What's the plan in "Body Plan?"

Assess the Situation

The first step to solving a problem is identifying it. Is your child overweight? Are you? If yes to to both, are these situations related? We're building a section that includes or links to assessment tools to help you answer these questions and more, starting with the basics:

• Getting accurate height and weight measurements for kids
• Getting accurate height and weight measurements for adults
• Determining Body Mass Index for kids
• Determining Body Mass Index for adults

Determine that Change is Necessary

This step is critical. If your doctor concurs that you or a member of your family has an overweight problem, the next step is to understand why it's important to change the situation. If you're going into battle against obesity, you have to agree that it's a battle worth fighting. Read our News and Research section to find out more about the danges of obesity in children and adults. Discuss the importance of this battle with your family, and agree to work together, as a team, to win.

Consult your doctor

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to diet and exercise—that's why you won't find specific diet and exercise plans, only general guidelines and suggestions. If every member of your family is working toward fitness, the path for each will be different. We'll give you basic guidelines and lots of resources to give you ideas to help you—but the most important resource you can call on in the fight to get fit is your doctor. Any changes you want to make in your family's nutrition and physical activity routines should be discussed with and approved by your doctor first.

Commit to effect positive lifestyle changes in your family's diet and activity levels

The best way to do this is to learn to become a become a trainer to your family: "A successful trainer creates a path to victory by helping the trainee overcome self-doubt, apathy, and insecurity, constantly showing them the light at what will be at times a very dark tunnel. As a child, I enjoyed a TV Western with a character whose business card read 'Have Gun Will Travel.' My card would say 'Have Knowledge. Will Apply-and Win.' What will your motto be, now that your trainee is your child?"

Use the resources on this site to help you create and follow through on action steps

The Site Overview will give you a good idea of where to find the resources you're looking for. We're adding to the site each day, and trying to find the most helpful links on the web to give you the tools and information you need. If you know of a site or a link we should include, let us know.

Basic Action Steps (and some links to get you started):

• 20 to 60 minutes of family-based activity at least 5-6 days per week
• Teach your family how to get active in their daily living, not just in exercise sessions
• Make better food selections
• Eat as a family at least 4 times in the week
• Keep a daily record of progress
• Create non-food-based family rewards for progress
• Create a support network (other families, school, grandparents)