Healthy Ways to Diet for Teen Girls

Healthy Ways to Diet for Teen Girls
Photo Credit bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar, blueberries, orange juice image by David Smith from Fotolia.com

As a teenage girl, you may feel anxious to lose weight. Instead of making weight loss your goal, make a goal to stay fit and healthy. Steer clear of fad diets, which involve eating the same foods over and over to lose drastic amounts of weight. These diets are ineffective because the weight will return after completing the program. Instead, eat a healthy variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein and whole grains in moderation.

Eat Breakfast

The Mayo Clinic recommends eating breakfast as a healthy and effective way to lose weight. If you're a breakfast skipper, it may seem strange that consuming more food in the morning may help you lose weight. Eating a nutritious breakfast, like a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries, strawberries and almonds sprinkled on top, may help you stay full throughout the morning and keep you from snacking or giving in to tempting junk food throughout the day. Even if you don't have time to sit down for a traditional breakfast, grab a handful of whole wheat crackers, spread peanut butter on them, and put a few strawberries on top for a morning boost.

Snack Wisely

If you're hungry in the middle of the day, you're likely to grab whatever food is handy in the fridge, at the store, from a vending machine or from fast-food eatery. Make healthy foods the most convenient thing to grab by cutting up a variety of delicious veggies the day before. Carry a baggie of your favorite veggies, like cucumber slices and bell peppers cut into strips, and a small container of hummus, recommends Chris Wharton, research associate at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, in "Seventeen" magazine. When you get the urge to snack, grab a veggie and chow down.

Add Fruits and Veggies

If broiled fish, chicken or other meat and rice every night is beginning to look boring, spice it up with fruits, vegetables and herbs. Add a large green salad with olives and bell peppers or other favorite vegetables, or a hot plate of steamed broccoli with garlic. Before broiling the meat, add chopped rosemary, oregano and basil with a little bit of olive oil.

Watch What You Drink

Extra calories don't always come from the foods you eat. You may be adding extra calories by drinking sugary drinks and sodas. Drink water, seltzer, and herbal or black tea without sugar throughout the day, and avoid soda and sugary drinks as much as possible, according to the Mayo Clinic.

References

Article reviewed by Ecliptic Extremes Last updated on: Apr 23, 2010

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