Obesity poses special risks for teen girls. In addition to risks of hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes, overweight girls suffer from higher rates of depression and hormonal imbalances. Tips for teen girls who want to lose weight include setting goals, developing a weight loss plan and making lifestyle changes to reduce calorie intake and increase exercise.
Target Weight
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, reports that the prevalence of obesity among adolescents age 12 to 19 grew to 18.1 percent in 2008. If you are part of this trend, the solution is straightforward: eat less, exercise more. Obesity is a natural result of consuming more calories than you burn exercising. It is difficult to know your caloric balance without keeping a food journal. At each meal, count up the calories and keep a running tally. If you are overweight or inactive, keep your caloric intake under 2,000 calories per day. Eliminate chips, fast food and sodas from your diet. Learn to cook and prepare healthy meals at home. Set a realistic goal weight for yourself and write it down.
A Woman with a Plan
Your written weight loss plan should specify calories consumed each day as well as the number of minutes you exercise every day. A journal of exercise time is just as important as a food journal. If the calories you eat are not burned off by exercise, your body will store them as fat. Your body needs to be active, but as a teen girl you are probably sitting in a classroom for about seven hours a day. When you get home from school, you may be facing hours of homework. It can be a challenge to find the time to exercise, but this time is important to your health now and in the future. Sign up for soccer, dance or swimming. Stay active even if you have to go for a walk with your parents. Be creative and exercise while you are going through your daily routine. Do isometric exercises in class or while driving. Do 20 crunches in between each math homework problem. Lunge down the hall on your way to the living room.When exercise is a priority and is part of your daily routine, it is more likely that you will stick with it.
Lifestyle Plan
America's youth spend over three hours a day watching television, according to the CDC. If you add a few hours in front of the computer, a whole day can slip by without you getting any exercise. Instead of keeping in touch with friends by texting or by computer, invite them over. Jump on a trampoline, go for a bike ride or take a yoga class. Get out in the real world. Kick the TV out of your bedroom. A University of Michigan study warns that a TV in the bedroom adds pounds, disrupts sleep and lowers grades. Limit your TV time to 30 minutes a day and use the time you save to be active.
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