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Weight loss camp helps youngsters lighten up - Campers lose weight, gain confidence
>Childhood obesity is a quickly growing U.S. epidemic. Now there's a camp in South Texas that uses the summer months to try and help overweight young people change their lifestyle for good.
Adolescents and teens are on the front lines of a nationwide war, but their battles are being fought individually. On the campus of the San Marcos Baptist Academy, is helping 70 children, ages 11 to 18, drop pound and forge a new body image.
17-year-old Andrew Fowlkes of Houston came to the camp last summer tipping the scales at 327 pounds. "We learn how to basically monitor our fat and calorie intake," Fowlkes explained. "We try and get less than 20 grams of fat a day. And by the end of the first summer I had already lost 73 pounds."
Most campers lose four to five pounds a week while they're here, Wellspring serves up a lot more than just fun, vigorous activity. It's an educational odyssey that includes new habits, like food journals. The meals are broken down into calories, fat and protein. Campers are given healthy choices and taught how to make them on their own in the real world.
70% of campers maintain or continue losing weight once they return home from their four to 10 weeks stay. For many, it's a life-altering experience.
"Socially, I have gone through the roof and my confidence has been amazing," said Maddy Lang, a 13-year-old from Dallas. "I've made so many friends and I don't get teased anymore at school."
Behavioral counseling is part of the equation, but the camp director says making physical activity fun is key. "We don't do boot camps, you know?" commented Lora Tilson of Wellspring Camps. " We know if these kids are not having a good time, if they're not having fun, this isn't going to be something they're going to want to do.
Wellspring Camp is an investment. It costs $6,000 to $10,000 depending on the length of stay. But it's a cost that's sometimes partially covered by insurance.
