I, for one, am pumped about the warmer weather, longer days, and you guessed it, the spring fruits and veggies.

After a long winter, there’s nothing I want more than a big ol’ bowl of sweet fresh fruit.  And lucky for us, strawberries are one of the first foods to come back into season.

Turning up fresh in our grocery stores sometime in April, these jewel-like beauties can be eaten on salads, baked into muffins and pancakes, heaped onto cereal and ice-cream, or eaten just as they are, straight out of your hand.

Don’t let their decadently-sweet taste fool you:  strawberries are one healthy food.  A handful of strawberries packs more Vitamin C than an orange (I know!), and also serves up a good dose of folate, potassium, fiber, and anti-oxidants.

Fun Fact:  Did you know that the ancient Romans believed that these magical little berries cured everything from melancholy, fainting, and inflammation to fever, sore throats, kidney stones, and halitosis?  While I’m not sure I buy into the ancient Romans’ specific, ahem, claims, I do agree that we should be munching on more of them.

One of my favorite ways to eat strawberries is to sprinkle them on top of a fresh salad.  And when you pair them with creamy avocados and crunchy pistachios, you’ve got one heck of a delicious dinner on your plate.  Enjoy!

Spring Into Strawberry Salad

One head romaine lettuce (cut up, with ribs in bite-size pieces)

1/4-1/3 c Pistachios (or your favorite nut — almonds, walnuts, pecans)

1 ripe avocado (cut into chunks)

1 pint strawberries (cut into fork-size slivers)

1 small red onion (sliced thin or chopped)

Dressing:

1/4 c olive oil

1/4 c raspberry vinegar

1.5 T sugar (you could try honey or agave)

1/4 tsp hot sauce like Tabasco

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

photo credit: lindseyweb

1.  Wellspring Camps (2004), 12 different locations; ages 11-18; 1100 campers per summer.  NY location is a girls-only camp (and only location which is ACA accredited).  Wellspring takes CBT approach to weight loss seriously with 2 individual and 2 group sessions per week.  Claims that “70% of campers maintain or continue to lose weight at home.”  Interactive online program for self-monitoring and discussion boards for campers year round.  Best parent support with 2-day workshop, published guidebook.  Minimum stay 3 weeks, full-priced tuition is $5995; if parents attend the family workshop and fulfill continuing care requirements, there is a rebate of $1,000.  Up to an additional $1500 may be reimbursed by some health insurance policies.

2.  Camp Shane, Catskill Mountains, NY; ages 7-25; 550 campers per summer. A co-ed family-run camp with claim to fame of being the oldest weight loss camp (42 years!).  Known for a relaxed, fun atmosphere.  Menu includes healthy versions of kidfriendly foods like pizza, burgers, nuggets.  Some CBT offered; “At Home” booklet and newsletter for families and special rate to join Dr. Dolgoff’s online weight loss program after camp.  Minimum stay 3 weeks ($3600); financial assistance and a new Nikki Blonsky scholarship available. Mixed reviews from campers – kids seem to either love it or hate it.

3.  New Image Camps (1991), two locations, Florida and Pennsylvania; ages 7-19;  400 campers per summer, ACA accredited.  Boasts a well-trained staff and individualized programs as well as top-of-the-line facilities.   No CBT offered; au contraire:  “we are not a clinic where your child will be placed in endless therapy sessions.”  After-camp “Strive!” program with daily emails and some personalized feedback.  Minimum stay two weeks, $3150.

4.  Camp Kingsmont (1967), the “first weight loss camp in New England” in Amherst, MA;  ages 9-18; 200 campers per summer, ACA accredited.  Camp Kingsmount focuses on developing self-confidence as a basis to make lasting, fundamental changes in life.  A new 2010 “Connections Program” in partnership with UMass’s Psychological Service Center sounds promising, with a “heavy reliance on cognitive therapy.”  Offers group CBT 1xweek; individual sessions “offered.” Minimum stay two weeks, $2495.

5.  Camp Pennbrook (1976), Pennington, NJ; girls only ages 8-21; 150 campers per summer.  Family-owned camp promotes a sense of “sisterhood” and takes advantage of its proximity to NYC with at least one trip to see a Broadway show.  Boasts mature staff, many of whom are in nutritional/educational fields, and top-notch facilities.  Parent’s Visiting Day teaches families how to prepare for their daughter’s successful return home.  ACA accredited.  Minimum stay 2 weeks, $1990.  ACA

6.  Camp Jumpstart (2003), southern Missouri; ages 9-17; 80 campers per summer.  Prides itself on being a “healthy lifestyle camp” blending “camping, fitness, nutrition, health education and leadership training together for positive youth development.”  CBT group sessions and workbook provided.  Post-camp self-monitoring on interactive “Jump Zone” website.  Minimum stay is 4 weeks for $3,695.  Scholarships available.

7.  Camp Shining Stars, (2003), Wilson, NC; ages 12-18; 70 campers per summer.  A non-profit, co-ed camp located on Barton College campus and founded by Ira Green, founder of Healthy Kid’s Foundation.  Author/actress and frequent guest on Oprah, Stacey Halprin, teaches drama.  95% campers lose more than 8% of their body weight.  If camper doesn’t lose at least 7% of their total weight, camp will refund $2,000!  Minimal, informal CBT.  Parent workshop.  Minimum stay is 3 weeks, $3250.

Other weight-loss camps to consider:

Adventure Chicks Tahoe, California.  Single-sex, minimum stay 1 week, $1,950.

Camp Kaizen, NE Vermont, girl-only, non-profit camp run by husband and wife team Nick and Cindi Bollettieri.  Minimum stay 5 weeks, inquire for price.

Active Challenge, Ontario, girl-only outdoor adventure camp for ages 12-18.  Minimum session 3 weeks, $2966.

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Related topics:

What to look for in a weight loss camp.

Abby Ellin, former fat camper, cuts loose on why she remains “deeply, passionately conflicted” about fat camps.

Susan Basso, Mom to Scotty on “Too Fat for Fifteen”, explores her son’s time at Wellspring Academy.

Photo courtesy of choicecamps.

Doctors of the USA provides news and information from local doctors in communities across the country on both radio and TV.

Abby Ellin, stomping on her old campgrounds.

Ah, what a great question!

Now as it happens, this is an area I know something about. I spent six years at various fat camps around the country — two as a camper, four as a counselor. I also researched them for my book, “Teenage Waistland: a Former Fat Kid Weighs in on Loving Large, Losing Weight and How Parents Can (and Can’t) Help,” talking to dozens of campers, former campers, future campers, and the people who love them.

And so, after thinking about fat camps — hard – for over 25 years, I can honestly say this: I am deeply, profoundly conflicted about them.

Here’s why. I was 16 the first time I went to Camp Colang, a Weight Watchers Camp in Lackawaxen, PA — essentially, the middle of nowhere. Unlike most of the kids there, whose parents shipped them off, it was my own idea to go. (Although I might have been a teency bit influenced by my beloved but twisted grandmother, who told me when I was 12 that I couldn’t visit her in Florida until I lost ten pounds). And not only was it my idea, but I paid for it, too, shelling out $3500 dollars for 9 weeks of camp out of my own pocket (my grandfather had died and left me some money, little knowing I would spend it all on fat camp.) Where were my parents in all of this, you ask? Well, they didn’t think I was “fat enough,” and believed I could do it on my own with a little willpower and commonsense.

But I knew better. My home environment was rather toxic around food. When visiting a neighbor, I would have to call home to see if I was allowed to sprinkle “real” sugar in my tea, and my older sister was anorexic. I knew that I had to get far, far away from my family to lose weight. With thoughts of a new me (and a treasured Florida vacation restored), I couldn’t wait to get to camp.

Now you have to understand that I was one of the thinner people at the camp. My first year, at the ripe old age of 16, I was 5’2” and 136 pounds. Not exactly a heifer. More than a few kids, in fact, asked me what the heck I was doing there when I wasn’t technically fat. It was a legitimate question, of course — especially when many campers weighed 250 to 350 pounds (if not more). Obviously, a lot of them resented me for being there when I was merely a bit chubby. In retrospect, I would have been annoyed with me too. But then, they didn’t know the kind of family pressure I experienced, the scrutiny I underwent any time I put something into my mouth. They didn’t know how much focus was devoted to the extra fifteen pounds I carried, which weren’t so awful in the grand scheme of things, but were absolutely heinous for me, my family, and most of all, my trim, 110-pound, perfectly coiffed grandmother.

So even though I felt like I didn’t fit in anywhere — too big for the real world, too small for fat camp — I was ecstatic. Once at camp, I felt totally, completely, utterly liberated. FINALLY, I thought, people would like me for who I was and not what I looked like! In reality, of course, there was a hierarchy at camp; the thinner girls got more male attention than the heavier ones. But this hierarchy was all in my favor: for the first time since elementary school, I was one of the thinner kids in the room! Guys liked me! Girls wanted to look like me! It was flattering stuff for someone who had felt so ostracized and downgraded back at home. I ate it up.

Social thrills aside, I also took my time at camp very seriously, much more seriously than most of my peers. After all, I had sent myself. So I had extra incentive to lose weight, because this wasn’t my parent’s idea (or wallet), it was one hundred percent mine. If I slacked off, the only person I was hurting was myself. Staying with the program (aside from a few cheats), I ended up shedding thirteen pounds, plus a bunch of inches, and was deeply satisfied with my results.

I also made some of my closest friends there, people I’m still in touch with decades later. Even today we share a very special bond, which I liken to war. We’d been in the trenches of hunger pangs, grueling exercise, uncomfortable bunks, embarrassing weigh-ins – even the lack of good-looking guys! – and we survived.

But the bad news about camp was that the entire scene bred an unnatural obsession with food. We campers used to break into the dining room at the middle of the night and steal Weight Watchers frozen ice cream treats, tubs of peanut butter, or anything else we could get our hands on. There was also a black market: money-hungry counselors would sell contraband Snickers bars, Reese’s peanut butter cups, M&Ms, and Pepperidge Farm cookies (and the prices were outrageous—$5 for a snickers bar! $7 for a hoagie!). Was it smart? Hardly. But as long as you didn’t gain weight, what was the harm?

Actually, there was big harm, because our entire existence revolved around food: what we wanted to eat, what we were allowed to eat, and what we were going to eat once we “got out of here.” We spent many a night designing elaborate meals that we would eat the minute camp ended. Deprivation takes its toll — any weight loss achieved in the artificially-controlled camp environment was bound to boomerang back in the real world. After nine weeks of soggy salad and skinless chicken breast, I came home ravenous, like a kid let loose in a candy store. I pigged out mercilessly on some days, and then restricting caloric intake with military precision on others. It ended up backfiring, of course, and I gained 25 pounds during my freshman year of college, two years after my first foray into fat camp. And I wasn’t alone. Sadly, most of us were back the next summer, even heavier than the year before. And this could repeat for years.

So you can see why I feel torn about fat camp, and why it’s not easy for me to give you advice. The best I can do is sum up both the very good and the not-so-good reasons, and let you weigh them alongside the knowledge of your own kid, your own goals, and of course, your pocketbook.

The Good: Fat camp is an environment where kids who are burdened by social stigma finally have the chance to shine. Fat camp can be the first place they date a member of the opposite sex and feel attractive for who they are inside, and not so much for what they look like. (Of course, fat camp is no paradise, but it’s much much easier to be socially accepted there than in the real world). Fat camp is also a chance for kids to NOT GAIN WEIGHT, which is significant. Camp is, in effect, a two month long reprieve where kids are embracing a modicum of healthy eating and exercising. And that is hugely important.

The Bad: Most campers gain their weight right back as soon as they hit the real world — in large part because the familial structure doesn’t change. Parents, listen up, fat camp is just the beginning. When one child has a weight issue, the ENTIRE FAMILY needs to get behind him or her. The entire household has to revamp its eating and exercising behaviors. If not, your child will be right back where he or she started. Not only will you your pocketbook have taken a pretty major hit, but your child’s self esteem can suffer for not maintaining his weight loss from the previous summer. And it only gets worse if this repeats every year.

Still think fat camp is the right choice? Okay. I’m with you. Before you dash off to surf the web for camps, take these nuggets of wisdom with you, from a former serial fat-camper herself:

* Look for camps that offer follow-up programs to help kids maintain their goals throughout the year. Following through takes a lot of discipline and commitment on both you and your family’s part. Life is hard, and McDonalds, soda machines, and Cheetohs are everywhere. But if it’s a priority, you will find a way.

* Make sure that your child wants to go to fat camp. If he or she is against the idea, or highly ambivalent even after several enthusiastic chats about the subject, beware. Most kids will find 100 ways to be deviant if they’re being forced to do something.

* Talk to former campers and their families, and see if they’ve been able to maintain their weight-loss post-camp. If so, what did they do? If not, what could they have done differently?

* If possible, visit the camps. Many offer tours during the off-season. If you are spending almost $10,000 for a summer, you want to make sure it’s a nice place. (Unfortunately some are very run-down.)

* Interview camp directors. How long have they been in business? Has their staff been with them for a long time? And, most important, do they seem to care about the issue or are they just about the bottom line?

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Fitsmi’s Editor at Large Abby Ellin is the author of Teenage Waistland: A Former Fat Kid Weighs in On Living Large, Losing Weight and How Parents Can (and Can’t) Help, which was published in 2005. Her greatest claim to fame is naming “Karamel Sutra” ice cream for Ben and Jerry’s.

Ed Koch and his sister, Pat.

fitsmi was very sorry to hear about the recent death of Ed Koch, three-time former NYC mayor.   One side of his life that few may know about is his co-authoring with his sister Pat of a charming storybook to help overweight kids, Eddie Shapes Up, loosely based on Koch’s own overweight boyhood.  In honor of Mayor Koch’s passing, we are republishing our 2011 interview with him on fitsmiForMoms Radio to discuss his book and his hopes for inspiring kids who struggle with their weight today.

Here are some of the highlights (you can listen to the full podcast here).

What It Was Like to Be Overweight as a Child:

“I was a fat kid, and when I was in the schoolyard, the other kids would call me ‘fatso,’ and I will tell you that it seared my soul.”

“The worst thing was when we had school dances [laughs].  Nobody would dance with me!”

“My friends comforted me and made it possible to do what I might not have been able to do all alone.”

“One day I realized that if I wanted to get more out of life, I would have to lose weight.”

What Parents Can Do

“You have to encourage a child, never make fun of a child. Other children are mean-spirited and will make fun – that’s the nature of being a child. But a parent can’t make the boy or the girl feel additionally upset because they think you don’t love them because they’re fat. Reinforce a feeling of love and respect and convey a desire to help so that the child looks to you in this very difficult moment.”

“What’s right? Not to go on a diet — children should never be put on a diet, but to eat responsibly, to eat well.“

“My parents never asked me about being bullied. That was a private matter where I had to depend on my friends. But I think every parent should say to their child, let’s you and I be really close friends and share our secrets. Tell me, maybe we can help.”

Ed’s Advice for Kids Trying to Lose Weight

“We all know what it means to try to lose weight – it’s very tough, very tough!”

“Here I am in my 87th year, and I eat responsibly but occasionally I’ll do something that’s irrational. I had a milkshake recently and it was so good that I ordered a second one. Now that was ridiculous –but I said aw the hell with it, I don’t do things like this regularly.  People have to understand that’s real life. You’re not going to constantly do what’s logical but you have to reinforce the desire of the child to be rational.”

“Change your lifestyle – if you’re really going to lose weight the best thing to do is to eat vegetables and the one vegetable that you can eat all day are sugar snap peas! They taste delicious! I mean they’re as good as Godiva!”

“Salty foods, hamburgers, all of the fast food …they taste good! If there’s no alternative that tastes as good or better, then you’re gonna go with the flow as they say, and buy the food that tastes good. [So you have to find healthy alternatives that taste good] For example, French fries we know are not good for you – so what I eat are zucchini fries! Fried zucchini tastes delicious, has far less calories, and is far less deleterious!”

“I would say to all of the children, girls and boys:  life is very precious. Make the most of life, and don’t just go the easy route. The tougher route is usually better.”

On Being Bullied as an Overweight Kid:

“I was bullied in the schoolyard [for my weight]! And we know that bullying takes place today and NJ just passed legislation that deals with this and other states are looking at it.”

“When you are in a position to help a child who is being bullied, step right up! Don’t let the child be bullied; remember what it was like for you.”

Are there ways to encourage other kids to step up?

“Absolutely! A kid can stand up and say ‘if you’re going to bully that little kid, you gotta take me on first.’ If no kid is able to do it on their own, you can get three kids who are able to do it together and walk over and say, ‘you’ve got to take the three of us on if you do that again.’”

Why He Decided to Tackle Obesity At This Time in His Life

“Well first of all it’s the number one issue in America. You can’t read a newspaper in the course of a week and not run into it. There’s a huge increase in childhood obesity in the United States and it’s true in other countries as well. The first Lady, Michelle, has made it her number one priority. So I said let’s see what I can do with my sister Pat – we both lived through this – how can we make it interesting to children so that they will understand that they have to be concerned, not just to have it pressed upon them.”

Should Government Do More?

“I don’t believe Government should ever be in a situation where it mandates what you do, but it certainly should provide information and convey what leading a healthy life and eating healthy foods can do for you.  But in terms of direct involvement, it’s always the family and close friends [who make a difference to a child's health].  That’s what happened with me, and that’s what happens with most kids.”

What about a soda tax? 

“There was this effort to put a tax on sugar drinks.  I thought that made sense, regrettably it didn’t go very far.”

Should we keep pushing for it?

“Yes!  Ideas that are good aren’t always accepted initially and you have to keep bringing them to the attention of the public.  One day the public wakes up and says, why didn’t we do that before?”

What about curbing the marketing of junk food to kids?

“The first amendment doesn’t allow us to limit much what people can say.  But in the schools, authorities can make sure that the meals that are served there are tasty and healthy.  I never understood why institutions – and my experience lately is with hospitals! – can’t serve really good food!”

So this year, turn a new leaf!  Try cooking healthier versions of your kids’ favorite restaurant meals at home.  Who knows, you might stumble upon some new family faves – and not just for kids!  (And you’ll probably save some money too.)

Here are seven “Eat This Not That” recipe ideas that turn some of the worst restaurant kid meal offenders into healthy meals at home that most kids will love.

Fettucini Alfredo

Legend has it that the Cheesecake Factory does not have one single dish less than 1,000 calories, and the heart-clogging Cheesecake Factory’s Pasta Alfredo (1800 calories per serving), a kid favorite, more than lives up to its reputation. To serve your kids something healthier at home, swap out white flour pasta with a whole wheat or multigrain version that’s high in fiber. Instead of heavy cream, butter, and cheese, make a faux alfredo sauce using garbanzo beans. If pureed beans sound too weird to you, try out this recipe with laughing cow cheese as the main ingredient.

Cheese Quesadilla

On the Border Kid’s Cheese Quesadilla with Mexican Rice (1,220 calories) is loaded with  fattening cheese between two heavy flour tortillas – a stack that would weigh anyone down! For a healthier version of this kid favorite, griddle 2 whole wheat high fiber tortillas filled with ¼ to ½ cup of reduced-fat shredded cheese.  Add some veggies if your kids will tolerate them – pre-grilled red and green peppers and onions is a common combo.  If they gotta have a side of rice too, sneak some extra veggies in while cooking. In a medium pot combine 1 chopped tomato, 2 diced carrots, 1/2 chopped onion, 1/2 cup salsa, 2 and 1/4 cups water, and 1 cup brown rice. Bring the mixture to a boil and then cover with a lid and turn down to a simmer for 45 minutes. Substitute other vegetables for the carrots or tomato based on what’s in your fridge, and remember, one recipe serves 4.

Ice-Cream Sundae

The Joey Spotted Dog Sundae (1,216 calories) at Outback Steakhouse is a clear example of portion control gone wrong!  Some easy substitutions for a delicious homemade sundae are slow churned low-fat vanilla ice cream (100 to 120 calories per serving) and, instead of going Oreo-overboard like Outback Steakhouse does, crumble a 100-calorie Oreo pouch on top (automatic portion control! And kids love each having their own bag to sprinkle on). Take it a step further by creating a toppings bar for your kids complete with sliced bananas, strawberries and nuts. You might be surprised by the healthier ingredients that make it onto their sundaes!

Mac ‘n Cheese

Mac ‘n Cheese is perhaps the most popular kid comfort food. Parents like making it because it’s easy, and kids love eating it because it’s creamy and salty.  This not-so-healthy dish from a box can really go calorically wild at a restaurant – take California Pizza Kitchen’s Kids Curly Mac n’Cheese, which tosses in a few edamame beans to win parents’ approval. The healthy gesture is appreciated, but the 1,088 calories per serving are not!  Instead, try Annie’s Organic Whole Wheat Shells and White Cheddar at home.  Follow the directions on the box and throw in 1 cup of frozen shelled edamame two minutes before the noodles are done boiling. You’ll end up with 3 servings of fiber-full and protein-packed edamame mac n’cheese for only 300 calories a serving!

Chicken Nuggets/Chicken Fingers

Any chicken-nugget-o’holics in your house?  We’ve got news for you; you don’t need a vat of oil to make deliciously crisp food. Give this recipe from Cooking Light a whirl and boost the nutritional content by using whole wheat breadcrumbs. As for dipping sauces try hummus or look for all natural organic barbecue sauce (without high fructose corn syrup). Or make your own flavored ketchup using tomato paste and spices like paprika and oregano.

Cheeseburger and Fries

McDonald’s finds a way into nearly every kids diet. With a double cheeseburger, crispy fries and creamy chocolate milk, the Mighty Kids Meal (840 calories) is packed with grease, sugar, salt, and preservatives!  To make a healthy version of the classic fast-food burger meal at hone, swap beef out for lean turkey or ground chicken breast (or if you have to have beef, look for grass-fed beef) and make it a single patty burger on a whole wheat bun with an optional slice of reduced-fat cheese. Try sweet potato oven fries to deliver a healthy dose of vitamin A. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F, slice 2 large sweet potatoes into straws. Toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of canola oil and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Spread onto a baking sheet in a single layer and cook for 25 to 30 minutes flipping the fries halfway through. (You can also prepare regular potatoes this way, but they might need to bake a little longer).  Nix the chocolate milk, which is high in sugar, and opt for a naturally sweet dessert like frozen grapes or a banana.

Grilled Cheese

Extraordinary grilled cheese doesn’t have to mean 800 calories per serving, but the Cheesecake Factory missed the memo! To give your kids something that feels decadent and restaurant-special, look for a whole wheat baguette in your grocery store’s bakery and slice it into 12 even pieces. Assemble the sandwiches by placing 1 piece of lowfat sliced cheese on one half and 1 Tbs. of hummus on the other. Close the sandwich and grill in a lightly oiled pan on medium, flipping after 2-3 minutes until bread is toasted and cheese is melted.  The hummus will make the cheese filling creamier and add a protein boost!  Kids and adults will love the creamy tangy filling and crusty bread!

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photo credit: Samyra Serin via photopin cc

1. Nag. All parents worry about their overweight child, and they often remind their child about eating and weight issues, either consciously or unconsciously. It never works, yet parents continue to do it. So the next time you open your mouth to say, “Don’t you want to eat a better breakfast?” or “Geez, get off the couch already!”: STOP. Change direction by biting into a raw carrot or going outside for a brisk walk yourself.

2. Ignore it or deny it, and hope it goes away. Also does not usually work. And kids can continue to gain weight, which makes it more difficult to lose later on.

3. Motivate with guilt, i.e. say things like, “Can’t you control yourself?” “If you cared about me, you would stop eating!” Guilt is usually not productive, and it can lead to negative feelings and emotional overeating. In addition, when teens feel guilty, they often do the opposite of what you want them to do.

4. Offer money or prizes. Money is a good motivator as long as the teen needs it and as long as it continues. I do not recommend this unless you want to pay your teen forever, and at increased rates to keep them motivated over time. And what happens when they leave the nest?

5. Remind your teen to reduce food intake during dinner, or, during an overeating episode. When emotions are high, teens can’t listen to advice and parents are not good at giving it. Take a deep breath, say nothing during the moment, and address it at another time when both of you are calm.

6. Talk to your teen about their weight in front of other family members or friends. Some parents use this strategy, especially when they feel that they are running out of good alternatives. But this can lead to feelings of embarrassment and/or anger, leading to emotional overeating (see #3).

7. Ask other people to talk to the teen about their weight. Might work sometimes, but almost guaranteed to annoy or anger your teen, who will resent your visible interference. Plus, any success will be attributed to the influential other, not to you or your teen.

8. Talk to teen in a directive, face-to-face manner. You may think that you need to grab your teen by the shoulders and sit them down for a serious, life-changing encounter, but this is often a recipe for disaster or shut-down. Try casual, spontaneous conversations, ideally triggered by something the teen brings up herself. I’m a big fan of talking in the car, which takes away some of the confrontation because you can’t stare at each other face-to-face.

9. Be the food police. You may think it’s imperative to eliminate all processed foods and whip your family’s tastebuds into whole-grain, high-fiber, and low-fat shape, but teens like to make their own choices. If you’re too dictatorial, it may backfire, and you may find your teen hoarding Snickers bars under the bed or secretly stopping at Dunkin’ Donuts on the way home from school.

10. Worry too much about damaging their self-esteem. Most teens already know they are overweight, and are eager for someone to give them some hope and a path towards a better future. Any “damage” has already been done by the thin-obsessed culture around them – your bringing it up in a gentle, respectful, practical way is only going to make them feel loved and, hopefully, curious about a healthier life ahead.

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Find out what fitsmi founder Linda Frankenbach recommends to parents of overweight teens on NBC’s Feb. 2 New York Nightly News!

Linda’s years of experience in running fitsmi.com, a website for teen girls struggling with their weight, and fitsmiForMoms.com, a site for their parents, has given her lots of insights into which parent interventions work, and which definitely do not.



View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com.

Listen to what fitsmi’s Editor at Large Abby Ellin had to say on the CBS morning talk show “Live from the Couch”:

Linda Frankenbach, founder of fitsmi.com and fitsmiForMoms.com, and fitsmi Editor at Large Abby Ellin, provide expert advice on what parents can do to help and what fitsmi offers teen girls struggling with their weight on a recent episode of One Word Nation Radio.

Catch the podcast below! Also featured is Paul Kramer, author of the controversial children’s book, “Maggie Goes on a Diet.”