Christmas holiday weight loss recipes for overweight kids, diet Thanksgiving food swaps to beat obesity

The holiday season is a hard time to be dieting with Halloween candy, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas cookies, New Year's Eve desserts, etc. The drive to work at weight loss [VIDEO] goes out with the fall leaves. Overweight kids have an especially difficult time at #Holidays. But there's hope--this author lost over 100 pounds, through holiday binges, and promises that with food swaps and recipe tweaks you can stay the diet course and still enjoy the feasting.   Christmas holiday weight loss recipes: Low-fat diet Thanksgiving food swaps

Honey Boo Boo, 12, faces obesity as Mama June rocks weight loss, plastic surgery

How time flies. Reality TV child star Alana Thompson turned 12 on Aug. 28. It seems like only yesterday she was the darling of "Toddlers & Tiaras" and "Here Comes #Honey Boo Boo." But age, lifestyle choices and a terrible diet have not been kind to the beauty queen. Ironically, Mama June [VIDEO] is enjoying accolades for her #weight loss makeover. But it's happy birthday, obesity for Alana Thompson. Could TLC's "My 600-lb Life" help the tween in that respect.   Honey Boo Boo, 12, faces obesity as Mama June rocks weight loss, plastic surgery

Hands-on patriotic crafts for special needs kids: wheelchair or bike decorating for Labor Day, Memorial Day

Labor Day, Memorial Day and 4th of July meant one certain thing for us as children: decorating bikes and riding in the parade. Here's a patriotic themed bike decorating guide. Decorate your bicycle easy and cheap with recycled items. These hands-on no-fail activities work very well as lesson plans for special needs kids. Disabled children might decorate wheelchairs!

Materials (you don't need all of them if you're doing this on a budget). Save money and use recycled scraps whenever possible.

Recycled bin! (very important source for homemade decorations)
1 package of each of red, white and blue tissue paper (or scraps from Christmas wrapping supplies or recycling)
Metallic wrapping paper in patriotic colors (or scraps)
Christmas bows in red, blue, white, gold and silver.
1 roll each of red, white and blue crepe paper streamers (or pink and blue tissues)
several small American flags (here are free printable American flags. Color and attach to popsicle sticks or pencils)
silver, red, white, gold and/or blue curling holiday gift wrap ribbon
scrap wrapping paper, ribbon and bows in patriotic colors
fake flowers from craft bin
Mardi Gras or Christmas beads (red, white, blue, silver, gold)
blow out party noisemakers in patriotic colors
aluminum foil
Scotch tape
rubber bands, twist ties or cable ties
scissors
markers and recycled cardboard cereal box

Procedure:

Tape end of crepe paper streamers to top of bar of bike frame. Wrap streamer around the bar to cover it. Tape end securely. Repeat with all bike frame bars, handlebars and wheel covers. Weave streamers around the wheel spokes. Tape securely so nothing gets caught. Alternate red, white and blue. If you don't have streamers use any scrap paper, tissue paper, wrapping paper or foil. Be creative.
Stick bows and tissue paper roses in various spots. Keep packaged tissue paper folded. Cut three inch pieces (cutting through all layers). Gather at center with twist tie, yarn scrap or rubber band. Tie or cable tie to bike. Pull folds open, trim edges and fluff to make flowers. Make a row of along handlebars like a bouquet of patriotic flowers.
Curl ribbon by carefully pulling along blade of scissors. Tie bunches of curled ribbons to ends of handlebars. Tape bunches to bike seat and helmet. Cut beads apart and hang from basket. Avoid getting decorations caught in gears or chain.
Decorate sign "Happy Memorial Day" "Happy Fourth of July!" "Thank you, Veterans" "Happy Birthday America!" Attach to bike front. Tie flags crisscross to front of bike. Remember you are carrying the flag, so give it due respect. If its allowed, toss wrapped candies, pencils, rubber balls or toys from your basket. Or fill with flowers. Wear red and/or blue shirt, pants, socks, shoes, bandanna. Paint a flag tee-shirt. Blow your noisemaker as you ride.

'My 600-lb Life' Tracey Matthews' husband enables obesity, but not weight-loss

Reality television couple Josh and Anna Duggar are expecting their 5th baby but not everyone found it cause to rejoice. Josh Duggar was involved in a multilevel sex scandal that included pedophilia, cheating, cyber-adultery and pornography. The "19 Kids and Counting" parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar gushed over their new grandson who'll be born soon from all accounts. However others question the wisdom of having a baby in light of Josh's sex addiction admission. Even sisters Jill Duggar Dillard and Jessa Duggar Seewald have been quiet about the baby news.   'My 600-lb Life' Tracey Matthews' husband enables obesity, but not weight-loss

Kate Gosselin forced to give kids to Jon Gosselin but special needs son Colin Gosselin still MIA on 'Kate Plus 8'

Ex-reality television dad Jon Gosselin finally got to spend time with a few of his eight kids--but not without a fight with mom. After multiple child abuse charges, his estranged wife Kate Gosselin was court-ordered to surrender the children to their dad. But there's still no word on 12-year-old sextuplet Collin Gosselin. The boy was sent by his mother, sans his father's consent or knowledge, to a "special school" that turned out to be a mental hospital. Collin's still MIA in family pictures and on Gosselin's "Kate Plus 8" reality TV show.  What special needs does the boy have and what could he have done that was severe enough to warrant months of separation from family? All Kate says is that he tested her and is headstrong.  Special education experts question the Kate's wisdom in having him locked up at so young an age. Kate Gosselin forced to give kids to Jon Gosselin but son Colin still MIA on 'Kate Plus 8'

'My 600-lb Life' shocking one-ton twins Brandi and Kandi nearly die, prove killer obesity

"My 600-lb Life" season 5 may be the most gut-wrenching yet. TLC follows morbidly obese twins Brandi and Kandi who weigh nearly 1,200 pounds between them. The season teaser shows 575-lb Brandi screaming as her 604-lb sister Kandi nearly dies from obesity-related cardiac arrest and brain damage. Can the show's bariatric surgeon Dr, Younan Nowzaradan save these women with gastric bypass surgery before one-ton weight kills them? And updates from two familiar faces with massive weight loss, who've found their true beauty, give hope. 'My 600-lb Life' shocking one-ton twins Brandi and Kandi nearly die, prove killer obesity