A weight loss camp for teens may provide just the help your child needs for losing weight and keeping it off. These summer programs provide all of the fun activities of summer camp plus much more!
I see it all the time…
As I roam the campuses throughout my school district and visit elementary, middle school, and high school PE classes, I am struck by the growing number of overweight and obese kids and teens.
It is staggering to me.
And it really makes me sad to see the difficulty these young people have participating in recreational games and fitness activities with their peers.
According to research, many of these young people who battle with their weight at such a young age can look forward to a life of struggle and health issues as they grow into adults.
Obesity has become is a serious health concern among kids and teens today. Being significantly overweight dramatically increases a person’s risk of illness and disease.
There is good news, though…
Losing as little as 5-10% of your weight reduces some of the risks.
The teenage years are so difficult anyway.
Kids are coming to terms with their changing bodies and peer pressure. Self-esteem and body image are huge concerns. Teens want to fit in with their peers and feel good about themselves.
This can be difficult if they’re overweight.
Weight loss summer programs for teens have become very popular. You can find them throughout the U.S., and they might offer just the help you’re looking for.
Don’t let the term “weight loss camp” scare you. I’m not talking about a boot camp.
Does a weight loss camp for teens really work?
After checking a bunch of these camps out, I think you’ll agree they look pretty amazing! The facilities, activities, and daily schedules look awesome, and I challenge you to find other summer camps that have so much to offer.
Studies have shown that these camps are very effective in improving short-term health and fitness among overweight and obese young people. And they’ve also shown that longer camps show greater positive outcomes than shorter camps.
However, the jury is still out on how effective a weight loss summer camp is for long-term weight loss.
Losing weight isn’t the ONLY goal
It’s important to note that losing weight is not the only goal of a weight loss camp for teens.
Most of the camps I’ve checked out believe that a person’s health and well-being is related to balance in their life.
As a result, these camps provide opportunities for campers to build a wide variety of healthy habits that will lead to not only weight loss but improvements in self-esteem, physical fitness, relationship-building, eating habits, sleeping habits, etc.
Because it takes time to fully immerse people into new routines long enough to make a lasting difference, many of these camps recommend a minimum of a 3-4 week stay.
It seems to be a common theme among camps that the longer campers stay, the more weight they lose.
However, a good weight loss camp for teens doesn’t come without a price…and a pretty big one!
Most camps cost well over $1,000 a week. Multiply that by anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks, and you see that summer programs for losing weight are quite a financial investment.
It’s possible your insurance company will help with some of the cost. Some camps have programs to help with financing. But either way, the cost is significant.
With such an investment of time, money, and separation from family, finding the right weight loss summer camp is really important.
When you start your search, you’ll quickly see that there are many to choose from.
A lot of them host open houses, which give families a chance to check them out in-depth. I would highly recommend taking advantage of those if possible.
Find a weight loss camp for teens near you.
For more tips about teen weight loss, visit mayoclinic.org