Childhood Obesity - Do you have an overweight child? We offer tips to help your child lose weight and get fit!

The My Overweight Child blog will help you keep informed about the latest research, findings, and resources available to parents of overweight or obese kids. There are many knowledgeable people working on the increasingly dire problem of childhood obesity - and we want to give parents a place where they can check in regularly to see the latest studies and tips available to help you help your child lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

We invite you to add your comments - if you have feedback for the blog, would like some specific topics covered, or you just want to share your experience as a parent dealing with childhood obesity.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Plagued by the Plateau

If you've ever experienced the "plateau" stage of a weight loss program, you understand how discouraging this can be. A plateau is a phase during a weight loss program where weight refuses to budge in spite of a negative energy balance - or more energy being expended through exercise than taken in via calories.

Researchers suggest that this common phenomenon is due to the way our bodies are programmed. The human body is well equipped to conserve energy during periods of famine; that is, if food is not plentiful, our bodies are able to maintain weight and energy by slowing the metabolism. This mechanism of food conservation worked for ancient civilizations, when people were hunter-gatherers and food was not always available.

But in today's environment of excess food consumption and inactivity, the human body is not equipped to speed up metabolism to work off the extra pounds.

While there is no perfect answer for moving past a plateau phase, experts recommend increasing the intensity or duration of exercise or adding different types of exercise to your current exercise program.

Posted By: Lori S