If you ask many teenagers about their weight, few will tell you they are happy.
Unfortunately, the media has a lot to do with a teen’s body image, as they are constantly bombarded by what is considered “fat.”
Many teens feel they don’t measure up. Consequently, many teens will say they are on a diet.
However, what these teens need are healthy dieting tips, not fad diets.
Here are four tips that will help a teen lose weight, but in the right way.
1. Don’t Skip Meals
This is probably one of the hardest things for a teen to do. Many sleep right up until they must rush out the door. This is often due to late night studying or from participating in after-school events.
The average amount of sleep that teens need is eight to nine hours; however, many struggle to get six. As a result, breakfast is possibly a candy bar halfway through their morning and a soda to wash it down.
Not only will eating a good breakfast increase the metabolism, you burn more calories throughout your day and you may find it’s easier to concentrate on classes.
2. Get Moving
Instead of spending hours in front of the computer, video game, or television, it’s time to get moving. Take the stairs when you can. Participate in after school sporting activities. Take your little brother for a walk around the block. Join a gym.
Anything that will get you moving is great. If there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day, consider getting your friends together for support. You can gossip and talk just as well walking as you can do sitting on the couch!
3. Avoid the Fad Diets
Many of today’s diet plans are geared towards teenagers. However, most are not effective. This is especially true of the plans that focus on only one or two food groups.
Eating a well balanced diet, but decreasing your caloric intake and increasing your activity is the only sound way to lose weight. If you have notions of starving yourself, please reconsider.
Anorexia and bulimia are very real, very serious eating disorders and you should seek help if you feel either of these conditions are part of your life.
4. Avoid the Fast Food
With today’s busy pace, it’s easy to hit a fast food restaurant when you’re hungry. While convenient, many of the offerings at these restaurants contain enough fat for the entire day!
Everything seems to be bigger, from the drinks to the burgers to the fries. By simply eliminating one super sized fast food meal a week, you could save over 1500 calories and up to 70 grams of fat.
5. Perseverance Is the Key to A Healthy Weight
The teenage years can be some of the most difficult. Between school, extracurricular activities, work, and social obligations, there is enough stress to last a lifetime.
Worrying about your weight or whether you can measure up to others will only add more stress. Get active and implement a healthy eating plan. You won’t have to worry about your weight for much longer!
