A weight loss camp is basically a sleep-over camp which aims at helping campers reach their target weights. Traditionally these camps just focused on reducing maximum weight in minimum time. Now the new generation camps are focusing on teaching campers how to make healthier decisions about their diet. On the part of the campers as well, there has been a change in trends, like all other things, regarding weight. Instead of being ashamed of themselves, people have started to accept their problems and make whole-hearted efforts to resolve them. Also, unlike the past, when such camps were only for young children (mostly girls) adult camps have now emerged. These camps are no longer the starve-camps they used to be. They are now focusing on teaching campers how to make wise decisions about their diet options.

So do you want to spend summer loosing the holiday weight? Worried about the sudden increase in your child’s weight? Looking for a sound, friendly, understanding environment to be in or to place your child in? If yes then you’ve come to the right place. It’s hard going through all the advertisements to finally search out a truly helpful and effective institute. And beware! The starvation camps are not extinct. Another thing to keep in mind is that we human beings are very sensitive when it comes to our appearance and diet. This means that if we are discouraged or mistreated in either of these areas, the results may be highly, and often permanently, damaging.

So how do you get to ‘Camp Right’? Here are a few guidelines to consider;

1. Ask Your Physician: whether for yourself or for your child, if you’re considering putting yourself in anyone’s hands, best to get professional recommendation for those hands. Ask your physician or dietician to recommend a weight loss camp for you or your child.

2. Ask Friends: if you know a friend who’s been to a weight loss camp or has sent a child to one, ask them how the camp was and what were the results they received out of their stay there. Your friend’s advice should give a good picture of what to expect from a good camp, standing on the camper’s side of the river. In the event your friend wound up some place terrible, you know which camp to cross off your list and also the tell-tale signs of a bad camp.

3. Meet with the Head Counselor: visit the camp and meet with the camp’s Head Counselor or otherwise the counselor who handles the potential campers. Your conversation with him or her should give you a clue as to what to expect. These people should convey an over all message of genuinely wanting to help you gain and retain a healthy body and eating habits. Big promises like ‘you’ll leave here looking like a star’ are just a lot of hot air. Look for solid, sensible encouragements like ‘we are focused on teaching our campers what’s healthy for them to eat and what’s not’. The big promises may sound more appealing, but believe me, you don’t want to end up loosing weight in terms of muscle destruction, dehydration, bone damage, etc. These are the possible nightmares which a starvation camp may bring.

4. Make sure your Child Understands: don’t just pack your child off to weigh loss camp, sit down and have a talk with him or her. Going to weight loss camp doesn’t necessarily have to be because your child is obese, the reason may be just to teach him/her better decision making regarding their diet. Even if you are sending for reasons of overweight or obesity, make sure your child understands the current danger to his/her health. If your child isn’t ready, sending him or her isn’t a good idea.

5. Be True to yourself: once in camp, be true to yourself. Your there to get healthy and learn how to stay healthy. That’s the purpose of sending your child there as well. So resist the temptation to sneak around the counselors back, even if it is just for the fun of it.

Happy Camping!