as anger. The real truth was that he was sweet, kind, adorable and desperate for friendship.  WOW.

 What I want to talk about is the weight problem.  B.J. took some medicine for his behavior and anger problems.  It was called Risperdal. Risperdal will make any skinny kid gain 40 pounds in just a couple of months.  Risperdal makes a person feel hungry all the time.  A person will just eat and eat and never get full. YUCK!  Like we don't have enough problems.

  B.J.'s Physician insisted that I put him on a diet to lose weight to keep him from getting high blood pressure, diabetes or heart problems.  I decided to put him on a program that we discussed and agreed upon.  First of all it was not a diet.  I could not afford to buy special diet food for him and feed my other 3 Foster sons at the same time.

 Here is the weight loss program that we made up.  I bought him a bicycle for his birthday and started making him ride it in front of the house, I encouraged him to play basketball with the other boys as much as possible.  TV time was limited to small amounts per day.  I started limiting the amount of food that he could eat at meal times, instead of 3 or four plates it became 1-2 plates of food.  B.J. Was encouraged to drink lots of water and eat fruit to try to satisfy the hunger feeling.  When school started in August I enrolled him on the football team and he had a PE class also.  We picked Friday as a day that he could have sweets, candy and sodas.  We called it his treat day.  He would bring home candy or sodas that other kids would give him and save them for his treat day.  I would wait until Friday to bake a cake so
that he could have some with the family

 B.J.started losing weight, his clothes were getting loose and he could play for longer periods of time and still be able to walk without gasping for air.  One month later when we went back to his Physician for a checkup B.J. received the news that he lost 20 pounds but because he had been so physical it was like losing 40 pounds.  Everyone was so happy.  It worked and worked well.  All of this was achieved because it was not based on a typical diet that said no, never, your cheating or you are a failure. Oh by the way, that year B.J. also learned how to read better, made new friends and got a girlfriend. He was amazing!
 
 If you need to lose weight and are struggling with diets and or exercise, I suggest using your imagination and start small.  Think Baby Steps. Do what you can and build up from there. You are never a failure for trying new things. 

For More Articles And Tips On Weight Loss You May Visit http://www.weightlossxpress.net

Weight loss tips are essential in helping people attain a healthier and leaner physique. If you are interested in shedding some pounds and getting rid of the excess fat in your body, you must be prepared to do some lifestyle changes that are important to help you succeed. But unless you are ready to accept that there will be some modifications in your daily schedule and eating habits, no amount of tips or pointers could help you lose weight.

Regular exercise and eating a healthier diet are an essential part of most weight loss tips. In order to help boost your metabolism, especially if you are over 30 years old, you need to make sure that you engage in physical activities like aerobics, brisk walking, swimming, jogging, or even belly dancing for at least 30 minutes everyday. Aside from these cardiovascular activities, you also need to engage in strength training to help build and tone your muscles. Remember, the bigger and stronger your muscles are, the quicker your metabolism cycle will be.

Eating judiciously is one of the most important weight loss tips that you need to remember. You need to be more conscious of everything you put inside your mouth. Also, it is important that you drink lots of water to prevent dehydration and weight gain caused by water retention. Next, you need to minimize your consumption of alcohol and soda. If you really have to drink something sweet, stick to fresh fruit shakes. In order to make you feel satiated for a longer time and to help enhance your waste elimination system, you need to eat foods that are plenty of fiber, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Furthermore, you should not skip breakfast because this meal helps in normalizing your blood sugar levels. As much as possible, you must stay away from grubs that include processed foods, baked goodies, sugar-filled beverages and pastries, and fatty foods.

Sleeping better at night is also included in the top weight loss tips. Some experts say that an average adult should sleep for about six to eight hours every night. Research shows that individuals who are chronically sleep-deprived are more prone to being obese or overweight. It seems that your body's production of the brain chemicals responsible for curbing your appetite is reduced every time you skip sleep. For more tips on how to lose weight safely and effectively, you can visit http://www.weightlossxpress.net/ .